If you reload, do you reload your own self defense ammo?

[Jesse Heywood]

I'm surprised that the results are almost even.

 

[zxcvbob]

The only real legal issue is admissibility of forensic evidence that might clear you in a questionable shooting. (were you really 5 feet away, or 10, or 50?) I'm not concerned about that in my own house, and I reload my own .38 Special LSWCHP's for home defense. When I get my carry license, I might use factory ammo. But if that becomes unavailable like .380 did last year, I can reload for every gun I own except the Nagant revolver, and I'm working on that one

I voted "yes".

 

[Sediment]

I'm surprised that the results are almost even.

Frankly so am I. Somewhat refreshing to see the members of this board fairly evenly split on the issue. I haven't done any research as to if someone was prosecuted because of the ammo they used. Remember just because you didn't read about it online, or in a newspaper, doesn't mean it hasn't or couldn't happen.

I trust all my handloads in all calibers to fire when I pull the trigger, so the worry about a FTF when in an emergency isn't there. I'm sure most of you craft ammo with the same or better QC than factory. If you trust your handloads, weapon, and yourself to perform as required in SD and HD then I would hope that's all you need.

 

[Jefferson Herb]

I trust my loads:7gr HS6,115 hor hp in 9mm.I've never tried to better this load.

 

[ArtP]

I'm surprised that the results are almost even.

You can count another surprised reader. When I made the poll I expected 80% or the respondents to buy self defense ammo. My surprise is a pleasant one.

 

[taliv]

i suspect if you asked the same poll in general gun discussion forum, you would get at least 80% using factory.

and if you asked in a sporting goods store, the answer would be closer to 95%.

 

[GW Staar]

i suspect if you asked the same poll in general gun discussion forum, you would get at least 80% using factory.

and if you asked in a sporting goods store, the answer would be closer to 95%.

While what you say is probaby still pretty accurate, yet the Obama victory 2 years ago, caused shortages and prices increases beyond anything previously experienced, in an alarmingly short amount of time. That became a powerful catalyst that swelled the ranks of reloaders faster than any time in my memory. Here, and at AR15.com, new reloaders joined these and other forums as reloaders, not to mention the increasing numbers of forum members who mainly patronize other sections of these forums, who finally joined our ranks, due to frustration in finding loaded ammo period, let alone at decent prices.

It was interesting, first to watch the "black" guns disappear in November. The ammo in December, the reloading equipment in January, and the components in February and march!

The results of this poll didn't surprise me at all. Who, who conceal carry, for example, are willing to trust market forces like that, to be guaranteed self defense ammo to be dutifully supplied at reasonable prices these days.

 

[788Ham]

I voted "Yes", I've reloaded for almost 36 years now. I do have some factory rounds for each of my arms, but I also have 10 times that amount in reloads. I trust my reloads against any factory rounds, "I" know what goes into them, how the cases are taken care of, know how to put primers in and crimp them. I've had only one Opps in all of this time. I was setting some dies for an .380, I was weighing the powder and had just put a powdered case into the block, my Pop was standing behind me watching, he picked up a case and then a bullet, put it in the press and ran the bullet home.... then threw the cartridge into another box where I had loaded rounds. I had about 60 rounds loaded, had absolutely no idea which was the round he'd put the bullet in! I went out about a week later, loaded the mag, put it in the pistol, racked a round and pulled the trigger, PFFTT. I knew by the sound of the round it was the dud! Sure enough, when I took the slide off, the barrel was as black as coalies a.... never mind. I took the barrel out when I got home, drove the bullet out, and from then on, NO ONE helps me when reloading! It doesn't matter to me which rounds are in my firearms when the SHTF, I reload 240 gr. Hornady XTP's and have them in the .44 mag, if someone wants to give my ammo a test drive, come over at 0230 in the morning, and you tell me which you rather be shot with, factory or mine, but I won't give you the option to vote like I was given at the beginning of this thread.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I load ALL my ammo...no matter what its to be used for.

 

[ArtP]

I think you're dead right. I started only a year ago, but it has been a very intense year and I've probably learned as much as some do in five years.

I started for economic and shortage reasons, as you suggested people did. I'm not sorry in the least and wish I could help others to become the reloader I am. Not trying to be arrogant, but I took to it very quickly.

While what you say is probaby still pretty accurate, yet the Obama victory 2 years ago, caused shortages and prices increases beyond anything previously experienced, in an alarmingly short amount of time. That became a powerful catalyst that swelled the ranks of reloaders faster than any time in my memory. Here, and at AR15.com, new reloaders joined these and other forums as reloaders, not to mention the increasing numbers of forum members who mainly patronize other sections of these forums, who finally joined our ranks, due to frustration in finding loaded ammo period, let alone at decent prices.

