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Question about Chambered Round Changeout

FrankNA

FrankNA

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I've been CC'ing a lot lately and noticed my defensive ammo (JHP) chambered round gets a bit beat up after repeated loading/unloading of the same round, particularly around the rim area near the primer. On some occasions, I do not get an adequate feed when I go to chamber a round when I load my weapon prior to concealed carry. I usually remove these rounds once this happens and plan to use them at the range for target practice.

My question is, at what point or how many load/unload cycles do you folks go through prior to removing that round from your defensive carry ammo? I've noticed some rough areas around the rim area near the primer and believe this may be the cause of the infrequent load failures that I have experienced. Any thoughts/suggestions? Don't want to get caught short when/if the SHTF...

Thanks!
 
I don't have a hard and fast rule, but generally no more than 2 chamberings, as I like to shoot a mag trough my carry gun every other range trip. What gun and ammo are you seeing the issue with? I've seen a lot of concern with setback(never experienced it though), but never rim damage.
 
My EDC is a .45, unless I'm at the range, my carry load stays in the chamber, though chamber check/mag check every time it comes out of the safe and goes into the safe, as well as every time it gets placed elsewhere, under monitoring, as in bathroom moments.
Repeatedly chambering the top round leads to round compression, which makes for potential over-pressured state within the round due to decreased conflagration space. This can add several 10,000's of lbs in chamber pressure, I believe this info came from Hornady.
So, when the top round gets noticeably shorter than the next round in the mag, it goes into limbo... either to the dud box or to the reloading line in my world.
 
Maybe unacceptable to some but I don't keep loading/unloading my shield 9mm. The only place I don't carry is in work and it lives in my safe loaded in the holster while I'm there.
 
Stop clearing your pistol all the time.

If you do clear it to clean it or shoot other ammo, drop the slide on the round rather than loading it into a mag and feeding it.

Queue morons whining about dropping the slide and regurgitation of other uneducated, inexperienced gun myths.
 
xtry51 said:
If you do clear it to clean it or shoot other ammo, drop the slide on the round rather than loading it into a mag and feeding it.
Click to expand...
Bad advice.

This forces the extractor to snap over the rim, rather than let the round slide up under the extractor. This increases the stress on the extractor, leading to possible breakage, and also beats up the rim.
 
I mark the base with a sharpie if I unload a round. Doesn't happen often. Only one marked in about a year so far. Goes to the bottom of the mag.
 
Rob Boudrie said:
Bad advice.

This forces the extractor to snap over the rim, rather than let the round slide up under the extractor. This increases the stress on the extractor, leading to possible breakage, and also beats up the rim.
Click to expand...

Dude, literally thousands of times on my M&P (I dry fire a lot). It's not hurting anything.

ETA: I have about 22k rounds through this gun, all original stock parts. If anyone has actually had an extractor break specifically during dropping the slide on a chambered round, please chime in. I'll just wait here with my crickets.

All modern firearms have spring loaded extractors for exactly this reason.
 
Last edited:
xtry51 said:
Dude, literally thousands of times on my M&P (I dry fire a lot). It's not hurting anything.

ETA: I have about 22k rounds through this gun, all original stock parts. If anyone has actually had an extractor break specifically during dropping the slide on a chambered round, please chime in. I'll just wait here with my crickets.

All modern firearms have spring loaded extractors for exactly this reason.
Click to expand...

It still stresses the extractor hook,

It's not just about breaking during chambering a round, but the possibility of weakening it over time. I've had 1911 extractors break (twice in my life - different guns and different manufacturers), so it can happen (though I did not snap them over a loaded round).
 
Rob Boudrie said:
It still stresses the extractor hook,

It's not just about breaking during chambering a round, but the possibility of weakening it over time. I've had 1911 extractors break (twice in my life - different guns and different manufacturers), so it can happen (though I did not snap them over a loaded round).
Click to expand...
So, you've never had one break for the reason you're talking about, can't speak of anyone who has had an extractor break for that reason and have only experienced extractor failures in two example of one type of pistol? Hmmmm... :confused:
 
FrankNA said:
I've been CC'ing a lot lately and noticed my defensive ammo (JHP) chambered round gets a bit beat up after repeated loading/unloading of the same round, particularly around the rim area near the primer.
Click to expand...

Don't do that. Load it up and leave it loaded.
 
It is widely known that 1911s have weak extractors and they fail under heavy use. Such failures are a design issue, not a manner of use issue. As you point out they can break whether you drop the slide or not when using the gun regularly.

There's a reason no one uses the 1911 springless design in a modern combat pistol and this discussion has zero to do with the OPs interest in re-chambering rounds.

