Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Rotating Carry Ammo

How long do you guys carry the same ammo before you replace it with fresh? I know factory ammo has a good shelf life, but what's a reasonable time frame?

I have some 45 acp that is fifteen years old and should probably be replaced. With the kids now carrying 9mm and the couple that my wife and I carry, replacing a couple magazines for each gun can be an expensive proposition, 200ish rounds.

Don’t you ever shoot it?

I shoot them all the time, but with cheap FMJ. I tested all of them with the carry ammo for function, but don't routinely practice with the expensive stuff.

I carry and shoot the same load, but since you do not, why not run the occasional carry ammo through your piece just to ensure it still works? You’ll have more piece of mind, as well as fresh ammo.

I try to shoot out my carry ammo once a year. I started doing this after I left some .45 ACP carry ammo in my regular carry gun (at that time, a Springfield Armory TRP) for several years. When I eventually decided to shoot it out and replace it, the one in the chamber was a squib fire, i.e., it went off with less than half the normal force (I guess the powder got partially corroded by cleaning liquid residue in the chamber seeping in), and failed to properly eject. After that, I instituted the January rule, i.e., every January, I shoot out my carry ammo and replace it.

Thanks, Hawkeye. That's where I was leaning.

Not very scientific but my opinion. Ammo last for many years if it stored within reason. I still shoot deer and elk with 25 - 30 years old ammo. I test if from time to time and don't notice any change in accuracy or performance. Same with my carry ammo.

WWll surplus ammo still shoots as well as it ever did. Have no idea why anyone would expect ammonto go bad for no reason

I had that happen with 1 round in 45 ACP factory fresh ammo.

I reload my carry ammo. So maybe once a year I'll buy a box of premium bullets and load those as I see fit. Then I'll shoot some off an on through out the following year. I usually only have two magazines loaded with premium JHPs, the rest are loaded with hardcast.

After I drop and clear, I swap chambered round with the first or second in the magazine when I load and make ready. Out of habit I inspect the previously chambered round for setback and oil.

I've never discovered a problem with reliability nor have I had bullet setback.

Quarterly.

Every year or two.

Carry guns should have a very, very light coat of oil. And no oil on the breech face, chamber, feed ramp, or magazines.

Yep. I go to great lengths to dry the chamber and breech face before reloading a handgun after cleaning.

That's where I am with it.

I try and shoot up my pickup ammo too. Hot temps, and rattling around dirt roads and such... It always seems to shoot just fine though.

Once a year for the ammo in the gun and magazines that get carried regularly. I'll also do it for stuff exposed to extreme temperatures and jostling on a regular basis. I've never experienced a problem, knock on wood.

I'm a once a year guy. And I keep my guns clean and lightly oiled, the chamber and breech face dry. If a semi auto it's the same for magazines, clean and dry. I piddle around in the back forty or scouting around in the national forest often enough that I will occasionally pop a shot or two off at some attacking pine cones, long range rocks, a wild hog or coyote or whatever that carry ammo gets cycled through my guns naturally throughout the course of the year.