I know the gun rags would have you believe that reloading ammo for defense is a bad idea.
However, I've yet to find a steady supply of defensive ammo - but I do have a ready supply of components in .45acp: Brass (new if I want), 230gn old style Remington HP bullets, which I love, and Winchester primers.
I seat to a depth of 1.265" COL, charged with 5.2gn of Bullseye, which is the maximum I find listed for this style bullet. No pressure signs and I'm seated a bit further out.
This combo has no muzzle flash and at least keeps up with the modern, expensive factory offerings.
It feeds very reliably, and I have complete and total confidence in the load and my ability to reload. The primers never touch my hands, for example - no contamination at all the way I do it (I work in medicine and use many of the same cross-contamination prevention procedures in reloading as we do with patients). (I recently had to run a very well known and popular name brand through a resizing die to make it work - it looked very hurried and would not feed correctly - definitely not what it used to be).
Honestly, it's the best load I've found. And the cheapest. And did I mention it keeps up with modern wonder bullets?
I've not seen one single case in which reloads came into play if a shoot was righteous.
I'm sure all of the law enforcement members on this forum will tell you it's a legal issue the lawyers will turn against you if you reload your own and shoot their client (a good kid).
In my home State if you get a conceal and carry permit they tell you use exactly the same ammo you used to qualify for always (factory)...or the lawyers will turn it against you later if you don't.
well, I've always heard the argument that if you're cooking up your own then you must be making them with an extra bit of sadism and sociopathy in the round with the specific intention of killing your victim the slowest and most painful way possible despite the fact you are making yourself the only person liable for you and yours and that defense rounds are supposed to incapacitate the best way possible. I think it all depends on whether or not you want to gamble on the responding officers and eventually jury, if you feel logic and common sense will shine through in your actions, load your own, if not, try and stick to something that says personal defense on the box so no one can argue you're using ultimate man killer, baby raping, village burning, cop killing, hell spawn ammo that makes you reprehensible compared to hitler.
If you load your own and you use them in self defense...Keep MOUTH shut !
You Have the Right to remain Silent... Exercise that right until you get an attorney and talk to him first....NEXT...Learn This Rule...
Do Not admit to Loading your own as you Have the right against Self incrimination , for one , and 2nd , who would know ?
Keep Matching cases reloaded ammo in the gun (I.E. ALL Winchester) so it looks Factory made...The chance is really slim to none you need to worry about it.
Can't find anyone that was prosecuted for reloads in Self Defense but with Lawyers and Uninformed Juries today , who Knows ???
Just Make sure the shooting is Justified Self Defense first !!!
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[I]You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!:( [/I]
Not to mention the fact that I really can't recall anybody ever successfully prosecuted for using their reloads in a shooting. I've heard plenty of numbnut DA's try it, but never heard of a successful one.
Anybody hear of one?
I'm partial to Gold Dots.
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People think I'm paranoid because I own guns. If I own guns, what do I have to be paranoid about?
If you load your own and you use them in self defense...Keep MOUTH shut !
You Have the Right to remain Silent... Exercise that right until you get an attorney and talk to him first....NEXT...Learn This Rule...
Do Not admit to Loading your own as you Have the right against Self incrimination , for one , and 2nd , who would know ?
Keep Matching cases reloaded ammo in the gun (I.E. ALL Winchester) so it looks Factory made...The chance is really slim to none you need to worry about it.
Can't find anyone that was prosecuted for reloads in Self Defense but with Lawyers and Uninformed Juries today , who Knows ???
Just Make sure the shooting is Justified Self Defense first !!!
These are my thoughts almost verbatim.
I can't stand to have mixed headstamps even in practice ammo. I sort them, period.
I like to load as closely as possible to a good known factory load to mix in with practice. I just wish I had a crony and knew the exact powder and type in some factory loads. I do however feel I get good and close. Other than that, I'll have to agree to keep my business to my self on what's in my guns. Once or twice in my life, Iv'e found my self a bit short on one caliber of ammo or another and ended up stuffing a mag full of 200 grain SWC's for the .45. Not the optimum defense round as would be argued by many, but I had a loaded gun.
