ANSWER TO: Are aluminum cases a gamble

[john17427]

My Walther PPS gen 1 did not like aluminum cases at all. Jam, jam, jam, both ftf and fte. Gave the rest away. Never a problem with any brand of brass ammo in the gun.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I did reload aluminum cases with success but only once.

I loaded up some Speer shot capsules to produce .38 Special snake/rat shot. The pressure generated is very low but like I said above, I only loaded each case once. I use the cases they sold the factory snake shot in, fired the factory ammo and reloaded their cases. (once) Other than that I would never recommend reloading aluminum cases. (maybe not even those)

 

[cmj8591]

Hard to imagine why there is even a discussion on this. Most brass cases are not that hard to find nor are they unduly expensive. They last through a number of safe loadings in the hands of a competent handloader.

Why would one want to use aluminum cases for reloading? To do so is a potentially dangerous stunt rather than a safe handloading practice; it's more along the lines of something a YouTube crackerjack would recommend.

No one, at least I'M, not recommending that anyone do anything. Everyone makes their own decisions based on their own experiences and abilities. There is a tendency for some to get on their horse and look down as if learning and experimenting is a bad thing because it doesn't fall into whatever their standards are. If you feel queasy about it, don't do it. There's a pretty good chance that if I blow a gun, you're not going to get hit by any of the shrapnel. This was an interesting topic for me and I learned a lot about the engineering and history of the use of different materials for cartridge construction in a hands on way. I shared it here because I know there are a lot of people like me on this forum who are curious about things and like to build off of others knowledge base. And yes, you are certainly right about the availability of brass cartridge cases, I have enough to last ten life times. But, having just come through the desert that this hobby has traveled through, you would have to be in denial big time to think that everything will always be available. You can't say that the ability to load aluminum might not be the difference between being able to shoot or not. I've been reloading for a long time, since 1975, and I've seen a lot of good and bad, safe and unsafe and really unsafe and I like to think I've learned from all of it so excuse me if I get a little miffed when people get preachy about what I'm doing, especially when it offered up in a way that doesn't add to the conversation.

 

[rockquarry]

No one, at least I'M, not recommending that anyone do anything. Everyone makes their own decisions based on their own experiences and abilities. There is a tendency for some to get on their horse and look down as if learning and experimenting is a bad thing because it doesn't fall into whatever their standards are. If you feel queasy about it, don't do it. There's a pretty good chance that if I blow a gun, you're not going to get hit by any of the shrapnel. This was an interesting topic for me and I learned a lot about the engineering and history of the use of different materials for cartridge construction in a hands on way. I shared it here because I know there are a lot of people like me on this forum who are curious about things and like to build off of others knowledge base. And yes, you are certainly right about the availability of brass cartridge cases, I have enough to last ten life times. But, having just come through the desert that this hobby has traveled through, you would have to be in denial big time to think that everything will always be available. You can't say that the ability to load aluminum might not be the difference between being able to shoot or not. I've been reloading for a long time, since 1975, and I've seen a lot of good and bad, safe and unsafe and really unsafe and I like to think I've learned from all of it so excuse me if I get a little miffed when people get preachy about what I'm doing, especially when it offered up in a way that doesn't add to the conversation.

Using good judgement and safe and sound handloading practices and recommending others do the same is far from being "preachy" (is that a real word?).

 

[cmj8591]

Using good judgement and safe and sound handloading practices and recommending others do the same is far from being "preachy" (is that a real word?).

preach·y
adjective: informal
adjective: preachy; comparative adjective: preachier; superlative adjective: preachiest

having or revealing a tendency to give moral advice in a tedious or self-righteous way.
"some were put off by the preachy tone of these stories"



Yep. It's a real word.

 

[Rule3]

 

[cmj8591]

I hope he didn't cut himself with that knife.