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Do you refresh your self defense ammo?

4K views 32 replies 21 participants last post by  soundguy 
#1 ·
Back when I took my CCW classes, my instructor suggested to shoot all your SD ammo once a year then replace it to insure you always have fresh SD rounds. Probably not bad advice, but I don't think it is necessary. I keep all my guns (and wife's too), plus at least one mag per gun filled with SD rounds which means it would be quite expensive to refresh it every year.

So what do you all do? Do you refresh your SD ammo and if so, how frequent.
 
#3 ·
Once in awhile I practice quick recoil shots with them for the memory muscle and buy fresh for replacement. Since I am now reloading, I haven't gotten around to making similar feel ammo to practice with so I can keep my expensive ammo longer. I think the amount of time you can keep ammo depends on the humidity in your area. Dry deserts could probably be forever but wet places not so long. I don't know.
 
#4 ·
I'll shoot up my SD ammo anually, then replace. Probablly not necessary, I do it out of old habbit plus it gives me a chance to remember what it feels like since I can't afford to shoot $1.00+ per round ammo regularly.
 
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#7 ·
Ammo is ammo, and it's absolute nonsense to think that your pet SD ammo is going to go bad. No ammunition goes bad on the shelf, unless you live under water or in Florida. Properly loaded ammunition does not degrade and will out live you.

That said, I do think it's a good idea to cycle through your SD ammo periodically, simply because you should be practicing with ammo that performs as much like your SD stuff as possible. That's not because there's anything wrong with your 10-year old cartridges, but because you need to be proficient in shooting what you'll be using in an emergency.

I load my own, for SD or practice - I do not believe that factory ammunition is in any way superior to what I make myself, for the same reason that people who think jumping out of perfectly good airplanes is fun, pack their own parachutes. I load cheap RN bullets for practice, and expensive SD bullets for carrying, but I use the exact same load, bullet weight and seating depth for both. At typical self defense ranges (5 - 50 yds) there is no measurable difference in performance at my skill level.

I suspect that your CCW instructor sells ammo as a sideline.;)
 
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#17 ·
Ammo is ammo, and it's absolute nonsense to think that your pet SD ammo is going to go bad. No ammunition goes bad on the shelf, unless you live under water or in Florida. Properly loaded ammunition does not degrade and will out live you.
I used to carry one load in the gun, and a Bianchi Speed Strip in my pocket.


Then one day I noticed the nickel was flaking off the spares in the Speed Strip. Combination, I believe, of Florida humidity and two years in my pants pocket, absorbing sweat from my leg.

I retired those six rounds, and now carry my spares in an MTM ammo wallet.



Not as fast a reload, but they stay dry.

Just a little bit ago I unloaded my gun, to do a function check on it, and noticed the ammo in the gun appeared tarnished. Tarnishing nickel is a good trick. So I replaced it. Those have been in my gun for a good ten years. When I practice with that gun, I take 'em out, put in practice ammo, shoot the gun, then reload with the self-defense stuff and put it back in my pocket holster.

Waaaay back when I bought these, there were ten bucks for a box of 25. That's EXPENSIVE. Too expensive to be shooting at paper, and WAAAAY too expensive to just toss out.

So when I first saw this thread, I thought, "Boy, that is so stupid".

But it appears I do refresh it. Every ten years or so. :p
 
#9 ·
Yes and no. I have some semi wad cutters in my .45 and they are interspersed with ball ammo in the mag. That is the 'homedef' mag. Since I don't have any other .45 semi wad cutters. I keep them. I shoot ammo that I have for practice and that's all ball ammo.

There is no technological need to shoot ammo that is kept dry. So, in the concept of your question, No, I don't cycle my ammo RCC.

The only gun I have ever cycled my 'ammo' in was my flare gun back when I had my sailing sloops. Each year on New Years Eve with all the fireworks going off I fired off the old flares and put new ones in the flare gun. I only did that because the flare gun was on the boat all summer each year with often high humidity.
 
#10 ·
I'm with Firefighter1635, I feel that I need to know where the exotic ammo is going to hit, and if it still cycles correctly in my carry iron. I shot up the last of my Black Talons last month.
 
#13 ·
Thanks guys. Your answers are pretty much what I was expecting. Most of my SD ammo is about 6 years old. I live in a dry climate and have never changed out my ammo except in those case where I switch to a different round. I do rotate my mags however, about 3 or 4 times a year. This allows me to inspect all my rounds and ensure they are dry, clean, and in good condition.

