What's the oldest carry ammo you have in your CCW?

[Rockrivr1]

I was just cleaning up my CCW and was contemplating how long I've had the same carry ammo in my mags. Thinking back it has to be at lease 10 years. I mostly use other ammo when I shoot my CCW and then put the carry ammo back. Probably not the best thing, but it's interesting how time flies and you what you don't really think about.

So how long have you kept your CCW ammo in your carry gun?

 

[M1911]

Longer than I would like. I’ve got some now which is likely approaching that age. Unfortunately, I use Federal HST which has been either unobtainable or stupidly expensive during the pandemic (about $1.50 per round).

 

[Soundwave]

It was probably close to that for my nightstand 1911. I replaced it with a Glock 17 MOS. I had the 1911 in my range bag a few trips ago and shot through the loaded mags since I didn't bring any range .45. still put holes in paper and marks on steel.

 

[gerrycaruso]

A few months. I also carry HST. I shoot it in matches a few times a year and change it often. I don't have to pay for it, so I change it more often than most.

 

[bfm]

20-25 maybe.

 

[AJK129]

My oldest would be just over 3 years

 

[FrankNA]

I just picked up 150 rounds of new CCW ammo with the intent of using some of the older stuff for practice at the range. The older ammo is in the 10 year or so age range but I don't think (hope???) it goes bad.

 

[40 Creedmoor fan]

I picked my birthday week as "empty my CCW mag" week. Basically, during the week leading up to my bday, I go to the range and empty out the mag on my CCW. I then replace the ammo with new stuff and a different mag. The idea is to never have more than 1yo ammo and not to overuse one mag. Mag springs getting tired and soft is probably an urban legend but I do it more as a tradition(or superstition): b-day starts a new mag.

 

[Buck F]

I usually shoot my carry ammo every 3-4 months. I bought 500 rounds of it and it'll last me a good long time shooting 21 rounds every few months.

 

[SKumar]

I still use those old 9mm Remington Golden Sabre 147gr JHPs in my defense mags. So prob 3-4 years of the same ammo.

 

[eboos]

My oldest was whatever came out after Black Talons were taken off the market. Had it since the mid-late 90’s and just replaced 2 months ago.

 

[james13]

My oldest was whatever came out after Black Talons were taken off the market. Had it since the mid-late 90’s and just replaced 2 months ago.

I still have Black Talons in 9mm and 10mm. Should probably switch it out and sell it based on GunBroker prices.

 

[BREWINZ]

I don't get a chance to shoot  super often, but I fire my carry ammo before I start loading up practice rounds. I bring carry ammo with me to the range to replenish the carry mags when I'm done. Longest I'll go is maybe 6 months on a given pistol.

 

[massgun]

Used to go longer (2 or 3 years) when I carried the snubbie . When I switched to the p365 3 years ago, I decided I would change out at 6 months, but no longer than 1 year. This hinges, of course, on the availability of my chosen carry ammo. I do have 5 different choices that I function fired at least 100 or more rounds through so things would have to get pretty bad before I couldn't find one of them.

 

[FancyGunz]

I picked my birthday week as "empty my CCW mag" week. Basically, during the week leading up to my bday, I go to the range and empty out the mag on my CCW. I then replace the ammo with new stuff and a different mag. The idea is to never have more than 1yo ammo and not to overuse one mag. Mag springs getting tired and soft is probably an urban legend but I do it more as a tradition(or superstition): b-day starts a new mag.

Good thing you don't have a revolver... yearly cylinder swaps?

I still have Black Talons in 9mm and 10mm. Should probably switch it out and sell it based on GunBroker prices.

"Lightly used ammo, low chambering count, all highway"

 

[Tinkermatic]

4-6 months.
Shoot your dang carry ammo people.

 

[Bt74]

I get to the range about every other month, carry a RIA 1911 9mm compact, so I dump the mag first round of shooting.

 

[enbloc]

week and a half.

 

[Daddy Mac]

Paul Harrell does a great video on this topic. It got me to start cycling the carry ammo more frequently. Also, just picked up a new CC pistol and I'm running different loads to make sure they all feed and function well.

 

[Andy in NH]

Ammo in the magazines is fired off generally every six months; around Xmas and around my birthday.

Something I do additionally is keep track of how many times a carry round is chambered.
Every time a carry round comes out of the chamber (i.e. before range training or dry practice) I mark the back of it with a black sharpie.
Once the base of the round has four marks, that round gets tossed in a container for practice ammo only.



