Would you shoot someone else's reloads?

[Gil Martin]

Generally, I would not shoot reloads if I did not know and trust the competence of the reloader. I trust my twin brother and have no problem shooting his reloads. A fellow gave me six boxes of what was supposed to be factory .280 Remington ammo. Five of the boxes were factory loads. One box was obviously reloads as indicated by the resizing marks on the cases. I pulled all the bullets and saved them. The brass went into the disposal barrel. What would you do? All the best...
Gil

[Joe Boleo]

If I do not know the reloader, I don't shoot their reloads. I am very careful when I reload and prefer what I roll. Take care...
Joe

[Adam Helmer]

Gil.

Excellent post! The ONLY reloads I would shoot are your's! I heard a lot of reload horror stories over my many years. It seems far too many reloaders watch TV, argue with their wives, chat on the cell phone, or do other stuff WHILE they Reload.

Recently, I appraised some guns for a widow who placed her home on the real estate market. She wanted to dispose of the guns before prospective buyers came through the house. She asked me to clean out the cellar where her Alzheimer-afflicted husband reloaded and her grand children played. All the presses were rusted. The reloading manuals were moulded and the powder cans were rusted on top. I removed 12, 50- round trays of reloaded cartridges in various calibers: NONE had a packing slip showing bullet weight, powder type or amount, etc. I made it home before my trash pickup that day and sent all 12 trays of ammo to the dump! They were a risk I could not take. The partial cans of powder went to my gardens.

As for Reloading ammunition: yes, everyone can do it, but far fewer do it well! I have chatted with novices who opened the reloading manual, went to the MAXIMUM LOAD and began there. Whatever.

Adam

[skeet]

As Billy D said..shootin other peoples reloads is like swappin underwear with 'em.. I shoot some shotshell reloads after tearing a few down..checking the loads...but very few. Rifle and pistol rounds..nope..except a friend from Md who loads some of my 44 mags mid range loads. They shoot great in my old 3 screw SBH. Others that i get are torn down for components. Rifle & handgun powders get burnt or put on the garden...suspect brass goes in the can for recycling.. Brass goes for high prices now

Speaking of Billy D..wish I knew how he was

[buckhunter]

I never shoot anybody's reloads expecially those set of twin from PA. Just kidding. I only trust me and thee and sometimes wonder about thee. I just don't know. Just too much can go wrong and that ain't good.

[270man]

Gil & others, I won't say never but generally NO to shooting someone else's reloads. A few years ago another fellow and I were at the range shooting our 223 bolt rifles. We talked about our favorite loads and he gave me 5 rounds to try. These had a new powder that I hadn't used before. When the first one stuck in my chamber, he remembered that they had only been neck-sized. A rubber mallet opened the bolt but the extractor slipped off the case rim. Light tapping with a rod did not dislodge the round. Note that this is very dangerous, and it resulted in a deadly accident years ago at a local shooting range! I tried many things to remove the round. What finally worked? I put the barreled action in my freezer for a day, then was able tap out the round fairly easily. The expansion/contraction coefficients of steel and brass are different but I don't recall which is greater. Anyway, it worked when I took the B/A out of the freezer.

270man

[GoodOlBoy]

There are two people whose reloads I will shoot beside my own. One is my dad's, the other is his friend Jon's. The rest of the time if its a reload given to me and I haven't loaded with the person before or watched them then it's time to bring out the bullet puller. Powder get's dumped. I can always weigh the bullet later. Let me put it another way. There are 2 I trust, but there is a list as long as my leg of people whose reloads I just WONT use. It is a bit like wearing somebody elses drawers I will give you that.

GoodOlBoy

[scalerman]

Great post. I reload for my brother and unless he has specificaly told me which gun he has shot the empties out of I full length reisze everything. I have one other guy that I might shoot his reloads but nobody else for sure.

[M.T. Pockets]

Nope. If I can't shoot my own I may as well shoot factory loads.

[skeet]

I have an awful lot of factory loads in many calibers. I do auctions..farm auctions quite often have partial boxes of ammo in box lots..so That's what I shoot for funsies.. Usually get the whole box for 2-5 bucks. I've even found some old collectible boxes in some of the boxes.

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

"One more thing", as Columbo would say. Whenever I visit a friend, who is also a reloader, I LOOK for POWDER DISCIPLINE! Does this guy have ONE Powder Can on the bench at a time or does he have a wheelbarrow full of cans of powder here and there?

I NEVER go to my bench with any more than ONE can of powder! When whatever reloading task is finished, I empty the powder measure and scale and TOTALLY remove that can of powder FROM the Reloading Room BEFORE the NEXT can of powder makes its entry onto the reloading bench. This IS why I have lived to age 66. Speed is fine and STUPIDY is FINAL! Our gun club has a Rouges" Gallery of destroyed guns on display because some reloaders had Brain Farts. Reloaders can be remiss, but Physics are FINAL!

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Generally speaking, no....I would not shoot someone else's reloads. I've pulled bullets from handloads and reused the cases & bullets (or in the case of some, melted them down and recasted them). I would REALLY have to trust someone else in order to shoot their reloads.....and right now, I don't know anyone I trust that much.

[powell&hyde]

No on shooting someone else's reloads, unless I'm there watching all the steps.

[Rapier]

I never, ever hunt with anyone I do not know and know well. Shooting someone's reloads is a non starter.
Ed

[Dom]

Good subject. Generally NO I don't shoot others reloads, but have made a couple (read very few) exceptions for good guys I know well. But don't make a habit of it.

- ONE can of powder on the Bench, period.

- ALWAYS a load note with each tray.

MEMORIES fade, injuries not so fast, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[Dan Morris]

Only did this once....bout 50 years ago. I still have the halves of a cylinder from a Smith Combat Masterpiece....that one was enough....NO WAY...if it ain't mine... they do not get fired!
Dan