Ammo kept in a box on the shelf could last forever. Ammo in a carry magazine is subject to temperature changes, humidity changes, vibration, shock, sweat, etc. It's the toughest possible environment.

And if you're one of those folks who clears the chamber every time you put the gun away, and then rechamber when you put it back on, that repeated rechambering can push the bullet deeper into the case. Enough to cause problems.

So yes, cycling your carry ammo is a good idea.

I doesn't need to be anything fancy. I simply shoot out my carry magazine every time I go to the range.

I change the carry ammunition when I move the clocks in the spring and fall.

Wouldn't the 4th of July and New Year's Day be better?

That's what everyone here on the south side of Minneapolis seems to do ...

And on the north side...

You poor guys gotta get out of the city.

Although I've never been invited, I'm pretty sure my N Mpls neighborhood has a weekly "empty your magazine" event.

TK

I've been invited by accident a couple of times- once as I was on a ladder, painting the trim on my mother's house. Definitely my favorite place to be- hanging out in midair when the locals are testing their new toys. (BTW, the two idiots in question were less than 15 feet apart, and managed to hit each other in the legs... )

Yeah, actually last year in the spring I was out power-washing the front of my house, up on a ladder. Just as I was climbing down, I heard the staccato crack of rapid fire from a .45 and a 9mm.

I turned around, and there was a small sedan chasing an SUV right in front of me (~30 feet away), up the street. Two guys in the back seat of the chase car were leaning out the windows, firing as fast as they could at the SUV.

Not too long later, a black Pontiac Bonneville (I think) cruised up the street, and asked if some guys had just chased a car and were shooting at it. By the way they acted, I think it was gang leaders checking up on an initiation test.

Yeesh.

TK

as far as ammo is concerned. I wish I could say the same!! I have shot ammo I loaded fully 20 years ago and forgot about, and I have NEVER had a misfire in my entire life. In addition, I still find newly fired original RA 42 cases lying around out at Oakdale, so WWII 45 ACP ammo made shortly after Pearl Harbor still works. In addition, the original H4831 powder that was still being sold in the 70's when I got into handloading was, at that time, STILL WWII surplus powder that had been originally made for the 37mm Okerlion AA gun.

I believe it is spelled "Oerlikon" (which, incidentilly, is the name of my webserver)