It was interesting, first to watch the "black" guns disappear in November. The ammo in December, the reloading equipment in January, and the components in February and march!

The results of this poll didn't surprise me at all. Who, who conceal carry, for example, are willing to trust market forces like that, to be guaranteed self defense ammo to be dutifully supplied at reasonable prices these days.

 

[ArtP]

Good post buddy. I love to see the sort of confidence you displayed. I load 44 mag 240 gr XTP's too and some 270 gold dots. They're for sure nothing to mess with! I think of my lever gun, holding 11, as an assault weapon!

I voted "Yes", I've reloaded for almost 36 years now. I do have some factory rounds for each of my arms, but I also have 10 times that amount in reloads. I trust my reloads against any factory rounds, "I" know what goes into them, how the cases are taken care of, know how to put primers in and crimp them. I've had only one Opps in all of this time. I was setting some dies for an .380, I was weighing the powder and had just put a powdered case into the block, my Pop was standing behind me watching, he picked up a case and then a bullet, put it in the press and ran the bullet home.... then threw the cartridge into another box where I had loaded rounds. I had about 60 rounds loaded, had absolutely no idea which was the round he'd put the bullet in! I went out about a week later, loaded the mag, put it in the pistol, racked a round and pulled the trigger, PFFTT. I knew by the sound of the round it was the dud! Sure enough, when I took the slide off, the barrel was as black as coalies a.... never mind. I took the barrel out when I got home, drove the bullet out, and from then on, NO ONE helps me when reloading! It doesn't matter to me which rounds are in my firearms when the SHTF, I reload 240 gr. Hornady XTP's and have them in the .44 mag, if someone wants to give my ammo a test drive, come over at 0230 in the morning, and you tell me which you rather be shot with, factory or mine, but I won't give you the option to vote like I was given at the beginning of this thread.

 

[smartshot]

never....because autoloaders can be fussy and revolvers need to be crimped properly and I am more comfortable buying factory ammo. Even for hunting with an autoloader rifle, I will buy factory ammo, but will handload for bolt actions. I suppose if I used a bolt action for self defense, I would handload for it.

 

[RealGun]

I am wondering what actual bullets reloaders use for defensive ammo. Do they really get the same performance as all these trademarked names that have been developed, tested, and hyped everywhere? I don't know that I could load the same bullet technology if wanted to. I want the best, whatever it takes. I am going to shoot it only occasionally to keep fresh ammo loaded, so the cost is not that big a deal (for me anyway).

 

[Ky Larry]

Both. I load a 140gr Speer JHP for my wife's .38 Det.Spl (8.8gr AA#7). She shoots this load very well. I carry 155gr Winchester Siver Tips in my CZ-75B in .40 S&W. I bought a case of this ammo on clearance and don't currently reload .40's.

 

[CHEVELLE427]

as a lot have said here,
yes i trust my reloads as i do mine as well,
if you trust your stuff to hunt an animal that can eat you, then there trustworthy enough for protection any were.

what i do not trust is some POS lawyer making it out to what it is not.
(this just takes one of the many factors out of play in a shooting)

this is the only reason i keep fact stuff in my carry guns, now at home the bad guy will test out what ever is in the said gun of choice at the time.

 

[zxcvbob]

I am wondering what actual bullets reloaders use for defensive ammo. Do they really get the same performance as all these trademarked names that have been developed, tested, and hyped everywhere?

I use Magnus bullets #515 in .38 Special. It's a 158 grain soft lead swaged SWCHP.

For .380, I bought some bulk Remington golden-something (sabre?) 102 grain hollow point bullets, but I'm not sure they're any better than a hard cast round nose bullet because the latter will penetrate better.

 

[LiveLife]

I'm surprised that the results are almost even.

That's probably due to most THR voters being honest.

I load all of my HD/SD pistols with factory JHP and voted as such.

However, I do load SHTF "back up" JHP reloads with bulk components. I use Remington Golden Saber JHP bulk bullets as they come in calibers and bullet weights I prefer in 100/500/1000 quantities (124 gr for 9mm, 165 gr for 40S&W and 185 gr for 45ACP).

I normally sort out nickel plated cases and use them for JHP reloads. FWIW, I even match the head stamp (Remington) and the color of primers in factory JHP rounds (nickel plated vs brass).

 

[GW Staar]

I am wondering what actual bullets reloaders use for defensive ammo. Do they really get the same performance as all these trademarked names that have been developed, tested, and hyped everywhere? I don't know that I could load the same bullet technology if wanted to. I want the best, whatever it takes. I am going to shoot it only occasionally to keep fresh ammo loaded, so the cost is not that big a deal (for me anyway).

