Question for the group: How often do you replace your defense ammo?

[Jeffytune]

Hi all.
This was a discussion I was in at the LGS,we were talking about defensive ammunition and how often it should be rotated out of your carry pistol. Some claim it should be once a month if your IWB carry due to the heat and sweat it is subject to, others said as much as a year or more.

Now, as for me, since I do not carry at work (Being a auto mechanic and crawling around under car, it is impractical, I usually drop it in my toolbox) so mine does not get as subjected, but I cycle mine out every 6 months.

How about the rest of you?

 

[Arik]

Once a year, occasionally two years. I wear IWB all year, all weather. Modern quality ammo doesn't go bad that easily

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[bigwheelzip]

Carrying IWB daily in humid SC, I unload and wipe off the SD cartridges when I shoot my carry for practice with plinking rounds, about every six weeks.
I shoot the carried SD rounds about every six months.

 

[Steve912]

"It depends."

How often does the chambered round get ejected/re-chambered, for range time & cleaning? How does your pistol treat that round, each time? How's the case look? Is the bullet getting set back into the case?

Some guns are rougher on chambering, some ammo has case cannelures...

 

[Owen49]

I wear a revolver and switch out my carry ammo every 2 years. After 2 years, I use it for "practice" or informal target or the occasional varmint. I've never had 2 yr. old or older ammo fail to fire.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Some of my revolver SD ammo isn't made any more, and my supply is limited, so I try not to shoot it. I trust that stuff implicitly, and I don't want to change it. The semiauto stuff I rotate around the magazine when I'm loading and unloading, and I shoot up the magazine every year or so. Unless damaged, ammo will last for decades . . .

 

[Mike in Reedley]

About once a year, I manage to send a loaded magazine or speed strip for my revolver through the washing machine, by not thoroughly checking all pockets. In every case, I took those rounds out and fired them within a couple days. So far, every round has fired.

Several years ago, the agency that I since retired from got a bad lot of duty ammo. I had two failure to fires, caused by the primer not detonating. The ammo company quickly replaced that lot of ammo.

As previously mentioned, my greatest concern is the chambered round, that has been re-chambered a number of times. After a couple of cycles through cleaning and chamber checking, I set that chamber round aside and replace it with new.

 

[KbdKid]

Hello....I have started an experiment by storing a box of ammo in my truck. Stored in 2015, I plan to shoot off 5 rounds every year. This year, at the one year mark, the 1st 5 rounds I shot performed flawlessly. The box has sat in the truck thru summer heat and humidity, and winter freezing temps. Will post results next year for the next 5 rounds.

 

[Old cop]

My former PD would replace cour duty ammo annually. I began carrying the LCP or M&P .380 last year (J frame before that) and replace my carry ammo annually. When I unload my semi auto I take the chambered round and put it aside (to avoid set-back) until I get a handful and then shoot them at the range along w/my "old" carry ammo.

 

[Gamer]

For auto if you are loading unloading a good bit I'd rotate the top round and watch for set back of the bullet in the case. Some short barreled ramps are rough on the rounds. Typically my edc stays hot however every now and again on range visits I shoot my carry rounds. I look at it as testing, safety check if you will.

 

[Rpg]

Since I use the same handload for everything, I don't 'change out' sd ammo, I just shoot what's in the gun then add more.

I don't sort my handloads based on their age.

 

[Fishinfool]

My last employer would provide us new ammo every 3 months. I tend to replace my now "retired carry ammo" every 3 months as well, usually by firing my usual 3 magazines of it off during practice. Yea, I have to buy a couple new boxes every year, but it aint that much $, and ensures my carry guns are still reliable with my chosen ammo - Usually Gold Dots or Winchester Ranger.

BUT, pay attention if you are someone who loads and unloads your semi-auto every day. You are at increased risk of bullet setback, which will raise pressures. If you are seeing setback, rotate thru the magazine each time you load, and find a schedule of ammo replacement that minimizes the issue. Left to its own devices, ammo will last quite a while in a carry gun.

Larry

 

[KSDeputy]

I carry the same pistol all the time, and replace the PDA annually.

 

[CustomChevyGuy]

I shoot my PDA periodically. It all depends on how it looks. Once it gets a bit tarnished and worn, I'll usually shoot it off at the range, and put in some cleaner looking PDA. No real method or aging process for me. Maybe it's silly, but it's worked for me so far.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Once a year works for me. When I unload to shoot at the range I rotate the chambered round to the bottom of the magazine so as to not continually rechamber the same round. I've never noticed a problem, and once a year when I fire them off they always feed fire and cycle just fine. I could probably get away with two years, but I think I'll stick to what's worked for me in the past.

As far as worrying about sweat on the ammo . . . nope. A couple years ago I left a loaded Bersa Thunder in the recessed compartment in the floor under my vehicle's passenger seat without realizing that an ice chest I had taken on a trip had leaked and filled the compartment with water. The gun stayed in there for three days before I noticed the backseat was wet and remembered the gun. Took the gun apart, cleaned and lubed it, let the ammo dry. Then I shot it at the next range trip. All of it fired without issue.

What's a little sweat compared to being submerged for three days?

 

[Longhorn1986]

I actually had some Cor-Bon ammo that I kept loaded in my M457 & M60-9. I finally got around to replacing it after 15 years! The .45 +p fired flawlessly. The .357 had one round that required a second primer strike.

Needless to say, I'll be replacing much more frequently..

 

[TAC]

Every time I go to the range, I shoot the defense ammo that was currently loaded in my revolvers. When I return, and clean them, I reload them with the same defense ammo, until I open a new box. I've been using the same batch of defense ammo (purchased at the same time, in the same shipment), for over three years now.

 

[buckmeister2]

Hello....I have started an experiment by storing a box of ammo in my truck. Stored in 2015, I plan to shoot off 5 rounds every year. This year, at the one year mark, the 1st 5 rounds I shot performed flawlessly. The box has sat in the truck thru summer heat and humidity, and winter freezing temps. Will post results next year for the next 5 rounds.

Since you mention heat, humidity, and freezing temps, can you let us know where you are so we will understand better what the ammo is subjected to?

thanks.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Since you mention heat, humidity, and freezing temps, can you let us know where you are so we will understand better what the ammo is subjected to?

thanks.

I'm in the bootheel of Missouri. We get all four seasons in the same week regularly. My truck bound stuff is always reliable. . .

 

[Old TexMex]

I change mine once a week, at the range. I use the same ammo at the range in my personal defense weapons.