How often do you shoot your carry ammo?

[Moderator]

I am wondering how often others shoot their carry ammo. I carry Hydra-shok (147gr 9mm) and I am sure that you all know that it can get expensive quick if I were to shoot it on a regular basis. Should I be practicing with my carry ammo every so often?

 

[Nickle]

I think you should, occassionally at least. Frequently with similar power ammo. In your case, you should practice frequently with full power 147 gr 9mm loads. Then make sure you shoot some of the Hydra-Shocks every so often.

 

[Adam_MA]

I like to end a nice long range session with one magazine of my carry ammo. I don't do it every time I go to the range, but at least once every 2 weeks.

Adam

 

[Jay G]

How often do you shoot your carry ammo?

Uh, once? After that it becomes separated into "brass thrown on the floor" and "chunk of metal embedded in sand".

Oh, you mean in general?

I'll admit I'm bad (read: cheap) - I'll only shoot my carry ammo once in a great while. But then again, I carry a revolver most of the time. No failure-to-feed issues and such...

 

[Martlet]

I shoot my carry ammo every week or two, one mag. Mostly just because I don't like the way it dulls and dings from being carry ammo. I shoot the mag, then reload with fresh.

 

[C-pher]

Well, being that I reaload. And I carry my reloads when I carry. I guess I shoot my carry ammo all the time.

 

[Nickle]

Well, like C-Pher, I carry reloads that I've made, EXCEPT in the 9mm (my usual carry gun) in which case I use Mag-Tech ammo (an older version of Guardian Gold) in the first mag (10 rd), followed by a hi-cap full of handloads made with 115 JHP Rem bullets.

The 45's, or my son-in-law's 40 both are using Rem JHP's, 185's in the 45 and 180's in the 40.

The handloads that I carry are the same usual load I shoot for recreation, unless I'm practicing with lead bullets.

 

[Lynne]

I try to go through 1 box once a month (although lately it's been longer than that), but it is something you should do every so often. There is a little bit of a difference between target loads and carry.

 

[Nickle]

I try to go through 1 box once a month (although lately it's been longer than that), but it is something you should do every so often. There is a little bit of a difference between target loads and carry.

I see you use decent target loads. C-Pher can tell you that there can be a BIG difference, especially with the SASS or IPSC boys. Seems they shoot loads I wouldn't trust to make it to the target.

 

[Adam_MA]

Yeah.. There seems to be a noticeable difference between my carry ammo and my hand loads in my .45. However I shoot a larger amount of lead reloads than factory FMJ in my .45.

C-Pher,
What loads are you using for your carry ammo?

Adam

 

[Lynne]

I try to go through 1 box once a month (although lately it's been longer than that), but it is something you should do every so often. There is a little bit of a difference between target loads and carry.

I see you use decent target loads.

Ofcourse luv - I'm no wimp.

 

[Grifter]

I shoot my carry ammo every week or two, one mag. Mostly just because I don't like the way it dulls and dings from being carry ammo. I shoot the mag, then reload with fresh.

Same here. Call me anal but I like to know that what I'm carrying is 100% fresh.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I try to go through 1 box once a month (although lately it's been longer than that), but it is something you should do every so often. There is a little bit of a difference between target loads and carry.

I see you use decent target loads. C-Pher can tell you that there can be a BIG difference, especially with the SASS or IPSC boys. Seems they shoot loads I wouldn't trust to make it to the target.

It seems you are not that familiar with IPSC. While light loads may be the norm in SASS, IPSC has a "power factor". Power factor is defined as weight in grains * fps /1000. Between 125 and 164.999 is "minor"; >165 is "major". Below 125 and you don't even get a score; most divisions require major to avoid a scoring penalty. Many factory 9mm loads do not reliably make minor out of a short barrel, and many factory 40 S&W loads won't make major out of a Glock 23. The 38 super caliber which is popular in open division requires velocities above typical factory loads in that caliber to make major.

I have recently been working with a second-tier ammo company to help them introduce a line of ammo specifically for the IPSC market. I informed them the standard 40S&W load they sent - which they have been selling as a regular power load for years - was unsuitable for certain divisions as it did not make major power factor. After numerous runs to the shop which is doing me a favor an accepting the various shipments of test loads, a new and hotter 40 S&W load finally passed my testing and has been sent out for additional testing from another source.

While I am an advocate of quality name brand factory loads for the carry ammo, I question the reliability of the information you have been given regarding IPSC loads that can barely make the target.

 

[C-pher]

Yea, I don't know about IPSC, but I hear that the IDPA guys use lighter loads. But I can't confirm as I've never shot IDPA. But yea, in SASS there are some people that scare me because they are loading so light that the loads aren't consistant. I've knows ROs that have made them stop shooting because they were afraid they were going to blow a cylinder because the load was too light.

And it's hard to spot when you can't hear the lead hit the steel because they are running light loads. Or when you hear the bang...1...2...ding at a short target...and from the side you can see the lead leave the barrel if the lights right.

But again, I can't vouch for how it is in IPSC and IDPA.


edited to add:

I don't keep my SASS loads that light. I have them light, but they are about 750-850 fps. Which is what they like to have them around, I don't consider it "in the sprit of the game" to have them too light. But then I'm only shooting .357 and not .45LC or .44-40s. They're hot enought that there's not a lag between the bang and the ding. But they are light enough that I'm not fighting recoil. Then I use a heavier longer 9mm head instead of a .38 head, and load them less power to get the same compression but with less powder and slower speed.

