Lessons Learned

[1_Ogre]

I'm not new to casting but here's an example of what to expect when others load for you:
Friend of mine I've done a lot of work on his guns for, loaded me up 99 357Mags (why only 99 and not 100 I still haven't figured out). They had a 110gr HP "J"'s and the guy insisted they had 9.2gr of Unique.
I pulled all the "J"'s and found that the charge varied from 5gr to 12gr, and there were many that had "NO" powder in them at all. The crimping was also in question because what initially made me wary of these was two of them I could push the "J" back into the case with minimal pressure.
Found out the guy was using a Lee Loader and the scoop Kit that Lee offers.
The guy honestly thought he was doing a good job, but he had almost "ZERO" experience. I shoot Rugers and they most likely would have handled the 12gr loads, but the squib loads (ones with only a primer and NO powder) would have caused problems.
SO, if in the future one of your buds load some ammo for you, PLEASE be sure that YOU know that THEY know how to load properly.
Lesson well learned, but at least I ended up with 99 primed 357 cases.

[leadman]

I have had similar experience with other peoples reloads. A good friend of mine loaded some 30-06 for another friend of ours. The second friend had problems so he came to me. Found the powder charge was beyond maximum. Think this might have caused the cases to stick in the gun?

[Foto Joe]

I had a friend give me 50 rounds of unboxed 45ACP military surplus a couple of weeks ago, the date stamp was 1943 and had corrosive primers in them. I said thanks and took 'em home and pulled the bullets so I could make something useful out of them. If he'd have had the box I'd have put 'em on the shelf but some folks just don't understand that when you're doing something that can cost you body parts it just isn't worth shooting something that you don't really know what's inside.

[upnorthwis]

I was at a 3-gun match where a competitor had constant jams with his 1911 .45ACP. He said he had recently started handloading but if this is how bad it works that he would go back to store bought. I saw some of his loads and it looked like he was not concerned at all about if the boolit was starting straight or not. Lead was mushed on the outside of the brass to the point of crushing the brass. When I pointed this out to him he said he didn't think that would be a problem. Some people just need more instruction.

[DR Owl Creek]

Wow!!! That's another good example of why you shouldn't shoot somebody else's loads.

Dave

[mdi]

I guess I take "knowin' what yer shootin'" pretty seriously. I don't think I've ever shot anyone's reloads, and most of the time (usually always) will pull some of my reloads if the label comes off or the ink on the labels gets smeared and I can't read the load data...

Cluck, cluck, yep I be chicken. I think a lot has to do with my being so attached to my guns and how bad I'd feel if I had to replace one...

[Cowboy_Dan]

I'm just as hesitant to shoot other's reloads, unless I was present at the loading session.

I guess that's why they call me "Ten Fingers".

[rsrocket1]

Rule #1
Never shoot anyone else's reloads

Rule #2
Never give/sell your reloads to anyone else


How can anyone who's not drunk use a dipper from a Lee whack-a-mole kit and pour zero powder into a case? I hope he doesn't have a driver's license.

[1911KY]

No powder when pouring manually!! WOW!!

[joesig]

Rule #1
Never shoot anyone else's reloads

Rule #2
Never give/sell your reloads to anyone else


How can anyone who's not drunk use a dipper from a Lee whack-a-mole kit and pour zero powder into a case? I hope he doesn't have a driver's license.

+1 to all

[Bent Ramrod]

I shoot other peoples' reloads, but only in their guns and with them present, shooting the bulk of them themselves. Almost all of them had credibility as experienced, careful handloaders.

I'm lucky--only one of their guns has blown up on me; nobody hurt. I've probably saved a couple others by calling cease fire when a funny noise ensued on firing, and it turned out a bullet was stuck in the barrel.

Any reloads I am given or buy get demilled for the components.

[WALLNUTT]

I saw a beautiful Colt SAA come apart one day and the shooter lost the tip of his trigger finger. He was shooting their reloads in their gun.

