How OLD is your carry ammo?

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  • Katana1

    Plinker
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    Dec 26, 2008
    93
    2
    Fishers, IN
    Yesterday, I cleaned my wife's EDC. After wiping off the dust bunnies, I did a closer inspection of the ammo. What was once bright shiney nickel plated brass and copper, was something that looked like real old silverware from the Traveling Road Show. Thinking about this further, I believe that ammo was several years old. Back when she was not carrying, it was never an issue

    I cleaned the firearm and reloaded fresh defensive ammo, marking the older ammo as practice ammo.

    This got me thinking that I need to get better organized and inspect our EDC firearms monthly and to replace the defensive ammo in them every six months. The ammo doesn't necessarily go bad, but if you EDC, moisture, lint, dust, and who knows what accumulates faster than you think. Replacing ammo carried on your body every day twice a year is not a big expense and it is cheap insurance, so to speak.

    Yes, we shoot more often that that. I am guilty of dropping the EDC defensive ammo mag and replace it with a mag of FMJ, and theen replacing the EDC ammo when finished. Bad idea.

    If you can't remember *when* you first loaded your current EDC carry ammo, at least take a minute to see that everything is as it should be.

    I've heard of guys swapping out summer and winter ammo because people wear more clothing in winter, but that to me is like replacing the air in your tires with "summer" and "winter" air. "Wait a minute, the bad guy is wearing a leather motorcycle jacket so I need to switch ammo" - said nobody ever.

    How often do you replace EDC ammo?
     

    mike8170

    Master
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    Dec 18, 2008
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    Hiding from reality
    My EDC ammo is usually the first group of rounds downrange whenever I train with my EDC. Then at the end of the day, fresh JHP is reloaded. And, since I roll my own, I have never given it a thought until last week, when my father decided to try to fire his Glock 17 (:rolleyes:), and it would not fire. It was filthy from riding around in the door panel, and the ammo had a nice dark patina. He brought it to me, so I cleaned it up, put a few mags through it, gave it back then took a shower because I felt dirty having it on the same bench as some of my 1911's. He is currently going through remedial training.
     

    Kozaturf

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    Feb 21, 2020
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    Westville-ish
    A couple of years ago a friend who is an instructor asked me this same question and I honestly had never thought about it before.

    I remove the EDC mag when I go to the range, practice, put the EDC mag back in, over and over for who knows how long.

    So I tried to run the EDC mag which ended up turning into a tap, rack, bang drill. Now I swap out EDC ammo at least every 6 months if not sooner.
     

    Joniki

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    Nov 5, 2013
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    NE Indiana
    I carry an extra mag on my belt and EDC carries 14 rounds. I go to the range at least every other week and the last two mags I shoot are the one from my belt and the one that was in my EDC when I got to the range. So, I go through just over a box of carry ammo every two weeks.
     

    Katana1

    Plinker
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    Dec 26, 2008
    93
    2
    Fishers, IN
    My EDC ammo is usually the first group of rounds downrange whenever I train with my EDC. Then at the end of the day, fresh JHP is reloaded. And, since I roll my own, I have never given it a thought until last week, when my father decided to try to fire his Glock 17 (:rolleyes:), and it would not fire. It was filthy from riding around in the door panel, and the ammo had a nice dark patina. He brought it to me, so I cleaned it up, put a few mags through it, gave it back then took a shower because I felt dirty having it on the same bench as some of my 1911's. He is currently going through remedial training.

    I have a couple Glock 23's that I've owned for several years. For a Glock not to be able to fire, it must have been really, and I mean really dirty.

    Good on ya for fixing this for him. Hope he never needs it.
     

    Katana1

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Dec 26, 2008
    93
    2
    Fishers, IN
    A couple of years ago a friend who is an instructor asked me this same question and I honestly had never thought about it before.

    I remove the EDC mag when I go to the range, practice, put the EDC mag back in, over and over for who knows how long.

    So I tried to run the EDC mag which ended up turning into a tap, rack, bang drill. Now I swap out EDC ammo at least every 6 months if not sooner.

    It's difficult to set up a schedule and keep it for a long time. What worked 10 years ago isn't good now, what worked 5 years ago same deal.

    On the issue of rotating carry ammo, does anyone know if there is a "best practice" on this subject.
     

    Katana1

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Dec 26, 2008
    93
    2
    Fishers, IN
    I carry an extra mag on my belt and EDC carries 14 rounds. I go to the range at least every other week and the last two mags I shoot are the one from my belt and the one that was in my EDC when I got to the range. So, I go through just over a box of carry ammo every two weeks.

    I have had times in my life where I did that, shoot often, but things change. Ammo is in short supply now and with the lockdows, layoffs, closures, etc. It is difficult to know what things will be like in six months.

    I pray for the best and plan for the worst.
     

    Joniki

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    Nov 5, 2013
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    NE Indiana
    I completely agree. It seems to me the EDC ammo has gone up in price but is still available locally.


