The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Semi-automatic Forum

View Poll Results: How often you change your ammo out a year/more
once month 7 11.86%
once quarterly 8 13.56%
once six months 12 20.34%
once year 10 16.95%
over a year 22 37.29%
Voters: 59. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 24, 2013, 12:03 AM   #1
9mm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2011
Location: Land of the Free
Posts: 2,834
When do you swap out your carry ammo and carry magazines?

I usually swap out my carry ammo once a year, and my magazines every 18 months or so, but it got me thinking that I should change my ammo twice a year and magazines once a year.

This would build my supply of SD HP rounds to have extra on hand, and more reliability of my rounds. Though I have tested 12-13 month carry ammo and never had a FTF, I think its just good habbit now to start changing every 6 months/seasons. Change in May, Then in October. Same goes with my magazines, more will be on hand. I only carry my carry magazine with HP's and the spares are FMJ's, saves on money.

PLEASE, when you vote, state what option you voted for, poll open for 365 days from tonight, thanks!
9mm is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:04 AM   #2
TunnelRat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 12,153
When I can FIND defensive ammo again, I would like to start following a regimen that you've described. Sadly I'm not sure when that'll be .
__________________
Know the status of your weapon
Keep your muzzle oriented so that no one will be hurt if the firearm discharges
Keep your finger off the trigger until you have an adequate sight picture
Maintain situational awareness
TunnelRat is online now  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:05 AM   #3
9mm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2011
Location: Land of the Free
Posts: 2,834
Quote:
When I can FIND defensive ammo again
Oh, that stuff is easy to find here, no one wants to buy it. Only the range stuff. Tons of 45 HP boxs of 50 rounds here, and 25 round boxs of 9mm. No one wants to pay $1 or $1+ a round though.
9mm is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:18 AM   #4
TunnelRat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 12,153
Quote:
Oh, that stuff is easy to find here, no one wants to buy it. Only the range stuff. Tons of 45 HP boxs of 50 rounds here, and 25 round boxs of 9mm. No one wants to pay $1 or $1+ a round though.
You're lucky my friend, it's all bought up around me.
__________________
Know the status of your weapon
Keep your muzzle oriented so that no one will be hurt if the firearm discharges
Keep your finger off the trigger until you have an adequate sight picture
Maintain situational awareness
TunnelRat is online now  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:24 AM   #5
shootniron
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 16, 2011
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,599
I carry a 642 most of the time and I will shoot the ammo in the cylinder on my range trips when I finish up the range ammo for the day. And then replace it with new ammo from the box. I do this not because I fear ammo failure, but because it is just easier to shoot what is at hand.
shootniron is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:36 AM   #6
BarryLee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 29, 2010
Location: The ATL (OTP)
Posts: 3,942
Well, when ammo was readily available I would generally shoot a magazine of carry ammo about once a month, but now just shooting the practice stuff.
__________________
A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.
- Milton Friedman
BarryLee is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 04:34 AM   #7
MRL21
Member
 
Join Date: December 15, 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 60
I don't really follow any set pattern. I have had the same ammo in my 220 for over a year. Ammo doesn't seem to really go bad from my experience just because its in a gun. Now for piece of mind if something happened to compromise the integrity of the ammo I may shoot it up.

I can see rotating magazines to reduce the wear on the springs. I think I may start doing that since I'm down to two semi auto pistols.
MRL21 is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 05:17 AM   #8
JimmyR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 4, 2012
Posts: 1,273
I voted once every 6 months but...

Thats more of an estimation. I really haven't been carrying long enough to establish a pattern on switching out my carry ammo. As for my mags, since I chamber a round from them when I get ready to go out and reload the mag when I get home, I get a feel for how tight my spring is. If it starts to get loose, then it's time for me to look for new springs.
JimmyR is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 07:59 AM   #9
Sheriff Gotcha
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 19, 2012
Location: The Keystone State
Posts: 236
How long do you think it'd take a mag spring to see wear? If stuffed full of ammo and never unloaded?

