During our semi annual qualifications our agency would issue us fresh (new) carry ammo annually. That's been my practice into retirement, but now it's on my dime and very pricey. I shoot the old carry ammo to test POI/POA, as well as my tolerance for the recoil. How often do most of you change out your carry ammo?
How Often Do You Change Carry Ammo?
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Once a year,when I qualify for record, unless there is a good reason to do it more often. The ammo you actually carry on you will almost certainly be the crappiest ammo you own as it is handled, bounced around, cycled and exposed to body oil, weather, etc. Once a year is reasonable and prudent in most environments.
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My practice is the same as yours, and for the same reason. Old habits die hard. I should probably do the same with my house gun, but haven't recently.
Named User
Member
Bimonthly for me, I usually just use 20 round boxes though. It is kind of expensive but keeps me and the guns busy and clean. I find it way to easy to put off going to the range with my busy schedule, and that way I have to go at least once a month.
Rpg
Member
I don't change my carry ammo. Because I shoot the same handload for practice as I use for edc or hunting, I just shoot it and if I'm running low, load some more.
That said, I've never seen 'old' ammo perform poorly unless the ammo is bad to the naked eye: eg corrosion visible, bent case etc
Since I have a fair number of loaded rounds on hand at any given time, what I'm carrying on any given day may have been hand loaded some time ago.
I've shot a bunch of WW II 45 ball ammo without a single failure. Can't tell the difference between that 60-70 year old ammo and brand new ball ammo.
I think the only beneficiary of buying new ammo annually, changing out duty ammo is the ammo manufacturer.
Based on my experience, the ammo you bought last year will be just fine long after you no longer care.
That said, I've never seen 'old' ammo perform poorly unless the ammo is bad to the naked eye: eg corrosion visible, bent case etc
Since I have a fair number of loaded rounds on hand at any given time, what I'm carrying on any given day may have been hand loaded some time ago.
I've shot a bunch of WW II 45 ball ammo without a single failure. Can't tell the difference between that 60-70 year old ammo and brand new ball ammo.
I think the only beneficiary of buying new ammo annually, changing out duty ammo is the ammo manufacturer.
Based on my experience, the ammo you bought last year will be just fine long after you no longer care.
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Kronos
Member
If it gets cycled then two times and it goes to the practice pile,in the mags?
Well......I have some Rem 124gr rounds in my SD9VE mags that I've had since 2008? or maybe nine,I forget.
Generally if I shoot it I replace it,I sometimes go months before I use a given mag even years at times and I never pay attention.
Those Rem shells have been in several pistol mags over the years and back then I had seven or eight loaded at a time so they never got used.
And I fired some a month ago,stuff still works fine.
Well......I have some Rem 124gr rounds in my SD9VE mags that I've had since 2008? or maybe nine,I forget.
Generally if I shoot it I replace it,I sometimes go months before I use a given mag even years at times and I never pay attention.
Those Rem shells have been in several pistol mags over the years and back then I had seven or eight loaded at a time so they never got used.
And I fired some a month ago,stuff still works fine.
Protected One
Member
I don't "replace" my carry ammo, but I do shoot the round in the chamber when I go to the range and replace it with a fresh round after cleaning the gun.
Same deal for ammo in my house gun. It's just not shot as frequently.
You are the first LEO that I have seen use hand loads for EDC.
Same deal for ammo in my house gun. It's just not shot as frequently.
You are the first LEO that I have seen use hand loads for EDC.
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Whitwabit
US Veteran
I do the same .. shoot the chambered round every time I go to the range .. and then rotate the ammo in the magazine where the last in is last shot .. so my 40 Compact with 13 rounds might take 3-4 weeks in the summer and several months during the winter when I don't seem to get to the indoor range as often .. I have spare magazine's that have been loaded for several years .. like the one in the night stand drawer ..
Targets Guy
US Veteran
With a six round revolver I change out after firing the sixth shot.
Protected One
Member
Same here. The spare mag in my glove box and in the nightstand drawer have been loaded for years.
Brendan2904
Member
2 times a year.
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
I just shot my EDC 147gr Federal HST's after about 6 months of carry IWB in South Carolina. The warm humid environment and method of carry expose the ammo to enough moisture that the copper jacket of the hollow point bullet leaches green corrosion after a few months.