I use Speer Gold Dots in my .45acp, and .40S&W. You can buy Golden Sabres easily as well, just don't crush them in a factory crimp die. That's as high tech as I need.

Thing is, before prices went into the stratosphere I bought a lot of factory Gold Dot Ammo...so now I have a lot of Speer (CCI) brass and Gold Dot boxes, and when loaded with Gold Dot bullets, I have and shoot what appears in every way to be factory...and performs just as well.

If you need a couple of boxes of ammo, no the prices aren't going to prevent anyone from buying for a small defense supply. Where the problem is, is practicing with what you intend to defend yourself with. You can buy low tech FMJ and practice, but there's not a chance shot placement will be the same. Granted from 10 feet not much difference...from 50 to 100 feet...too much.

Then there is the break-in requirement for most autos, before they are perfectly reliable, to the point you have the perfect knowledge that your chosen round will feed every time in your particular pistol. That's a big thing. Gold Dots may work in my gun every time, including my reloads now, after some OAL and resizing tweaks...but how about yours? Lots of ammo to practice and get experience with is important in my book.

 

[ScratchnDent]

I normally sort out nickel plated cases and use them for JHP reloads. FWIW, I even match the head stamp (Remington) and the color of primers in factory JHP rounds (nickel plated vs brass).

I do the same thing. My self defense loads look identical to factory Golden Sabers, right down to the box.

 

[snuffy]

IF and WHEN Wisconsin joins the ranks of CCW, I will load my own self defense ammo. I doubt very strongly that I will carry on my person, BUT would love to have a pistol in my car. The crime rate here in north-east WI is low, so I doubt I will ever point a gun at anybody.

Several have pointed out the dodge of loading factory equivalent ammo. Using the same color brass, the same type of bullet, so on and so forth should end the question of what he was using for ammo. Forget CSI NICS and that hype, forensics are backed up for months on IMPORTANT cases, they might not even gather evidence.

And again, Ayoob and his ilk have yet to point to ONE case where the type of ammo came into a court case.

 

[Kenny45]

Yes I use my reloads for sd. Not saying factory ammo is bad but I know exactly what i have for sd . just my opinion.
Kenny

 

[hardcorehunter5]

My vote, no.

I have reloaded for years and will not load self defense ammo for one simple reason. Bullet selection is not there as with over the counter stuff. Yeah speer gold dot is good, but there is much better bullets out there, i.e., federal HST, PDX1 by winchester, and even the out dated Ranger ammo. Price is no object when dealing with self defense. A bonded bullet is a must for self defense. Penetration matters more then cost. Defensive ammo does not need to be practiced with. In a handgun, at sensible ranges, fire a box or two to make sure its reliable, then buy or reload a target round with. In a situation where you need to actually use defensive ammo the actual recoil with be a mute point, because of adrenaline and the situation....

 

[788Ham]

RealGun
To try and answer your question, as to what bullet reloader's actually use: I've used Hornady bullets for years, I've tried the others, but after using Hornady in hunting situations, and see how they take down elk and deer, what's to ponder on? These are the same bullets loaded in Hornady factory rounds, be it for pistol, revolver or rifles. While shooting a week ago, I fired some .300 gr. XTP's from my S&W 629, 6", the backstop is a huge dirt berm. After cease fire was called, I retrieved some of the spent bullets, the hollow point {not a deep hollow point} had mushroomed out 1 1/2 times the original diameter of the bullet, this shows me I'm onto a load I want to continue with, not over what the reload book called for in powder grains. I do have some factory rounds in my stash, will use the brass out of those rounds when I need once fired brass to reload. Hope this helps you in answering your question.

 

[ArtP]

I am wondering what actual bullets reloaders use for defensive ammo. Do they really get the same performance as all these trademarked names that have been developed, tested, and hyped everywhere? I don't know that I could load the same bullet technology if wanted to. I want the best, whatever it takes. I am going to shoot it only occasionally to keep fresh ammo loaded, so the cost is not that big a deal (for me anyway).

You can buy, and I do, Speer Gold Dot's, Remington Golden Sabers and Hornady XTP's. Same bullet as the premium ammo, just using my case, primer and powder. Pricing per 100 is $14-$20 (in 9mm).

 

[ArtP]

My vote, no.

I have reloaded for years and will not load self defense ammo for one simple reason. Bullet selection is not there as with over the counter stuff. Yeah speer gold dot is good, but there is much better bullets out there, i.e., federal HST, PDX1 by winchester, and even the out dated Ranger ammo. Price is no object when dealing with self defense. A bonded bullet is a must for self defense. Penetration matters more then cost.

Speer Gold Dots are bonded and about as good as it gets.