Any personal policies regarding who you let shoot your reloaded boolits?

[7Acres]

I'm new to casting and reloading and have enjoyed my plinking boolits I recently loaded. I went with 5.1gr of Unique and my carry 1911 didn't buck like a bronco. I've got brass for calibers I don't own just from picking up when my friends and family are over shooting. The wheels are starting to turn with some of them asking if I would reload for them to save them some money. And of course they'd love to shoot my reloads for free. While I was reloading my first 100 I noticed 2 times I put in a double charge due to having a hard time with the brass sticking in the powder thru sizing die. That experience made me a little nervous about the thought of letting other people shoot my reloads till I get more experience under my belt. Just got me wondering if some folks on here have policies regarding whether they let other people shoot their reloads.

This is also compounded a bit because my boolits are cast Pb which could be an issue if a buddy ran 50-100rds through a polygonal barrel not knowing enough to inspect the barrel every so often. I have been "certifying" each gun I want to shoot cast through by doing several iterations of firing then inspecting the barrel for lead. So far so good with a 1911 and a Glock 21. But my friends won't probably know enough to think to do that with their guns. So between leading and the accidental oversight of a double charge would you recommend I hold off on letting anyone use my reloaded ammo till I'm 100% confident in the quality of my reloads? FWIW, I intend to not let anyone use my reloads for the time being. Also, do any of you have policies you wouldn't mind sharing regarding who you let shoot your reloaded boolits? Are there any specific guns you won't let people fire cast boolits through?

[shooter93]

I'm glad you caught the double loads. For myself I have a very small group of very knowledgable shooters who share to a small extent. Aside from that...no one. And when someone only known as an aquaintence offers me a box of reloads I thank them....then dispose of them with out shooting them.

[Blammer]

If I were you, and I was a new reloader just like you, I had the same question asked of me. I politely declined any offers even for money.

why? I didn't want the responsiblity.

Like you said, all it takes is one "oops" to ruin a gun and someone's day.

I do reload for a few people now, but I am EXTREMELY careful when loading for them.
I water drop all of their ammo as they don't care if it's hard or soft, as long as it goes bang, is all they want.

[Goatwhiskers]

Flat statement: I don't do it, no how, no way. I, like all reloaders, have made a few small errors with no damage done, but I can't take the chance of a bigger error in someone else's gun. GW

[462]

I give boolits to a buddy -- end of story.

[FLINTNFIRE]

For my own firearms , and when I am shooting anyone who is with me can shoot them with me , other then that only for close family , dad brothers or son and daughter ,not for sale and do not reload for others .

[7Acres]

Thanks Blammer and Shooter93. I had an inkling I wasn't the only reloader who didn't want the liability. Here's another question. My bro-in-law is interested in reloading. I'd like to have a policy with him where I let him use my press (no dies) and he can reload his own provided he supplies his own dies powder, brass and primers. Do you guys have policies on who you let touch your reloading equipment?

[wv109323]

I would be very,very hesitant to allow anyone but my direct family shoot my reloads. First if you accept money the GCA says you must have a license. Commercial Reloader License ( think liability Insurance). If you must do it for free then it is like banging your head against a rock.
If some one gets hurt by your reloads you could expect a law suit for medical bills at the very least.
As a safety tip I would use a powder that a double charge would over fill the case. You should notice a full case or powder spillage if you double charge a case.
If in doubt ask questions, Buy a manual,Watch Videos, Educate yourself before you blow something up.

[Wolfer]

I'm pretty much like the two above posters. For one I load single stage and I would shoot more if it didn't take me so long to cast, size, load, etc. I very cautious anymore about telling strangers about how little my loads cost, they will invariably ask me to load them some.
Shawn I'm not talking about you here ha ha.

When I started typing there were only two posts above me. I'm slow

[deltaenterprizes]

Can you afford to buy them a new eye if the gun blows up and they lose one?

[7Acres]

Thanks guys. My sentiment is pretty much what GW's is. 462, I also would consider sharing with a buddy who was knowledgeable enough to know the risk he was taking. But not before I've got a lot more reloaded boolits and a solid process under my belt.

