Gordon_Freeman
Member
I noticed that several firearms owners manuals say only use factory ammo. Using reloaded ammo will void the warranty. What do you re-loaders think about this? That is one reason I never got into reloading.
Reloading Question
- Thread starter Gordon_Freeman
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ghostwriter
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I've NEVER sent a weapon (rifle shotgun nor pistol) back to the mfg. In over 40 years, the factory has done little to follow what the buying public wants to do and more for the liberal gun control zealots. Think about the safetys on the pistols now-a-days.
I reload ALL my ammo and when I do buy factory stuff, it's just to get the brass mostly.
In my .300 win mag, a factory load is good out to about 400 yards realistically, and I can reload rounds that I can easily place where I want out to about 800-1000 yds. That in itself says something about factory loads. They are a compromise for the averag shooter and average gun. I custom load my stuff for the gun, specifcially... so my ammo is better than factory in that regard.
The warranty thing is to cover their butt from people wanting to insanly load up to and beyond the max allowable charge thinking faster & hotter is more accurate and better, which anyone who loads their own will agree is just stupid.
If you drop a hotter & faster load from a friend who has been able to shoot it in their gun into yours it might just be TOO hot and TOO fast and the pressures might just be beyond what your gun will take and any damage is on you.
I don't worry about reloaded stuff because I ONLY shoot my own stuff in my own guns but you might want to think long and hard about your decision. If you're the kind of person who NEEDS the factory warranty, then maybe you should only shoot factory ammo in order to be safe. After all, being safe is better than being dumb.
I reload ALL my ammo and when I do buy factory stuff, it's just to get the brass mostly.
In my .300 win mag, a factory load is good out to about 400 yards realistically, and I can reload rounds that I can easily place where I want out to about 800-1000 yds. That in itself says something about factory loads. They are a compromise for the averag shooter and average gun. I custom load my stuff for the gun, specifcially... so my ammo is better than factory in that regard.
The warranty thing is to cover their butt from people wanting to insanly load up to and beyond the max allowable charge thinking faster & hotter is more accurate and better, which anyone who loads their own will agree is just stupid.
If you drop a hotter & faster load from a friend who has been able to shoot it in their gun into yours it might just be TOO hot and TOO fast and the pressures might just be beyond what your gun will take and any damage is on you.
I don't worry about reloaded stuff because I ONLY shoot my own stuff in my own guns but you might want to think long and hard about your decision. If you're the kind of person who NEEDS the factory warranty, then maybe you should only shoot factory ammo in order to be safe. After all, being safe is better than being dumb.
gamestalker
member
I'm rather opinionated on this topic because of bad experiences with factory ammunition. I think my experience with factory stuff has a lot to do with why I started hand loading so many years ago. Like many of us who reload, I have loaded and shot tens of thousands of rounds without one single mis-fire or failure of any type. On the other hand, I've had various issues with factory stuff too many times to feel confident putting it in my weapons.
Economically, hand loading is still far less expensive to shoot. But for me this is just icing on the cake, so to speak. The primary purpose for me is, I can custom load for each of my guns. But hand loading isn't for everyone, especially those who don't have the patients to sit in front of the press for long periods of time, and would rather just buy a box and go shoot it.
Economically, hand loading is still far less expensive to shoot. But for me this is just icing on the cake, so to speak. The primary purpose for me is, I can custom load for each of my guns. But hand loading isn't for everyone, especially those who don't have the patients to sit in front of the press for long periods of time, and would rather just buy a box and go shoot it.
As a reloader I know that should damage occur due to ammunition the gun manufacturer will not warranty the gun and fix it for free if the ammunition was reloaded. This seems to be a reasonable policy and I have no problems with it. They will however fix problems that arise from factory defect.
While I am a careful reloader and have reloaded or hand loaded most of my ammunition for the last 35 years there are those that through stupidity, ignorance, neglect, or accident produce ammo that will take a gun apart. The manufacturer doesn't feel it has any liability either legally or morally to repair damage caused by an individual owners negligence, a position I agree with.
If a person uses a modicum of care and follows the established procedures and data for hand loading ammunition they can enjoy shooting at a lower cost with ammo as good or better than what is commercially available with never an issue regarding a firearm warranty.
If they're careless or think they know more than the experts and load outside the established data, this can happen.
dawico
Member
Just do what I do. Don't read the owners manual!
Ok, really........
Factory ammo isn't perfect. I feel totally safe shooting MY reloads, and take full responsibility for my actions.
