reloads for self defense

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If I carry my own reloads, I'm a crazy gunnut.

If I carry the same ammo the cops carry does that make me a wanna be cop.

If I carry ammo that was made solely for "personal defense", couldn't that be taken as I was looking to use it, instead of an alternitave route.

If I carry Black Talons, does that make me a "cop killer".

Or the Nyclad make me a FBI agent.
 
I think ultimately people will do what they want to do, regardless of the information presented on internet forums.

I think it's good that people still have choices ... but there are consequences to those choices we make. Consequences of using reloads for defensive shooting is that you may have your reloading equipment/components confiscated during investigation/trial. If you don't mind that, then choosing to use reloads would be a personal decision.

If I was hunting in the "woods" and wanted an effective load against thick-skinned four-legged wild animal, hard cast SWC load maybe be more appropriate than factory JHP but I don't think that's what the OP was asking.

"You must choose, but choose wisely", a line from Indiana Jones movie may very well apply here. :D
 
Consequences of using reloads for defensive shooting is that you may have your reloading equipment/components confiscated during investigation/trial.
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That's a risk I took when I carried a gun for defense. It's also a risk that I took doing so knowing that I reload. They might confiscate my equipment even if I used factory ammo simply because I have the equipment in my house. I read that link, but I don't honestly remember what all it covered. It spent a great deal of time on GSR.

I concluded that I should probably use a sword instead of a gun, and not a homemade one. :)
 
Consequences of using reloads for defensive shooting is that you may have your reloading equipment/components confiscated during investigation/trial.
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BDS, I don't think anyone in that other thread was suggesting that having a bit of property confiscated was even one of the primary consequences of using reloads.

At the risk of rehashing that debate -- which I don't think we need to do -- there were two primary concerns:

1) Your reloading habit (and your "super lethal" reloads) might be portrayed as suggesting a mindset which predisposes you to violence, casting doubt on the necessity of your actions. The prosecutor might try to portray you as a "Rambo" type who was out looking for a fight, and thus you were a mutual combatant, not an unfortunate victim of potentially lethal violence who acted as a reasonable and prudent person acting to save his life.

This one has been pretty much denigrated as a realistic concern. A good defense attorney should be able to cut off that line of attack and focus on the facts of the case.

2) IF your defensive shooting was called into question AND some critical facet of your self defense claim hinged on evidence supplied by gun shot residue (GSR) testing, there is a chance that data obtained through testing YOUR ammo might not be admissible in your defense. You'll have to read the other thread to see the arguments for and against that theory.

As far as concerns over having things confiscated, that often just plain happens when someone is on trial for murder/manslaughter and/or trying to establish a self-defense claim. There are examples of "simple" defensive shootings where the investigating officers confiscated every firearm in the house and all ammo until things were all sorted out. All you can count on is that life is going to SUCK for a while if you ever shoot someone for any reason. The fact that they might pack up and haul off your Dillon 550 and a few lbs. of powder for testing isn't really a compelling factor in this decision.
 
Hi, getting into re loading and I keep on hearing not to use re loads for self defense.
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I'll attempt at making an actual contribution to the OP now. :) In your case, I doubt that I would use hand loads. The reason being, some of these folks trust their hand loads, however, they've been doing this for a while. I'd probably also wager than many have done it long enough to know the effects of what they loaded. If that isn't the case, I wouldn't try it. There's so much data available for factory loads concerning expansion, velocities, gel tests, and such, that's it's probably easier to know what you're getting for a while by just buying something that has proven itself.

While there may be issues with factory loads, it's probably a relatively low number. Less than 5% failure probably? Less than 1%? What's the failure rate of my hand loads? As a new reloader the data is inconclusive, I'd err on the side of caution regardless of where I lived.

If you really wanted to split hairs about which one was better, you'd need data from the hand loads to support whether or not you were able to achieve more than the factory load did in the first place.

Once you're as old... I mean as accomplished as some of these guys here, then my conclusion won't mean much anymore. :)
 
Sam1911 said:
BDS, I don't think anyone in that other thread was suggesting that having a bit of property confiscated was even one of the primary consequences of using reloads.
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Yes, correct. Mind is hazy from welding metal fence all day in the heat and that was a long thread. :D That's why I hoped people read the discussion thread. I should have posted that in addition to GSR/distance determination issue, FOR ME, additional factor for carrying factory ammunition is the issue of reloading equipment/component confiscation by police during investigation/trial.
 
Yes, for some defensive shootings, the DA won't press charges.

Example #1:
Teen mother shoots intruder in defense of herself and baby - http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/04/teen-mom-shoots-kills-intruder-with-11-dispatcher-on-phone/

DA response - "Oklahoma law allows the use of deadly force against intruders, and prosecutors said [shooter] clearly acted in self-defense ... [Intruder] was holding a knife when he died ... initial review of the case doesn't indicate she violated the law in any way ... However, prosecutors have charged his alleged accomplice, 29-year-old Dustin Louis Stewart, with first-degree murder. According to authorities, Stewart was with Martin but ran away from McKinley's home after hearing the gunshots ... When you're engaged in a crime such as first-degree burglary and a death results from the events of that crime, you're subject to prosecution for it."


