What is the max life of your carry / HD ammo?

[HA556]

But its an easy fix...just wipe yer balls with an oily rag...and all will be well.

Nothing to say to that!!

Now where'd I place that baby oil?

 

[OutwardHound]

Generally I keep it for about a year, after which I shoot it at a range trip and reload with new ammo.

Pretty much my routine as well. I was just at the range today. My preferred 9mm SD ammo is difficult to find right now. I don't like to shoot up what I can't replace. So I only shot the round in the chamber and two from the magazine. The rest of the session was range ammo.

 

[Jay Walk]

Pretty much my routine as well. I was just at the range today. My preferred 9mm SD ammo is difficult to find right now. I don't like to shoot up what I can't replace. So I only shot the round in the chamber and two from the magazine. The rest of the session was range ammo.

This thread is a good reminder, I am probably at 18 months, I think I'll blast the top five rounds next time and then just top off with new.

 

[Unicykle]

I had a 556 overcharge that blew the primer split the brass and broke the bolt and I had a bandolier of some ultra sketchy 8 mm that was stamped If I remember correctly 1941 that liked to be hit with the firing pin a few times but other than that I haven't had enough issues with factory ammo to worry about it.

 

[edzz]

Wow...the things one is asked around here...
Go ask yer mom @solv3nt.....
Kidding here....

As far as modern ammo goes....
I really don't worry 'bout it...as long as the ammo is stored correctly it will work as intended.

Lead round ball will oxidize after awhile...and can increase in diameter so that is something to think about...
But its an easy fix...just wipe yer balls with an oily rag...and all will be well.
( Yes I really just typed that.... )
Andy

Once when I noticed my balls oxidizing I put them in my Hornady vibrator with some walnut shells for a bit. Pulled them out a little early so I put them back in till they were done. In the future I'll just apply a little lube before they start looking dull.

 

[clanhanson]

I've had the same nickel plated 10mm rolling around in my ATV saddlebag for six years. It's been exposed to temps of -40 to 100 each year. The boxes are essentially melted from frost and rain.

They still shoot fine.

 

[Certaindeaf]

In Portland the max life of carry ammo is about two blocks.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

Swap it out after swimming and you are good to go !

 

[P7M13]

I reload what I shoot, so as long as I get to the range a dozen times a year, all my stuff rotates out.

But its an easy fix...just wipe yer balls with an oily rag...and all will be well.

Crab bait!

 

[The Heretic]

Depends on how the ammo is stored - but I expect my ammo to be fine long past when I die.

 

[greydog111]

I usually only carry it for a year or two. If you unload and load the rounds a lot, the bullet will get pushed into the brass. I don't think I've ever heard of a failure from this, but it could potentially increase the pressure.

How the heck are you loading/unloading that pushes the slug into the case?

 

[bradsteen]

How the heck are you loading/unloading that pushes the slug into the case?

If you continually chamber the same round, it can absolutely cause the bullet to get rammed further into the casing, and that can turn your pistol into a really weak grenade.

 

[dangerranger60]

I've had the same nickel plated 10mm rolling around in my ATV saddlebag for six years. It's been exposed to temps of -40 to 100 each year. The boxes are essentially melted from frost and rain.

They still shoot fine.

I once got a chance to talk with an ammo engineer at Win. He said powder starts breaking down at over 150 f. In my truck parked in the sun the interior often gets over 160 degrees. the engineer also talked about shock and vibration taking its toll.
I now shoot up my carried ammo about every year. a box of ammo a year won't hurt my wallet. but with defensive ammo a click instead of a bang may be the last thing I hear.
I don't carry all of my ammo, just 10 or 15 rounds at a time so it does not get all rotated out at once. If I only rotated out 10 rounds a year a box would last 5 years. But I shoot my carry guns more than that.
Once a month I'll shoot 5 rounds of carry ammo just to be sure I know where they hit and that nothing has changed. And that's enough to rotate all the ammo through in a years' time. 6 years of bouncing around and out in the weather I would be wondering if this is the one that doesn't work? DR

 

[greydog111]

If you continually chamber the same round, it can absolutely cause the bullet to get rammed further into the casing, and that can turn your pistol into a really weak grenade.

Maybe unload the mag fully and rotate the top chambered round to the bottom. Then once every two-three months shoot em all! I e never experienced a slug being pushed further than it should be. Buy a cartridge OAL die to hand check them if continuednworry persists. I think I paid a small amount each for the eight calibers I reload in my Dillon

 

[parallax]

is it weird i'm still shooting 7.62mm battle packs from 1980?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

is it weird i'm still shooting 7.62mm battle packs from 1980?

Nope....
While in the Army at times I worked with friendly nation troops armed with M16A1's....often their ammo was US made and from the 1960's / 70's...still worked fine for what we were doing.
( Gulf War while working with Kurdish toops / Bosina with various troops )
Andy

 

[Jay Walk]

Depends on how the ammo is stored - but I expect my ammo to be fine long past when I die.

What, two weeks?

 

[The Heretic]

What, two weeks?

At most, two decades. I am 70, and my parents/grandparent's generation did not make it past their 80s - so I don't expect to either. Cancer, dementia, heart and stroke - all more or less genetic.

 

[oremike]

I don't worry much about such things, ammo doesn't go bad or have a best if used by date. I do on occasion shoot up what's kept in the gun but that's because I like shooting my ammo and then I can fill it up again.

 

[Bobbygun]

It's been exposed to temps of -40 to 100 each year.

Man, I'm glad I don't live in the land of Knockon, uhhh Knochly, uhhh where you do.

As to the OP's inquiry - I rarely shoot up the expensive stuff, but when I'm not carrying it, my gun is stored in a climate controlled environment. If/when I shoot the expensive stuff up, it's more for peace of mind that the pistol still cycles that type of ammo without any trouble. Not so much that I'm concerned the ammo is bad. I would say that happens every two or three years.