The main hazard with rechambering the same round repeatedly is setback, especially on 45acp which seems to be far more prone to it. The solution to this (other than shooting more and cycling your ammo) is to not reload the round into a mag and not re-feed it by cycling the action.
 
jibbr71 said:
I don't have a hard and fast rule, but generally no more than 2 chamberings, as I like to shoot a mag trough my carry gun every other range trip. What gun and ammo are you seeing the issue with? I've seen a lot of concern with setback(never experienced it though), but never rim damage.
Click to expand...

Sig P938 and Hornady 135 Gr. FlexLock JHP Critical Defense. The rim tends to get a little rough around the edges which I would presume is caused by the extractor.
 
I get the load it and leave it advice. So lets say you have to go into the post office. I have a lock box with the cable lock to the seat base of my truck. If I have to leave it behind it goes in there. That said, I do unload it, I assume in MA, leaving a loaded handgun locked in the lock box of the truck is a no-no. Am I wrong there? What do other do in this scenario?
 
I'm new to CC'ing and always unloaded whenever the firearm was not in my personal possession as I was typically just target shooting and not carrying on a regular basis. I was not aware of "setback" issues but was concerned about a ND occurring when chambering the first round or a FTF due to the rough edges on the chambered round.

Should I just dump the previously chambered (multiple times) ammo or would it be OK for range use? I have about 8 rounds that I had rotated as my first chambered round and don't mind tossing them if it might cause a problem.

I appreciate the advice.
 
knfmn said:
So, you've never had one break for the reason you're talking about, can't speak of anyone who has had an extractor break for that reason and have only experienced extractor failures in two example of one type of pistol? Hmmmm... :confused:
Click to expand...

I am referring to conventional wisdom as taught by numerous professionals in the field (including every Glock armorer instructor I have met - been to at least 5 (re)certification classes.)

I have also never had any direct experience with 440VAC arcing in a manner not seen with 120/220VAC household circuits, however, I trust the professionals who tell me it can happen.
 
bdb said:
I get the load it and leave it advice. So lets say you have to go into the post office. I have a lock box with the cable lock to the seat base of my truck. If I have to leave it behind it goes in there. That said, I do unload it, I assume in MA, leaving a loaded handgun locked in the lock box of the truck is a no-no. Am I wrong there? What do other do in this scenario?
Click to expand...

Concealed means concealed . Why diss arm your self to walk into a post office.
Dose yours frisk people when they walk in?

Heck having a dad that has worked for the post office as long as I been alive I'll tell you this. I'd worry more about a postal worker snapping then a customer lol .
 
FrankNA said:
I'm new to CC'ing and always unloaded whenever the firearm was not in my personal possession as I was typically just target shooting and not carrying on a regular basis. I was not aware of "setback" issues but was concerned about a ND occurring when chambering the first round or a FTF due to the rough edges on the chambered round.

Should I just dump the previously chambered (multiple times) ammo or would it be OK for range use? I have about 8 rounds that I had rotated as my first chambered round and don't mind tossing them if it might cause a problem.

I appreciate the advice.
Click to expand...

Use it at the range at the very least - The stuff is fine really
 
warwickben said:
Concealed means concealed . Why diss arm your self to walk into a post office.
Dose yours frisk people when they walk in?

Heck having a dad that has worked for the post office as long as I been alive I'll tell you this. I'd worry more about a postal worker snapping then a customer lol .
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know, I get it. Theer are times I choose not to carry some place for a variety of reasons, including picking up my daughter inside her school. That isn't one I wish to roll the dice on. I was curious what others do, do you unload or leave it locked in a secure container in the vehicle but loaded.
 
bdb said:
Yeah, I know, I get it. Theer are times I choose not to carry some place for a variety of reasons, including picking up my daughter inside her school. That isn't one I wish to roll the dice on. I was curious what others do, do you unload or leave it locked in a secure container in the vehicle but loaded.
Click to expand...

I was being a smart ass ....

I just toss it under my car seat and lock the doors. Jk....
 
During the kidnapping attempt of Princess Margret her bodyguards PPK jammed due to the repeated reloading/unloading of the first round in the mag. It can be a problem.
 
warwickben said:
Concealed means concealed . Why diss arm your self to walk into a post office.
Dose yours frisk people when they walk in?

Heck having a dad that has worked for the post office as long as I been alive I'll tell you this. I'd worry more about a postal worker snapping then a customer lol .
Click to expand...

Agreed. Concealed is concealed. YMMV.

and yes setback can definitely happen. I never unload my guns unless they're being cleaned obviously.
 

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