Factory reload ammo

[.cheese.]

Was wondering, the factory reload ammo you see at gunshows - is that stuff safe to use? Anybody here use it regularly without a problem - and if anybody has had a problem, what happened?

There is a gunshow down here next weekend, so I'm thinking of possibly getting a few bags of that stuff.

 

[foghornl]

I have used a bunch of rounds from my nearby commercial reloader, National Bullet Company of Eastlake, OH. NO Problems...

I have also shot some Ultramax brand in .357Mag, .38Spl, and 45ACP. Good stuff. Some of the Black Hills (IIRC, the blue boxed stuff) is "remanufactured from recovered components", or something like that. Again, good stuff.

With that being said, un-identifiable ammo (made last Saturday afternoon in somebody's garage, somewhere in this universe) that you frequently see in zippy-top lunch bags....Not for me. I ain't shootin' nuthin' that I don't know where it was cooked up.

 

[DMK]

I use Black Hills Blue Box 'reloads' which I wouldn't even classify as reloads except that they use once fired brass. It's better than some brand new stuff from Winchester, Remington, etc

I also use Miwall reloads which are of excellent quality. They use a lot of lead bullets, but some is jacketed. I used to buy Miwall .38 S&W reloads for like $10 a box and my old Brit Service revolver loves it. The most accurate ammo I've found in this caliber. Now I can't find anymore so once I run out, I'm back to $20 a box or load my own.

 

[Liberty1776]

I buy from three companies - all local, all small - one in WI and two in MN. But they use new factory brass, and everyone is using the same primers, bullets and powder as the big boys. It's hard to even think of them as "reloaders" any more. 100% reliability and great prices.

 

[CountGlockula]

I tried some .40S&W 165 grain from a recent Gun Show here in CA. I used 100 rounds out of my Glock. I know it was a no-no, but I took a chance and they worked out fine. The difference I notice from factory and reloads, was that the reloads gave a "bigger fire ball"; it was probably from low powder in the casing.

I'm going to stick with factory, but if you're running low on funds reloads are an inexpensive way to train at the range.

 

[.cheese.]

just to clarify as I've realized there is more than one type of factory reload, I'm talking about basically Winchester taking once fired WWB brass, cleaning it up and reloading it, then selling it to the people who run the factory reload booths at gunshows..... so it's once fired brass WWB, loaded by Winchester (or so the people claimed when I talked to them last show).

 

[Mr White]

Before I started reloading, I used Black Hills Blue Box in my AR for matches. It was pretty good stuff but my handloads are better.

I'll also use 9mm reloads when I come across it at a reasonable price.

 

[Chad]

I only have experience with one brand of factory reloads...Atlanta Arms and Ammo.
http://www.atlantaarmsandammo.com/

I've shot close to 6,000 rnds of their 10mm reloads and around 500 rnds of their .357mag.
In all that I had one 10mm rnd that collapsed the case and required a dowel to remove it.
Every other rnd was fine.

I still buy it for range ammo.

 

[Jeff F]

I got a few boxes of Ultramax .38 special when my wife wanted to learn to shoot a sidearm. I figured it was cheep and all she was going to do is make a lot of noise the first time out. First couple of shots missed the target at fifteen feet. She settled down and started grouping pretty good. I tried a few rounds and I like it. It was accurate and not on the weak side. Now we use it quite a bit for plinking. Never had a problem with it after a couple thousand rounds.

 

[Nightcrawler]

I've used HSM and Georgia Arms reloaded stuff.

HSM is okay, little smoky on their budget-priced stuff, but no problems and a great selection. Georgia Arms is top notch and I recommend them without hesitation.

 

[Two Cold Soakers]

I've run a couple hundred rounds of generic gunshow reloads (ziplok bags of 357, commercial looking yellow boxes of 10 mm) through stout handguns, (eg S&W 1006, 6" 686) and have found them to have shell to shell variablity by at least 30%, based on recoil and report.

I'm not talking it down, but my experience has been poor.
Haven't tried any of the names mentioned above.

 

[Kindrox]

I got some commercial 45acp reloads that were not sized right and had to shoot them only in my uzi (which eats anything). Other than that, they shot fine.

I have shot a bunch of .223 reloads from Dallas Reloading, and have not had a single problem.