New guy with a question

poorman216 · May 1, 2016, 10:30 AM

Hello I just bought a new firearm and the guy threw in 2 boxes of freedom munitions reloaded 45 acp 200 gr round nose. I have never shot any reloads before so when I got them home I looked them over they look ok. I got my wife's kitchen scale out and weighed each one her scale only has ounces and grams out of the 100 rounds I found 41 rounds weigh 18 grams and 59 weigh 19 grams. I think they are supposed to be weighed in grains but this scale does'nt have that option. My question is are these safe to shoot with the 1 gram difference. Thanks in advance for any help or info I appreciate it.

Poorman216

243winxb · May 1, 2016, 10:51 AM

You can't tell by weighing. A double charge of 3.5 gr of Bullseye powder would never show up. Seems there website is down??? Except for this 223 ammo recall. https://www.freedommunitions.com/safety-center You may want to google " freedom munitions lawsuits "

poorman216 · May 1, 2016, 11:09 AM

Ok thanks for the info I don't think I will take a chance with this stuff I don't want to ruin my guns. Thanks again for your time.

jwrowland77 · May 1, 2016, 12:38 PM

As mentioned, you can't tell by weighing if there's an issue with it or not.

There's too much variance in brass weight and bullet weight that you'd never be able to tell.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

T. O'Heir · May 1, 2016, 12:52 PM

Very much doubt you have anything to worry about.
1 gram isn't a whole lot. Equals 1/32 of an ounce. That's .035 of an ounce. As in, 35/1,000ths of an ounce.
437.5 grains to an ounce.

243winxb · May 1, 2016, 01:47 PM

1 gram = 15.432 grains.

Pond, James Pond · May 1, 2016, 02:10 PM

As already pointed out; kitchen scales won't help.

I've weighed bullets before and indeed the variation I got from one lot (+/- 2gn) would obscure a double charge of some powders.

However, another way to look at it is that reloaded ammo is going through the same process as factory ammo, except that the brass has already been fired at least once. It is still probably a fairly automated set-up: not some guy on a single stage ramming away day and night, so perhaps it is not the gamble it is perceived to be. I'm guess the same rules, licences and standards apply to both.

Maybe others can chime in the the usual M.O. of commercial reloading outfits.

jmiller72 · May 1, 2016, 04:25 PM

I have shot 1000's of freedom ammo never a problem.....

TailGator · May 1, 2016, 07:00 PM

Freedom Arms is a pretty well known manufacturer, not really the same as some of the amateur hour Bubba Special ammo you can pick up at gun shows.

Consider the rounding in the display of the scale you used. 17.500001 and 18.4999999 grams are both going to display as 18 grams and 18.5000001 to 19.4999999 are going to display as 19 grams. The variation between rounds could be miniscule or enormous - your instrumentation doesn't really tell you.

poorman216 · May 1, 2016, 07:14 PM

Thanks for all of the info I might just go tomorrow after work and buy a reloading scale and pull on of each apart and weigh the powder. I have been thinking about getting into reloading any way so when I do I will already have a scale on hand. Thanks again for everyone's responses.

Poorman216

FITASC · May 1, 2016, 07:53 PM

Personally, I think you are overthinking this...............but you do what makes you feel comfortable

jmiller72 · May 1, 2016, 08:16 PM

+1 on over thinking!!!

mrdaputer · May 2, 2016, 05:56 AM

Add me tie to list of shooting thousands of FM ammo and never having a issue

cecILL · May 2, 2016, 07:10 AM

OCD?

kerreckt · May 2, 2016, 07:36 AM

Go out and shoot them and stop all the "over thinking" nonsense. Would you feel better if the box had a different label affixed to it?

F. Guffey · May 2, 2016, 08:24 AM

From heaviest to the lightest you have 15.43 grains difference if your kitchen scales are correct. If I weight in Grams I am using Ohus Industrial/lab scales.

Weighing the loaded rounds without knowing the weight of the components before you start is a waste of time. The 15.43 grains difference is scary if all the components weight match.

F. Guffey

polyphemus · May 2, 2016, 08:36 AM

OP,a kitchen scale is not the right tool to measure ammunition or component
weight and one gram is a lot when it comes to powder charges or even bullets.
Having said that trying out a new pistol with someone else's reloads is not the best practice,you have confidence that's reliable ammo? go ahead and shoot it.

buck460XVR · May 2, 2016, 10:32 AM

As has been said, Freedom Munitions is a reputable source for reloaded ammo. Their quality and safety standards are probably up to new factory ammo specs. I would shoot them without any qualms.

**Unclenick** · May 2, 2016, 12:35 PM

If the scale is only reading whole grams, the difference between 18 and 19 may be bit error or a rounding error reflecting a much smaller actual difference. For example, a round weighed at 18.49 grams by the scale will display 18 and one weighing 18.50 grams will round up to display as 19 grams, even though the actual difference was only 0.01 grams.

As others said, weighing is not a reliable way to discern the difference between cartridges unless you have a higher resolution scale and know all the brass was from the same tooling and what its weight tolerance was and that the bullets all weighed the same to start, which, with lead, is often not exactly the case.

Sport45 · May 3, 2016, 03:43 AM

Go out and shoot 'em.

Then pick up the empty brass and weigh them. I'll bet you'll find the same variance in empty brass weight that you saw in loaded cartridge weight.

