[gottabkiddin]

I was wondering how often some of you rotate the defense rounds you carry in your CC weapon.

I try to get some trigger time every month, so mine works out pretty good for me, but I was kinda thinking is it really necessary to worry about it anyway. I have dedicated boxes of carry ammo that I rotate the rounds to and from, at least once a month. Once the box is two to three months old I use it at the range. Wanted to see if others do anything similar.

 

[David in FL]

When/if it gets shot at the range.

Only because I like to include some practice with my carry ammo though, not because I feel a need to rotate it. Ammo doesn't "go bad" from age.......

 

[gottabkiddin]

As long as it cool and dry It should keep, but under carry conditions and other variables the primers can go bad from over lubrication and other moisture, thats mainly what I'm talkin about.

 

[David in FL]

As long as it cool and dry It should keep, but under carry conditions and other variables the primers can go bad from over lubrication and other moisture, thats mainly what I'm talkin about.

Not in my experience, nor do I know of any manufacturer that has any concern. Modern ammo is extremely robust and virtually indestructable under normal carry conditions......including the extreme conditions that law enforcement routinely encounters.

I certainly wouldn't call you bad names if it makes you feel better to rotate your carry ammo though if that's your preference. :hand5:

One thing that I am careful about, is unchambering and rechambering a round over and over again in a semi-auto. Doing so can result in bullet set-back and create dangerous chamber pressures. Because I like to use my carry magazines at the range, I always start a range session with my current magazine of carry ammo, rather than unloading and reloading. But it has nothing to do with rotating the ammo per se, but rather ensuring that I'm not causing set-back by unloading and reloading several times.

Again, my personal preference only. :bier:

 

[gottabkiddin]

Yeah, I see what ya mean. I have noticed a few bullets settling back a little when I take um to the range. I chalked it up to what you described, but I clean my CC weapons weekly, so some of that's gonna happen I guess, but I might just discard the rounds that show that type of wear instead of using um at the range. I don't want a Kaboom on my hands. Thanks for the advice. Cheers.

 

[automatic slim]

Most authorities on the subject recommend annual replacement. However, I've fired .44 Special ammo made in the late 1800's that worked fine, not that I'm suggesting it, just shows how long ammo will last.

 

[StevePVB]

When I clean my gun I rotate the previously chambered round to the bottom of the magazine. I will shoot that magazine at the range before it finds its way back to the top.

 

[OD*]

However, I've fired .44 Special ammo made in the late 1800's....

44 American or .44 Russian maybe?

 

[gottabkiddin]

I may be overly cautious regarding the ammo I carry, but it's because I almost had a nasty experience a few years back. I have a Navy buddy who had a CZ 9mm and was going down town for the evening, but didn't want to carry his full size carry pistol, so I let him take one of my belly guns. He said I should shoot his CZ and see how I liked it. He had a ammo case full of lose 9mm ball ammo and said help yourself.

I took 50 or so rounds and went home for the evening. Outside my house where I had a make-shift range made from the side of a hill with plenty of packed dirt on it I fired a few rounds off. I got to another loaded mag and the first couple with off as expected, but then there was a bang, but not to loud of a bang, or at least not loud enough for me to think the round functioned properly. I didn't see the slide eject the case, I felt no recoil, so I racked the slide and ejected the empty case and inspected it. The primer was spent and the bullet was gone. I didn't see it hit the backstop as it was kinda damp weather and I wasn't really target shooting the pistol anyway. I slapped another mag in and started to rack it into battery and for some reason I was just concerned about the dud round. I took the mag back out and locked the slide and looked down the barrel and there it was. The Bullet from the dud round. I think we all know what would've happened if I continued without inspecting the barrel.

That was my first failure of that kind dealing with bad ammo and I haven't seen one like it since. I have had factory ammo that the felt recoil is significantly less from the round previously fired and both were from the same box of factory ammo, but were a few years old.

I would say proper storage can definitely add to the shelf life for ammo.
I have a friend who seals his inside freezer bags for storage, so I started doing the same a while back.:bier:

 

[Beans]

I rotated my back up ammo for my CC yesterday.

The speed strip somehow got left in my jeans pocket and was washed. :frown: :nutkick:

So It went to range yesterday and that ammo was fired. Worked OK just not comfortable carrying it as as back up ammo.

 

[ron8903]

twice a year after biannual qualifying.

 

[Cuda66]

A few times a year; whatever I'm carrying when I go to the range, I'll empty my magazines and refresh.

Also--I try and keep track of rounds getting chambered, and and try to only chamber them 2-3 times; after that, they go in a spare mag for range use.

 

[Rcher]

Ammo doesnt go bad any faster in my gun than in the box. I only rotate the first 2 rounds that repeatedly chamber until noticeable setback occurs. Those I place in the "practice" box and get shot when I have enough to shoot.

 

[llongshot]

I have the opportunity to shoot twice daily. The clip in my handgun gets emptied weekly and I can't seem to keep 100 rounds more than a month. Got some ammo set back but ammo in the box in a cool dry place will, in my opinion, last about as long as an Egyptian mummy.

 

[dukalmighty]

I have about 400 rounds of carry ammo,I shoot the magazine in my gun about every 6 months,I don't clear my gun very often,maybe once a week to wipe it down if I haven't shot it

 

[faif2d]

I just shot some 30-06 that my dad loaded in 1968. It was actually more accurate than some I had loaded 3 weeks ago. He used some strange hollow point target bullets that I had never heard of and are not listed anywhere.

 

[GoldenSaber]

Ammo can last a long, long, long time if you keep you guns in a good place. I guess it would be personal choice or if you feel the need. Otherwise...seems like one of the OCD type of things...

 

[RETSUPT99]

I shoot any SD ammo that has been cycled mort than one time...usually the first one or two bullets in a couple of mags.

 

[Ram Rod]

Whenever I think it's time according to case discoloration. Actually, I probably do it twice a year or so. Shoot up all the old carry ammo and refresh the magazines.

 

[RemMod597]

It varies, depending upon when I can afford to backfill my ammo stocks. Like to buffer it a bit against who-knows-what.