This is based on a recommendation from firearms trainer Tom Givens.

His words:

Ammo routinely carried is susceptible to two major issues, which are potentially disastrous. First, American ammo is loaded with Boxer primers. These primers consist of a metal cup, and anvil, a pellet of priming compound, and a sealant. The primer pellet is trapped between the cup and anvil, so that when the firing pin or striker hits the cup, the pellet is crushed between the cup and anvil, igniting the cartridge. Every time you chamber a cartridge in a semiautomatic firearm, the primer is subjected to impact by the breech face. Repeated strikes over time can cause the primer pellet to crumble. If it does, there is nothing between the cup and anvil to explode when the firing pin or striker hits, thus a misfired round. If you chamber the same round twice, I urge you to remove it from carry status and put it with your practice ammo for the next range trip...

Another good article on caring for carry ammo is here.

As a result of reading the information in that article, I may start shooting my chambered round as my first round at the range.

 

[greencobra]

oh shit! i've had the same winchester silver tips in my m-60 revolver for 30+ years. on the other hand, i shoot my carry mags empty at least once a month and put fresh ammo in. you don't need to do that, it's just a habit i got into many years ago. ain't ever seen a use by date on a box of ammo if that's what your worried about.

 

[M1911]

Paul Harrell does a great video on this topic. It got me to start cycling the carry ammo more frequently. Also, just picked up a new CC pistol and I'm running different loads to make sure they all feed and function well.

I gave up on Paul Harrell some time back. His combination of arrogance and his insistence that web gear from the 1980s is the best made it impossible for me to take him seriously.

 

[moojpg2]

I shoot mine out of the gun and do a reload and empty my spare mag also every time I go to the range. I load fresh ammo after I clean the gun. I keep a good stock HST's and Gold Dot's my oldest box is probably 4 or 5 years old but I store my ammo properly so I trust it.

 

[Hailstorm]

Older properly stored ammo no more than 10 years for me. I go maybe a year for what is carried.

 

[ProGun]

Oldest? Old! I rarely carry it now, but would be Federal Nyclad 38 Special carried in my S&W Model 38. Ammo purchased mid 90s.

 

[moojpg2]

Ammo in the magazines is fired off generally every six months; around Xmas and around my birthday.

Something I do additionally is keep track of how many times a carry round is chambered.
Every time a carry round comes out of the chamber (i.e. before range training or dry practice) I mark the back of it with a black sharpie.
Once the base of the round has four marks, that round gets tossed in a container for practice ammo only.

View attachment 679314

This is based on a recommendation from firearms trainer Tom Givens.

His words:

Another good article on caring for carry ammo is here.

As a result of reading the information in that article, I may start shooting my chambered round as my first round at the range.

I have a rule when it comes to ammo that's been chambered or dropped on the ground. If a round has been chambered into a gun and ejected without being fired, or it has ever been dropped on the ground, it is no longer fit for carry and gets tossed in the range ammo can. Ammo is cheap, my life and my loved ones lives aren't cheap. I never load/unload my carry gun unless I am shooting it at the range, I take it on/off in the holster, it sits on my night stand in the holster, and it otherwise stays in the holster until I go shoot it, then I clean and lube it, then I load it, then it goes back into the holster until the next range trip. I shoot once or twice a month at minimum so I'm not worried about cleaning in between range trips. There are a few exceptions to this, but not many. I also don't dry fire and shoot the hell out of my carry gun, I almost always have two of the same gun for carry and one of them is reserved for dry fire practice and high volume shooting so the one I'm carrying isn't mechanically beat to hell or prone to failure.

 

[drgrant]

4-6 months.
Shoot your dang carry ammo people.

Not necessary to burn that shit up if it survives the shakedown cruise. I collect and fire off the most abused carry rounds and top off once in awhile although i don’t play admin games with my carry guns that much so abuse is limited. (there are people who constantly load and unload carry guns and i don’t understand the insanity).

 

[Tallahassee]

The gun I carry on the weekend has the same round chambered for some time. I don't think I ever cycle, or unload, the ammo.

 

[SHOCKNAWE]

I just replaced my Shield and I had the same ammo in my carry mag from 2013, I switched out the gun for the 365, and shot that mag after 8 years and every round went through without a hiccup

It was Federal HST

 

[Boghog1]

Wait you guys carry?