I just bought a used 30-378 and it came wit some ammo in boxes. The guy at the sporting goods store said they were hand loads and so I got 6 boxes of nosler parts and tsx 180 gr and 200 gr for 58 dollars a box. After thinking about it I think they might be factory loads. They are in the correct boxes and look fairly blemish free. Is there any way to know if they are factory ammo?
Are they handloads?
- Thread starter bigbore14
- Start date
- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
a pic would tell us if they match the descriptions from the box info.
What colour are the primers? Factory ammo primers tend not to be silver in colour. Lots of reloaders use factory boxes.
Only Nosler, Weatherby and some U.S. company called HSM loads factory .30-378 Weatherby.
$58 per box is pretty good. Nosler ammo runs $129.99US, Weatherby $109.99 to $119.99US, HSM is $126.99US, all per 20. Bertram brass runs $58.95Cdn per 20.
You'd best jump into reloading for it.
Only Nosler, Weatherby and some U.S. company called HSM loads factory .30-378 Weatherby.
$58 per box is pretty good. Nosler ammo runs $129.99US, Weatherby $109.99 to $119.99US, HSM is $126.99US, all per 20. Bertram brass runs $58.95Cdn per 20.
You'd best jump into reloading for it.
"...any of the above mentioned companies actually have..." Prices I quoted is for loaded .30-378 Weatherby ammo from Midway, Stateside.
"...How do I know what..." You won't. Ammo makers don't publish the powder or the charge. The primers in reloads are usually silver coloured.
I'd pull 'em and load 'em myself. Shooting other people's reloads isn't a good idea.
"...How do I know what..." You won't. Ammo makers don't publish the powder or the charge. The primers in reloads are usually silver coloured.
I'd pull 'em and load 'em myself. Shooting other people's reloads isn't a good idea.
I understand why shooting someone eless reload arn't a good idea. Hence me writing this thread. I will pull a bullet. Is it safe to push the primer out, if it's still loaded? Do you think hand loads with pulled bullets will be as good as just leaving them factory?
Yes, wear eye protection just in case. Like Zuke said, any trace of carbon in the primer pocket is a clear sign the brass has been reloaded.
A close look at the neck should be a quick indicator. If you're going to pull a couple apart anyway, the primer pocket will definitely tell you. You can deprime live primers, if you are careful about it.
Honestly though, I can't see anyone ever selling factory, and calling them handloads. You'd gladly pay $25 for a box of 300WM factory ammo, what would you give me for my reloads? If they were factory, you'd definitely have paid factory prices.
Honestly though, I can't see anyone ever selling factory, and calling them handloads. You'd gladly pay $25 for a box of 300WM factory ammo, what would you give me for my reloads? If they were factory, you'd definitely have paid factory prices.
Personally I think you just got scewed.
You just paid close to 3.00 a round for something that should never have been sold by a reputable dealer to anyone.
Handloads by "Bubba" could contain 100 grains of Bullseye under a 180 grain for all you know.
Never,Ever buy handloads that you dont know the source of.
Never.
Here is the price for a box of 20 new brass in Canada;
I don't think he got screwed, the TSX bullets cost over a dollar each as well.
I reload, so I bought them for the brass basically. The brass is minimum of $85 for 20 (not made by Wby), I paid $58. Wb'y is expensive brass. Plus yes, the bullets alone are around 1$ each for the TSX.
Now, I pulled one of the bullets out. Havnt yet pushed the primer due to not having the dies yet, however the bullet case inside near the base is brassy looking, way cleaner that my other cleaned pre shot bullets. I am guessing that they are factory loads. I will still have to pull a primer to make extra sure. If this is the case I have just saved $1000 in bullet costs.
The only reason he thought they were handloads in the first place, I mean they look brand new, no marks, or darkness around the bullet, was that there was a date writen in the carton end of two of the boxes of bullets.