[dragon813gt]

I reload for my Uncle as he goes in with me for components. But no loads are max and I worked the loads up in his firearms. If I'm out shooting w/ buddies I will let them shoot some to see how they function in different firearms. But again non of these are near max. This one has sort if backfired because they are all now saving their brass for when they start reloading. Which I know none of them ever will. I'm just patiently waiting to get ahold of the brass :)

[geargnasher]

Not having an 06 FFL, I don't load for anyone or give/sell boolits except maybe a few demo boolits for someone here who may want to check fit in their particular gun before buying a mould. If the BureacraticAzzhatTotalitarianFogheadedEggsuckers want to put me in the pen for that, I guess they can have at it.

Gear

[brstevns]

If someone that I have know for years and has reloaded for years. Well I would give them some cast bullets to load their own. To load for them ? No!

[**oneshot**]

All my loads only go through my barrels.

[7Acres]

Thank you, gentlemen. I will not be giving or selling my reloads. Many thanks!

[Crashbox]

My reloads, my firearms, my trigger finger ONLY. NO exceptions.

[williamwaco]

Reloading is exactly like lending money.

"If you lend money to a friend, you will lose both"

If you start reloading for a friend, he will eventually get mad at you for not meeting HIS time schedule.

Don't do it.

.

[Az Rick]

I won't reload for anyone, except my Sons but they must help load them if they want to shoot them.

Best,

[462]

In case my earlier post wasn't too clear enough, I have not and will not reload for anyone else, nor let anyone else shoot my reloads in their guns. When it comes to just boolits, I've exchanged with and given them to forum members, and give them to a buddy.

[daniel lawecki]

My buddy Howard & I shoot each others ammo. But we been shooting three times a week for the last 11yrs. So we trust each other and thats IT.

[Alstep]

I don't load for anyone, period. And the only one who shoots my loads is me. And I don't shoot anyone elses loads either. No exceptions! And I don't loan out or borrow equipment. Jeez, I just read what I wrote here, I must be some kind of nasty hard A$$!

[Heavy lead]

I don't load for anyone, period. And the only one who shoots my loads is me. And I don't shoot anyone elses loads either. No exceptions! And I don't loan out or borrow equipment. Jeez, I just read what I wrote here, I must be some kind of nasty hard A$$!

Nope, I'm the same way with one exception, one friend of mine I will reload for, only after he leaves the firearm at my house for a couple of weeks and I've worked up and tailored loads for it.
Period.

[Jkallen83]

i only reload for me and my wife, i do reload for my dad's mauser. he dont shoot but a couple rounds per year and i got the rifle to work the load. ive had several ask me to reload for them but always made an excuse not to. ive offered to reload for a couple people who has asked and i tell them if they will buy the components i will, and when i give them the price they usually back out. this way i get to keep the extra components if any but all has denied that when it costs them.

best to not reload for anyone but urself till ur more confident in ur reloading.

[Awsar]

only for my dad and my wife an kids thats it simple no problems.

[autopilotmp]

made that mistake once, luckly no one got hurt, just my pride and i can live with that. My brother in law asks if I load for this and load for that and I tell him yes but i won't load them for you. I will on the other hand "teach" you how to reload for yourself. He has bought a press and some tools and manuals. After helping him set it up I showed him the basics and then told him to read the chapters in his manuals on how to reload, don't hesitate to call for help. This worked out pretty good really, much better than the only squib load that I have loaded so far being stuck in a freinds barrel. Just glad the RO was vigilent.

[mpmarty]

Never done it and probably won't ever do it either. I do offer to monitor them on my gear if they bring their own powder, primers and projectiles. I've taught a couple of guys and a gal to reload this way.

[rintinglen]

My ammo in my guns, however I have given sample boolits many times to fellow reloaders to try before they spend money on a mold that may not meet their expectations. I had a friend, sadly no longer above the sod, with whom I used to swap boolits, and I've given some to my brother, but my reloads go bang in my guns only.

