Reloads for Carry Gun

[ScouT6a]

Was doing some reloading today and this thought crossed my mind. Do you or would you use reloaded ammunition in your carry gun? Why or why not.

 

[netsecurity]

As long as you test enough to know that that your load is reliable then there is no reason I see not to. After all, the primer, powder, and bullet are all "factory" aren't they? I plan on making my own .45 defense rounds for my 1911.

 

[sloughfoot]

I have lots of factory HP ammo in 45ACP. If that ever is gone and no longer available, I would be totally confidant using the 200 grain SWC that I have fired thousands out of my 1911's in matches without failure.

Same thing with the 38 special and 357 magnum 158 SWC out of my revolvers.

 

[Broom_jm]

As long as they were MY reloads, yes, I would definitely use them in defense of my self or family.

 

[Stschil]

Being a beginner to reloading, I carry factory personal defense ammo at the moment. However, once I'm confident in my abilities and have worked up a load that I like, I'm sure I will have no problem with carrying them for EDC.

 

[Expat]

I wouldn't carry reloads. Not because of any fear of them not being fine to shoot, just from the fear of the legal ramifications for using them. We saw once again in the Zimmerman trial how the type of firearm we carry may be used to try to antagonize the jury.

Why did you carry these specially made super deadly hand loads? Wasn't the manufactured ammo that everyone in the world uses except you not deadly enough? Didn't you design them to much more deadly than what was available on the open market?

 

[metaldog]

Nope! Not for carry, only for target shooting or hunting. Reasons much the same as Expat. Our liberal legal system would have a hayday with the story if you ever used them in self defense. Now, IF TSHF... I wouldn't hesitate to carry them. So for now... I carry factory loads only. And I only carry JHP. Ball ammo does not have the stopping power of JHP & ballistics show they travel farther & through things one may not want them to. Generally, I carry Winchester Ranger or Eldorado Starfire loads.

 

[ghitch75]

i will and always carry my hand loads.......my hand loads are no meaner or more deadly than factory stuff.......i would like to see a court case where hand loads caused a conviction?......

ok i found this......but i'll still carry my reloads.....

Cases Where Handloads Caused Problems in Court by Mas Ayoob

 

[04FXSTS]

From the Zimmerman trial it was good the ammo used was factory according to Mas Ayoob. Most people that are familar with Mas know he has allways been against using reloads for carry. A lot of this opinion is because of what Expat said above but Mas discussed another reason. Commercial self defense ammo produced by major companies has been extensivley tested and the components are known and so is their performance. Because of this the commercial ammo will leave a predictable powder residue signiture which makes the distance and trajectory of the shot more easily determined. If you shoot reloads there is no way to predict the signiture of that particular round because there is no way to determine if it was exactly the same as the other rounds in the gun. I believe this predictable powder signiture helped prove the angle and distance of the shot and without this the trial could have had a different outcome. Jim.

 

[Stschil]

So, if we follow the 'a jury will think you are a killer', 'lets make it easy for the investigators and lawyers' mindset, how many of you who will only carry factory loads have done or had modifications done to you carry sidearm to make them more reliable/accurate/comfortable? If so, you had better put it back to stone cold stock or go buy yourself another. You might just be telling the judge/jury/public/lawyers the same thing you're worried about concerning handloads.

I respect Mas, but he is offering an opinion and by doing so, given his position in the firearms/legal communities, he is also enabling or maybe even manifesting this opinion to be used against some guy/gal who is unluckily enough to have been put in a bad situation and had to shoot to preserve their own or a loved ones life.

 

[Expat]

So, if we follow the 'a jury will think you are a killer', 'lets make it easy for the investigators and lawyers' mindset, how many of you who will only carry factory loads have done or had modifications done to you carry sidearm to make them more reliable/accurate/comfortable? If so, you had better put it back to stone cold stock or go buy yourself another. You might just be telling the judge/jury/public/lawyers the same thing you're worried about concerning handloads.

I respect Mas, but he is offering an opinion and by doing so, given his position in the firearms/legal communities, he is also enabling or maybe even manifesting this opinion to be used against some guy/gal who is unluckily enough to have been put in a bad situation and had to shoot to preserve their own or a loved ones life.

I don't make any modifications to my carry piece. I would note that the argument on type of ammo, type of weapon were being made before Ayoob's comments. So this isn't new. Whether we like it or not, whether we reject it or not as a proper line of argument, it happens. It will continue to happen.

 

[Madmax]

Reloads are for paper, not for something that is going to come back and bite you...

 

[robh]

I stick to the factory stuff unless im at the range

 

[Stschil]

I don't make any modifications to my carry piece. I would note that the argument on type of ammo, type of weapon were being made before Ayoob's comments. So this isn't new. Whether we like it or not, whether we reject it or not as a proper line of argument, it happens. It will continue to happen.

True, Trial Lawyers and Prosecutors will always try to paint things to their clients' advantage. However, my point is that what Ayoob writes is perfect fodder to be used against someone in an otherwise righteous SD shoot in jurisdictions that consider gun owners automatically criminal, of which there seem to be many.

 

[chezuki]

No, but only because factory SD loads are tested more thoroughly than I am capable of and and a lot of the newer technology bonded bullets aren't available as components. I still function check with a few boxes of what I carry and chrono them for consistency.

 

[BillT8436]

I load thousands of reliable reloads, but never for a carry pistol. Too many lawsuits on ammo, triggers and modifications to stock gun. It's a field day for attorneys.

 

[Exodus]

Ayoob's article made me laugh.

Case #1 I'm sorry did you read what I did? Guy tries to steal officers gun and gets shot. I personally feel that even if he didn't have reloads in his gun the officer would have still been sued by the "victim"

Case #2 Not saying the guy is guilty but if they were factory loads he would have been convited way sooner.

Case #3 Ayoob in his words states the reloaded ammo was not the key problem, but it definitely was part of a problem in reconstructing the case.


So only one of the 3 cases he wrote about was the "personally made ammo for massive destruction" used. In which the defense in Ayoob's words "did a splendid job of demolishing that argument and other bogus arguments against Kennedy at trial, and Kennedy was acquitted."

Seems to me that reconstructing the case is the bigger problem.

I'll carry what I want and keep my head on straight.

 

[lovemachine]

I reload very little. Still slowly getting into it.

I will not carry reloads in my Defensive Pistol. Factory Self Defense ammo is tested, and reliable.

Plus, I'd rather not have anything used against me in a court of law. Nobody knows what can happen in that environment. Which is the reason why I'm unsure if it's a good idea to use an aftermarket trigger on your defensive pistol.

 

[17 squirrel]

I wouldn't carry reloads. Not because of any fear of them not being fine to shoot, just from the fear of the legal ramifications for using them. We saw once again in the Zimmerman trial how the type of firearm we carry may be used to try to antagonize the jury.

Why did you carry these specially made super deadly hand loads? Wasn't the manufactured ammo that everyone in the world uses except you not deadly enough? Didn't you design them to much more deadly than what was available on the open market?

I agree, You should carry the same rounds that Local or State Law Enforcement uses.

 

[ratfortman]

I agree, You should carry the same rounds that Local or State Law Enforcement uses.

??
Should I also wear the same eye and hearing protection? Should I use the exact same firearms that they do?