Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthArk370Z
The shelf life of most ammo is measured in decades. I don't carry, so moisture may be a bigger problem than I think it is, but going by decades of plinking with handguns and rifles, decent quality ammo doesn't go bad unless it gets wet (degrades the propellant and corrodes the brass and lead). If the brass and lead look good, the ammo should be good. YMMV
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Totally agree in terms of shelf life. As in, sitting on a shelf. In regards to carry ammo, specifically, you do need to cycle it through and keep it fresh. Problem comes in when you constantly carry. Powder essentially breaks up into smaller pieces from the constant motion. It will change the ballistics of the round and increase chamber pressure exponentially as the powder will burn at a much higher rate.
You also run the risk of partially burnt powder and may get a bullet lodged in the bore. These are all fairly unlikely scenarios but they must be considered as it has previously occurred.
I suppose you really only have to worry about this if the case isn't completely filled and there is room for the powder to move. So it would vary from load to load. I imagine most P+P rounds would never have this issue. Any standard, non-+P round will likely steer toward the need to cycle. But I'm OCD. I only stated what I do with my ammo. You could easily go several years with the same carry ammo. But for myself? Eh, life is more important than an extra $50 for a new box of ammo.