[Swede 45]

In my country it´s actually illegal to transfer handloaded ammo from person to person..
Both as a gift or for sale.
I quite often get asked if I can reload for someone else, and I politely declines. But offers them a walktrough beginners introduction to handloading on my gear, with free coffee included.
Most guys doesn´t take the offer, since they are only out for the cheap ammo and doesn´t want to put in the time.
A few take me up, and catches the handloading bug!

[parson48]

In my country it´s actually illegal to transfer handloaded ammo from person to person..
Both as a gift or for sale.
I quite often get asked if I can reload for someone else, and I politely declines. But offers them a walktrough beginners introduction to handloading on my gear, with free coffee included.
Most guys doesn´t take the offer, since they are only out for the cheap ammo and doesn´t want to put in the time.
A few take me up, and catches the handloading bug!

That's the way to do it. Get others involved in a great hobby.

[Garyshome]

I guess some people have NO business pulling the handle.

[Tatume]

I guess some people need the help of their friends. The OP should take his friend under his tutelage.

[lightman]

I'll shoot a few others reloads. Very few others. I will not load for others nor offer up my ammo to others, except for a chosen few. When ask to load for others, I'll offer to let them come over and to help them. Thats usually the end of it.

Sadly, some folks don't need to reload!

[Foto Joe]

In the last year my 35 year old daughter has gotten into shooting. She's got my old S&W 39-2 and has been doing very good with it and wanted to get into reloading. I had her on my Lee Turret last year and kept a close eye on her. So for her birthday this last October I bought her a Lee Classic single stage and gave her my 9mm die set. I probably should have never even let her see the turret because she immediately said "why can't I use your press?" I told her that she had to learn the "how" to reload before I taught her the "tricks" and that being in a hurry was a good way to lose a body part.

The deal is that I'll cast all her boolits for her for a buck a pound and she gets to lube and load 'em. A couple of days ago she spent pretty much the entire day loading over 300 9mm's on that single stage until she ran out of boolits. She's being taught to charge powder to within .1 grain and to seat the boolit immediately, none of this having a rack full of charged (supposedly) brass sitting there waiting for boolits. I've done everything that I can to literally try to scare her away from reloading but she's absorbing it like a sponge. Incidentally she caught me reaching for the wrong can of powder the other day and told me to stay away from "her" bench when she was working.

I'd shoot her reloads any day. Somebody else's? I'd thank 'em for the free lead and brass then pull the boolits.

[4rdwhln]

I bet I have loaded 10 thousand or so rounds on a lee single stage press since the early 90's. I have had only 1 problem ever and it was from rushing and not waiting for brass to properly dry after washing of the sizing lube. I had a falure to go off when the primer was struck. I was badly shaken and came home from the range and tore down a few shells till I found the problem. The rest of the 50 rounds have been resting at the landfill for years. I load frequently for relatives that are unable to do so for themselves. I have a routine that is fool proof, so far anyway. i have my fully prepped and primed brass in a can on the right side of the press. one at a time they are turned right side up and filled with a measured and weighed powder charge. never setting the charged case down till the bullet is seated and crimped in place. then they go to a load block on the left side of the press. I have not had a single any kind of problem since adopting this method and slowing down to make dead certain that there is never any varrance to this.. Any distraction is the chance for Murphy or carelessness to sneak in and raise havoc. I purchased a hornady lnl progressive press a couple of years ago and its hard for me to believe there is a better press on the market, I still load anything that others may shoot single stage. As many others have said its not the best idea to load for others. I believe the lack of concern and carelessness when loading have lead to every accident and blow up gun I have have ever heard of.. NO ONE WILL EVER BLOW UP ANYTHING WITH PROPER LOADS AND DUE CAUTION IN THE LOADING. that being said I use the same caution as the rest of you when looking at other folks reloading. at the very least it gets torn down and checked for proper powder charges.

[Love Life]

I give other peoples reloads...to other people. <-----Not really. I was just funning.