How often do you change your carry ammo?

[mljdeckard]

Black Talons have been out of production for what, 19 years? Something like that? I don't think there's a black and white standard for what age makes a round good or bad, but if I were issued ammo that old, I would swallow hard. Your friend needs to be told that Black Talons have no advantage of any kind over current premium JHP ammo from pretty much ANY manufacturer. Has he even tested his gun, load and magazines to make sure they will cycle? A gunfight would be a lousy time to find out your gun doesn't like them.

I have kept the same carry rounds for more than a couple of years. I have plenty, it's not like I'm too cheap to ever rotate them. I suppose if I were really anal about it I would change my smoke alarm batteries and carry ammo every time I reset my clock for daylight savings or something.

 

[AABEN]

I carry HP in summer and SWC in the winter. The HP will fill up with heavy clothing.

 

[loose noose]

When I was a Police Officer, out in the rain, humidity, heat and cold, we used to change our ammo once a year, and shoot the 22 rounds of .45 at our monthly qualification shoot. Note we used to carry CCI Law Enforcement 185 grn. HP. Now I change my ammo about every two years or so, as I recently started carrying Hornady Critical Defense. Note I'm not out in the elements as much any more and changing my ammo isn't as necessary as it once was. Also I never had a round not go off as advertised.

 

[Stress_Test]

On the flip side, what benefit is there for keeping your carry rounds in the gun longer than a year? Yeah, you save some money by not having to buy new rounds, but otherwise?

As for not trusting fresh-bought ammo: I always try a few rounds out of a box of new carry ammo. Usually five rounds out of a box of 20 or 25. If those all go bang with no problem, then I have to assume the rest will too. You have to assume at some point!

 

[jeepnik]

I shoot what I'm currently carrying weekly. The first rounds fired are the ones I've been carrying, so they get replaced weekly.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

Change carry ammo? No. Maybe in about 6 months. It'll be 3 years old by then. Even then I'll probably only shoot a mag full at a time over the next 6 months.
I only shoot my carry gun 4 or 5 times a years anyway.

 

[bigfatdave]

I carry HP in summer and SWC in the winter. The HP will fill up with heavy clothing.

This isn't really an issue with modern designs, if it still makes you worry, there are expanding ammo choices that have a rubbery insert in the HP to prevent material clogging it, Federal EFMJ, Hornady FTX, and others.
It might be an issue with antique ammo, I suppose

 

[M2 Carbine]

As for not trusting fresh-bought ammo: I always try a few rounds out of a box of new carry ammo. Usually five rounds out of a box of 20 or 25. If those all go bang with no problem, then I have to assume the rest will too. You have to assume at some point!

Good idea.

 

[303tom]

Every time I go shooting..................

 

[mljdeckard]

To switch your carry ammo every time the weather changes is WAY overthinking it. Don't believe everything the ammo manufacturers who invent solutions to non-existent problems (HORNADY) tell you.

 

[481]

I change it out at least once a year. Never more than twice.

 

[redfisher43]

"Monthly. Its not a big deal to me to burn up 37 rds of JHPs once a month. Thats 14+14+8, all three guns I use for that purpose."
__________________

Duhh...36.

 

[Inebriated]

At the most, every 6 months. For each gun, I've got about 2.5 mags worth of carry ammo, so I just kind of rotate those, until I get my hands on a new box of carry ammo.

 

[smalls]

Once, maybe twice a year. Why not? It probably doesn't make a difference, but it makes me feel better.

 

[wildehond]

At least once a year.

 

[buck460XVR]

I shoot about once a month. I shoot what's loaded in my carry gun and then reload it and shoot again until I'm done. When I'm done, it's reloaded with the same ammo and put back in the holster. Pretty simple. One's shooting abilities go downhill faster than ammo.

 

[Jessie James 58]

I do not worry about it. I have shot ammo that is 20 to 25 years old and it still works perfectly (the 22 ammo works better than the new stuff).

 

[ljnowell]

Duh

I meant to put 14+14+9, the 9 being a 1911 loaded 8+1. I am glad you took the time to quote me and use the word "duh" though, otherwise I wouldnt have known how much more intelligent you are than me. I am sure you have never hit the button on the keyboard next to the one you meant to. People like you surely wouldnt ever make a mistake.

Duh.

 

[Stress_Test]

I meant to put 14+14+9, the 9 being a 1911 loaded 8+1. I am glad you took the time to quote me and use the word "duh" though, otherwise I wouldnt have known how much more intelligent you are than me. I am sure you have never hit the button on the keyboard next to the one you meant to. People like you surely wouldnt ever make a mistake.

Duh.

The way it was shown, I thought that was his signature line and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was supposed to mean!!

 

[asia331]

Fire my carry ammo once a quarter; then reload with fresh

 

[bill3424]

Probably within a year or when I find a good price on some "new stuff" and I replace my current carry rounds. It does get pricey replacing ammo in about a dozen mags or so. I like to have the same type of round. Call it OCD.

 

[cja245]

every 6 months to a year. I'm worried about the ammo going bad in that amount of time, its more of a feel good thing.

 

[LiquidTension]

When my department gives me more. As of last year we're back to once/year but prior to that we went four years without replacing duty ammo. Since I actually shoot my guns I had to rotate the often chambered rounds to the bottom of the magazine of my last reload on the belt.