All my SD ammo is factory rounds (Hornady, Speer). I do have a bunch a of HP bullets for all my calibers which I will load up and store for emergency/backup SD rounds.
 
#20 ·
Only if I have to use it! Considering the cost, and availability of premium ammo, why would you "refresh your SD ammo"? Mine just sits there, it doesn't do anything until I need it to, it don't need a break. Right now my .45 is loaded with .230 grain Golden Sabers. Next time you are in the store look for some. Or one of the other .230 grain premium bullets, like Core Bon, Hydro Shock, or Gold Dot. This stuff is as rare as hen's teeth in this part of the world!
 
#21 ·
Time was, every now & then I'd find a sale on self-defense rnds or they'd come out with a new or upgraded brand. Then I'd shoot up my old stuff. Lately however, with the ammo shortages that seem to shift from caliber to caliber & each time get more plentiful when the prices go up, I stick with what I got & simply add to the supply when possible. Additionally, it makes it easier for loved ones to buy me Xmas & birthday presents.
 
#22 ·
I haven't thought about that! I'll be asking those that buy me presents to please make it one of the types of bullets I like to carry. Good idea!
 
#23 ·
Good luck with that.

As a kid, when stuck for a Christmas present, I would buy my father Top Flites. That's what he used. And as any golfer knows - you ALWAYS need balls. They are consumables.

One of the DeMolay kids (Daddy was a Chapter Dad) asked my advice for getting him a Christmas present. I said to get him a couple of sleeves of Top Flites. The Chapter thought that was a dumb idea, and got him a necktie, or cufflinks, or some such idiotic present.

At a company Christmas party, the girl that drew my name asked a mutual friend what would be a good gift to get me. He said to get me a box of 45 hardball. She, instead, got me some piece of cheap, Chinese-made, hunting gear, that if it was ever used would probably not last one day in the woods.

During the ban I gave an M14 20-round magazine. I've given sleeves of primers. But do I get anything useful like that? Noooooooo.
 
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#24 ·
You're probably right Alpo! I never have got what I wanted for a birthday, or Christmas, unless I bought it for myself! My wife keeps telling my step son that anything hunting related, or ammo, are good choices, but some how he keeps giving me shirts!
 
#26 ·
A gift card from Bass Pro would be OK!
 
#27 ·
Midway has a "wish list". You can put what you want on it, and then tell your friends and family to "go here and pick something".

They probably won't, but you can at least try.
 
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#29 ·
Do like I've done a few times........... Grab your guns, put some magazines and a few boxes of ammo in the field can and head out. Get all set up then start shooting........ only to realize the magazine you just emptied poking holes in paper was the good stuff! So, technically I do rotate my stock, just unknowingly.:oops:

Since the last incident, I started marking my magazines so I wouldn't accidentally poke holes in paper with the good stuff anymore. Now, if I can just remember to look!

I like the Barnes TAC-XP and TSX bullets and they are available in all calibers I use. I already have different sizes of the .223 bullets and am figuring out which bullets to order in my hand gun calibers, once set, the "good stuff" won't be nearly as expensive to shoot so I will likely just shoot it occasionally when I go to the range with the fmj rounds.

I enjoy reloading more and more every day!
 
#30 ·
Since the last incident, I started marking my magazines so I wouldn't accidentally poke holes in paper with the good stuff anymore. Now, if I can just remember to look!
I mark all my mags by using those plastic "dots" stickers then numbering them with a Sharpie (Sharpies directly on SS mags rubs off ). I have from 4 to 7 mags for each gun. When I go to the range I leave the 2 SD mags home and take empties to the range.


I enjoy reloading more and more every day!
I'm with you there. One addiction (reloading) to feed another addiction (shooting). Just now gearing up to resume reloading now that summer is winding down and my garage is becoming more bearable.
 
#31 ·
for my ar mags, i grabbed a bunch of milsurp cheapies with good bodies and cleaned and repalced followers as needed. ( got the mags 5$ each.. so no loss ).

I then painted themin various colors to denote either caliber or projectile type.

I also use colored electrical tape bands on the mags and other non painted ones i have.
 
#32 ·
I've kept ammo for decades and it still goes bang!

I reload everything now and this stuff is as reliable as factory ammo. What you need to worry about are auto pistols because they are prone to FTE, stove pipes, etc. ...and that is why I use revolvers more often for carry. If a home invasion comes my way, I will likely reach for the 12 ga.
 
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