Would you shoot reloads someone else made?

[ArtP]

Let's say these reloads were medium caliber rifle and came from an aquaintence, not a good friend you might trust well. Let's also say the maker stated:

They are loaded at 95% of max load, per reputable book

The powder brand and exact quantity

Provided the book recipe from a trusted source

Provided overall cartridge length, which was set at book spec

The exact bullet & primer

Stated they were full-length sized, not just neck sized

Stated not only was each charge of powder weighed individually (not just metered), but each completed cartridge was also weighed to confirm everything.

The reason I ask is because I have an aquaintence I would like to give a gift to, but want to be reasonably sure he'll use the cartridges.

 

[youngda9]

If everyone here says yes, that has no merit on whether your aquaintence will say yes as well.

Best ask up front so as to not be dissapointed or put them in an aquard situation.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Depends on who. I shot someones reloads in his PPK/S and it squibed.

 

[ArtP]

If everyone here says yes, that has no merit on whether your aquaintence will say yes as well.

Best ask up front so as to not be dissapointed or put them in an aquard situation.

I do have enough common sense to know that. Besides, I have a couple boxes of factory reloads for a rifle I no longer own.

It's hard to surprise someone if you ask them upfront.

Would you be willing to humor me?

 

[Zack]

No way. I heard a story a while ago, some guy bought some reloads from some guy. One of the rounds exploded in the barrel, I think to much grain..?

 

[CornCod]

I would shoot them as long as I was assured that they were loaded with standard loads. Everyone seems obsessed with making superhot rounds these days. I have had too many friends with damaged or loosened firearms caused by hot loads.

 

[sonier]

Usually with relaoding if accidents happen there just a few things.
1. there was a low charge and not proper primer to set the charge such as a low charge of H-110 in 357 magnum using standard not magnum small pistol primers, this cause a squib load the bullet never leaves the barrel, this is easly fixed you feel the squib and you punch the bullet out no biggy unless you dont use common sense and fire a second round into the lodged bullet.
2. Your redneck buddy joe loads a really "HOT" round for you to go hunting, when you fire the excessive pressure blows gas through the bolt face and pierces the primer which ruinds th bolt of your gun and you get showered with gas and powder.
3. the only time a barrel will usually explode would be a pistol cartridge with a triple amount of a max load was dumped into it. It is really hard to actually blow up a barrel accidently.

The common reasons for a barrel to explode or split is usually due to the fact of debris in the barrel like lots of dirt and mud. Lots of people shoot handloads for hunting and if this happened it is really easy to blame the handloads, but in truth my 30/06 bolt guns barrel shouldnt explode if i topped the case full of 4320 thats only a few more grains of powder to fill it up, my bolt will get ruined i will get showered with hot powder gases and my stock will prolly split but i bet the barrel isnt going to just explode.

 

[Werewolf]

Unless you know the guy you're getting the reloads from so well that he's willing to share his wife with you and you're willing to share yours with him - then - NO - you don't shoot someone else's reloads.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Its a matter of trust;
sort of like eating someone else's cooking, riding in a airplane, or car that you're not driving.

If I knew the source of who made them, and trusted the person-
I wouln't have a problem with shooting their reloads, the same way my friends confidently shoot mine.
However, the folks that take maximum loads and start working up- I do stay away from their's.

 

[BCCL]

I shoot reloads from 2 local business' that reload ammo for a living and have both done it for 20+ years, and I will shoot them from 1 friend who has reloaded in the past for a business and for himself for 30+, and my brother.

Other than that, no.

 

[Zach S]

I trust reloads from three guys. One moved back to the east side of NC, so I wont be shooting any of his anytime soon. Two are acquaintances from the range (one being the owner).

I may be splitting hairs, but I don't shoot ammo reloaded by a business. There are reasons behind the term "gun show reloads." As far as re-manufactured ammo, I have shot Black Hills, Georgia Arms, and Atlanta Arms. I avoid Atlanta Arms.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I used to shoot reloads from a local business that was licensed and bonded and did quality work, but that was before I started handloading myself. As far as people go, I can count the guys on one hand that I'd trust their handloads. You just can't be too careful.
I turned down a buy on a Blackhawk .45 because it was included in a package deal with 1200 rounds of handloads. The guy said he wouldn't seperate them because they were tailor made for that gun. I politely declined and looked elsewhere.

