Anyone load their own 12ga home defense or "tactical" shells?

[Tula47]

I have found some bulk military surplus [FONT=verdana, arial, sans-serif]flechettes and I was thinking about ordering some and maybe loading my own 12ga home defense rounds. I have read online of people doing it but I am pretty new to reloading and was wondering if anyone on here has ever done anything like that.[/FONT]

 

[Johncandy]

I would advise against loading any home defense rounds yourself. In a legal case, even if you were justified criminally, you'd have a very rough go at it in civil court. I advise is to only use factory rounds for home defense. Plus in times like that, you want to be sure of the ammo your using. I've loaded thousands of rounds, but still keep my HD/carry weapon loaded with factory SD rounds.

 

[SEIndSAM]

My BIL tried that and the pattern at 10'-15' was horrible. You may as well use a slug.

I'd stick with a normal SD load.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

No. There's plenty of quality SD loads out there, and I doubt I could improve upon factory 12g offerings.

 

[foxmustang]

I Only Load Target Loads For 12g. I Have Numerous Boxes OF Winchester Milsurp For HD

 

[Bottlefed]

There right I read about the wax loads but would still say factory sd or 00buck is in my saiga right now.

 

[GMtoblat]

I would advise against loading any home defense rounds yourself. In a legal case, even if you were justified criminally, you'd have a very rough go at it in civil court. I advise is to only use factory rounds for home defense. Plus in times like that, you want to be sure of the ammo your using. I've loaded thousands of rounds, but still keep my HD/carry weapon loaded with factory SD rounds.

Can you explain in greater detail? I plan on loading my own 00 buck for HD. If you follow published load data why wouldnt you be sure of your ammo? if you trust your target rounds why not any round you load?

 

[CountryBoy19]

Can you explain in greater detail? I plan on loading my own 00 buck for HD. If you follow published load data why wouldnt you be sure of your ammo? if you trust your target rounds why not any round you load?

I'm curious as well. In my handguns I carry factory SD rounds but that's because I can buy loaded rounds for nearly the same price as I could buy the premium SD bullets to load my own.

Contrast that with the fact that I can cast my own buckshot that is exactly the same as purchased buckshot for nearly free and I have a HUGE money saver over factory buckshot loads.

Comparing loading your own handgun SD rounds using premium bullets to loading your own shotgun rounds by casting your own buckshot or purchasing mil-surp components isn't exactly comparing apples to apples.

FWIW, there are many people loading their own buckshot loads over on cast-boolits. Many also load their own slug loads. I am just getting into casting my own buckshot. I have the mold, the lead, and the 12 ga reloading stuff, I just don't have any time to cast/load right now...

 

[GMtoblat]

FWIW, there are many people loading their own buckshot loads over on cast-boolits. Many also load their own slug loads. I am just getting into casting my own buckshot. I have the mold, the lead, and the 12 ga reloading stuff, I just don't have any time to cast/load right now...[/QUOTE]

I have just started getting into reloading, picking up the powder for my slug load this weekend, i dont think i will try to cast my own buckshot. Maybe after i get the hang of the reloading process. I havent even thought of a load for clays or anything like that, slugs and HD dare the practical uses i have for reloading right now.

 

[singlesix]

What the heck is a tactical shell? If I use OD Green hulls does it become tactical? As for the civil suit issue, well people can try to sue you for any reason. I seriously doubt the decision point is the use of a home reload shell or not. I use pheasant loads, #4 shot, 1260 FPS, because I have plenty of them left over from hunting season. So what if they are reloads.

Sad situation is even if your are 100% right you may end up spending $$$$$ to defend against the leeches.

 

[Johncandy]

The reasoning behind not using reloads for HD/SD is the power behind them. We all know that reloads often shoot better or are perhaps more powerful than factory loads. Even staying within the exact specs in the manual, your loads could be more powerful than the factory rounds. In the hands of a prosecutor or civil lawyer, it can be argued that you made your rounds to be more lethal than factory rounds, and be inferred that your just a nut hell bent on killing people.

As far as reliablity, unless your weighing and trickling each and every round, you could experience slight variations in your rounds. It is possible to perhaps over or under charge a round therefore changing it's ballistics. In handgun/rifle rounds there is a possibility of a clogged flashhole from your tumbler. Or a projectile that is slightly deformed from seating and crimping. Always the possibility of a bad primer or something else you didn't catch. Or your powder being fouled by case lube.

In short, there is to many things that can go wrong. Are you willing to put your life on the line with something you saved a few bucks on? Or is it worth the extra $$$ to make sure you have something in your gun that was loaded by the professionals?

 

[GMtoblat]

thanks for the insight, i think i will still plan on reloading for HD, "The OCD is strong with this one"

 

[ifr2]

Not too sure I agree with the reload self defense argument. What's the concern? Does a lawyer think you might kill someone? Isn't that the point? If you believe that using factory ammo will keep you from ending up in court, I think you've got a big surprise coming.

 

[Johncandy]

Not too sure I agree with the reload self defense argument. What's the concern? Does a lawyer think you might kill someone? Isn't that the point? If you believe that using factory ammo will keep you from ending up in court, I think you've got a big surprise coming.

The concern is if my loads, that shoot better, but are more powerful, can be used against me as wonton killing. I have no misceptions that I would still be pulled into court. I just don't want to give the liberals anything more against me.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

n the hands of a prosecutor or civil lawyer, it can be argued that you made your rounds to be more lethal than factory rounds, and be inferred that your just a nut hell bent on killing people.

I've yet to have a prosecutor ask me what kind of ammunition was used, let alone if it was factory or a reload. This is one of those things that got repeated enough in the gun magazine circuit by folks like Ayoob that its now considered truth. While it may apply somewhere, it surely doesn't apply to Indiana and is a complete non-issue.

 

[sbrville]

I'd load some and see how they pattern. Reloading shotgun would be no more dangerous than rifle or pistol reloading, as long as you have the right equiptment(scales and load data mainly). I load my own 00 buckshot for hunting coyotes and they shoot very well. I've never been around the flechettes. Might read and see if you need a barrel approves for steel shot, I don't know. As far as legality, I don't think they make any ammo that is non lethal, they make less lethal, but I don't see how they could consider hand loads more lethal, but I don't know. Good luck, be safe, SB

 

[sloughfoot]

Not too sure I agree with the reload self defense argument. What's the concern? Does a lawyer think you might kill someone? Isn't that the point? If you believe that using factory ammo will keep you from ending up in court, I think you've got a big surprise coming.

The issue is that of overkill. You must strive to avoid overkill... purple..

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