Sqiub from friends reloads

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PhilMc

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Was shooting some reloads I got from from a friend when he got out of shooting in my Bersa 380. I have never had a squid with one of my reloads yet, but I am really anal about eyeballing the charge before dropping the bullet onto the case.

Was shooting the Bersa 380 for about 3 mags then pulled the trigger and felt only a very gentle recoil. Upon checking the weapon I discovered the case had not ejected from the slide. Dropped the mag and got the case out and field stripped the Bersa. Sure enough the bullet was down the pipe only about an inch. Brass was brand new starline topped with Hornady XTP's.

The range officer helped me knockout the bullet from the barrel. Thinking I might pull the rest of these rounds and reload them myself. Also thankful I payed attention in my various training classes that I have taken. As a result I have never rapid fired during my range sessions.

I normally will not shoot someones reloads but in this case I dropped my guard. Will not make this mistake again!

Just wondering what you guys think on this subject.
 
Exactly why I don't shoot anyone else's reloads, and don't let others shoot mine. Happy to hear it was a positive ending for you.
 
About 20 years ago I bought a 9mm from a good friend, that he bought from a friend as well. He gave me about 500 rounds of reloads that he got with it when he bought it. I had tried to shoot a magazine of them and was experiencing one mis fire after another, and then when one did finally get one to fire at all, it was a squib.

Never again will I shoot someone else's loads, if I didn't load them myself, I won't shoot them, nor will I allow anyone else's reloads to be fired from my weapons.

On another note, although I would never shoot someone else's reloads ever again, I do reload for a good number of friends and family. Been doing this for many years, and thus far, no one has ever had a problem. IMO, it is because I use every possible fail safe step to make sure everything is done right, and even more so when it concerns ammo I'm handing to someone else.

GS
 
hvychev77 said:
Exactly why I don't shoot anyone else's reloads, and don't let others shoot mine. Happy to hear it was a positive ending for you.
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Ditto.

Thanks to the deep level of expertise and knowledge here I've adopted quite a number of policies for myself when it comes to reloading. I also won't shoot my reloads in anyone else's guns.

I shoot regularly with some friends and we've always very freely shared ammunition when we shoot each others' guns. I had to explain to them these new policies I was adopting. "You're welcome to shoot my guns any time. But if I ask you to get your own ammo even though you see tons on my table - it's because I don't have factory ammo with me. It's not that I'm selfish. But if I make a mistake I only want it to impact me. Similarly, if you see me coming to shoot one of your guns and I have ammo in my hand, you have my promise it is factory ammo. I will never shoot my reloads in your guns."
 
I always have some factory loads available when I shoot with friends. I will explain to them what could happen, and if they still want to try some of my reloads, then I will just monitor them very closely when they shoot my reloads.

Shooting other peoples's reloads? Probably never, unless I know the reloader. Even when I know the reloader I will still be very careful.
 
I always carry a couple boxes of factory ammo for the times when we shoot each others guns at the range I frequent. Just not crazy about taking any chances of someone else getting hurt.
 
I let friends shoot my reloads in my guns. I explain that they are reloads and there is a risk and to watch for squibs. I would shoot someone else reloads in their gun if I felt that they were a competent reloader.


There is a risk, but then there is a risk with factory ammo as well. Sometimes they have bad lots, not often but it does happen.

If I had a bunch of reloads that I did not know the "history" of, I would say bullet puller time to salvage the primed cases and bullets. The powder would be plant food.

Add - For example there are people here who's reloads I might trust once I got to know them, quite possible there are people here who are probably less likely to make a major blunder than me :scrutiny:
I have had 4 or 5 squibs in 40000+ rounds, 4 or 5 to many IMO, and I go back and think about how I messed up to let them slip by. Of course haveing said this provides an example of why not to shoot someone else's reloads.
 
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I will shoot one other persons reloads(not counting my wife) and that is my uncle. He is my shooting partner and we compete in various leagues together. He is also the person that got me into reloading.

