gun show reloads

[76shuvlinoff]

A few years ago I was at a gun show and picked up a 100 count box of "Winchester" FMJ 230 grain .45acp, I took them home and put them on the shelf. I didn't know any better at the time and after much more time had passed I noticed the sticker on the side that says "remanufactured to factory specs" and the brass is a mix of everything imagineable. I just put them back on the shelf and bought new ammo. I do not buy ammo at gun shows anymore. The seller is a regular when the gunshow comes to town so I guess he's ok.

I do not reload so I have no way to know if this is something I want to run through my 5" Kimber 1911. Would you use it? If not, how the hell do you dispose of it?

Thanks
Mark

 

[Steve C]

Reloaded ammo from a quality remanufacturer or good handloader is as good as factory ammo for shooting. Since the seller is still in business after several years I wouldn't worry about it, shoot it up.

 

[HoosierQ]

I bought a box or two of reloaded 9mm at a gunshow about 20 years ago and it worked great. The guy's name and address and phone number were on the box.

HOWEVER: This is almost unanimously not going to be the opinion of our fellow THR members. I would not do that again. It is real easy to goof up a re-load and there is very little way for you to check except to weigh them and then you don't know what kind of powder you've got.

I would not shoot that stuff. I am sure there will be many post that concur. I'd save it for TEOTWAWKI and trade it for food or toilet paper or something.

 

[HoosierQ]

Wow...I may already be wrong per Steve C. Stay tuned and learn...I will.

 

[nhlivefree]

I have brought reloading ammo from a big name place it worked fine some rounds had spits on the necks I did not shoot thoses. I would not buy reloading ammo any more too much of a risk. every one makes mistakes, if I make a mistake on my reloads I can only blame my self.

 

[Treo]

I shoot almost exclusively factory reloads for target practice, If you've ever shot on a military range I promise you you've shot factory reloads(why do you think the make you police up evey round of brass?)
Haven't had a problem yet

 

[Deanimator]

I NEVER buy gunshow reloads. Here in NE Ohio, the only criteria for commercial reloads appear to be "loud" and "bright". Accuracy takes a major back seat.

I spent a considerable amount of money on reloading gear. There's simply no reason for me to let that go to waste by paying good money for somebody else's reloads of unknown and sometimes dubious quality.

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

I don't buy anyone else's reloads, the only person I trust is me. There are more than a few bufoons out there that have blown up their own guns.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

It is not unusual for a large batch of reloaded ammo to have various brand headstamps. That said, I would be very leery of most of these individuals. I have no problem with using commercially reloaded ammo from a maker I trust, e.g., Mi-Wall or Black Hills (in the blue box).

 

[jaydubya]

My range ammo (9mm and .38sp) is from www.mastercast.net, a reloading service. Their products are reliable and inexpensive, and they are prompt -- unlike other reloading services I have dealt with. Over 5,000 rounds sent downrange with nary a single failure. Not even a split neck.

Cordially, Jack

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Thanks folks

 

[PAPACHUCK]

Shoot 'em.

 

[MaterDei]

I don't have a problem buying commercially reloaded ammo. If you don't want them send them to me.

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

To clarify my statement, I would buy commercially reloaded ammo, but reloads from some individual at a gun show....no way! I reload my own anyway, so there's no need for me to buy commercial.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

There's the problem , I do not truly know if these are commercially reloaded or if John Doe just did them in his spare time. They're in a Winchester box but that's the only relationship I see to Winchester. The tag on the box that says "remanfactured to factory specs" is just a sticker on the side. The only warm fuzzy I get is the guy usually has a boat load of ammo when I pass his table at the gunshow so I figure he might be ok or he'd been run outta there by now.

 

[Racinbob]

I'm with the 'don't do it' gang. I'm fairly new to reloading and have done a ton of research on it. There's a lot of mistakes that can happen. I just got home from a local gun show and passed a table of reloads. The price was good and they looked great but you just don't know what's inside. At the range last weekend I shot some of my reloads and found that they were too light. Not an issue. I knew they were light and I'm just working my way up to a load I like. I shot a mag full of my friends 9mm. One of them didn't fire. I ejected it only to find it was a .380. I knew how finicky he is and we don't have a clue how his Dillon 650 loaded it but it happened. Can you imagine what would have happened if it was fired in a .380 with 4.6 grains of Bullseye in it? No, he doesn't even have a .380 so he had no ammo of that caliber sitting around.