Shooting Reloads in Matches

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alfsauve

alfsauve

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I reload. I have since a buddy introduce me to the Lee whack-o-mole in 1970. A few years back, I took all my accumulated spent primers and computed that I had over 70,000 just on the LnL AP. No telling how many before that. And a wild guess is I've added another 30,000 since that measurement. Mostly 9mm, .38spl/.357mag and .45ACP.

I say this because when I shoot at any match above the local level I use factory ammo. It gives me peace of mind, both in regards to power factor, mis-fires and squibs.

I just finished shooting the USPSA GA State match, Revolver division, (yes there were 2 of us). I had no ammo problems. Everything worked well. My revolver competitor had at least 2 mis-fires. (Of course, mis-fires in a revolver means "pull-the-trigger-again" even though it does mess up plan A.) Several other competitors, in other divisions, also had misfires. What did they have in common? Reloads.

Anyone else, tend towards reloads for practice and local matches, but factory ammo for "big time" matches?
 
I do the same for my shotgun tournaments (sporting clays) Reloads for practice, factory for when it counts. Larger tournaments (called Big Blasts) do not allow reloads for any of the events and they check your ammo
 
I Have to roll all my own. 9 major makes ammo company lawyers cringe. I use new brass for level 2 and up matches. For practice and local matches I use range brass. Its sized and decapped, pin timbled then roll sized. After a trip through the hundo guage its been inspected atleast 3 times. I've had one case seperation in the chamber that zeroed the stage.
 
alfsauve said:
. . . when I shoot at any match above the local level I use factory ammo. It gives me peace of mind, both in regards to power factor, mis-fires and squibs.
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I think this either speaks poorly of your reloading QC, or well of the very premium ammo you buy for matches, or both.

After the steep bit of learning curve (which.you are well past) you should be turning out ammo superior to most factory bulk.

alfsauve said:
My revolver competitor had at least 2 mis-fires.
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I'll admit that there are subtleties to making semi auto ammo, but FtFires in a revolver? That's slovenly carelessness.
 
When shooting "pistol game" matches that allow reloads, reloads! "Super Senior Single Stack" /and Revolver!

When on the Sheriff's PPC Team and sponsored by Winchester, factory ammo only, 9mm, 38 Spl and 38 HBWC! A nice perk getting match and practice ammo, match fees and travel expenses paid for! Plus we could buy ammo at cost! :)'s
 
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I've usually seen that if an ammo problem arises, it is most likely a reload. Now, we had two guys who were notorious for screwing up theirs. I'm sure other folks did just fine with their setups.
 
alfsauve said:
I had over 70,000 just on the LnL AP. No telling how many before that. And a wild guess is I've added another 30,000 since that measurement.
Click to expand...

do your reloads work, or not....with 100k rounds you should have a pretty good idea.

I have shot state level matches with reloads...many more problems with the shooter, than the equipment or ammo...:fire:
 
All my centerfire ammo for matches are reloads. Haven't purchased factory ammo for practice or matches in decades. Have I ever had a FTF? Yes I have had one round fail to feed in 40+ years of shooting reloads. It doesnt bother me as I've had more duds in my rimfire ammo at matches.:)
-s.
 
Apart from some loss leader $3.87 Blazer and S&B for a Factory Required class, I don't recall ever shooting anything but handloads for PPC, IHMSA, IPSC, IDPA, USPSA, FTR, BPCR, and ATA.
Well there was the ATA Southern Zone shootoff that ran me out of reloads so I was cadging AAs from the Winchester rep. I lost.
I don't claim 100% but pretty close.
 
I'll shoot factory ammo at local matches if I suddenly decided to shoot in a different class and can't be bother to change my LNL to reload just for that match. For State matches and above I always shoot ammo that I've tailored for my pistol. I've taken that same ammo to the National level matches and haven't had a problem...other than they were loaded a bit hotter than I thought
 
Not me. When I started shooting gun games I used factory but switched to reloads for the competitive advantage even though it cost me more to reload than shoot factory ammunition.

If reloads are not reliable that’s a process problem. I can make reloads function in revolvers that won’t even work with factory ammunition, just have to choose components correctly and of course assemble them correctly too.
 
alfsauve said:
My revolver competitor had at least 2 mis-fires
Click to expand...
Caused by tuning the revolver with a "spring" kit. Or backing off the strain screw. The most likely causes.

I always used my reloads in Bullseye & ISU matches. Never a misfire shooting 38 revolver & 45 auto.

Nothing wrong with using all factory & not chasing (auto) brass during a match. Concentrate on shooting in the competition
 
Obviously pistol competition has different requirements than LR rifle events, point being you wouldn’t get very far without top notch ammunition shooting Benchrest.
I have a friend that ran some factory Creedmoor Ammo past a chronograph finding that the speed was far from consistent so after taking the rest down the charge weight we’re equally in consistent.
J
 
I have about the same rate of duds in factory as I do in handloads, somewhere around 1 in 2000. Had a squib in a factory round once. I have had one brand that damaged a 9mm, jammed a 1911 repeatedly, and shot .380 so bad it was dangerous.
 
alfsauve said:
when I shoot at any match above the local level I use factory ammo. It gives me peace of mind, both in regards to power factor, mis-fires and squibs.
Click to expand...

So lemme get this straight....

You’ve been doing something for roughly 50 years. You proclaim to have had a successful >100,000 repetitions in those 50 years... But you still believe your handcrafted product by your experienced and attentive hand will be less reliable than that produced on an automated mechanism operated by a mid-wage jobber?

Do what you will, but it certainly doesn’t make any sense to me. I’ve only been reloading independently for around 25 years, and while my round count is significantly higher than 100k, I am certain my process produces a demonstrably higher reliability and higher consistency product than I can buy on the shelf, especially for the cost - let alone talking about accuracy/precision.
 
Interesting responses. Interesting assumptions.

It is a piece of mind thing. I don't go to the line double guessing myself. I know if there's an ammo failure then I didn't cause it. If it's my reloads, I own it, I worry about it. Also, nobody comes over later giving me advice about more crimp or less crimp, longer COAL or shorter, bad headstamp or good, or telling me I should use a different powder. It's one less thing to worry about.

Thank you, Rabid Wombat.
 
Like I said, I think most reloaders get it done - but there is that guy! Jam, curse, squib, Kaboom, - see you at the next match. I also note that guy has trouble understanding the course of fire and keeping the 180. Eek!

I did enjoy my friend's adventure with reloading 223. Even at short ranges, all his rounds hit the targets sideways! A laugh was had by all. I did think he eventually figured it out.
 
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