In fact I shot about 100 of his 45s today.
 
Yep, don't trust friends reloads.

I have a friend this year who bulged a barrel with a squib in a nice Model 19. On top of that, he blew the grips off a 1911 a few weeks ago with an over pressure round.
 
The only people who shoot my reloads are my son and myself. In fifty +/- years I’ve only had 3 squibs and they were all factory ammo and many years ago.
 
What we think and say is "don't shoot others reloads"- Period.
What we do, like politicians, is a different matter.

I feel I have enough liability under my own control, without getting in areas where I have absolutely no control what so ever.

Note of interest: I cleaned the barrel of a friend's snub nose 38 special at the range the other day. He was shooting another age old friend's reloads and has ever since he became a member of the club. When I got all the leading out and held it to the light to inspect, guess what I saw. A nice little bulge just forward of the forcing cone. May or not be relevant, but do know there are definite varied reports when these reloads are fired.
 
I shoot with a very good non-reloader friend whom I've known for years. We have an understanding that he buys his own commercial ammo even though I always have hundreds of my reloads with me. My son is the only person that I allow to shoot them and he knows exactly what to do and not do if he were to ever encounter a squib.
 
My wife shoots my reloads. She also understands - be it reload or factory - that any variation in feel or sound means instant stop, unload, and check. She's possibly the safest shooting partner I've ever had.
 
The other night I pulled the remaining 100 rounds that I had left. All were ok but I feel better knowing. Resized the brass minus the de-cap pin and will reload the rounds and put them back in my stock. Poured the powder into the flower garden. This whole incident only reinforces the fact that reloading must never be taken lightly and must never be done unless I am 100 percent mentally.

My wife also knows always to pay attention to how the gun feels and will stop instantly if something gets her attention in the way the round feels.

It will be a long time before I shoot anyone's reloads if ever!
 
I started loading in the 80's and have had two squibs in my lifetime. Both were factory ammo which accounts for less than 5% of the ammo I've shot in my lifetime. (even less if you take out rimfire and shotgun). I soundly reject the idea that factor ammo is any safer than my handloads. the only difference is that they have the money to pay out damagae and injury claims should they ever occur.
 
If somebody gives me some reloads, I pull them down and save the cases, bullets but the powder goes to the scrap jug. I got a big can of .38 super ammo. I pulled down enough to make a bunch of .38 auto loads for my pistol.
 
Like PhilMc and PJC, my wife is the only person that shoots my reloads other than myself. She works with me on the loads, and has the eyesight of a cat in the middle of the night. Her attention to detail is second to none i've ever seen. She knows, anything that just isn't right.... stop.. unload, check.

And, i may be sorry i taught her how to shoot one of these days.. My eyes with a pistol at 30-50 feet just arent what they used to be, and she can drive nails at that range..

But, we shoot no one's reloads. And no one shoots ours. Period. That's the rule...
 
TimSr
I soundly reject the idea that factor ammo is any safer than my handloads.*
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I gotta say “me too”. I have had bad factory rounds and I have had squibs from other peoples reloads. I haven't had a squib or a high primer or a double charged case, ever, with my loads. I'm pretty confident with my reloads.
I also prime off my press and actuality look into the case at the powder charge before I set the bullet on top. I guess I could screw up tomorrow but for now....
 
Yep, I won't be shooting anyone's reloads either. Caused a bit of tension between me and my future FIL one day at the range. He wanted me to try his new AK but only had reloads.

The guy is an engineer, but a new reloader. Unfortunately his 30+ year career being smarter than everyone, he also thinks he's smarter than the reloading manuals at times.

He's yet to have a KB that I know of. But I still won't use his reloads. I explained to him that I won't use anyone's reloads and it wasn't him. I've seen enough KB's to know that I need a deep level of trust in someone to shoot their reloads. And I don't have it in his reloading.

That being said, I bought a couple boxes of PPU 7.62x39 and had a good time the next time we went together. I got to try out his gun with factory ammo and he got new brass. It was a win/win.
 
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