May 1, 2016, 10:30 AM	#1
poorman216 Junior Member Join Date: April 30, 2016 Posts: 3	New guy with a question Hello I just bought a new firearm and the guy threw in 2 boxes of freedom munitions reloaded 45 acp 200 gr round nose. I have never shot any reloads before so when I got them home I looked them over they look ok. I got my wife's kitchen scale out and weighed each one her scale only has ounces and grams out of the 100 rounds I found 41 rounds weigh 18 grams and 59 weigh 19 grams. I think they are supposed to be weighed in grains but this scale does'nt have that option. My question is are these safe to shoot with the 1 gram difference. Thanks in advance for any help or info I appreciate it. Poorman216

May 1, 2016, 10:51 AM	#2
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	You can't tell by weighing. A double charge of 3.5 gr of Bullseye powder would never show up. Seems there website is down??? Except for this 223 ammo recall. https://www.freedommunitions.com/safety-center You may want to google " freedom munitions lawsuits " Last edited by 243winxb; May 1, 2016 at 10:56 AM.

May 1, 2016, 12:52 PM	#5
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Very much doubt you have anything to worry about. 1 gram isn't a whole lot. Equals 1/32 of an ounce. That's .035 of an ounce. As in, 35/1,000ths of an ounce. 437.5 grains to an ounce. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

May 1, 2016, 02:10 PM	#7
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	As already pointed out; kitchen scales won't help. I've weighed bullets before and indeed the variation I got from one lot (+/- 2gn) would obscure a double charge of some powders. However, another way to look at it is that reloaded ammo is going through the same process as factory ammo, except that the brass has already been fired at least once. It is still probably a fairly automated set-up: not some guy on a single stage ramming away day and night, so perhaps it is not the gamble it is perceived to be. I'm guess the same rules, licences and standards apply to both. Maybe others can chime in the the usual M.O. of commercial reloading outfits. __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly.

May 1, 2016, 07:53 PM	#11
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Personally, I think you are overthinking this...............but you do what makes you feel comfortable __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

May 1, 2016, 11:09 AM	#3
poorman216 Junior Member Join Date: April 30, 2016 Posts: 3	Ok thanks for the info I don't think I will take a chance with this stuff I don't want to ruin my guns. Thanks again for your time.

May 1, 2016, 12:38 PM	#4
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	As mentioned, you can't tell by weighing if there's an issue with it or not. There's too much variance in brass weight and bullet weight that you'd never be able to tell. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

May 1, 2016, 01:47 PM	#6
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	1 gram = 15.432 grains.

May 1, 2016, 04:25 PM	#8
jmiller72 Junior Member Join Date: March 27, 2016 Posts: 7	I have shot 1000's of freedom ammo never a problem.....

May 1, 2016, 07:00 PM	#9
TailGator Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,787	Freedom Arms is a pretty well known manufacturer, not really the same as some of the amateur hour Bubba Special ammo you can pick up at gun shows. Consider the rounding in the display of the scale you used. 17.500001 and 18.4999999 grams are both going to display as 18 grams and 18.5000001 to 19.4999999 are going to display as 19 grams. The variation between rounds could be miniscule or enormous - your instrumentation doesn't really tell you.

May 1, 2016, 07:14 PM	#10
poorman216 Junior Member Join Date: April 30, 2016 Posts: 3	Thanks for all of the info I might just go tomorrow after work and buy a reloading scale and pull on of each apart and weigh the powder. I have been thinking about getting into reloading any way so when I do I will already have a scale on hand. Thanks again for everyone's responses. Poorman216

May 1, 2016, 08:16 PM	#12
jmiller72 Junior Member Join Date: March 27, 2016 Posts: 7	+1 on over thinking!!!

May 2, 2016, 05:56 AM	#13
mrdaputer Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2013 Posts: 493	Add me tie to list of shooting thousands of FM ammo and never having a issue

May 2, 2016, 07:10 AM	#14
cecILL Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2001 Location: central IL Posts: 769	OCD?

May 2, 2016, 07:36 AM	#15
kerreckt Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2011 Location: SE VA. Posts: 216	Go out and shoot them and stop all the "over thinking" nonsense. Would you feel better if the box had a different label affixed to it?

May 2, 2016, 08:24 AM	#16
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	From heaviest to the lightest you have 15.43 grains difference if your kitchen scales are correct. If I weight in Grams I am using Ohus Industrial/lab scales. Weighing the loaded rounds without knowing the weight of the components before you start is a waste of time. The 15.43 grains difference is scary if all the components weight match. F. Guffey

May 2, 2016, 08:36 AM	#17
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	OP,a kitchen scale is not the right tool to measure ammunition or component weight and one gram is a lot when it comes to powder charges or even bullets. Having said that trying out a new pistol with someone else's reloads is not the best practice,you have confidence that's reliable ammo? go ahead and shoot it.

May 2, 2016, 10:32 AM	#18
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	As has been said, Freedom Munitions is a reputable source for reloaded ammo. Their quality and safety standards are probably up to new factory ammo specs. I would shoot them without any qualms.

May 2, 2016, 12:35 PM	#19
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	If the scale is only reading whole grams, the difference between 18 and 19 may be bit error or a rounding error reflecting a much smaller actual difference. For example, a round weighed at 18.49 grams by the scale will display 18 and one weighing 18.50 grams will round up to display as 19 grams, even though the actual difference was only 0.01 grams. As others said, weighing is not a reliable way to discern the difference between cartridges unless you have a higher resolution scale and know all the brass was from the same tooling and what its weight tolerance was and that the bullets all weighed the same to start, which, with lead, is often not exactly the case. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

May 3, 2016, 03:43 AM	#20
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	Go out and shoot 'em. Then pick up the empty brass and weigh them. I'll bet you'll find the same variance in empty brass weight that you saw in loaded cartridge weight. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.