I'm sure that Nickel can explain that one better than I can.

 

[Nickle]

It seems you are not that familiar with IPSC. While light loads may be the norm in SASS, IPSC has a "power factor". Power factor is defined as weight in grains * fps /1000. Between 125 and 164.999 is "minor"; >165 is "major". Below 125 and you don't even get a score; most divisions require major to avoid a scoring penalty.

Part of that was sarcasm, but the IPSC boys up my way are mostly using Caspian 1911A1's in 45 ACP. They load them DOWN to barely make major.

 

[Chris]

IDPA also uses a "power factor" in that all rounds must meet some number when bullet weight in grains is multiplied by the muzzle velocity.

It's either 125,000 or 165,000.

In the revolver division, S&W model 645's were dominating by shooting .45 ACP loaded way down to the 125,000 level and mounted in full moon clips.

That has been changed by putting such guns into their own division requiring the 165,000 power.

It doesn't matter what game you play, you'll always have people pushing the rules to try to gain an edge. You should see people using cover. I'll guarantee they would not be standing like that if there was incomming fire. (^_^)

 

[Nickle]

FWIW, the velocity of a full power 45 ACP, using 185 JHP's is about 1070 FPS, out of a 5" barrel.

You can load it down to 892 FPS, and still make the power factor. And that's what some of them are doing.

Use the 230 FMJ's, you only need 718 FPS. This is also way down from full power.

 

[dwarven1]

Yea, I don't know about IPSC, but I hear that the IDPA guys use lighter loads.

Hmm. First time I ever heard Blazer or Silver Bear factory loads referred to as "light". There are a bunch of us who use factory stuff at Riverside and others who use reloads. Don't know what the reloader guys use, but I suspect that most of them aren't downloading it.

Ross

 

[Nickle]

I've actually heard that the IDPA folks tend to NOT use light loads, but use realistic loads.

I'm not sure there's much IDPA shot up here, if any, but there was a fair amount of IPSC shooters around Burlington and Hardwick. Of course, with Caspian being in Wolcott, that explains why Hardwick.

 

[Nickle]

Just checked, no IDPA clubs in my state. Nearest is in NY, and I doubt I'll bother there.

If you think Mass laws are bad concerning handguns, try NY.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Just checked, no IDPA clubs in my state. Nearest is in NY, and I doubt I'll bother there.

If you think Mass laws are bad concerning handguns, try NY.

Yup, in fact one of my LE orgs used to hold their annual conventions in the Catskills and a popular event was a pistol competition amongst the attendees (POs from all over the US). About 8-9 years ago one of the NY LEOs advised them that it wasn't legal for out-of-state officers to bring handguns into NY State (far away from NYC) and thus that ended the competitions (with real prizes).

 

[C-pher]

Yea, I don't know about IPSC, but I hear that the IDPA guys use lighter loads.

Hmm. First time I ever heard Blazer or Silver Bear factory loads referred to as "light". There are a bunch of us who use factory stuff at Riverside and others who use reloads. Don't know what the reloader guys use, but I suspect that most of them aren't downloading it.

Ross

Ok, but let's finish that quote Mr. Moore...errr....I mean Ross.

Yea, I don't know about IPSC, but I hear that the IDPA guys use lighter loads. But I can't confirm as I've never shot IDPA

I'm just going on what I've read in some places. That they will lighten their loads to reduce recoil. But I don't know as I've never shot IDPA...and going with this thread, I'm talking about the Reloads, not the ones that use factory.

 

[dwarven1]

Yea, I don't know about IPSC, but I hear that the IDPA guys use lighter loads.

Hmm. First time I ever heard Blazer or Silver Bear factory loads referred to as "light". There are a bunch of us who use factory stuff at Riverside and others who use reloads. Don't know what the reloader guys use, but I suspect that most of them aren't downloading it.

Ross

Ok, but let's finish that quote Mr. Moore...errr....I mean Ross.

??? what quote?

 

[Cross-X]

It is perhaps a way to get off on the wrong foot by disagreeing with a dwarf, but I do know I have seen a few regulars at my local IDPA club who are intentionally making reloads that just creep over the power factor necessary for their division. This is no accident.

These rounds are easier to shoot. The gun recoils less and makes for much easier follow-up shots.

I am not saying this is wrong, but it is game-playing.

 

[dwarven1]

It is perhaps a way to get off on the wrong foot by disagreeing with a dwarf, but I do know I have seen a few regulars at my local IDPA club who are intentionally making reloads that just creep over the power factor necessary for their division. This is no accident.

These rounds are easier to shoot. The gun recoils less and makes for much easier follow-up shots.

I am not saying this is wrong, but it is game-playing.

Hey, I could be wrong. What I said was I suspect that most of them aren't downloading it. I just couldn't imagine shooters like Phil and Eugene gaming it like that.

There was that guy with the Glock with the 1 lb trigger... given how fast he was shooting, I wouldn't be surprised if he was using light loads. But OTOH, given his scores, he could well have been using factory, too. (ooh, that was a snarky comment, wasn't it?)

Ross