[GARCIA]

Never have and never will. My son's share my ammo for the guns we shoot but nothing else.
I have had a lot of friends that like to reload and have loaned them the use of my equipment at my abode, but they do all the reloading themselves with my equipment and guidance.
I have traded 1,000's of bullets with friends and board members.

Tom

[white eagle]

did it once
never again

[cbrick]

Load for someone else? About the same chance as me shooting someone eles reloads. The last ime I shot somone eles reloads was to shoot a borrowed XP-100 in 308w at a 60 round CA state championship match, when I opened the bolt after the first shot the first thing out of the action was the primer. :shock: This was a friend that been reloading for years and I had been shooting with for years.

I have a great track record with tens of thousands of reloaded rounds but I'm human and if there is going to be a problem it will be with my guns and my hands on it and my finger on the trigger.

More stupid than shooting a friends reloads is buying reloads at a gunshow. A few years back one of the older members of our club bought reloads at a show for one of his rifles, the first shot disintegrated the rifle and sent him to the hospital with a severely torn up hand. Once the ambulance left a gunsmith at the range tore down a few of the cartridges and they were triplex loads, three very different powders in each case.

Rick

[44man]

I have been loading for 60 years without even having a primer go off by accident. I trust myself and my shooting friends can be considered experts so yes, we do shoot each others loads and I have loaded some for a friend to try a boolit.
Long, long ago I loaded paper shotgun shells for a neighbor. He stored them in a damp fruit cellar and they swelled up so they would not chamber. He blamed me so that ended loading for others. Some have no brains and can turn good loads to junk.
I knew a guy that was scared to death of BP so he left his cans of powder out on a picnic table in all kinds of weather. You see where this is going? What if Ruger only loads were shot in a Colt?

[Jim]

I only load for the firearms I own and Janet and I are the only people that shoot them.

[No_1]

The only person I reload for is my dad. Due to liability issues all other could not afford what I would charge.

[dragonrider]

No, ....

[Wal']

Have been reloading for a couple of mates for years...............If I can't trust my own reloading, then I shouldn't be doing it.

This has been discussed before.

[1Shirt]

In this day and age when there is a lawyer behind every tree it seems, and lawsuits over hot coffee you can't be to cautious of reality!
1Shirt!

[bobthenailer]

the answer is no ! let them use your equipment to reload there own ammo !
Even if your reloaded ammo was not the fault of the mishap , you will be sucked into the leagl battle and it will cost you a few K at least , not counting the mental stress. Ive seen this happen to friend the lawyers brought everyone even remotley envolved.
the shotgun blew up injering a shooter's thumb standing next to him. they sued the shooter,posness warner reloaders, weatherby and the store that sold the shotgun .

[Rocky Raab]

Two rules:

Create ammo that could be shot by anyone in any sound gun.

Use it yourself, in your own guns.

[7Acres]

Lots of wisdom and experience speaking here. I'm glad I asked. I wasn't comfortable with giving/selling my reloads simply due to my competence level at this point anyway. But I'm glad to see that even veteran reloaders agree almost unanimously that there's just too much at risk. Makes complete sense to me. I felt uneasy about letting others shoot my reloads; now I've got wise words from folks who posted here representing many lifetimes worth of reloading experience to stand behind my new policy. Much thanks to all of you!

[Wayne Smith]

I do have my FFL06 but I have never sold reloads. I have, for three close friends, loaded for their guns when they were working up accuracy loads. Only one of them shoots a lot, and I am teaching him and his son to do their own reloading. Generally I prefer to teach others to reload. Chris (Arisaka99) loads with my equipment, largely because he lives in an apartment with his Mom and sister and has no room. He also drives my truck at times and has a key to our house. He is almost part of the family. Oh, yeah, his girlfriend will be spending the night in our house at times, too.

[plainsman456]

I have been loading for family and a few friends for about 30 years.

That said the only screw-ups i have had was when i first started,the 2 rifles were my own.

I load for more folks now and even load all of the DA'S rifles.

I like to think that i use a lot of care when doing this,don't just throw them together.

If i didn't think i had the ability to produce good ammo i wouldn't load and shoot them myself.

Do whatever you feel comfortable doing.

