Handloads for self defence or off the shelf?

[oneshotonekill]

Been wondering what the general consensus is on this subject? I am on the fence about it. I know some that say it isn't any big deal to load your own for self defense and others who will only buy off the shelf loads,(Hornady Critical Defense).

To me the argument is if you have to use them that is one more thing prosecution could throw at you. If you buy them off the shelf then they can't stick you with loading rounds that you designed to do more damage.

Thoughts and opinions?

 

[Benny]

Off of the shelf.

/thread.

 

[gunman41mag]

Been wondering what the general consensus is on this subject? I am on the fence about it. I know some that say it isn't any big deal to load your own for self defense and others who will only buy off the shelf loads,(Hornady Critical Defense).

To me the argument is if you have to use them that is one more thing prosecution could throw at you. If you buy them off the shelf then they can't stick you with loading rounds that you designed to do more damage.

Thoughts and opinions?

N E V E R use reloads for SELF-DEFENCE, cause it can be used against you in court

 

[lovemachine]

N E V E R use reloads for SELF-DEFENCE, cause it can be used against you in court

Have any evidence to back this up?

 

[BlueEagle]

Laser guns. Duh. No worrying about bullets; you do have to worry about ricochets from shiny jewelry though....

 

[gunman41mag]

Have any evidence to back this up?

Here you go Factory Loads Only For A Defense Gun « Survival Digest

 

[lovemachine]

Here you go Factory Loads Only For A Defense Gun « Survival Digest

Interesting. I have never heard that.

I carry factory anyway.

 

[cschwanz]

Factory only. End of discussion.

 

[SSGSAD]

N E V E R use reloads for SELF-DEFENCE, cause it can be used against you in court

^^^^^ this, is what I have read, and what I go by ^^^^^

 

[oneshotonekill]

Yeah that pretty much backs up what I was thinking.

I know of a fella, who will remain nameless, loads up .38 spc hollow base wadcutters backwards....think about it, that is a massive hollow point. He gave some to a DNR officer to dispose of roadkill deer that aren't quite expired when he gets on scene. This is what is in his EDC.

 

[billybob44]

I use what the LEO's do,,

I have loaded for almost 40 years, and can make very good defense loads-mostly with Speer Gold Dots+Hornady XTP's. I use those for hunting loads only.
Many years ago a LEO friend of mine advised me to carry factory loads, due to the "Lawyer Factor", if I needed to use on a Bad Guy. May be true-may be not but for $25.00-$30.00 every 6 months or so, it to me is cheap insurance.
If I carry what the LEO's do there is very little chance of a problem with the load, or with the Lawyers. Just my 's worth..Bill.

 

[JJenn]

Factory loads.
Read about it in In the Gravest Extreme written by Massad Ayoob.
Great book..

 

[booey50]

i wouldnt mind using handloads for carry. Chances are you are not loading extra hot loads or using some fairy dust in with your "illegal" powder... most people I know carry factory though.

 

[SmileDocHill]

For those who have read Massad Ayoob's info or who are more knolegable... Does the legal dilemma that relates to hand loads apply to "factory reloads" or FFL manufactured re-loads? (Example USA Ammo, or locally Profiresupply) Or is it more just an issue when you are literally making (loading) them yourself?

 

[esrice]

Factory only please.

Does the legal dilemma that relates to hand loads apply to "factory reloads" . . . . . . Or is it more just an issue when you are literally making (loading) them yourself?

The idea is that the prosecution won't automatically go after big-name factory loads, like those used by your everyday police officer. But they *might* take up the issue if you loaded them yourself. I suppose the same could also be said for smaller unknown outfits.

To steer clear I'd just grab a box of Federal HST (or whatever your favorite flavor of JHP is) and call it a day.

 

[riverman67]

I like to carry what the local LEO's carry. If it's good enough for them it's good enough for me.

 

[mavisky]

Regardless of the "reloads show malice" argument, I just trust the guys at Cor-Bon to consistently load the ammo properly more than I do myself.

 

[youngda9]

Prosecutors use emotional arguments to sway juries. There is no need to give them the ammunition, ahem, they need to do so. Store bought rounds are extremely effective, there is no reason to use homebrew loads for SD these days.

You don't need a bunch of sheep on the jury getting riled up because you are some basement chemist mixing up dangerous batches of gunpowder and conjuring up uber evil and deadly handloads that are meant to kill and take the bad guy's soul straight to hell at the same time (or something crazy like that). <--Where can I buy those? Clearly you were out looking for trouble with your over-powerful handloads...cops don't even carry ammunition that powerful, blah, blah, blah.

If you do carry handloads and shoot a guy with them...I'm sure, for a small fee, that Masaad Ayoob will gladly show up at your trial and testify on your behalf