Shooting other peoples reloads can be risky

[azguy]

A good friend and big gun collector wanted me to go with him to shoot 2 pistol AR s that he bought at a gun show.
We set up a couple of targets and he started firing. I was picking up the brass, I noticed several were black with soot. I told him to stop while we checked the spent brass. The next 3 had splits and one had a started head separetion. He picked up the second pistol and chambered a round it failed to fire he had to hammer the bolt open. we went to my shop and I checked the head space and found them to be correct. But when I dropped a few rounds of unfired in a headspace checker they stuck up, some as much as 1/8 inch. The box of 500 rounds he bought at the gun show were marked "factory reloads 223 remington"
Not everyone at the gun show selling reloads are real reloaders.

[celltech]

It does make you wonder just what recipe the "reloader" conjured up when he made that crap...

[azguy]

And sold it to people who was going to shoot it. Had a fake "Factory Reloads. Cosmetic Blemish Lot number 2758" Of course no name of the factory. Has Lake City Brass. I told him we could pull the bullets, But I would not risk using anything else. I know many honest sellers use the gun shows to sell, only takes one to cause a problem.

[J.Baker]

Not clear what the story is on this ammo, but just wanted to point out that under Federal law it's illegal to sell reloads without a manufacturers license (Type 06 FFL - Manufacturer of Ammunition for Firearms). On top of that, doing so without paying the 11% federal excise tax will get you in deep trouble with the Treasury Dept.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/person-who-reloads-ammunition-required-be-licensed-manufacturer
(https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/person-who-reloads-ammunition-required-be-licensed-manufacturer)

If your friend bought the ammo from someone at the gunshow claiming it was their reloads, I'd take it back and demand a refund. If they refuse, ask to see their license or request their license #. If they refuse to produce it, report them to the BATF and whomever is organizing the show.

If it's supposedly factory ammo they are just reselling as a retailer, ask them who the manufacturer is so you can take the problem up with them. If they don't know, ask them what supplier they purchased it from so you can contact them.

[azguy]

I was not there when he bought the ammo. Very true about selling reloads and federal law. But there is some wiggle room in some states, mine included , I don't know about Texas, You can sell off your excess ammo with out a license, just as you can sell a gun. But to buy a gun our state requires you have a state drivers license but not ammo. you can not sell as a business. most of the guys selling reloads are not a business. The license dealers at the gun shows often sell new but not reloads.

[azguy]

My intent of posting this was not to get into a debate about gun laws around our country, just to state that shooting someone's reloads was risky. Sorry if I left the wrong impression.

[azguy]

I also did not intend to step on toes.

[J.Baker]

No toes stepped on.

[JeepsAndGuns]

I agree. Shooting other peoples reloads is risky unless you completely trust the person who did it. Me, I know of no one I would buy or shoot their reloads. Even "factory" reloads. Only reloads I shoot, are my own.

A few years ago, my dad gave me some 308 win round he got at a yard sale. They were a little tarnished and the bullet shape/profile did not match on all the rounds (was 20 rounds)
I decided to pull the bullets as I was unsure about the ammo and did not want to shoot something I was not sure about.
Good thing I decided to pull the bullets. I do not know what powder was in them, but the the cases were completely full and then some (compressed). It was compressed so hard, I had to use a pick to dig the powder out. I also checked the bullets for possible re use. I found about 2 or 3 of them were actually 8mm bullets!
If those rounds were fired, it would have probably been death to a rifle!

[Robinhood]

Good thing I decided to pull the bullets. I do not know what powder was in them, but the the cases were completely full and then some (compressed). It was compressed so hard, I had to use a pick to dig the powder out.

Sounds like my 185 , 4064 308 loads for 1000.

[azguy]

I have been shooting since I was 8, about 70 years and started reloading around 1972. I have never even heard of reloads that had the shoulders so far out, but I have run into 3 people this new year who got into these. I believe they come from the AR craze and so many people starting to reload, some of these new reloaders will load 100 rounds before I can drink a cup of coffee. These new guys never check anything or inspect anything. it does not take much out of adjustment to make a bunch of very dangerous bullets. Then some one shoots them and blows up a gun at best at worst he gets hurt. I say this, if you are going to shoot reloads, do some homework and learn all you can about reloading.

[coorslight]

The only reloads I willever shoot besides my own, are close personal friends of mine that I trust and know that they are knowledgable reloaders. If someone hands me some reloads, either there own or from where ever (a dead relative). I will just tell them I will try them later, and either put them in the bad round container at my club or take them home and pull them apart. I have seen first hand what can happen when someone doesn't know what they are doing. I started reloading in 1981 while stationed in Grand Island Nebraska. A guy I was stationed with, married a local girl, she worked for Hornady.:p

[PhilC]

As a handloader I tailor my rounds to my rifles so, other than bonafide factory rounds which I rarely ever use, I shoot mine and mine alone. I will not give any of mine to anyone else and would never shoot someone else's in my rifles. Just makes no sense to me even if I implicitly trust another handloader.

Several years ago my brother brought me his 110 7RM rifle to do some load work and other things. He also brought a box of ammo our BIL had loaded for him. I pulled every one of those down as our BIL had loaded them to 7mm Weatherby specs and at max charge weight of 67gn IMR4350. Glad my brother never torched one of them off as they were 4gn over max for 7RM. I sent him home with a nice clean rifle, reworked factory stock, Timney trigger, and 50rds of Nosler 150BTs over 62gn IMR4350 that produced .53" groups @ 100yds. Also gave him explicit instructions those rounds were tailored to HIS rifle and not to be used in any other.

[Orezona]

I shoot my close friend's reloads in their rifles. They don't even ask if I want to shoot them in mine. What would be the point? They are offering me a challenge to see if I can shoot what they know the load and rifle can do.