Legality of reloading supplies through APO AE?

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AechKay

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I'm currently deployed to Afghanistan right now with an Embedded Training Team. I'm an infantry corporal assigned to a small secfor element. My question to all of you is - Can I legally recieve reloading supplies *powder, bullets, brass* through my address which is an APO AE. I'm sure there are some people in higher that might have a handle on this question better but I like THR community so I'll pose it here first. I'm going to be here for another year (Because I just extended voluntarily) so I'd like to start reloading. Any help you all can offer is greatly appreciated. I don't have much time to take this stuff up higher because quite frankly we roll a lot.
 
I don't think you'd have any problems with bullets/brass but I'm not sure on the powder. You could probably contact one of the reloading suppliers like Powder Valley, Weidners, Grafs, etc. They will probably give you a concrete answer.
 
Alright, I'll do that.

My next question which will probably get this topic moved. It's a quick one though. Can I interchange my press and die manufacturer? I'm looking at a rock chucker press and a hornady die?
 
very good idea. or send an email to midway. the powder and primers are going to get you. as long as you can get those. the rest will be so easy.
 
Can I interchange my press and die manufacturer? I'm looking at a rock chucker press and a hornady die?
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Dies are mostly interchangable, except for those made for Dillon Square Deal presses.

I think there are some commercial reloading setups that use non-standard dies as well.

As for shipping powder and primers to an APO address, I think you are out of luck. APO addresses are delivered by the USPS and they won't accept such items as they are classified as hazardous materials.
 
I suspect your chain of command will have more bearing on this than USPS policies.
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That's probably true. Going up the chain to get permission will probably stop you very quickly, and will attract the attention of your CO. Get caught with unauthorized ammo and you could find yourself in a world of hurt. There's probably all sorts of stuff in the UCMJ that covers possesion of unauthorized ammo and/or the use of it.

What do you intend to do with the reloads? And what weapon would you use them in? If you do get some reloading equipment and build some hot loads then run them thru your service rifle and something goes FUBAR, the unit armorer may no longer be your friend. He may even decide that the unit CO or the first shirt (which may be worse :D ) finds out about what happened.

And as mentioned, the USPS will not handle hazardous materials.
 
Don't even think about it! Brass and projectiles are ok, but primers and powder are explosive componants and if caught, I'm very sure you'll be hit will UCMJ charges.

When I was in Iraq, I had to be certified as a post master for my unit and these types of items were prohibited.
 
i can find only two mentions of ammunition in the UCMJ,it specifically prohibits abandonment in facing enemyand also not to supply the enemy with it.

That being said,reloading in a war zone does'nt sound like a good idea.
 
Have you thought of checking with your armorer and seeing if you can use their equipment?


Armorers do not routinely have reloading equipment.

When I was in Iraq, I had to be certified as a post master for my unit and these types of items were prohibited.

Well said. If it's illegal to mail at the post office it's illeagl to send to an APO.

That being said,reloading in a war zone does'nt sound like a good idea.


I agree. Even if you could get all the equipment and components someone may get the idea you have too much time on your hands. What would you reload for? To my experience ammo is really cheap (like free) in a war zone.
 
No not only for the APO and various military rules that forbid any weapons/ammunition other than issued especially in qtrs etc.

But...Powder and primers can only be shipped by ground and not air AFAIK. And well if its going APO then it is going air (by a commercial carrier/airline incendently)
 
When I was in Baghdad, maybe the most heavily regulated area of my life (and this is saying a lot for the Army) was what I could send & receive by mail.

If you're in A-stan, and you want to reload (and I'll assume here that you know damn well that you won't be able to bring any loaded rounds back with you), I have to be thinking that you're trying to reload for some oddball or non-issued calibers for some weapons that you've come across and want to have some fun with.

You don't need anyone here to answer these questions for you, because you already know them.

No, you can't get them in the mail. No, you can't load them up. No, you can't possess them. No, you can't shoot them. And, no, you can't bring them home.

Honestly, what are you thinking?

If I'm wrong and you just want to learn about reloading, do what I did: Read up on it in the sandbox and WAIT until you get home to do the real thing. You can even order it to your home while you're there.

Reid
 
Primed brass may be OK. Bullets should not be a problem (but expensive.) I think you are out of luck with the powder.

All-in-all, it sounds like a bad idea to me.
 
i think you will have an issue with customs, as bullets, cases, primers and powder are ammunition components => war materials.
 
owen said:
i think you will have an issue with customs, as bullets, cases, primers and powder are ammunition components => war materials.
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Why would he? It's being delivered to a continental United States mailing address.
 
owen said:
when i've sent things to APOs located overseas, I was always asked to fill out a customs form.
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I was stationed overseas for several years. I don't recall any special customs requirements for family to send stuff, nor when I'd order from catalogs.

Sounds like the shipping folks you deal with may not be sure what to do.
 
Gov't supplied ammo only!

I am a stateside National Guard Soldier attached to a marksmanship team. Ammo used in Military Weapons must be procured through the appropriate channels. I cannot use my PROVEN handloads that I run through my personal Service Rifle in my issue Service Rifle. It would be nice, but is verboten. Command will surely squelch any possibility of such activity.

Sorry, just my experience and my $.02.
 
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