Re loads? Or factory lemons?

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Appalachiannative

Appalachiannative

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Had a box of pmc brass .357 magnum I bought at a gun show years ago. Shooting my Taurus 66 I loaded a cylinder full of them most of the way through the box I don't remember if it was the second or third shot when the gun just kind went pop instead of caboom! Checked to make sure the bore wasn't obstructed and kept shooting. Then I had one that went off like a cannon giving me more recoil than I've ever got from that gun. I haven't bought pmc in years. Anyone have bad luck with them? Did some jerk sell me a box of improperly done re loads passing them off as new ammo?
 
bullseye308 said:
There really may be no way to know for sure. Probably best to break them down, burn the powder, and load them properly. It’s the only way to be sure.
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Too bad this was years go and I shot the rest of the box. Was a stupid thing to do but I was 21. Wish I had thought of that back then. Although I'm no re loader. Wanted to get into it, got a lee single stage press years ago and it just takes up space in the garage. Got a mec 600 Jr recently and am just getting started with shot shells but still don't know a thing about handgun and rifle rounds
 
Better to be safe than sorry...
I recently received a box of re-loaded .357. from a friend. The re-loader had printed a pasted label on the box saying "caution, reloads". hmmm

Yeah, I used caution and pulled them down, but probably would have been ok to shoot. Charges of unknown powder seamed consistent.

I was at a gun show a number of years ago where a vender had reloads for sale. I asked about those rounds and he said that they were for pulling apart for components... hmmmm. again..............

Hey,
Use care out there!!
B.L.
 
This is a problem right now, especially in harder to get calibers like 357, 44, 40. There are people out there definitely preying on the new gun owners and even long time shooters who've never been exposed to these sort of scams. I've seen guys digging boxes out of the garbage can at the range, and policing up brass. See the same guy at the swap meet selling ammo "purchased at estate sales", and I know dam well he matched brass and box.....and he's passing it off as factory ammo at insane prices. Virtually no liability or risk for the guy, big profits, and the potential for great harm. I've personally embarked on a campaign of information to encourage everybody I know who shoots at ranges to rip their boxes when they throw 'em out.
 
Several years back, I was gifted some sketchy ammo by gun store owner. The owner said that customers were returning it, and he didn't dare sell any more from that manufacturer. It then sat in a warehouse for several years. There was no trace on the internet - apparently some fly-by-night reloading outfit.

It was a catalog of nearly every loading mistake possible. No charge, double charge, brass that wouldn't gauge. The .223 rounds appeared to be only neck-sized.

Later, I re-assembled the components into workable ammo - free primers! :thumbup: Gifted the calibers that I don't have to a another local reloader - free primers in .38sp nickel plated brass! :thumbup:


There are reputable reloading outfits, but let the buyer beware - especially during an ammo shortage. It's probably just best to pull off-brand "gun show ammo". No idea where it's been or who loaded it.
 
bullseye308 said:
There really may be no way to know for sure. Probably best to break them down, burn the powder, and load them properly. It’s the only way to be sure.
Click to expand...

Or nuke them from high orbit. ;)

Could have been factory. I had a box of factory CBC (Brazilian) .45 Colt "Cowboy" loads that did that. About 1/3rd too hot, 1/3rd too light, and the Goldilocks load, 1/3rd about right for a Cowboy load. Made me wonder if cowboys had that happen. Sure would suck in a gunfight to have one barely make it out the barrel.

Appalachiannative said:
Thank God I didn't get hurt and my Taurus didn't either that's all I know for sure
Click to expand...

Well maybe they are made to fire CBC ammo. ;)
 
I was at a flea market in South Carolina over the summer. Half the vendors were selling green molded ammo for $1 a round, boxes I haven’t seen since the 70’s. I wish I would have brought part of my stash, could of bought a new toy! Anyway, there was one vendor who had a Dillon set up and was making and selling ammo at the same time. I watched him for a bit, good reloader. Spoke to him he knew his stuff. The ammo already loaded in the table was very well done, new boxes nice and shiny. His prices were not bad and much less than $1 a round. So who knows. I have no need for his ammo but if someone did and was able to establish a reputation of reliability why not. I understand there are some legal prohibitions in most places maybe federal. I often tell the story of my old gun club that reloaded its own shot shells for out trap and skeet events. Covered the cost and profit went into the treasury. Don’t remember ever having a problem.
 
entropy said:
Or nuke them from high orbit. ;)

Could have been factory. I had a box of factory CBC (Brazilian) .45 Colt "Cowboy" loads that did that. About 1/3rd too hot, 1/3rd too light, and the Goldilocks load, 1/3rd about right for a Cowboy load. Made me wonder if cowboys had that happen. Sure would suck in a gunfight to have one barely make it out the barrel.



Well maybe they are made to fire CBC ammo. ;)
Click to expand...

From what I understand is that once upon a time at the event of metallic cartridges most were produced by local gunsmiths. They made and reloaded ammo locally. So I am sure Cowboys had quite a few ammo variations put thru their trusty six shooter and rifle.
 
wcwhitey said:
From what I understand is that once upon a time at the event of metallic cartridges most were produced by local gunsmiths. They made and reloaded ammo locally. So I am sure Cowboys had quite a few ammo variations put thru their trusty six shooter and rifle.
Click to expand...