Example #2:
Teen shoots intruder in defense of himself and sister - http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10553140/

DA response - "No charges are expected against the teen for firing on Henderson. North Carolina's Castle Doctrine law, updated on Dec. 1, allows homeowners to assume intruders mean them ill whether they have a weapon on not."


Example #3:
A 90-year-old retired law enforcement officer defended his home against an intruder - http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/north_bay&id=8490389

"It happened in broad daylight ... The suspect forced his way into the house and was met by 90-year-old Jay Leone, a retired law enforcement agent who confronted him, shooting him three times. The suspect then shot Leone once."

DA Response: "We now know the legal fate of the 90-year-old ex-lawman who got into a gunfight with an armed intruder who broke into his Greebrae home on Wednesday; Jay Leone is not expected to face charges.
 
I think ultimately people will do what they want to do, regardless of the information presented on internet forums.

I think it's good that people still have choices ... but there are consequences to those choices we make. Consequences of using reloads for defensive shooting is that you may have your reloading equipment/components confiscated during investigation/trial. If you don't mind that, then choosing to use reloads would be a personal decision.
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I definitely agree with the first statement.

re the second statement: I don't know how often you've had to shoot someone to save your or your family's lives, but many would find that "inconvenience relatively trivial".
Records here in Texas do not backup several of your "assumptions" including going to trial or facing charges at all.

edit to add: I see you put in some disclaimers while I was typing
 
The question you should ask yourself is what handload of yours does this:

a3fbl4.jpg

See, this is the reason to keep handloads in the range bag and Ranger Talons in your gun. You cant buy these as components. I even took a few boxes apart and tried to improve on the accuracy by trying different powders, primers, OAL, etc. Couldn't.

Why would you use first generation hollowpoint technology (because that's all you can get) when you can use these?
 
You can get gold dots no problem. I have 1000 loaded up of the 124 g 9mm flavor as a simulant for my carry load.

I prefer the gold dot to Winchester's ranger loads as they seem to do a bit better through denim

posted via mobile device.
 
In 1990 I was looking to buy an apartment building in Seattle.
In the bad part of town the cost to rent ratio was very low.
I had to check out one of those buildings that could pay for itself in 4 years.
I parked my car and it being a hot day, I left it with the windows open.
I walked around the building. Broken glass was 1" deep everywhere.
When I came around the building a minute later, there were some inner city youths inside my car.
I watched a family move like a convoy from their car to their apartment.

Now, when i go to Seattle at night, I carry a 45.
 
Clark said:
In 1990 I was looking to buy an apartment building in Seattle.
In the bad part of town the cost to rent ratio was very low.
I had to check out one of those buildings that could pay for itself in 4 years.
I parked my car and it being a hot day, I left it with the windows open.
I walked around the building. Broken glass was 1" deep everywhere.
When I came around the building a minute later, there were some inner city youths inside my car.
I watched a family move like a convoy from their car to their apartment.

Now, when i go to Seattle at night, I carry a 45.
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I think this is about reloading, not relocating.
 
ell, if the shoot is legal to start with, I fail to see how using a reload would be any different then using a hammer you just put a new handle in, or your wifes old cast iron skillet you just shined up on the wire wheel grinder.
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I agree

As a jury member who knows what their IQ may be :uhoh:
I load my SD firearms mostly with reloads because I can afford to practice with them, and I know where the bullet goes when I pull the trigger.
 
I don't much worry about losing my reloading equipment. If it goes to trial, you could buy a few Camden presses for what your lawyers are going to charge you. And I'm sure you'll have more to worry about than how you're going to feed your firearms in the interim... if you even have any. If they take your reloading gear, I wonder that they're gonna just leave your guns. :)

If you're that worried about the what ifs, an NRA membership and/or some prepaid lawyer insurance should be a higher priority than buying SD ammo.
 
I always held the notion that justified shooting is justified shooting, regardless of ammuniton, whether factory or reloads.

But it will be the DA who will make the determination whether to press charges or not.

Yes, I agree that if you are involved in a "questionable" defensive shooting situation, you'll have more to worry about than having your reloading equipment/components confiscated.

Although not having to add that to your situation would certainly help IMO. ;)
 
+1 denton.
gunguy, consider where you live and the prevailing climate for self defence. If in an area that stands behind your rights to defend yourself, consider using what shoots best in your weapon.

As for me, my 9mm currently holds Hydra-shok in one mag, handloaded XTPs in the 2nd. I forget which is in the mag chute. my 12 ga holds3" 00 buck factory loads ahead of handloaded slugs. My .44 Remmy NA is loaded with home-brewed conicals on 35 gr of pyrodex. My rifles currently hold factory loads with handloads on deck.

My kegerator holds a corny keg of home brewed oatmeal stout, one of blond ale and a 6 pak of factory beer. I choose whichever pleases me :D.
 
No barbs on the petals. In a cage fight the Ranger Talon would win.
 
I've made many a grown man cry. No big whoop. The first time was playing chess when I was seven.
Another time (pretty darn young), I asked to whap some wetpack with my homebrewed 9 out of my BHP.. regular cast by me 140gr SWC. He actually looked me in the eye and said he had some work to do. The difference was quite marked regarding damage and penetration. anyway
There is no real magich.
 
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