There seems to be tribal knowledge that carrying handloads for self-defense is not a good idea. Something about possible legal implications, though I don't understand why.
I roll my own for most of the weapons I shoot, including 9mm and 45acp. In the near future I'll be loading .380 as well. I target shoot with the same ammo I carry.
So what's the big legal issue?
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I think the reasoning goes that the prosecution can argue that you intentionally created your ammo to be more lethal or damaging and therefore, it demonstrates malice.
I don't know that any of these theories have actual case law behind them. If so, I'm unaware of it.
There is also the concern that made from scratch ammo using (presumably) oft-fired brass may not be as reliable as factory ammo and, therefore, not worth risking your life on.
I'm not sure I agree with the that rationale any more than the first. If you've got confidence in your stuff, I see no problem with using it.
My .45 absolutely refuses to eat reloads. I'm guessing the chamber tolerance is just too close. Factory ammo feeds perfectly, but reloads inevitably are too tight to chamber reliably. I don't reload my own yet but I've tried reloads from several different people and had exactly the same problem. One of them stuck in the chamber so bad that I had to use a screwdriver to pry the slide open and get it out.
But that's just my gun. I've used reloads in any number of other firearms and never had a problem.
I used to have a supervisor who was a former trial lawyer that I asked this question to. He said the first thing he'd do was to have the gun (Exhibit A) tested to be sure it was operational, and to see if there were modifications like an ultralight match trigger that he could paint as questionable in the minds of the jurors. He said he'd definitely attack the use of handloads, from the perspective of the loader making "special" ammo to different specs than what the Police use.
I check with local cops to see what they're issued, and choose from among those rounds for personal defense. If the Police use that same load, how can it be "bad"?
Maybe its an issue, maybe its not. Why, for the cost of a few boxes of premium hollow points per year, should I expose myself to the liability? Its false economy.
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