True, but you can get away with a lot more with black powder. I do not think it is physically possible to get enough blackpowder into a 45 colt case to cause pressure high enough to exceed the limitations of the guns in those days. Well, maybe possible, but you'd have to work at it.......compress it, and seat a really heavy bullet out as far as you could...and even then, it would probably not be catastrophic. I mean, that's why the case is so darn big to begin with.......that's how you got a more powerful cartridge back in them there days.....you made room for more powder.
 
I bought some 7STW at a gun show years ago, before I knew better. I probably show take them apart. They are probably reloads.
 
Appalachiannative said:
Had a box of pmc brass .357 magnum I bought at a gun show years ago. I haven't bought pmc in years. Anyone have bad luck with them? Did some jerk sell me a box of improperly done re loads passing them off as new ammo?
Click to expand...

You'll probably never know exactly what you bought. I have had no experience with PMC ammo. I'm very cautious about buying ammo at gun shows. It has to be in a sealed case/box or one of those spam cans or its a no-go for me.
 
lightman said:
You'll probably never know exactly what you bought. I have had no experience with PMC ammo. I'm very cautious about buying ammo at gun shows. It has to be in a sealed case/box or one of those spam cans or its a no-go for me.
Click to expand...
Yea I haven't bought any ammo at the gun show since then either. Ain't no good deals not to mention the risk of somebody selling improper re loads in a factory box
 
I haven't ever purchased ammo at a gun show. I very rarely buy any factory ammo and never any "Remanufactured" ammo (only a few 44 Specials I bought at a range when I ran out and wanted to keep shooting. Probably 35 years ago). Out of curiosity I bought 3 boxes of 9mm for a new gun a 9mm revolver (115 JHP, 124 FMJ and 147 JHP). In 2010 I ought a box of Remington 230 FMJ 45 ACP (no brass or bullets to reload).

All this to mean I don't put just any ammo in any gun I own. Other's handloads, "remanufactured", very old or any case material besides brass just don't get used by this old guy. In 50+ years of shooting I can remember one factory dud, a Remington 38 Special 158 LRN. Zero kabooms, only one squib from any of my handloads in 40+ years of reloading. Anal about what I feed my guns? Yes! Any firearms damaged, any personal injuries? Nope!
 
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I bought several boxes of 7x57 and 6mm Remington at a local gun show just to get the brass to reload. They were PPU and Seller & Bellott. Easiest way for me to unload them was to shoot them. They all shot very well. Did not shoot at paper targets because I wasn't going to shoot those factory bullets for hunting so I didn't care how they shot. That fire formed the brass to my chambers so now all I have to do is neck size and load them with my favorite powder and bullets.
 
Should you ever consider selling your own reloads, be aware that when you put them into "commerce" by selling them your are then required to be licensed by ATF as a manufacturer with appropriate liability insurance coverage. You will then be subject to occasional, unannounced visits from your new governmental friends. Don't forget, they do attend gun shows. Just saying...
 
I've had a lot of people want to buy my reloaded ammo, because they have shot it when shooting with me, and they trust it. I tell them I'll teach them how to reload and let them use my equipment, but that's as far as I will go.
That never seems to be what they want though. Only a couple have taken me up on it.

The only PMCs I bought were 9mm, 13 years ago, PMC Bronze, and they were inconsistent as far ignition goes. And I could hear other people shooting them at the range also, one light load, than several normal loads, then a louder one, and so on.
I do like their brass, and think it really good consistent brass.

It could have been factory ammo, or some Sheisters reloads. LIke others here said, we will never know now.
 
blackhawk44 said:
Should you ever consider selling your own reloads
Click to expand...
The "High Road" best practice is NEVER sell your reloads or have other people shoot your reloads in their guns because bad things could happen if guns blow up. ;)

And we had many threads that went "Funny thing happened at the range today ..." where guns blew up, some with temporary/permanent injuries.
 
I use to buy reloaded ammo at gun shows and off the local gun forums until I got a bad 357 magnum load. Never again.
I had one round that was super hot and hurt like all get out.

After that I only bought new ammunition from a store.
When I started taking my grandson out shooting I got back into reloading after a forty year break.
Best thing I ever invested in.
I will never shot any one's reloads.
I have a friend who got into reloading rifle & pistol. His bench has wheels on it and stores it in an extra bedroom. He wheels it out into the living room and watches the television when he reloads. He has had more squibs then any one else I know. Last summer his friends wife was shooting his nice S&W 357 and shot two squibs one hehind the other and ended up with two stuck bullets in the barrel.
Could of been bad if she would of had a charged cartridge behind the first squib.

WHEN IN DOUBT THROW IT OUT.

A guy on a local gun forum was gifted his 89 year old father in laws reloading equipment.
He was shooting the 45acp ammo the old guy reloaded. After two double charged rounds he tore the rest of them down and had four more double charged cartridges in the bunch.

He gave me three or four hundred reloaded 222 Remington cartridges and the set of RCBS 222 Remington dies with the stipulation that I tear them all down and reload them myself.
Things happen all the time.
 
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