Buying handloads, are there safety issues?

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skinnyguy

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There is a gunshow in Salt Lake this weekend, and I'll be going in to drool and and wish I had more money, but the MAIN reason I'm going in is to check out the handloaded ammo.

I have a Ruger P89 and a PC9. I'm going to be looking at the 9mm defense ammo prices, and if I come across a price I like, I might just pick some up.

I'm concerned about the safety and consistency of the rounds, though. Can handloads be trusted, or would I be better off passing them up in favor of factory loads?

If the safety of the handloads is generally acceptable, and I run a couple hundred rounds without a problem, what is the liklihood the round I NEED having a problem?

I do realize that there are many variables that nobody can predict, regardless of any ammo used, but I'm talking about a general overview of your past experiences and impressions. I also understand that the final decision to purchase or not is mine, and mine alone, and the advice I'm looking for is just information gathering, so there won't be any blame-games being played by me if I pick up a problem batch.

Thanks in advance, People!!!
 
There are some reputable companies that 'remanufacture' ammo out there. I will buy from them. A small mom and pop or just a hobbyist with a table at the show, forgidaboutit.
 
+1 to what MaterDei just said.

I have handloaded for over 45 years and have never had a problem of any kind with my own ammo.
However, I wouldn't shoot someone else's reloads on a bet, unless I knew them, and their loading procedures very well.

With that said, it is probably never a good idea to use reloads for personal defense, for a number of very good reasons.

SD Practice, yes!
SD carry? Never!

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rcmodel
 
I used to shoot ammo loaded by a very small father/son shop. Really liked their Golden Sabre load, same price per 50 as Remington was charging for a box of 25. Last time I went to buy ammo from them, they kept the same price only for a box of 25.

Since then, I've started reloading my own.
 
Ditto what everyone else said. I wouldn't shoot someone else's reloads, and I really wouldn't want someone to shoot mine. I also rely on retail ammo for self defense loads.
 
When you shoot someone else's reloads, you are betting your firearm (and your dominant hand) on someone else's intelligence and attention to detail.

pax
 
Ask the vendor about product liability insurance - if you are satisfied with the liabilty coverage proceed to the next step of price and quality. If it's the owner's homeowner's policy I'd back off.

There are certainly folks whose ammunition I would buy - for plinking and for defense but mostly folks like Blackhills or Georgia who have established credentials - unlikely to be folks I've never heard of at gunshow.

I agree with Mas Ayoob on the notion that so far as possible popular factory ammunition is the choice for defense - as much for the tested ballistics as for any notion of killer ammunition.
 
Can handloads be trusted, or would I be better off passing them up in favor of factory loads?
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Load them yourself or buy factory. You have no idea what kind of fool you may be buying from.
 
Hey Skinnyguy,
Could be we’ll run across each other at that gun show. The wife and I were figuring on attending – it’s a couple of hours drive for us.
All of the ammo I’ve seen for sale at gun shows I’ve attended, including the gun shows held there at the Expo Center in Salt Lake, is either new or “remanufactured” ammo. Remanufactured ammo is not exactly handloads. The fact is I was under the impression (someone please correct me if I’m wrong) it’s illegal for the average Joe Handloader to sell his “handloads” or “reloads” – whichever you want to call them. I thought you have to have an ammunition manufacturers license to build ammo for sale.
Regardless, I'm with everyone else. I load my own or buy new. I'd never shoot someone else's handloads, much less buy them. I've occationally bought remanufactured ammo though and I've never had any major complaints with any of it.
 
never use handloads for personal defence, legally it opens you up to all kinds of possible civil suits and/or criminal charges.

don't ever buy somebody else's reloads. very bad idea! you have no way of knowing the precision and quality of work.
 
I'd like to be able to reload, but since I'm having trouble buying a few boxes of ammo, the initial investment to start reloading is just WAAAYYY beyond my means right now. I was hoping to be able to squeeze a few bucks together and come away with some decent ammo and save some money.

Guess I'll check out the ammo prices on the production stuff and see if I can save at least a little bit.

Thanks for all the responses!!!

Sharps Shooter - Could be! I'll be the skinnyguy in a Ruger hat *L* I'll probably only be there on Saturday, but I WILL be there. Have a safe trip down!!!
 
I buy and shoot a lot of 'reloads', but from only ONE source...

National Bullet Company of Eastlake, Ohio.

Unknown source at a gunshow? ? ? ? Less than a snowball's survival chance in Hades I would shoot, let alone buy, any of that.

