Using reloaded hollow points for self defense

[ransom63]

I'm sure this subject has been kicked around for years. I just though it needed another kick.
I reload. I mainly use my reloaded rounds for target practice, but sometimes I'll carry them.
IF the reloaded round is built exactly to the manufacturer's spec., why would there be any kind of legal entangelment if I was engaged in a situation where I had to defend my or my loved one's lives and the bad guy is dispatched? I've heard that a prosecuting lawyer could claim that the rounds were loaded to specifically do excessive harm...well, hell yes!
Have any of you been engaged in a conversation like this?

[Phillip Gain]

Here's my opinion.

How good of a reloader are you? Do you trust that the brass you're using is of equal quality to new brass from the manufacturer? Do you trust that your reloading equipment performs as well as or better than the manufacturer's original loading equipment? Do you trust that your skills are equal to or greater than the skills of the manufacturer? These are the questions you have to ask yourself.

Do you trust your life - and the life of your loved ones - to ammunition that you, as a hobbyist, have loaded?

As for the prosecution using against you the fact that you loaded the ammunition yourself...maybe. My belief is that if the shooting is a clear-cut case of self defense, it's not likely to even get as far as a courtroom. If it DOES get that far...then the prosecutor believes there is reason to prosecute you, and will use EVERY TRICK HE CAN THINK OF to paint you as a bad guy...whether it be your choice of ammunition, the appearance of your firearm, use of high capacity magazines, the clothes you wear, the cut of your hair, past posts on gun forums, attendance at "militant" firearms training courses...ANYTHING IS FAIR GAME.

It's a fact that the things that will work in your favor in a lethal force confrontation, are often the same things that will work against you in a court of law, if your claim of self-defense is not clear-cut.

This is serious business. I kid you not.

[astute]

I agree with the first answer to your question. I would like to add, HANDLOADS are notoriously unreliable. No matter how good you are or how accurate you try to be, things can and do go wrong with problems like contaminated primer and powder. brass length and strength and other things that can and do go wrong. At the range problems are easy to correct and continue on, but in a life saving situation, I for one trust the reliability of my ammo to top of line, premium grade factory ammo. Most brands will all perform as needed with little difference. The thing is they are all RELIABLE.
Do yourself a favor and save your reloads for practice and find a brand and style you feel comfortable with. I won't even give you my opinion on brands cause what I like the next guy will say mine's better followed by more mine's better. The fact is any quality, premium ammo is good. Whatever you decide on will be the best for you.
A good rule of thumb is find out what your local law enforcement carries and carry the same.

Good Luck

[kerstingm]

I have heard this over and over again ever since I got my CCW, and now that I have started reloading I think
even more. One question (like Philip stated if it does make it to a court room) is how will anybody be able to
if the ammo is or has been reloaded once it has been fired? I am sure if there was an instance for Self-Defense
everything and anything you have ever done will be looked into. With all of this to think about and anything
that might give anyone the slightest thing to try to come back on me I have decided just to use factory
defensive rounds for now. Thanks for posting this thread I will really like to see what other replys show up on it. I would really like to see some input from an attorney or police officer.

[SGB]

A good shoot is a good shoot. The reloaded ammo argument is pure hypothetical BS. If you feel confident in your loads and are willing to trust your life to them more power to you.

[BigSlick]

A good shoot is a good shoot. The reloaded ammo argument is pure hypothetical BS. If you feel confident in your loads and are willing to trust your life to them more power to you.

I agree. If you are in a lawful shoot then it won't matter. If the kind of ammo could be called into question then a prosecutor could make the same argument as to the type of gun (caliber) you used.

[S&W645]

I agree. If you are in a lawful shoot then it won't matter. If the kind of ammo could be called into question then a prosecutor could make the same argument as to the type of gun (caliber) you used.

And some will. This was on tv last night and Mas said not to use reloads as the DA will try the rounds and see if they are different from round to round. If factory ammo, not much they can say. If reloads that vary, then they might try to say you did it on purpose. Just like if you use +P or +P+ they might say that it showed intent. And really, if I have 230 gr JHPs +P .45 ACP rounds in the gun, don't you think my intent is to stop any attacks in the fastest way possible?

[Bighouse Doc]

I agree with the first answer to your question. I would like to add, HANDLOADS are notoriously unreliable. No matter how good you are or how accurate you try to be, things can and do go wrong with problems like contaminated primer and powder. brass length and strength and other things that can and do go wrong. At the range problems are easy to correct and continue on, but in a life saving situation, I for one trust the reliability of my ammo to top of line, premium grade factory ammo. Most brands will all perform as needed with little difference. The thing is they are all RELIABLE.
Do yourself a favor and save your reloads for practice and find a brand and style you feel comfortable with. I won't even give you my opinion on brands cause what I like the next guy will say mine's better followed by more mine's better. The fact is any quality, premium ammo is good. Whatever you decide on will be the best for you.
A good rule of thumb is find out what your local law enforcement carries and carry the same.

Good Luck

Speak for your own handloads dude!

-Doc

[Bighouse Doc]

I fear this myth originated with the ammo industry. The object is probably to increase ammo sales.

Mas says it, he isn't God on this. I am sure he has a couple of industry sponsors too. correct me if I am wrong.

-Doc

[Punch]

We must have some horrible reloaders on this forum given the fear over reloads. When I hunt or for personal defense, I load my own ammunition because it is MY life, and I trust my own work more than some nameless faceless factory worker. Too many times handloads get a bad reputation because of all of the guys that load off of progressive presses for "practice" ammo, or just plain do not know what they are doing. A true carefully loaded handload with high quality components is at least the equal to a factory load, and more often better. This is particularly true when you own a chronograph and have the opportunity to see what really works out of YOUR pistol, not a factory universal reciever.

I carry factory ammunition when I have not had time to reload, or when I cannot get the components that I need for a quality load. I have even purchased factory ammunition and pulled the bullets for use in handloads (before some of the better ones were available as components). I only do this when I cannot get the factory ammunition to group well, or if it is uneven over the chronograph (not uncommon).

As to the legal ramifications of using handloads, I think that this has pretty much been debunked on every forum that I have been on. One gunwriter from the anti gun East Coast made mention of a case such as this, and the legend went from there. I have lived in a lot of different jurisdiction (mostly in the Midwest) and every law enforcement officer that I have spoken to has said that they are unaware of anytime the issue has even come up. If you life is really in danger, you are justified in using any means at your disposal to deal with the situation. If it is not a "good" shoot, what bullet you used is the least of your problems.