I've had mine loaded up since October so I'm sure I'm fine, but I have been curious about this.
Sheriff Gotcha is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 08:27 AM   #10
Dashunde
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 22, 2004
Posts: 2,018
At 25-35 bucks a box I usually wait for the exposed copper jackets to turn green.

I do shoot off the ammo from my LCP & PM9 a little more often because they're carried iwb and sweat is a small concern. Never had any of it fail, so that is probably a waste too.

I readily toss any that shows signs of set-back.

Last edited by Dashunde; January 24, 2013 at 08:33 AM.
Dashunde is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 09:29 AM   #11
Tony615
Member
 
Join Date: April 25, 2012
Posts: 54
I don't rechamber the same round again for my SD ammo. I put a new round in the magazine and rack the slide to chamber a round in the barrel. I then put the chambered round in my range bag and shoot them off on my next trip to the gun range.
Tony615 is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 10:55 AM   #12
PSP
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 2, 2006
Location: Bowling Green Virginia
Posts: 4,482
No specific time for me, just whenever I shoot the gun. The first mag is whatever I'm carrying, then after that I shoot with practice ammo.
PSP is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 11:36 AM   #13
bigghoss
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 15, 2006
Location: Pueblo, Colorado
Posts: 2,664
I don't ever change my mags out. After much debate and research I have come to the conclusion that a quality magazine can stay loaded for quite some time without issue, it's the constant loading and unloading that's going to wear out mag springs if anything. I dedicate my mags for either carry or range and I have a couple just waiting that don't get used for anything until something happens to another mag.

As for ammo, it's a good idea not to continuously re-chamber the same round so I avoid that. But my carry ammo is probably a couple years old and there's no reason it should work as intended. Maybe in a few more years I'll change it out, I want to go to a heavier bullet anyway but it's what I could get.
__________________
I don't collect guns, I accumulate them.
bigghoss is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:18 PM   #14
saltydog452
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 16, 2004
Posts: 516
Hoss and I are at opposite ends of this teeter-todder.

Carry ammunition is expended during just about every range visit and replaced at the end of the visit. Magazine springs are a bit spiffier than std. They aren't much conceren. Neither are they compressed enough to contain eight rounds in a seven round tube.

Bulk range fodder is a different animal.

salty
__________________
Bread and Circuses don't pay the Bills.
saltydog452 is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 02:46 PM   #15
blackamos
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 19, 2000
Location: Michigan
Posts: 580
You should add Never. That is how often I change them out.
__________________
Know of that you speak,
Amos
blackamos is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 03:34 PM   #16
Jayhawkhuntclub
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 13, 2007
Posts: 581
Once every 10 years....maybe. Ammo doesn't go bad under normal conditions. And springs don't go bad just from being compressed. But if it makes you feel more confident... It's your money.
Jayhawkhuntclub is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 03:45 PM   #17
Ruark
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 12, 2010
Posts: 227
They have found old 45ACP mags from WWII still fully loaded and they fired without missing a beat. This is a non-issue.
Ruark is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 07:51 PM   #18
SauerGrapes
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 22, 2009
Location: S.E.PA.
Posts: 920
Same carry ammo and same mags for the last 3 or 4 years now.
__________________
NRA member, DCF&S member, PAFOA member, USPSA member, NSCA member

R.I.P.____Murphy
SauerGrapes is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 08:01 PM   #19
Old Grump
Member in memoriam
 
