Carrying Handloads, yes or no?

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Comrade Mike

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Based on my reading into this topic I may be opening a can of worms here, but I was curious as to the idea of keeping some hand loads in my night stand revolvers. Reason being, they shoot better than any defensive ammo I've tried and they're easier on recoil and muzzle flash.

Are there any legal ramifications if you defend yourself with hand loads? Is this a good idea or should I stick to factory stuff?
 
Well putting aside all manner of legal ramifications I carry my handloads the reason I chose to is because I know come crunch time it won't let me down and my handloads are tailor suited to my specific gun not some generic load for every gun in that chambering some will tell you it is bad I say go for it :D
 
This has been discussed to death, do a Google search and you will find more then you want to know then you can make your own decision. Myself I carry my handloads.
 
i would not worry about it unless you are loading a super fast round or some special purpose bullet. anything that comes close to factory spec. that shoots good in your gun will do. my carry gun has reloads just say the factory stuff is too powerful for night stand use. that would show you are being careful with what you are doing.
 
I haven't bought any factory handgun ammo in over 10yrs. When I did I thought it was over priced then.

If I am ever faced with having to defend myself or my family it will be with my personal handloads.
 
For the most part, I roll my own defense loads.

Ya know, for everyone advising against reloading defensive carry rounds, it sure is hard to find any 124g gold dots in .355, or any gold dots for that matter.
 
Handloads in most of the handguns. If you have to shoot someone the least of your worries will be what kind of ammo you shot the guy with. I know there are cases...who cares.
 
Unless you shoot a cop or politician, they will not CSI your ammo. It will be logged in as evidence as 2 empty cases 9mm 1 Winchester and 1 Federal. 13 unfired, 3 PMC, 2 frontier, 4 federal and 4 Remington (assuming you are shooting mixed brass.) Unless you say something, that will be all.
 
In my view, reloads are no different then a freshly scrubbed cast iron skillet, a recently re-sharpened butcher knife, or a claw-hammer you put a new handle in last year.
Or grandpas old Model 12 trap shotgun and his clay target reloads he left you in his will if that's all the gun you have in the house.

If you have the justified need for deadly force self-defense?
It does not matter legally what is closest at hand to do it with.

If the SD deadly force is justified in the first place??

It should make no difference what you do it with, whether it is reloads, or the above refurbished kitchen & shop hand-tools.



But I am not a lawyer, and I Did Not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I will say however, if someone breaks into my home, or accosts me on the street with life threatening intentions?

He is as likely to get shot with my hand-loads as 'magic bullet', $$Buck a shot factory loads I can't afford to practice or function test with.

At least I know all the cases have flash holes in them.
Which is more then I can say for a couple of GI 5.56 NATO rounds I had 'pops' with in the service a long time ago.

rc
 
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It seems to me the general consensus is use the best tool for the job, and that it's best to carry defensive ammo you can practice with a lot.
 
Well...if you are 100 percent sure with your hand loads...

I have been reloading for 5 years now and have probably made well over 10,000 rounds of various handgun calibers. And even now I once in a while come up with a round that (for whatever reason) is not quite up to spec. Not the powder load but maybe the OAL is off, or I did not properly factory crimp it or whatever... (never mind goof ups like upside down primers). It does not chamber or fire properly. In a life or death situation this would sux big time. So I would probably recommend to use good (as in non russian/maximo cheapo) US made ammo.
 
When a big game hunter goes on a safari, he tests every round carries to load from the magazine and chamber without flaw! And his quarry cannot even shoot back!
 
hovercat said:
Unless you shoot a cop or politician, they will not CSI your ammo. It will be logged in as evidence as 2 empty cases 9mm 1 Winchester and 1 Federal. 13 unfired, 3 PMC, 2 frontier, 4 federal and 4 Remington (assuming you are shooting mixed brass.) Unless you say something, that will be all.
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This seems to make sense to me..never really thought about it like that.
 
Not the powder load but maybe the OAL is off, or I did not properly factory crimp it or whatever... (never mind goof ups like upside down primers).
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Then you need to further refine your reloading procedures, and/or final inspection before boxing it for use.

I can honestly say I have never ran into problems like you describe in 50+ years of reloading about everything that shoots.

But I might be more just a bit more OCD then you are?? :eek:

rc
 
I have handloads in my home defense guns. I *usually* carry factory ammo (Fiocchi Extrema XTP's) Pretty sure the chances of anybody caring about GSR tests are pretty much zero inside my house; the longest shot I can possibly take is about 20 feet, and that won't be until after they've got past the dogs. I'm not going to shoot anyone out in the yard unless they shoot first.

Out in public, it isn't always so clear who the bad guy is (just ask George Z)
 
(Fiocchi Extrema XTP's)
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How do you know an overzealous prosecutor won't come after you for using that 'Furan' deadly ammo??

He might think 100% American handloads are better then Italian sounding ammo with American bullets in them!!! :D

rc
 
How do you know an overzealous prosecutor won't come after you for using that 'Furan' deadly ammo??
He might think 100% American handloads are better then Italian sounding ammo with American bullets in them!!!
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It says "LOADED IN THE USA" in small print on the back of the box. Made in Ozark, MO. (How do you pronounce "Fiocchi" in hillbilly?)
 
If you have to shoot someone the least of your worries will be what kind of ammo you shot the guy with. I know there are cases...who cares.
Click to expand...

Actually there are NO cases at all. In fact, we just saw the results of a case that was probably the MOST likely to try to demonize the shooter for ANY reason and there is no mention of the type of ammunition he used by the prosecutor.

To be honest I am very happy to see that it looks like the general consensus has changed in regards to this topic. A few years ago you would have seen most guys telling you that our master Ayoob says no so if you do it we will shun you and your name will forever be cursed and spat when spoken. I am happy to see that I am the only one to mention his name in this thread.

Nowadays most of the people that will caution you not to do it are lawyers in California. Cause California is all kinds of messed up.
 
(How do you pronounce "Fiocchi" in hillbilly)
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Mmmm?

I know how they pronounce it in Kansas flat-lander, semi-Ozark hillbilly.

But I can't post it here on THR without getting another infraction. :what:

Mkay?? :eek:

rc
 
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