NEW AMMO IS CHEAP INSURANCE
It’s a simple thing to do but often neglected, especially in times like this where ammunition can be so darn hard to find.
As expensive as ammunition is, it is still cheap insurance to ensure that the gun will go bang and not click when you need a bang the most.
Some may disagree with me on the frequency of saying this is too often and still others may say too far apart but I recommend you change out your carry ammunition once a year.
Use the ammunition that you have been carrying for your next outings training ammunition and shoot a course of fire cold! No changing the condition of the gun or warming up. When you are done, evaluate your performance and the ammunitions performance. Did it work? Did you have any malfunctions? Did you remember to have a round in the chamber?
TIME TO RELOAD
With that great quality carry ammunition that you’ve selected with you out on the range, don’t just load it up in your magazines and gun. Inspect that ammunition, one round at a time!
Disassemble your pistol and pull the barrel out. Drop each round you plan to carry in defense of your life and others into the chamber one at a time and inspect them! Does the primer look right? Did it fall into place and fit correctly? This short amount of time could be the difference between a click and a bang. Don’t you want a bang?
HOW LONG YOU GO BETWEEN SWAPPING OUT COULD VARY
If you carry in harsh conditions like high moisture or against your skin when working out etc., you might want to increase the frequency in which you freshen up your ammunition. Use some common sense and don’t be so cheap, remember that this is some inexpensive insurance in the grand scheme of things.
CHOOSE YOUR AMMUNITION WISELY
I don’t want to sound like Captain Obvious here but I would be remiss if I didn’t end with reminding you all that ball ammunition is not a great choice for self defense ammunition. Yeah, I know it can kill someone but that isn’t why you would shoot someone is it? You’re shooting to stop a threat using a tool of last resort with an understood unintended consequence of death. So, with that in mind, use the best tool for the job and that for pistol ammunition is hollow point ammunition. Bigger holes bleed faster and it is nice to know the bullet will be putting on the brakes in soft tissue and not continuing on into unintended targets.
You choose the caliber, that’s a whole other debate!