I empty the SD mag and wipe the ammo monthly. The last time I did that, there was green oxidization on two rounds, so they got shot today.
I empty the SD mag and wipe the ammo monthly. The last time I did that, there was green oxidization on two rounds, so they got shot today.
JJEH
Member
I don't change anything. Next time I go to the range I'll shoot it and then reload the magazine with SD ammo.
Protected One
Member
Are you considering switching to OWB, or other steps to extend the useful life of your ammo? Or are you like many who just consider it the "cost of doing business"?
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
I OWB when the weather cools off enough for me to add a secondary cover garment, but that's increasingly rare where I live. When I get the chance to OWB, I usually jump at the chance to switch my carry to a 3" 686+.Are you considering switching to OWB, or other steps to extend the useful life of your ammo? Or are you like many who just consider it the "cost of doing business"?
I'm not worried about extending the useful life of my HST's. I got a bulk order of it on-line, and it will likely outlast me at the rate I expend it.
SmokelessPowder
Member
I live in florida and have no problems like that but I guess everybody is different. The last few years I've been carrying Barnes TAC-XPD which is nickel cased and the copper bullets have that black coating that prevents corrosion. These have stayed in perfect condition for me.
Protected One
Member
Wow. That's a big "switch" (in weight) from whatever 9mm you carry.
Arik
Member
I guess it depends in what ammo you carry and your financial situation. I carry 9mm 124gr Gold Dot. They cost $26 for 50 round box. Its expensive if buying a case but 2 boxes at $52 isn't bad. I change out every year so 2 boxes last years
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Like others, after a round has been chambered and unloaded multiple times, I make sure to shoot that round next time I am at the range with that caliber gun.
This occurs with guns that I might use one ammo for HD and a different ammo to carry with me as my b/u when hunting. Also occurs with my smaller guns that I might use more seasonally during hot (AZ hot!) weather and then unload.
Other than that often chambered round, I look at the gun and rounds in the mags for any dust or dirt accumulation, like when I have carried it for a month or take a spill in the dirt out hunting. Then usually if I am going to clean up the gun and mag, I will fire those rounds. If the ammo and the mag looks clean, then keep on carrying, or if putting that gun away for awhile, ammo back in the box.
Finally, once in a while I just want to reverify POI with SD ammo. So I net out shooting about 1 or 2 mags a year per gun of SD ammo, often more if I am testing a sight change, comparing 1 ammo to another, any parts changes, etc which is sufficient to take care of rotation.
This occurs with guns that I might use one ammo for HD and a different ammo to carry with me as my b/u when hunting. Also occurs with my smaller guns that I might use more seasonally during hot (AZ hot!) weather and then unload.
Other than that often chambered round, I look at the gun and rounds in the mags for any dust or dirt accumulation, like when I have carried it for a month or take a spill in the dirt out hunting. Then usually if I am going to clean up the gun and mag, I will fire those rounds. If the ammo and the mag looks clean, then keep on carrying, or if putting that gun away for awhile, ammo back in the box.
Finally, once in a while I just want to reverify POI with SD ammo. So I net out shooting about 1 or 2 mags a year per gun of SD ammo, often more if I am testing a sight change, comparing 1 ammo to another, any parts changes, etc which is sufficient to take care of rotation.
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ContinentalOp
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My 642 carry ammo, Speer SB-GDHP, probably gets replaced 2-3 times a year, at most, when I shoot them at the range to make sure I can still shoot them well. My ability to replenish my supply is also a factor.
When I had a Glock 23 I changed ammo more frequently. Anytime I unloaded the gun, whether for dry fire practice, cleaning, or shooting practice ammo, the chambered carry round went into a "range use" box. I also put a mark on it with a Sharpie. When the "range use" box got full, I shot it at the range. I went through a lot of carry rounds that way, but I never worried about bullet setback. FYI, I used Speer 165gr GDHP.
When I had a Glock 23 I changed ammo more frequently. Anytime I unloaded the gun, whether for dry fire practice, cleaning, or shooting practice ammo, the chambered carry round went into a "range use" box. I also put a mark on it with a Sharpie. When the "range use" box got full, I shot it at the range. I went through a lot of carry rounds that way, but I never worried about bullet setback. FYI, I used Speer 165gr GDHP.
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