Rotation of Pistol Ammo

[laen3145]

Hi Guys, I hope this is an appropriate question/discussion on this forum. I try to keep my inventory of .380, 9mm, and 45 cal ammo under five (5) years.
The only FTF's I have experienced over the years have been with remanufactured ammo, and not that many, that I use only for practice. New ammo, no problems.
I would appreciate your comments/concerns.

[gghbi]

As long as you keep it cool and dry, like in ammo cans, I might start to get worried at 25 years or more. If you can maintain five years, nothing wrong with that. I have fired well kept ammo from the 1950s (milsurp 45) with no problem. The one I would keep an eye on is 22 rimfire, but other ammo not so much.

[Remington788]

I think ammo can last s long time if properly stored.
I've shot milsurp and hunting ammo from the 1970s, shotgun from the 80s, handgun rounds from who knows when.
That said, rounds for my carry gun get fired on the range probably within a year.

[Marcus99]

I agree with gghbi. Rimfire I've had bad luck with, I recently had several boxes of 17HMR go bad on me after 7-8years (misfires, squibs, split cases). I've never had any problem with properly stored centerfire ammo. I've fired a good deal of shotgun shells, 30-06, 38spcl, etc.. that was well over 30-40 years old.

[Twoboxer]

I keep X years in component inventory across my active calibers and only about ~4 months supply in finished pistol ammo . . . less in precision rifle. That balance works well for me given my shooting volumes, reloading batch sizes that are comfortable for my available time and equipment, and powder/primer storage capacities. Any changes in those things would probably lead me to keeping more inventory in finished ammo.

In short, I personally prefer keeping inventory in components . . . more flexibility. YMMV.

[JDA58]

As long as you keep it cool and dry, like in ammo cans, I might start to get worried at 25 years or more. If you can maintain five years, nothing wrong with that. I have fired well kept ammo from the 1950s (milsurp 45) with no problem. The one I would keep an eye on is 22 rimfire, but other ammo not so much.

I've finished off a few bricks of 22lr that was 30 or more years old with no issues..and have some 25 cal that old that I shoot every now and then.. kept in a dry storage box all that time

[Remington788]

I've finished off a few bricks of 22lr that was 30 or more years old with no issues..and have some 25 cal that old that I shoot every now and then.. kept in a dry storage box all that time

Was it a dry box from Harbor Freight?

[Dont4get2doubletap]

id worry more about cycling in and out ammo thru the chamber pushing the projo deeper into the case.

[Remington788]

I wonder if ammo lasts longer in Arizona where the humidity is lower?

[JDA58]

Was it a dry box from Harbor Freight?

lol no!! but it is plastic ..

was harbor freight even around 30 years ago lol