Carry Ammo Is Too Old

houdini · August 3rd, 2008, 12:50 PM

how do you know when your carry ammo is to old?

Chooie · August 3rd, 2008, 12:55 PM

When it starts growing grey hair and craves prune juice!

How long to keep carry ammo
How often should I change my carry ammo?
Find an article about the importance of checking your carry ammo

The search works pretty well if you give it a shot.

NCHornet · August 3rd, 2008, 01:02 PM

This topis is discussed weekly. The search feature is your friend as is Google.
I usually rotate mine every 6 months or so. Not that they really expire, it's just what I do. YMMV

NCH

glock27mark · August 3rd, 2008, 01:33 PM

not sure about carry ammo, but a couple yrs. back
i took some old 12g. shells(about 4 boxes) that my
grandfather had (must be 20+ yrs.) small gaming and
target shooting and they worked just fine.

can't see why handgun ammo woundn't be the same.
please correct me if i'm wrong.

Chooie · August 3rd, 2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glock27mark

not sure about carry ammo, but a couple yrs. back
i took some old 12g. shells(about 4 boxes) that my
grandfather had (must be 20+ yrs.) small gaming and
target shooting and they worked just fine.

can't see why handgun ammo woundn't be the same.
please correct me if i'm wrong.

If it is just sitting around in a box I wouldn't worry about it, but carry ammo is different because it gets chambered repeatedly, is exposed to temperature and humidity fluctuations, and other environmental concerns. Besides that, you're trusting your life to this ammunition, just like a life preserver. Would you go out on a jetski with a crusty old orange life preserver from the Edmund Fitzgerald, or are you going to wear a new PFD that's currently in date?

glock27mark · August 3rd, 2008, 04:36 PM

thanks for the heads up chooie.

wasn't quite sure on the carry ammo.

my range ammo really doesn't stick
around that long anyway.

thanks again for the correction.

bmcgilvray · August 3rd, 2008, 05:15 PM

Have fired off 19th century .38 WCF black powder loads along with Frankfort Arsenal '04 dated .30-40, '11 dated .38 Long Colt, and WWI .45 ACP. All was in good condition and was sure fire. Seemed potent too though I didn't chronograph any.

That said it's a great idea to rotate ammunition carried for self-defense for peace of mind as much as anything else. Can't say what would be a good schedule of rotation. I only recently shot up the rest of a batch of several boxes of Winchester .38 Special +P 158 grain SWC-HP originally purchased in 1996 that I had been carrying since.

QKShooter · August 3rd, 2008, 10:02 PM

If there is any green corrosion showing around the primer then I would not shoot it.

retsupt99 · August 3rd, 2008, 10:46 PM

I have some 30 year-old ammo that still works (.22LR)...none of my other calibers last longer than a year or two.
I have been stocking up, but it does get rotated...I'm not worried about ammo age. OMO

Stay armed...stay safe!

TX Husker Fan · August 20th, 2008, 02:46 AM

I have shot 50+ yr old ammo when I went to my grandfathers place, has an old WWII Russian rifle that he still had 7.62 X 54 from back then and it still shot so I would say if stored right it will last a long time, however I do try to shoot off my ammo every six months at the very least.

August 3rd, 2008, 12:50 PM	#1
houdini Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: m a Posts: 67	Carry Ammo Is Too Old how do you know when your carry ammo is to old?

August 3rd, 2008, 12:55 PM	#2
Chooie Distinguished Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,530	When it starts growing grey hair and craves prune juice! How long to keep carry ammo How often should I change my carry ammo? Find an article about the importance of checking your carry ammo The search works pretty well if you give it a shot. __________________ -Joe Quando omni flunkus, moritati. Virginia Citizens Defense League Rustburg, VA Volunteer Rescue Squad

August 3rd, 2008, 01:02 PM	#3
NCHornet Distinguished Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mt Airy, NC Posts: 1,403	This topis is discussed weekly. The search feature is your friend as is Google. I usually rotate mine every 6 months or so. Not that they really expire, it's just what I do. YMMV NCH __________________ Carry On!! NCHornet

August 3rd, 2008, 01:33 PM	#4
glock27mark Distinguished Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: s.e. mich Posts: 1,789	old ammo not sure about carry ammo, but a couple yrs. back i took some old 12g. shells(about 4 boxes) that my grandfather had (must be 20+ yrs.) small gaming and target shooting and they worked just fine. can't see why handgun ammo woundn't be the same. please correct me if i'm wrong. __________________ {sheriff buford t. justice}what the h*** is the world coming too. nra life member nobama/biden

August 3rd, 2008, 04:36 PM	#6
glock27mark Distinguished Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: s.e. mich Posts: 1,789	old ammo thanks for the heads up chooie. wasn't quite sure on the carry ammo. my range ammo really doesn't stick around that long anyway. thanks again for the correction. __________________ {sheriff buford t. justice}what the h*** is the world coming too. nra life member nobama/biden

August 3rd, 2008, 05:15 PM	#7
bmcgilvray Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: North Texas Posts: 1,151	Have fired off 19th century .38 WCF black powder loads along with Frankfort Arsenal '04 dated .30-40, '11 dated .38 Long Colt, and WWI .45 ACP. All was in good condition and was sure fire. Seemed potent too though I didn't chronograph any. That said it's a great idea to rotate ammunition carried for self-defense for peace of mind as much as anything else. Can't say what would be a good schedule of rotation. I only recently shot up the rest of a batch of several boxes of Winchester .38 Special +P 158 grain SWC-HP originally purchased in 1996 that I had been carrying since.

August 3rd, 2008, 10:02 PM	#8
QKShooter Assistant Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Off Of The X Posts: 19,997	If there is any green corrosion showing around the primer then I would not shoot it. __________________

August 3rd, 2008, 10:46 PM	#9
retsupt99 VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 14,949	I have some 30 year-old ammo that still works (.22LR)...none of my other calibers last longer than a year or two. I have been stocking up, but it does get rotated...I'm not worried about ammo age. OMO Stay armed...stay safe! __________________ "That I cannot do." "Give this to, uh, Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. After all we're not murderers in spite of what this undertaker thinks." *********************************** NRA Life Member

August 20th, 2008, 02:46 AM	#10
TX Husker Fan Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 227	I have shot 50+ yr old ammo when I went to my grandfathers place, has an old WWII Russian rifle that he still had 7.62 X 54 from back then and it still shot so I would say if stored right it will last a long time, however I do try to shoot off my ammo every six months at the very least. __________________ From my cold dead hands! Glock 21 45ACP Ruger P90 45 ACP Ruger LCP .380 Auto Mossberg Maverick 88 12 ga.

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