I like to load as closely as possible to a good known factory load to mix in with practice. I just wish I had a crony and knew the exact powder and type in some factory loads. I do however feel I get good and close. Other than that, I'll have to agree to keep my business to my self on what's in my guns. Once or twice in my life, Iv'e found my self a bit short on one caliber of ammo or another and ended up stuffing a mag full of 200 grain SWC's for the .45. Not the optimum defense round as would be argued by many, but I had a loaded gun.
A loaded gun is better than no gun!
As for useing reloads in a defense gun, I won't do it, but more power to ya. Like moose and other said, keep quiet! But I was told in my CCDW class also not to do it because of legal matters. Also I always think, if I had a failure in a position like that, I shure would like to have someone to blame besides myself. haha!
It is not against the law, and the issue is not so much that a government prosecutor will seize upon the fact that you shot a BG with reloads (unless you are in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey [maybe Maryland] and the prosecutor is up for re election)
The problem that I fear is in a civil suit when the wounded bg or his grieving family haul you into court. The plaintiffs attorneys train to look for issues that can both discredit your testimony and make you look like you are some sort of demonic sadist. Even if you win such a case , it will cost you large ruinous lawyer fees.
My take is to load as near as you can to your defensive ammo for practice and carry commercial stuff.
DocAitch
I take this approach too. For my 'stash' of "defensive" ammo, I use good basic Hornady XTP bullets in the same cases per box, loaded to factory-level specs.
But for carry, I have my magazine loaded with Federal Hydra Shocks. Factory, with a bite!
And good advise is, if you MUST shoot, do NOT shoot to wound - shoot to STOP, permanently.
It shouldn't matter what kind of ammo you use, but I don't want to ever be the test case. My carry gun has factory gold dot's in it, and that is just about the only ammunition I buy factory fresh.
All us reloaders know that we can't make some magic super powerful death round, but I think keeping factory loaded defense rounds loaded for defense takes a variable out of the whole thing. I run enough of the round I plan to carry in the gun through it to make sure it functions reliably, then I practice with reloads.
I take this approach too. For my 'stash' of "defensive" ammo, I use good basic Hornady XTP bullets in the same cases per box, loaded to factory-level specs.
But for carry, I have my magazine loaded with Federal Hydra Shocks. Factory, with a bite!
And good advise is, if you MUST shoot, do NOT shoot to wound - shoot to STOP, permanently.
Kill them before they can reach a lawyer!
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People think I'm paranoid because I own guns. If I own guns, what do I have to be paranoid about?
I reload everything,so they will have to take whatever I throw at them!How dare them to complain because I didn't use expensive factory loads. (and at my age,I don't care.) ,,,sam.
Use a mix of brass and bullet that is found in factory stuff. Maybe the primers in your reloads will be a different color than factory, but maybe not.
As an example, Speer GDHP bullets in Speer brass should attract little attention in a post mortem since you can buy them factory. Remember the police will want your gun and mag if the dread day ever comes that you need to kill or shoot someone, either on the street or in your home.
__________________ Teach
Taxpayers voting for Obama are like chickens voting for Colonel Sanders.
Don't listen to bs range talk.I'll bet if they came up with that "killer bullet" bit,with the info out today I could snow them under with facts.(such as,any bullet is dangerous and some are just better at stopping trouble) ,,,sam.
I use my reloads in my carry guns. I doubt anyone would know what ammo you used unless you told them. I have never heard of it being an issue in an actual court case. the trial lawyers have this country so scared of them that it is sicking. maybe we should have a season on them! no size or bag limits!
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peace through superior firepower
But I was told in my CCDW class also not to do it because of legal matters. Also I always think, if I had a failure in a position like that, I shure would like to have someone to blame besides myself. haha!
Teach
