What to do with someone else's handloads

Considering the situation and inability to replace a severely damaged frame, not to mention the potential personal health risk, pull the components. As for selling, I couldn’t in good faith pass this problem on to someone else to shoot this ammo unless they would be breaking the ammo down to salvage components. Considering the primer supply issues, this could be a great opportunity as well.
 
I would try pulling 1 or 2 with a collet puller
IF the powder charges weighed up as per the data on the box, and the bullets weighed up as listed, I would shoot the rest in a strong handgun or probably rifle (like a Ruger 77 / 357)

My experience with handloads is that I classify them as "unknown" and made by "other persons"

Unknown loads - ie - you dont know who made them and you dont know the components (boxes unlabelled)- I would always pull

Made by Other Person loads - ie - I know who made them, I know their ability, they have labelled the boxes, etc - I would shoot them no concerns at all

These would fall somewhere in between, so that's why I would have a look at a few and see what's what
 
A few years back, I was at a gun range and a member had purchased some reloads for his lever action. The loads were too hot for his rifle and all it took was one shot. Guy didn't get hurt but the rifle was done.
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I have a lot of trouble taking these kinds of anecdotes (which pop up all the time in these kinds of discussions) as serious arguments against using the ammunition.

What is described would require that the shooter be completely ignorant of the potential for misapplication. A load developed to be safe in one rifle might be moderately overpressure in another rifle of similar chambering and design, but will never be so overpressure that a single shot is going to destroy the gun. The only way that happens is the cartridge can be loaded to greatly different potential. An example would be the .45-70. If you took a cartridge loaded for a modern Marlin 1895 and fired it in a vintage 1873 Springfield, yes it would be bad for the gun. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the history of cartridge firearms should be able to avoid an incident like that.

saw the aftermath this summer of a new reloader who mistakingly substituted IMR 4198 in his Tika 30-06 instead of IMR 4350. The rifle completely grenated on the first shot.
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This is a little different from the case at hand for a couple of reasons. Firstly, a modern rifle load is not a handgun load. The proper powders are in the medium to slow spectrum so there are a lot of powders on the shelf that are inappropriately fast. The cartridge is routinely loaded to high load density. Neither of those factors is relevant here. The loads are already using fast powders and the only substitutions that could create problems are going to things like blank powder or flash powder, which most reloaders don't keep on hand. The charge densities are supposed to be low, and dumping a couple of samples onto the scale will tell you if that is correct or not.

Secondly, in this case the ammunition is a mistake and would not be safe in any rifle. It is described as bursting on the first shot. So if there is any evidence that the creator loaded and used this ammo regularly in his own firearms, it is highly unlikely to create a serious problem if used in another similar firearm.

I have definitely seen ammo that was loaded by others that I would not shoot. I have seen bullets I could spin by hand, and I have seen crimps so heavy the cases looked to have two shoulders. I have seen an SKS where the gas piston could not be removed because it was badly bent by the loads of compressed IMR4895 the owner used to hunt deer. Such loads do not normally exist in large numbers because the problems are obvious and the owners guns are quickly damaged. The ignorance and sloppy technique required to make mistakes like this are usually evident in the packaging, the record keeping, and the appearance of the cartridges themselves. A little investigation should allow any experienced handloader to recognize them.

Having said that, it brings to me a detail I did not note the first time I read this post:

Michael94 said:
I have a reloading press for 223 and 9mm that I haven't used or learned too yet.
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It would appear the OP is a novice reloader himself. He probably does not yet have the acumen to spot the mistakes of others. This is probably the biggest reason to argue he should not use the ammo.
 
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So just an update for everyone. I was at the range today. I tried using the 158gr lead loads. These were the only ones I could find in spec. For whatever reason they didn't want to feed in my 1892. Could have been a sign to not fire them... Haha.

I will purchase a bullet puller as suggested and reload them just to be safe. The casings and primers should still be usable.

I don't think it's worth damaging a firearm or injuring myself to save a couple of dollars.
 
Like most of you, somebody else's reloads can be uncertain. I have bought reloaded ammo cheaply with no plans to use it, pulled the bullets and saw three kinds of powder used in one box of 20. On the other hand, once bought a nice .222 rifle at auction and many of the handloads for the rifle at the same time with specific load data. I had no concern shooting that ammo in the gun. Regard the OP, a rifle to fire some of the ammo through to give an indication of power. I used to have a NEF single shot in 357 that could take some pretty stiff loads.
 
GIven the cost of Firearms and the cost of loading stuff I would pull them all.

Then pull the deprimeing pin out of the resizing die and resize all brass. Maybe get a LEE push through bullet resizer. TOSS the powder onto the lawn for fertilizer.

I am on my third HAMMER puller, busted other two after years of abuse. Before I picked up reloads cheap and re-fixed same.

Seen 44 Mag brass stuffed with 45 colt bullet. Over charges of UNIQUE in lead rifle rounds, Lots of scary things. DUDE it your skin!

Did I tell you about three finger BOB? 45/70 in a trap door blasted the bottom out and the wood and metal took off his little finger and half the ring finger.

Good luck, get a lottery ticket you get the same chance.
 
Unless the seller listed these as "for components only" or is licenced to reload for commercial sale he broke the law. It is illegal to sell reloaded ammunition unless one has the appropriate licencing. Lots of people reload for friends & family but there is always an inherent risk involved and they could get sued if an accident occurs.

If the seller lives close to you and did not meet one of the above two caveats I would ask for my money back.
 
OkayShooter said:
I assume they are 357?

I assume he got his load data from an older manual. As I just checked W231/HP38 data for 38 plus P and 357 and they're over max.

You can get a bullet puller hammer, stick a ear plug in the bottom and pull them.
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Depends which revolver the OP is going to shoot them through.

Those loads are all hot and some slightly over maximum but depending on which firearms he's shooting them out of, they are likely just fine to use as is.

I would use all of them as is in my lever action model 92 clone or in my Model 66 Smith and Wesson or even a Ruger Security Six or Ruger Black Hawk. I also used to own a Steyr built single action, made for Herter's that was tested against the Ruger Black Hawk in blow up tests and won. I would definitely shoot those loads in that pistol.

OP, if you're shooting something along the line of a Model 19 S&W, I wouldn't use that ammo.
 
I was planning to use them in my chiappa Alaskan 1892. The ones I tried didn't feed from the tube. Im going to pull them since I don't want to use my rifle like like a single action.
 
Michael94 said:
I was planning to use them in my chiappa Alaskan 1892. The ones I tried didn't feed from the tube. Im going to pull them since I don't want to use my rifle like like a single action.
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I have one of those as well and it should be strong enough for those loads.

Of course I won't make any guarantees and you should use caution.

I find with both so my lever rifles that if the cartridges are to long, they won't feed properly.

Unless you have a lot of them, and if you're already having feed issues, maybe you should just ''bite the bullet'' pull all of the bullets and reload to levels you're more comfortable with.

Model 92 rifles, are quite strong but they don't take well to being pounded with ''hot'' loads on a regular basis.
 
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