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Old February 13, 2018, 01:03 AM   #26
kmw1954
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There are a couple of manufactures in my local vicinity and I've even visited their operations and then there are those that will always show up at the gun shows. Yes they are all licensed FFL and are perfectly legal with product liability insurance and I hope malpractice insurance. I do not buy from them no matter what the savings.

Now I will not reload for friends or family. I do load for myself and when I say myself I include my wife. We use the same guns and shoot the same ammo from the same box. So her taking from the same box I am using is no different than me taking it myself.

If I cannot trust my handloads enough that I feel unsafe using them in my guns or that my wife under these circumstances is unsafe then I need to quit loading. I would not and do not offer these rounds to others to use in their guns. I have offered my guns with these loads to others to try and yes I still feel safe. At the same time I shoot regularly with a couple other folks and have shot their guns with their reloads in them and again feel safe. I also would not ask them for any of their reloads to try in my guns. I know and trust those folks well. The rest of you do not feel badly if I turn you down.
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Old February 13, 2018, 11:18 AM   #27
jamaica
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My advice is never shoot another's reloads. If you want to shoot reloads, reload your own. Oh, and please always package and label your reloads so you know what they are later when you pull them outa the cupboard. Yes its OK to just toss them in a bag, but please write on a slip of paper what components went into them, plus the date, and put it in the bag with them.
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Old February 14, 2018, 04:34 PM   #28
Zeroed
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Okay, I appreciate the info and thoughts on this. I decided to eat crow and have taken the reloaded ammo to my brother. He will pull the heads and dump the powders, and when I get enough reloading equipment, I will load them.
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Old February 14, 2018, 04:37 PM   #29
Average Joe
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From a company like Georgia Arms sure, from Joe down the street NO !
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Old February 15, 2018, 08:37 PM   #30
NWPilgrim
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Good for you Zeroed. It takes gumption to admit your brother is right on this (anyone else not so bad ). As a future reloader it is good to get in the habit of always erring on the side of caution and being realistic about what you really do KNOW and what you just think might be. Any one who has reloaded for many years can give you numerous examples of eating humble pie in the interest of safety and learning.

Early on in my learning to reload someone pointed out the fallacy of trying to save a few buck on mystery or suspect ammo versus the cost of the firearm or medical bills. That drove home the point for me.
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Old February 16, 2018, 10:50 AM   #31
Fotheringill
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Pilgrim-

"...BUT, even with the data as to what was used to handload, you still do not know for sure the person handloading was paying attention or used the wrong powder, over-charged the powder, seated the bullet too deep, has high primers, cases have defects, etc...."

Or half in the bag during one or more reloading steps.
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Old February 16, 2018, 11:19 AM   #32
Zeroed
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NWPilgrim,
you may be right about the gumption, but it sure didn't feel that way to me when I sheepishly asked if he'd pull them, so I could re-do them like he said I should. But of course I told him, "after thinking about what he told me, you're right, better safe than sorry".
Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to pull them. (I've not completed obtaining all my equipment for reloading yet). But I will be the one that will re-powder the cases.
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Old February 19, 2018, 03:48 PM   #33
jamaica
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Please get a reloading manual. I like the Lyman 50th. Read the book. If you decide you want to get into it buy some equipment and dies. Choose a load from the book and buy components. Read the book and follow instructions and you will do fine. Shoot your own reloads. Do not shoot others reloads.
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Old February 19, 2018, 06:28 PM   #34
NWPilgrim
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Haha! Wait until you are grubbing around in a mud puddle after a session at the gravel pit trying to find those last two fired cases you can't account for. You have to have a healthy bit of humility to be a reloader! So many times I have loaded many rounds only to discover I am not certain about some step. Did I accidentally change the seating depth? Was the powder scale set right? Are those primers being seated correctly? Did that last case get a powder charge?

ANY time I have the slightest doubt, no matter how disruptive it is to my plan, I go back and measure and confirm settings, and if necessary pull a bullet to confirm. I backtrack to the point I am 100% confident again all is good. Then I think about what happened to cause doubt and how can I improve my process and checks to ensure it doesn't happen again.

You've taken the first step to being a conscientious reloader before you even began! I think you will enjoy the process of manufacturing your own ammo that you can take pride in knowing every detail about it.
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