2023 ... How much Defensive Ammo to keep on hand.?

[fly out]

This might be the wrong answer...probably is...I shoot through the mag in the gun first, then do my thing.

After all administrative handling/cleaning, I load more of the carry ammo. The lot numbers haven't changed, so I feel fine. (Whether I am fine, I might never know.)

[Suvorov]

Your carry gun 1000 rounds isn’t for a hypothetical extended battle. It is for: 1) your loaded carry gun and spare carry mag(s), 2) your loaded ready mags, however many you feel like you need to have at home/in the vehicle, 3) annual replacement for the ammo in your carry gun and carry mags.

If you actually use your gun in a defensive fight where you expend rounds, you are in an anomalous situation that you are prepared for by carrying your gun. Good for you! If you use your entire carry mag, reload, and use all of that one, you’ll be on the national news. If you are carrying a G19 or equivalent, that’s 31 rounds.

With 1K rounds of your carry ammo at home, only expending 31 rounds annually when you rotate it out for fresh, you won’t run out for 32 years. That is surviving the waves of ammunition shortages comfortably, in regards to defensive ammo.

Surviving the ammunition shortages in regards to practice ammo is, of course, another story.

All good points and a different/better way of looking at the question. The advantage of a smaller supply of “party ammo” would be that as you used some up you could replace it with theoretically newer/better ammo over the years.

[Tensaw]

Attachment 110773

One of two identical go to "war" ammo cans in the house. Designed to be quick throw in the truck items if I need to leave instead of stay put.

I think you meant "Easter Eggs".

One idea is to stash one at a buddy's house nearby (in case of fire, flood, or theft at your place) and perhaps even another at a relative's house or somewhere you might skedaddle to if something calamitous happened. In a perfect world, you would be holding on to Easter Eggs for those folks as well. Don't forget about mags.

[Chomps]

Lots of interesting feedback on this topic.

Im realizing that with the number of range trips and HUGE amounts of FMJ/HP ammo I’ve purchased & expended the past 3 years shooting & vetting weapons/mags, myself? 🤣.

I should be a MUCH BETTER shot! 🤣🤷😉

[SCCY Marshal]

At the risk of a dumb question:

For an individual who works indoors, is generally effective at protecting ammo from moisture while carrying, is typically not outside in bad weather for any length of time, and who immediately relegates carry ammo to the next practice session if it comes in contact with water or perspiration, is it really necessary to replace carry ammo every year if that ammo is unlikely to have come in contact with moisture?

If the ammo is coming in contact with moisture more frequently, is the one year replacement schedule often enough?

Yes*. Particularly the spare ammunition, if any is carried. The ammo in the gun is fairly protected from some stuff that the reload is open to. In my occasional tests of keeping an old reload in a vest or jacket for an extra long while just to see, that has been the source of the very few carry duds I've had. More of a concern is physical damage to the projectiles in reloads, particularly revolvers where all cartridges are exposed rather than just the top one.

And I've gone even further with a bedside pistol caliber carbine in my autopistol packin' days. The bulk of the carry ammo in my magazines was rotated into the bedside PCC mags when freshening up. The next rotation, when the PCC got its next batch of hand-me-downs, saw the original old stuff fired possibly two years later - or more if there wasn't enough to fully replace every magazine for the long gun. Neither reliability nor 50-80 yard accuracy ever suffered in the long gun that sat around doing nothing all day. But I did cull the batch of old pistol ammo pretty aggressively before the remainder went to the long gun.


* Assuming you don't fiddle with it. Start dropping the cartridges or unloading/reloading an automatic more than you need to and you start beating on the ammo. People mostly focus of bullet setback but chewing up rims and smooshing bullet noses do you no favors either.

[BillSWPA]

Yes*. Particularly the spare ammunition, if any is carried. The ammo in the gun is fairly protected from some stuff that the reload is open to. In my occasional tests of keeping an old reload in a vest or jacket for an extra long while just to see, that has been the source of the very few carry duds I've had. More of a concern is physical damage to the projectiles in reloads, particularly revolvers where all cartridges are exposed rather than just the top one.

And I've gone even further with a bedside pistol caliber carbine in my autopistol packin' days. The bulk of the carry ammo in my magazines was rotated into the bedside PCC mags when freshening up. The next rotation, when the PCC got its next batch of hand-me-downs, saw the original old stuff fired possibly two years later - or more if there wasn't enough to fully replace every magazine for the long gun. Neither reliability nor 50-80 yard accuracy ever suffered in the long gun that sat around doing nothing all day. But I did cull the batch of old pistol ammo pretty aggressively before the remainder went to the long gun.


* Assuming you don't fiddle with it. Start dropping the cartridges or unloading/reloading an automatic more than you need to and you start beating on the ammo. People mostly focus of bullet setback but chewing up rims and smooshing bullet noses do you no favors either.

Good points, thank you. Does anything change if reloads are always carried in a leather or Kydex pouch with the open end of the magazine well within the pouch?

I do always keep the same round in the chamber rather than rotating the top 2 in the magazine. I do check for setback and remove those cartridges when I see any setback.

[blues]

More than some, less than many.

I don't see being specific as being particularly worthwhile in these times and circumstances which we find ourselves living within.

[SCCY Marshal]

Good points, thank you. Does anything change if reloads are always carried in a leather or Kydex pouch with the open end of the magazine well within the pouch?

Dunno. Top round in the magazine plus any that were ever chambered in a handgun got culled straight into the jar of assorted range ammo by default. The ammo in a reload is still less protected that that in the gun. If you carry brass cased ammo, you can sometimes see the difference in discoloration after a while.

Pocketed magazines certainly live hardier lives but my redneck 'spiriments never went any further than that statement of the obvious.

[rcbusmc24]

I think you meant "Easter Eggs".

One idea is to stash one at a buddy's house nearby (in case of fire, flood, or theft at your place) and perhaps even another at a relative's house or somewhere you might skedaddle to if something calamitous happened. In a perfect world, you would be holding on to Easter Eggs for those folks as well. Don't forget about mags.

Oh.... yeah, there are glock 19 and Colt 6920 kits sprinkled around the country currently with trusted individuals, all with a combat load x2 of pre filled mags and basic concealed carry gear, Ifak/TQ and basic chest rig. Plus I'm holding some stuff for others as well...

I'm not sure if I'm too paranoid or not paranoid enough anymore honestly....

[Suvorov]

I'm not sure if I'm too paranoid or not paranoid enough anymore honestly....

I think the only time we will know is when we draw our last breath……

Unless the Egyptians were right.