Join Date: April 9, 2009
Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in
Posts: 3,144
I shoot them up every 2 to 4 weeks so it gets fresh ammo when I reload the gun.
__________________
Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.
--Daniel Webster--
Old Grump is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 08:05 PM   #20
TunnelRat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 12,153
Quote:
I don't rechamber the same round again for my SD ammo. I put a new round in the magazine and rack the slide to chamber a round in the barrel. I then put the chambered round in my range bag and shoot them off on my next trip to the gun range.
Wow, so you never rechamber a SD round more than once? Holy cow. Do you just not clear your chamber or do you go through boxes of SD ammo a month? I mean if you can afford it more to you. Bet if you ever feel like selling those once chambered rounds, drop me a line.
__________________
Know the status of your weapon
Keep your muzzle oriented so that no one will be hurt if the firearm discharges
Keep your finger off the trigger until you have an adequate sight picture
Maintain situational awareness
TunnelRat is online now  
Old January 24, 2013, 08:18 PM   #21
481
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 18, 2011
Posts: 540
I tend to swap out my carry about once every two months, but on occasion may go as long as six months if my schedule interferes.
481 is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 08:37 PM   #22
LockedBreech
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2009
Location: Rocky Mountain West
Posts: 3,395
Anually or bianually - once every two years, not twice a year - depending on how much it gets loaded/unloaded.
__________________
16 Pistols, 5 Rifles, 1 Shotgun, no time to shoot them
LockedBreech is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 08:58 PM   #23
Dashunde
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 22, 2004
Posts: 2,018
I'll add that out of curiosity I gave this a quick test...

30+ years ago my dad traded my gramps a 38spl with a few boxes of various ammo, (FMJ, JHP & Bird shot) I recently inherited that same .38 along with its ammo, all still in the same boxes my dad gave gramps. Gramps wasnt much of a handgun shooter...
I picked 3 rounds out of ten in one of the flat plastic boxes... all 3 fired.

Most all of this use-it-or-lose-it nonsense is from "experts" who worry us about humidity, sweat, drenching it, old primers, blah blah... or from those who are on the payrole of some ammo manufacturer.

I bought a 4.5" angle grinder the other day... its instructions stated to use ONLY So-and-So brand of grinding disks or "severe injury or death may result".
Burning up good ammo just for the sake of replacing it with new is the same variety of crapola.
Dashunde is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 11:33 PM   #24
LockedBreech
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2009
Location: Rocky Mountain West
Posts: 3,395
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dashunde View Post
I'll add that out of curiosity I gave this a quick test...

30+ years ago my dad traded my gramps a 38spl with a few boxes of various ammo, (FMJ, JHP & Bird shot) I recently inherited that same .38 along with its ammo, all still in the same boxes my dad gave gramps. Gramps wasnt much of a handgun shooter...
I picked 3 rounds out of ten in one of the flat plastic boxes... all 3 fired.

Most all of this use-it-or-lose-it nonsense is from "experts" who worry us about humidity, sweat, drenching it, old primers, blah blah... or from those who are on the payrole of some ammo manufacturer.

I bought a 4.5" angle grinder the other day... its instructions stated to use ONLY So-and-So brand of grinding disks or "severe injury or death may result".
Burning up good ammo just for the sake of replacing it with new is the same variety of crapola.
That's one school of thought, and I certainly respect it. That said, switching once a year is only about $100 for all my guns. I pay more than that for Netflix. For a potential lifesaving defense tool, I don't mind keeping my stuff fresh.
LockedBreech is offline  
Old January 25, 2013, 01:25 AM   #25
Dragline45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 30, 2010
Posts: 3,513
Depends how often I am loading and unloading my gun with the ammo. When the case rims start to get chewed up from cycling or enough rounds start showing signs of setback it's time to switch them out. I always put these rounds aside rather than shoot them so I have a little stash of the expensive SD ammo put aside. Usually about 3 times a year ill switch them out.

Quote:
I don't rechamber the same round again for my SD ammo. I put a new round in the magazine and rack the slide to chamber a round in the barrel. I then put the chambered round in my range bag and shoot them off on my next trip to the gun range.
You are just wasting your money. Unless the round shows signs of setback there's no reason not to rechamber it a couple more times. Although if I were using a higher pressure round like the .357sig, or better yet a +p variant, I would be a lot more wary of setback.

For those who don't know what bullet setback is, when the round hits the feed ramp while chambering it pushes it back into the casing. Pushed back enough and it increases pressures, and sometimes to dangerous levels. The higher pressure the round the more cautious you should be as it can spike dramatically.

Last edited by Dragline45; January 25, 2013 at 01:33 AM.
Dragline45 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:58 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06604 seconds with 11 queries