Ok, really........
Factory ammo isn't perfect. I feel totally safe shooting MY reloads, and take full responsibility for my actions.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
The warnings are just a sign of the times.
And too many lawyers getting past law school somehow, with nothing to do later except sue companies for stupid mistakes reloaders might make.
Not too many years ago, every firearms company expected their guns to be used with reloads. Witness the thousands of trap & skeet shoots who went through a gazillion reloads in Model 12 Winchesters and Browning Superposed shotguns.
Personally, I was never too much interested in firearms warranty's anyway. The guns that interest me were made back when they worked right from the factory in the first place. If a used gun didn't, I am capable of fixing them myself.
And if I did need warranty work done, I would have to tell them I was using my reloads, or they would never know it.
I also have more confidence in my reloads then I do with factory ammo.
At least I know they all have a flash hole in the case and the proper powder charge, cause I de-primed & loaded them myself.
rc
And too many lawyers getting past law school somehow, with nothing to do later except sue companies for stupid mistakes reloaders might make.
Not too many years ago, every firearms company expected their guns to be used with reloads. Witness the thousands of trap & skeet shoots who went through a gazillion reloads in Model 12 Winchesters and Browning Superposed shotguns.
Personally, I was never too much interested in firearms warranty's anyway. The guns that interest me were made back when they worked right from the factory in the first place. If a used gun didn't, I am capable of fixing them myself.
And if I did need warranty work done, I would have to tell them I was using my reloads, or they would never know it.
I also have more confidence in my reloads then I do with factory ammo.
At least I know they all have a flash hole in the case and the proper powder charge, cause I de-primed & loaded them myself.
rc
paperpuncher49
Member
There is absolutely no way a firearm manufacturer could determine or prove that reloaded ammo had been fired through any of thir products. Unless, of course, you tell them.
jcwit
member
And you know this for an absolute fact? Please state how?
ranger335v
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"Using reloaded ammo will void the warranty."
It's a reasonable position, meaning if I blow my head off the firearm manufactor will fight my survivors tooth and nail. They can't stop the lawsuits but the warning does give them a place to stand as they contest the question. And I hope they win.
I know my ammo isn't going to leave a magic or indelible mark on my guns. If I have a legitimate warrantee claim (hasn't happed yet) there is no way the maker could know - or would care - if I'm a handloader. No one can "prove' a negative so the test question about using reloads is not how we can know the maker can't know, but how could they know. I don't think there is a valid answer to that question.
It's a reasonable position, meaning if I blow my head off the firearm manufactor will fight my survivors tooth and nail. They can't stop the lawsuits but the warning does give them a place to stand as they contest the question. And I hope they win.
I know my ammo isn't going to leave a magic or indelible mark on my guns. If I have a legitimate warrantee claim (hasn't happed yet) there is no way the maker could know - or would care - if I'm a handloader. No one can "prove' a negative so the test question about using reloads is not how we can know the maker can't know, but how could they know. I don't think there is a valid answer to that question.
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dawico
Member
Before too long the manual will state that the warranty will be voided if the gun is fired with any ammo, factory or not.
1SOW
Member
If you ask the manufacturer to replace a faulty trigger, faulty spring, faulty sight, faulty XXX, or why the left grip doesn't fit ; they aren't going to ask what ammo you were using.
If you ask the manufacturer to replace a slide blown in two, they might just question how it happened.
Would you ask them to fix a problem with your reloading ability?
If you ask the manufacturer to replace a slide blown in two, they might just question how it happened.
Would you ask them to fix a problem with your reloading ability?
Sunray
Member
It's a CYA thing for 'em. If you don't load the ammo properly and your rifle breaks, they're not responsible.
SA Inc. goes as far as saying you should only use milsurp 7.62 NATO ball in an M1A. And that using commercial ammo can cause a slam fire. CYA nonsense, of course.
SA Inc. goes as far as saying you should only use milsurp 7.62 NATO ball in an M1A. And that using commercial ammo can cause a slam fire. CYA nonsense, of course.
[email protected]
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I have some guns that I have not fired one single factory round through it and a 7mm mag that I have had for over a year that I have not yet shot. I know that all my reloads are safe. Just think about it you have an explosion (not techanically) with pressure of over 60,000 psi (some calibers) going off only a foot or so from your face. I would rather for it to be me putting the componets together,since I care about my face, than someone who only cares about going home and getting a beer.
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