[The Joker]

I have lately been carrying my guns with hollow points that I have reloaded myself. I heard today from another reloader that it is not a good idea because reloaded ammo doesn't have a long shelf life compared to the stuff you buy new. He pretty much said reloading is just for the folks who like to shoot a lot.
If this is true what is the proper way to store reloaded stuff vs. factory?

 

[DixieLandMan]

I keep factory ammo as self defense just so that some lawyer will not say that I used my super duper reloaded ammo that will penetrate a car or whatever he/she thinks will sound good.

But to answer your question, the main thing is to keep your ammo dry. Ammo cans work great but just about anything that will keep moisture out will work. I've shot rifle ammo that I reloaded 10 years ago. Kept it dry all that time and still shoots great.

 

[carver]

I have lately been carrying my guns with hollow points that I have reloaded myself. I heard today from another reloader that it is not a good idea because reloaded ammo doesn't have a long shelf life compared to the stuff you buy new. He pretty much said reloading is just for the folks who like to shoot a lot.
If this is true what is the proper way to store reloaded stuff vs. factory?

Your friend has been misinformed! Reloaded ammo will last as long as factory ammo, if stored properly. Like DixieLandMan, I carry factory ammo for SD, and for the same reason he does. But if I wanted to carry my reloads, they would be wad cutters, not hollow points!

 

[howlnmad]

As long as you keep them dry, your reloads ill last just as long as any factory ammo.


I carry Hornady XTPs in all my SD guns that I load myself. I will do so until someone can show me proof of any SD shooter that was prosecuted and found guilty because they loaded their own.

 

[X Ring]

If his reloads are not lasting as long as factory it is because of something he is doing to the reloads. I just shot some reloads loaded in 1992 that preformed exactly as they would when loaded.

 

[gdmoody]

I don't know what he calls a long shelf life. I have some .38 special and some .357 magnum rounds that I loaded 30 or so years ago. I don't shoot a whole lot of .38/.357 like I used to but these still go boom every time I do pull the trigger.

 

[The Joker]

I keep all my reloaded ammo in ammo cans, some in the garage some in the house.
But what I carry usually just stays in the mag and is outside whenever I walk outside the rest of the time its in my room.

This brings me to another question out of curiosity, is there any particular way to store and keep powder?

 

[carver]

As long as it's sealed in the container it came in, it's good to go. But it must be sealed!

 

[Old Grump]

Shot the last of my 1973, (45ACP), reloads this summer and couldn't hardly believe how good they made me look.

 

[steve4102]

As long as you keep them dry, your reloads ill last just as long as any factory ammo.

I carry Hornady XTPs in all my SD guns that I load myself. I will do so until someone can show me proof of any SD shooter that was prosecuted and found guilty because they loaded their own.

^^^^^^This^^^^^^

As you know there is no proof or case law that supports any of this BS. NONE.

 

[myfriendis410]

There is one possibility and that's loading cast, lubed and sized bullets in your pistol cartridge and the lube is composed of low melting point materials. The lube can migrate back behind the bullet and interact with the propellent, reducing the load's power. I have seen this happen (but not with mine). That's why cast loads should be stored in a more stable temperature environment than might be strictly needed for jacketed reloads. This is of course less of a problem with high temperature stick lubes commonly used in commercial cast bullets. I've also read that it's recommended to box the ammo bullet down rather than dump it loose into an ammo can.

 

[The Joker]

Ok so your everyday carry rounds that never get stored, should I need to worry about them?

 

[76Highboy]

As long as you keep them dry, your reloads ill last just as long as any factory ammo.

I carry Hornady XTPs in all my SD guns that I load myself. I will do so until someone can show me proof of any SD shooter that was prosecuted and found guilty because they loaded their own.

Amen to that.

 

[76Highboy]

Ok so your everyday carry rounds that never get stored, should I need to worry about them?

No. They will be fine however what I do is every so often when I go to the range I will shoot what I have been packing and then reload my carry gun with fresh ammo. I do it about once a year and it always performs the same as recently reloaded ammo. I reload 99.999% of what I shoot and my reloads that have been stored for years had never let me down, EVER.

 

[aa1911]

ditto ditto to what everyone has said. Reloads or not, they will last longer than you will.

I recently switched to factory ammo because my brass is old and tired and just in case some lawyer does wish to go full retard and go after me for making 'deadlier' rounds or whatever nonsense they think they can pull off.

 

[ryan42]

Massadd Ayoob says not to carry reloades in you selfdefense weapon not because of shelf life but because if you involved in a selfdefence shooting they dont know what the ballistics our for your handloaded ammo.He said in there investigation they will test fire the ammo used to match up to the shots at the crime.He just says it causes a nightmare for your lawyer.Now thats his opinion not mine.

 

[steve4102]

Massadd Ayoob says not to carry reloades in you selfdefense weapon not because of shelf life but because if you involved in a selfdefence shooting they dont know what the ballistics our for your handloaded ammo.He said in there investigation they will test fire the ammo used to match up to the shots at the crime.He just says it causes a nightmare for your lawyer.Now thats his opinion not mine.

Ayoob is the Al Gore of the shooting world. Preaching BS to make money.

 

[Boris]

ditto ditto to what everyone has said. Reloads or not, they will last longer than you will.

I recently switched to factory ammo because my brass is old and tired and just in case some lawyer does wish to go full retard and go after me for making 'deadlier' rounds or whatever nonsense they think they can pull off.

I used to live in WA. If you live there read the laws. They are very clear about them and even list what can not be used. Handloads is not one of them. You also can not be put on trial unless you broke a law. If you have broke no law and do go to trial then the state pays your lawyer, lost wages from your work and for your time. So they make for damn sure they will put you behind bars if you do go to trial, and that only happens of you break a law.

Ayboob tells you to not use handloads and when you flip the page there is a full page glossy ad with the latest over priced defense ammo. He is in it to fill his pockets. He also can not provide a single conviction for the use of handloads. All he is looking for is to fill hos pockets with cash after he scares people into looking at them full page ads. Nothing more.

If, and a huge if they ever question you loads in a legal shoot you will have plenty left on you they can look at, take apart and shoot all they want. Still wont change the facts if your shoot was a legal one. He feeds fears for your money, dont listen to that fool.

 

[steve4102]

I used to live in WA. If you live there read the laws. They are very clear about them and even list what can not be used. Handloads is not one of them. You also can not be put on trial unless you broke a law. If you have broke no law and do go to trial then the state pays your lawyer, lost wages from your work and for your time. So they make for damn sure they will put you behind bars if you do go to trial, and that only happens of you break a law.

Ayboob tells you to not use handloads and when you flip the page there is a full page glossy ad with the latest over priced defense ammo. He is in it to fill his pockets. He also can not provide a single conviction for the use of handloads. All he is looking for is to fill hos pockets with cash after he scares people into looking at them full page ads. Nothing more.

If, and a huge if they ever question you loads in a legal shoot you will have plenty left on ou they can look at, take apart and shoot all they want. Still wont change the facts if your shoot was a legal one. He feeds fears for your money, dont losten to that fool.

BINGO!

 

[Boris]

BINGO!

You quoted me before I finished editing. Typed that way too fast lol....