Gun show .357 reloads

[bushmaster1313]

The Middleton gun show had .357 generic reloads full metal jacket for $30 per 100 rounds.

Any reason not to buy these for practice/plinking with my 27-2 and pre-27

 

[Moonman]

Are you a GAMBLING MAN? I would be very careful with some gun show reloads, LOAD your OWN, it's SAFER.

 

[Dragon88]

I wouldn't let "generic" gun show reloads anywhere near my guns. Load them yourself or buy factory ammo from reputable companies.

 

[bushmaster1313]

What is the concern?

Can you put enough powder in a 357 case to blow a gun apart in the way you can double powder a shotgun shell?

Thank you in advance

 

[arjay]

Yes and that is the risk.

 

[smith revolver cop]

Yes and that is the risk.

+1 on this. Not only can you put in too big of a charge and explode the cylinder and frame, you can also put in too small of a charge and plug the barrel with the bullet. If you don't realize it in time and fire another round, then you explode the barrel. Either way, lot of chance for damage and injury.

#1 rule at gun shows... no ammo in plastic baggies! Never!

 

[Dump1567]

.357 generic reloads

That's the problem right there.

I don't trust anyones reloads but my own.

 

[Dragon88]

A bad 357 load can easily destroy your gun and cause you injury. As said above, stay away from anything in a plastic baggie at gun shows.

 

[OKFC05]

What is the concern?

Can you put enough powder in a 357 case to blow a gun apart in the way you can double powder a shotgun shell?

Thank you in advance

Too much powder

Too little powder

The wrong powder

Worn out cases

Wrong primer

Bullet seated too deep

Wrong size bullet

And if it blows your gun and puts you in the hospital, WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

Federal law requires all ammunition sold to have been loaded by a licensed ammunition manufacturer, including reloads. (FFL Type 6) Any individual can load ammunition for his own use, not to include sale. Where's the name and address of the person/company that made those "generic reloads"? Hmmm.......?

 

[bushmaster1313]

Great advice

 

[cjw3]

One notable exception to the cautions regarding "bagged ammo" is Georgia Arms. They are a top-flight company and their products are well known for their quality.

Georgia Arms

 

[Mack]

What is the concern?

Can you put enough powder in a 357 case to blow a gun apart in the way you can double powder a shotgun shell?

Thank you in advance

Funny you should ask, I just saw a Ruger .357 single action with the classic half cylinder/top strap gone mod yesterday at a local gun show.

 

[bushmaster1313]

WHO YOU GONNA CALL

Gunbusters

 

[GearHead_1]

There isn't much I can add to what has already been said. I agree with the sentiment already conveyed in this thread. Don't get me wrong, I trust reloads and have a great deal of confidence in them. More to the point, I trust MY RELOADS not just anyone's.

We see both ends of the spectrum when discussing reloads as they probably offer most serious shooters the best possible performance when compared to factory ammo. That margin has diminished greatly in the past couple of decades. That said, let's face it, the factory can't custom tailor ammo to your specific firearm. The other side of this comparison is that there are certainly more failures (some catastrophic) per X number of reloads fired. When the person doing the reloading knows what they are doing there is no substitute but as in any hobby or profession there are guys that know what they're doing and guys that don't.

Even the highest quality ammunition doesn't come with a warranty. Choose yours wisely.

 

[handgunner356]

With the price of components going higher and higher it's getting harder for the small loaders to compete with the larger commercial company's. That is especially true with the faster moving loads like 9/40/45, there is still some advantage in magnum loads, although unless he is a regular class 6 manufacturer I wouldn't take a chance.

 

[nawilson]

I am with cjw3. I have shot a lot of Georgia Arms.

I think FACTORY reloads from a reputable company are probably safe, but I wouldn't ever buy reloads in a Ziploc from "some dude at the the gun show".

 

[GJH77]

One notable exception to the cautions regarding "bagged ammo" is Georgia Arms. They are a top-flight company and their products are well known for their quality.

I would agree with this, and have purchased a number of times from them at gun shows, but even then in the last batch of 38's I got, there was a round that the case split in my model 15,and jammed in the cylinder. That was the first time that had happened to me with any round, and I was a little unprepared for it, but it came out, and no damage. I guess the case was just reloaded one too many times.

 

[firearmsunlimited]

What is the concern?

Can you put enough powder in a 357 case to blow a gun apart in the way you can double powder a shotgun shell?

Thank you in advance

Shotgun powder and pistol powder are two completely different animals. Over charge a pistol load by a few grains and there can be catostrophic results. I would never trust anyone's pistol reloads because I value my guns and fingers too much.

 

[growr]

any ammo that I question is pulled apart for the components.

I must be the odd man out on this topic as I have bought "Gunshow" ammo after giving it a very close inspection.

If there are specific notes on what was loaded, notations on powder type and quantity, bullet types, weights, oal, primer types etc...if it is well documented on the label I have been know to buy it and then when I am home pull several to confirm that what the label said is actually what is being used.

ie. I know what Unique looks like and if the label says it is a .38 Spl with 4.5 grains of Unique and a 158 SWC I will weigh the powder to confirm, give the powder a visual to see if it really does look like Unique, Bullseye, etc. and then weigh the bullet. If it is a powder I don't know or recognize I will usually take note of the powder weight and then compare with other known standards. If it is within a normal range for a .38 SPL load I then sometimes will fire it in my strongest gun, for .38 SPL it would be in my Marlin rifle over a chronograph to see if it is close to standards.

Many would say that I am gambling with a destroyed firearm...so far I have not had a problem I believe this to be from being very thorough. I have yet to find any ammo that was grossly mis-loaded at a gun show.

Odd man out I guess.

Randy

 

[rpbcab]

The only problem I have ever had with my M&P9c is with reloaded ammo. When 9mm was in short supply a while back you had to use the reloaded range ammo at the range where I shoot. I was having 2 or 3 failures to fire out of every box of 50. I had 5 while shooting in my HCP class. The range was having some real problems with their supplier as many others were having this same problem. The problem seemed to be with the primers they just weren't firing. Thankfully this was their only problem.... Shortly after these problems surfaced the range began getting adequate supplies of ammo and stopped making us use the reloads.