[Gar]

All of my reloads go through my guns only. The loads were worked up for those guns and I know they are safe in them.

I do let other people shoot my guns under my supervision occasionally but never ‘lone’ them out.

My shooting buddy does his own reloading, but has grabbed some of my reloads at the range in the past. He doesn’t do that anymore, not since he shot some of my .357 silhouette loads in his revolver. No damage but it did WAKE him up.
Any time some asks about reloading for them, I offer to teach them how to reload their own. In the last 30 years, only had 2 or 3 people take my up on the offer.

[Bigslug]

Never mind the liability issues (which are potentially considerable) of selling reloaded ammo or giving it to less than close acquaintances - my time is the valuable commodity that most concerns me. If my casual acquaintances want cheap and easy ammo, I'm happy to advise, but they can damn well learn how to be responsible, self-sufficient Americans and roll their own. (One of those things I like to politely point out - "Shoulda thought of ammo cost BEFORE you bought that .500 S&W. . .)

[snuffy]

When I was still working, the millwright came up to me asking; do you reload 44 mag? Word got around that I was a shooter/reloader, so he wanted to know if I would load him some 240 HP for his Ruger SBH?

My answer was, no, I don't trust you! Pretty harsh, but I tend to cut to the chase with my first comment. I explained the legal ramifications about the need for a FFL06, AND the liability insurance, THEN what I would need to charge for those shells. This guy knew his stuff, was a good mechanic, and a nice guy. We talked often BEFORE he asked me to reload for him. Not after though. I guess I insulted him.

I'd rather have him mad at me for that comment, than him suing me for a blown up gun and injuries.

[shdwlkr]

reloads are for the reloader not anyone else. I learned that when I started reloading over 50 years ago. I would share with family maybe, if they helped with the reloading.
You just can't guarantee that nothing will go wrong if you load for someone else unless you are in the business, licensed and have all the right equipment to do the work.
Not in this life time would I reload for someone else.
I have shot some friends reloads but I know them and how they reload so feel sort of safe using their reloads. But they are just a few feet away when I am using and it is most often with a caliber I don't have and am thinking of buying so I only shoot a few, but and this is a big but things can still go wrong. Be safe reload for yourself and maybe your family that will be with you and no one else. Don't even reload for family until you get comfortable with doing the whole process.

One hot load can ruin a firearm, a hand or a life you don't want to remember the last time you and someone that means a lot to you went shooting and something bad happened. Trust me that will ruin you firearms side of life for a very long time.

[root]

I reload for everything I shoot but not for other people.

My rule with my stuff is shoot as much of it as you want BUT you load the mags.

That was a BIG mistake last summer.

Was @ a friends house with my subgun and can.
Two of my friends brought their 20 somthing kids that had never shot a machine gun before.

GEEZE, I showed them how to handle it safely and all.
Then handed them each a mag loader 6 mags and two full 30 cal
cans.
MAN DID THEY GO TO TOWN ON THAT AMMO!
Even after I took the mag loaders away they were still loading mags and shooting it not just as fast.

Ever load a grease gun mag with out a loader?
Didn't stop them no matter how bad their thumbs hurt.
Needless to say they ran just over 2K or 45 acp through that M/10 and can that day.

The one kid said he was going to sell his crotch rocket and buy a MG.

I know no when they are around two mags no loader and 1/2 a can of ammo LOL.

Sell reloads? NO
reload for others? NO

Offer those two to shoot as much as they want again?

BIG HELL NO!
They shot up 3 days of loading in about 6 hours. They did pick the brass up though without being asked and placed it in the empty ammo cans for me.

reload like mad for myself? HELL YA!

[oldtoolsniper]

I am one of those guys who survived a buddies reloads. I had to have the brass scraped out of my left eye with a scalpel while the Doctor doing it took directions from a Mayo Clinic surgeon via speaker phone. My head was strapped in one of those glaucoma testing machines while he did it. I waited a almost two weeks to find out if I could see out of that eye. I was lucky because I was young the layer of protein on my eye was thick enough to allow the procedure. I also was in the prone position and did not have my hand supporting the rifle under the magazine well, a lot of the bigger chunks blew through that into the leather coat supporting the rifle. that coat was shredded. The stock shattered to the butt plate, the area of my hand wrapped around the stock from my thumb to my index finger turned dark purple just like a giant blood blister. My hand was numb for weeks which was much better than the blinding pain in my eye.