    I have had times in my life where I did that, shoot often, but things change. Ammo is in short supply now and with the lockdows, layoffs, closures, etc. It is difficult to know what things will be like in six months.

    I pray for the best and plan for the worst.
     

    Kozaturf

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    Feb 21, 2020
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    Westville-ish
    It's difficult to set up a schedule and keep it for a long time. What worked 10 years ago isn't good now, what worked 5 years ago same deal.

    On the issue of rotating carry ammo, does anyone know if there is a "best practice" on this subject.

    I've heard/read 6 months quite a few times but I don't know about a "best practice" other than carry a bunch of extra just in case.:shoot:
     

    NyleRN

    Master
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    Dec 14, 2013
    3,834
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    Scottsburg
    Meh, I kept Federal HST 124's in my gen1 shield for a couple years. Just rotated them around monthly when I broke the gun down to clean it. All the bullets had patina and the nickel cases had scratches on the them from the mag feed lips. The day I decided to change out to fresh rounds I pulled the gun from the hoslter and took it straight outside to see how it did. I hadn't cleaned the gun for about 6 weeks at that point and there was a little dust around the slide stop lever and rear slide serations. It fired every round to slide lock. I loaded up the spare 8rd mag that I pocket carried and it also fired all rounds to slide lock.
     

    Lt Scott 14

    Plinker
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    Mar 18, 2018
    139
    16
    Porter County
    I have been an avid firearms owner since 1982. The practice of using older ammo first and reloading your mags with "fresh" ammo has been my personal belief since the 80's. It is a solid plan.

    My question also is, how do you store your ammo? Mine is in 50cal Ammo cans, marked on the can, indoors, controlled temps and humidity. Despite some caution warnings, some was even in my Safe, using as a secure method.
    I know the rules of separating ammo from firearms, unloading, and securing mags.

    The newer firearms using plastic mags(Glock)don't seem to fare badly, and other than some 1911 mags(blue steel), don't find any rust or change of patina on ammo, or mags, or guns stored in safe. So, in review, should this ammo fire without issues? Yes.

    I was gifted a WW2 Mag Pouch with 2-Now WW2 era 1911 mags. My Uncle passed, and my Aunt found the loaded mags/pouch in the back of dresser had fallen out of the drawer, and laid in dresser since 1945-46.(bottom of dresser-dusty, not damp or wet). 2012. Do the math. I took and fired both mags, a little smoky powder residue, but fired perfectly.

    My Rock Island 1911A1 isn't an expensive model, but slide worked to specs, target was hit to point of aim, and I felt that considering age of ammo vs new, it was just as effective for defense. Storage is the answer for your ammo.

    In my Glock19-3, I do rotate per year, any carry ammo in the EDC magazines. Some older guns use steel mags(RIA-1911), and they don't sit in my cars, doing the humid/heat/cold shuffle. I strive to use nickel cased ammo in revolvers as well and check the rounds(lead, jacketed bullets seem to age well) and never had a dud from factory loaded. Remington, Federal, Winchester, just a few household names. Not Steel like Tula, but have shot it, and it goes bang. No issues.

    So, there it is. Good luck on your choices. Be safe, store dry, clean and lube your firearms, and they are a lifetime investment.
     

    Dulla

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Jul 8, 2020
    97
    8
    NWI
    Too old. I just moved to Indiana from Chicago so not being able to have ammo shipped to me made me super conservative with my defensive ammo.

    Plan on ordering some HST first chance I get and replacing it all!
     

    Gluemanz28

    Grandmaster
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    29   0   0
    Mar 4, 2013
    7,430
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    Elkhart County
    One of the best things I learned from Rino (no not knife skills, that brother has been cut more times than Hillary has deleted emails) was to remove the barrel from your EDC and drop check each and every round of SD ammo you plan to use to stop a threat. Rino said during such method he found factory SD rounds that didn’t pass the drop in the barrel test.
     

    ECS686

    Master
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    Dec 9, 2017
    1,702
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    Brazil
    Most of us that do rotate ammo probably change more than needed That said, My Agency changes out every 90 days and u used ammo in the is is3d case at the 5 year mark for training and qualifications. For my off duty stuff I change about every year If its a gun (primarily one that doesn't get the taken in and out co constantly e Like a Model 15 revolver and another gun we keep I rarely change them out but maybe 5 year mark. But they aren't getring cycled or loaded/unloaded either
     
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    DoggyDaddy

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    Aug 18, 2011
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    Most of us that do rotate ammo probably change more than needed That said, My Agency changes out every 90 days and stuff and hat is il n yhe case at the 5 year mark goea to training and qualifications. For my off duty stuff I change about every year If its a gkuse gun (primarily one that doesn't gwt bgg the hit ro xold to got in air and outaide no air etc) Like a Model 15 revolver and another gun we keep I really hardley change them out but maybe 5 year mark. But they arwnt getring cycled or koaded/unloaded either

    Huh? :scratch: Are you okay?
     
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