My humble 1/50th of $1.
 
never use handloads for personal defence, legally it opens you up to all kinds of possible civil suits and/or criminal charges.

don't ever buy somebody else's reloads. very bad idea! you have no way of knowing the precision and quality of work.
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What about in a state like Texas that just passed some new laws, one of which disallows civil suits in righteous self defense shoots? It seems like it wouldn't be an issue then.
 
Who knows!

But I bet you wouldn't want to be the Guinea Pig to find out, over the few cents per round savings you got from buying reloads for self-defense.

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rcmodel
 
Damaged rifle

Once, ONCE, ONCE I bought gun show reloads, that cured me from ever doing it again! (a long time ago) It was 45-70's with cast boolits in them, a charge of fast burning pistol powder. I almost took them apart, just wanting the brass for my H&R calvary model trap door replica. I decided the shooting them would be more fun! About the fifth shell had an apparent double charge in it! Louder report, much heavier recoil. Shell had to be removed with a solid brass cleaning rod. It bulged the chamber next to the ejector slot. I can still shoot it, but don't, sometime I might contact H&R to see if it could be re-barreled.
 
Who knows!

But I bet you wouldn't want to be the Guinea Pig to find out, over the few cents per round savings you got from buying reloads for self-defense.


rcmodel
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The question remains, how could one be the guinea pig if civil suits are not allowed? The type of ammo used has no bearing on whether the shoot was deemed righteous by the police/DA. Or does it?

If you are the victim of a home invasion in the middle of the night and you fire on the intruder and 'stop the threat', would that not be a justified shoot?

And it's not a matter of the reloads being cheaper. It's a matter of improved accuracy and the fact that I can depend on my ammo. Reloading hasn't exactly been a money saver thusfar, but that's not why I do it.
 
I go to gun shows in my city and I buy Miwall & HSM re manufactured ammo. I have had no problems with either one, no FTF(over 1500 rounds of Miwall) or any other problems and they are fairly clean. I still have over 1,000 rounds left but I am expecting to get sticker shock at the next gun show.
 
i got given a load of loads that someone else had done. When i looked at the box it seemed ok, there was proper labels on the box and it looked ok. when i looked at the rounds there were lots of different bullets loaded. When i broke them down there was no pwder in some of them! They were a disaster waiting to happen. i pullded them all.

steve
 
never use handloads for personal defence, legally it opens you up to all kinds of possible civil suits and/or criminal charges.
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Cite the case(s) where handloads convicted anyone. Ayoob couldn't even do that.:uhoh:
 
Trust the government???

If the handloader/reloader is following the law, he has some kind of license. Long ago knew a vanilla FFL (Class 1, gun dealer???) who reloaded some for fellow shooters, but he made it plain to me that it was illegal for the average Joe or Jane to sell reloads without a license... And he would not exceed published book mid range loads, tops!!! He did mostly trap loads for shotgunners. If they are "in business" then they should have some kind of liability insurance and procedures... ASK and if they don't know about insurance or liability, FLEEEEEE...

As said, you don't want to shoot reloads in self defense. Too much legal entanglement. Try to find the loads the cops use or close. Helps the lawyer who will have to defend you against the persecuter...

Getting started with a LEE loader is not very expensive compared to the cost of ammo. The simple LEE for use with a mallet dates from black powder days and if you keep pressures down... it is o.k. and cheap. Then, you become addicted and add pieces as your wallet permits... Oh well, keeps you off the streets.

Few people whose reloads I would shoot. One guy bragged about putting red dot on top of a warm book load in a 7x57. For a 93 Mauser no less. !!! Your big savings in re manufactureds will come if you will take a lead bullet over something with a jacket. That does save some. Slightly more cleaning... but you have to set the value on your elbow grease... luck.
 
iiranger said:
As said, you don't want to shoot reloads in self defense. Too much legal entanglement. Try to find the loads the cops use or close. Helps the lawyer who will have to defend you against the persecuter...
Click to expand...

Can you cite any specific cases on this? Or is this just speculation?

My assertion from earlier still stands, and that is:

K3 said:
The question remains, how could one be the guinea pig if civil suits are not allowed? The type of ammo used has no bearing on whether the shoot was deemed righteous by the police/DA. Or does it?

If you are the victim of a home invasion in the middle of the night and you fire on the intruder and 'stop the threat', would that not be a justified shoot?
Click to expand...
 
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