 

[wishin]

I buy Ultramax remanufacured .223 and have never had a problem. Very accurate too. On the other hand, I'd need to know an individual and his capabilities pretty well to use his reloads.

 

[2ndAmFan]

I voted no, period, but that is only because the poll doesn't give the option of using the reloader's gun along with his reloads. I've done that a few times, but I don't like the thought of using someone's else's reloads in my own gun anymore. One time hammering a round which apparently had very little powder or nothing but a primer in it out of the bore of a gun is enough for me!
I've also had problems with remanufactured loads so I don't use them anymore, either.

 

[taliv]

the only company i'd buy remanufactured ammo from is black hills.
i would not ever shoot someone else's reloads in one of my guns.
under certain circumstances, i would shoot reloads in someone else's gun (e.g. when Zak let me shoot his AI a couple years ago at the THR get together at the whittington center, or shooting some of the machine guns on the line at knob creek)

i also do not let anyone else shoot my reloads in their guns.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Commercial reloads from a known good maker only. Even a friend you know and trust to be an experienced reloader can make a mistake. This happened to my brother's gun, which I now have. Some day I will get a camera and show you the pieces.

 

[CHEVELLE427]

FACTORY RELOADS ARE WHAT GOT ME INTO RELOADING 30+ YEARS AGO.
got a double charge in a store bought 45acp reloads,
figured i could do a better job and so far i have ,

i also have shot other people reloads but after i pull 10% and check to see they are what they are suppose to be.

would i sell any of my reloads .... NO

i might give some away and let you do as you will with them.

been reloading for everything i shoot except 22s

 

[dakotasin]

i wouldn't let someone else shoot my handloads because they haven't earned the priviledge of shooting such uniform, accurate loads.

i would have no problem shooting most folks' handloads, and have done so quite a bit.

i would not shoot loads from someone who called them 'reloads' because of the negative connotations that comes w/ that... if someone cares enough about their loading to call it handloading, it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy... if they simply call it reloading, i have pictures flash in my mind of hammering bolts open, sending a blackhawk frame back to ruger, etc...

 

[walksbyhimself]

i would not shoot loads from someone who called them 'reloads' because of the negative connotations that comes w/ that... if someone cares enough about their loading to call it handloading, it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy... if they simply call it reloading, i have pictures flash in my mind of hammering bolts open, sending a blackhawk frame back to ruger, etc...

That's like refusing to drive with someone because they refer to a 'stick' transmission rather than a 'manual' transmission. It just seems like an arbitrary distinction to me that would have little to no bearing on the actual quality of the ammunition in question.

'Reloads' seems to me to be an accurate term, at least as accurate as 'handloads' for the purpose.

 

[APIT50]

I have shot plenty of reloads from trusted sources but I have even seen ultramax do some bad things at my local range ie. Blown cases pistol and rifle.

 

[Zak Smith]

Even amongst my closest shooting associates, we do not share match reloads for our LR rifles unless we already have data to characterize what works/doesn't work in the different rifles and know everything about the loads in question.

 

[Hatterasguy]

No never, no reloads. Once in awhile I shoot some of my friends but he is OCD about making them.

Its just not worth it, saving a couple cents on some questionable reloads can destory a $2k+ rifle and send me to the hospital.

 

[dakotasin]

It just seems like an arbitrary distinction to me that would have little to no bearing on the actual quality of the ammunition in question.

ehh, maybe... just one of my quirks, i guess.

 

[Tim the student]

Some companies, yes. Others I just don't have enough faith in.

I don't have any close friends that reload. If I did, it would depend on them. I'd want to be extremely comfortable with their process. Even still, its doubtful, but possible I guess.

 

[CHEVELLE427]

got a bunch of reloaded ammo from my late uncle,
he could state what powder and wt for anything he loaded (at one time) then age got him ,
i checked 10% of each caliber but missed some 243 in 90 gr. and almost blew up a good 1971 browning BLR, all the others i checked were right on what was labeled on the box but the 243 stuff was hot as hell, I'm guessing that was close to the last batch after age took over.