These rounds came from a factory box. I did not know they were reloads but at that age it would not have mattered I would have shot them anyway because he was my friend and we were both to inexperienced to know better.

As an Infantry Weapons Repairman (Armorer) in the Marine Corps I spent thousands of hours on ranges and I have seen just about everything happen that can happen with a firearm and I never saw a firearm blown apart using factory ammunition. They blew up but almost every time it was operator error not an ammunition malfunction. We had them blow from squib loads but that is operator error when you hear an audible pop you stop, clear the weapon and check for obstructions. If you fail to do that the weapon detonates due to operator error.

I would not allow anyone to include the Devil himself access to my reloads.

[jethunter]

I give away quite a few boolits but i don't reload for anyone.

[trixter]

No one!

[shooter2]

Flat statement: I don't do it, no how, no way. I, like all reloaders, have made a few small errors with no damage done, but I can't take the chance of a bigger error in someone else's gun. GW

I agree fully!

[bassnbuck]

About a month ago my shooting buddy called to tell me about "cheap" 45acp reloads for sale.I told him there would be two fools, seller and buyer. I load and shoot my own, except a few my buddy shoots in my gun.

[7Acres]

I like the concept of teaching interested people how to reload. If they are serious enough to invest a little $$$ they will probably turn into good reloading buddies. If they don't want to fork over small change for a few dies they were probably just looking for a source of "cheap" ammo. With all the time and elbow grease and love I put into my boolit reloads thus far I am too proud of my reloads to let anyone else enjoy shooting them. :Fire:

[altheating]

I only share with a couple of friends who also reload.

[oldtoolsniper]

I will gladly help someone out who is willing to learn. They load their own and I load my own. I bought some empty 10 gauge shells at auction a few months back, ammo was ammo to the auctioneer so I also ended up with ten boxes of 35 Remington shells. If I had a 35 Rem I would have shot them because I knew the man who's estate sale it was. I traded that brass on here after I pulled each round apart and de-primed it as well. To many that would be a waste, to me, well I can sleep at night.
If you are doing this only to save money you are doing it for the wrong reason. By this I mean reloading.

[daniel lawecki]

Well I dont have a problem sharing with my friend. After all I build machinery for a living for big companies so I know my stuff is right.

[PS Paul]

I ahve one employee who is a cowboy action shooter. I give him loaded .45 colt cartridges for his shoots that I load VERY carefully. Otherwise, nobody shoots my reloads but for me. I do give away cast boolits generously to friends and employees, though. Kind of a nice way to show appreciation for those who work hard for me. There are two other staff who I have taught how to reload. they both now have their own presses and we just got molds for them both so I can teach the basics of casting. Pretty cool, I am REALLY proud of them both and they show their appreciation every day. Makes me feel like a hero, you know?

[Threepersons]

I let family shoot my reloads. This year I had taught 2 people to reload.
They use my single stage press,my dies, bullets, powwder, primers.
I take them to gun range and suppervise shooting skills. Both have
purchase loading exuipment and doing well on their own. Their coming
by and casting bullets at my house. One has 600 lbs. of stereotype and 900
lbs of coww. I passed up on that one a few years ago. Dome Dome x 10

[Threepersons]

I Think I know how to spell Dumn, Dumn, could believe I turned down all that lead
Well John didn't tell what he had. Till a good friend. I cast him many Boolits each
year.

[Alstep]

Just a followup here. Made a gun deal with a friend recently, and along with it were some of his reloads. Being cautious and not trusting anybody's loading, I broke a few down. All were over max loads! And the charges varied widely. Pulled the whole batch. A prime example of why not to shoot strange ammo!

