How long should i keep my self defense rounds in my mag??

[00Buck2]

Standard LE recommendation for replacement or range firing of ammo carried is six months to one year. Ammo that is carried is exposed to oils in the pistol, and various temperatures and environments. Yes, modern ammo can last a long time but your life is worth a lot more than the cost of a box of cartridges. Bill

What Sarge said but rotate the chambered round.

Every year at annual qualification our agency issues fresh practice and duty ammo, and has us shoot the previous year's duty ammo at the range. I have three magazines for duty that get used only once a year at that time; practice mags are separate. Once a year at Gander Mountain I have had their gun smith inspect my duty weapon for function and parts wear since I practice at least monthly. No issues so far, and he has only charged $40.

You don't have an armorer?

 

[Stu Honea]

I used some .357 ammo I bought in 1986 recently.
If you're asking about weakening the spring in the mag. As long as a spring is not stressed beyond its elastic range it should last indefinitely.

This for sure. I have used magazines that have been loaded forever.I used to buy into the spring set theory but have found that to be untrue. Normal use of the magazines by shooting and continuously loading and unloading them will weaken the springs more than leaving them loaded for extended periods Even then,they last almost indefinetely.It is however,cheap insurance to keep a few spare mag springs in your kit. Murphy is alive and well.

 

[federali]

Ammo and immortality

Me thinks I've got you all beat. I recently fired off some .30-40 Krag ammo loaded by Remington in 1917. They all went bang. In firing off an accumulation of .38 Spl, acquired following the passing of three friends, one round produced quite a cloud of smoke but otherwise fired normally. Upon inspecting and sniffing the round, I discovered that it was an original black powder load and it still fired.

Just acquired a Browning Hi-power magazine, loaded and untouched for about 30 years, when a friend gave up his NYC pistol license. I threw the rounds away as they were reloads of unknown manufacture and quality but the magazine spring was just fine.

For years, shooters acquired and fired WWII vintage surplus ammo and it all fired just fine. But, I did experience a bad lot of 1950s manufacture, French made M-1 carbine ammo, producing the only hang-fires I've ever experienced. I don't think it was age but crappy manufacturing standards.