[shdwlkr]

That could have made some interesting shooting or should I say stress tests.
I even sometimes double check my own reloads to make sure I am putting in the case what I think I am putting in the case.
Another thing I learned a long time ago is only one powder on the bench at a time, lost a lot of powder once because I couldn't tell what powder was in the can. Made good fertilizer but what a waste

[jhalcott]

I have accepted reloads from other people<BUT, I always break them down to components for reuse. I got a bunch of ammo from the wife of a deceased club member. Not sure WHAT was in them as they were dumped into a can before I got them. The were all different types and amounts of powder and bullet weights. Some were over book max. I will help any one who wants to learn reloading, but I am NOT doing it for him,period! I don't shoot anyone else's reloads either!

[shdwlkr]

I have been following and commenting on this thread and just remembered a few years ago at a range I got a bunch of 38 super reloads as the guy didn't want them I never fired them but in the bag they were the just seemed to come apart on their own and the amount of powder either seemed like an awful lot or not much at all can't remember but I took them all apart got rid of the powder and re sized them all and just wonder if I had tried to shoot them what might have happened.

[Boyscout]

I have offered to teach a few family members and friends how to reload but so far have not had any takers except my sons. Ammunition is hard to come by now and I have had an inquiry or two which I have turned down. It's like teaching someone to hunt or field dress a deer. If you aren't interested in learning and growing on your own, my time and resources are too limited to help you out. I field dressed my son's first deer and haven't done one since for them. I feel the same about reloading for others liability not withstanding.

[wrangler5]

I have given 38 Special loads to a close friend, but they were "cowboy" loads made with Trail Boss which I am confident will not blow up ANY gun he owns. We have done legal work together for years, and just recently he finally took my advice to begin reloading for himself. Other than that, I reload for myself.

[Kraschenbirn]

I've 'walked' a couple of newbies through the entire reloading process of assembling ammo for their own guns, using my equipment and components, but what I put together for myself, gets shot only in my guns.

Bill

[WILCO]

I've let friends and family shoot my guns and my reloads under my supervision. Outside of that, I don't share or reload for anyone else. Just FYI, while supervising, I'm directly behind or sitting at the next bench, fully focused on them.

[Tatume]

I'll add a note of caution. As a beginning reloader, do not watch videos, and buy several reloading manuals. You can learn a lot from reading the manuals. You can't depend on videos; I've seen them do a lot of really stupid things and claim it's the best way.

[BAGTIC]

If something goes wrong you can be sure that it was because of your ammo not his gun.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

My wife shoots my reloads. I have a friend that I will take shooting to show him about reloading. He will shoot my rounds through my gun and I will be watching all the time and then it's up to him to reload his own or not. But that's just me.

[Texantothecore]

I don't reload for anyone but myself for the following reasons:
1. Liability can be astronomical.
2. I don't want to get a call at 10:30 on a Thursday night from a friend and have to turn down his need for 500 rounds of something or other. You lose friends that way.
3. I have taught many people how to reload with a bench mounted press as well as (the majority) with a Lee Classic Loader. Actually, I actively solicit people to learn the craft as I think it is quite an important skill.

It is well to remember that most Glocks never see the 1,000th round and most shooters are not that experienced and they do not know what to do with a squibb load and other problems.

[Shiloh]

Not no way not no how.
I don't load for anyone.

I will shoot the loads from a select group of friends and fellow shooters. I have Blazer ammo if I take someone shooting anything bigger than .22

Shiloh

[40Super]

The boss's kid is my teammate in the local indoor pistol league, I showed him how to reload and stressed over and over to make certain of charges and double check things. At last weeks shoot, he had just gotten done loading up 70(he waits till the last minute), I got done shooting my round and running my boresnake through while waiting for my next round ,while he was shooting.He came over with a bullet setback and asked why it was like that. Well his loads looked like they were not crimped very good, some of the bell appeared still there, so I gave him my box so he wouldn't have an overpressure. Well he came back and said none of mine would fit and was going to buy a box of new. I grabbed his gun and looked up into the chamber. The back of a bullet!!!! If that squib had pushed the bullet 1/4" further, he wouldn't have a gun anymore. He never mentioned he had one that didn't have any recoil or even a bang.