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why is reloading looked down upon?

4K views 43 replies 25 participants last post by  soundguy 
#1 ·
I spent several hours at the indoor range yesterday and couldn't help coming to the conclusion that many in the shooting community look down on reloading in general. Why is that, are we considered to be a bunch of cheap bubbas trying to cut corners on cost everywhere we can even if it means disregarding safety?

I spent two hours with an instructor and we had half of the range to ourselves because we were out in front of the red line practicing drawing and shooting moving targets, etc but after we finished the lanes were opened up to some shooters who were patiently waiting to come in.

The instructor and I were talking about me using reloaded ammo while I was picking up all my brass and another shooter overheard our conversation and went and asked the range officer to be assigned another lane in a "safer" part of the range!

I learned of this when I was leaving and settling up with the front desk and we starting discussing reloading and a few standing nearby chimed in with their opinions and it seemed that I was the only one in the discussion who thought reloading was safe.

Has it always been this way or is it just now since so many are getting into reloading?
 
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#4 ·
Well, I'm not making it up. The local indoor range has 10 lanes, 5 lanes divided by a solid wall making two separate areas. I was in the right room and the man I mentioned went out front and asked the range officer at the desk to be moved to the left area. The range officer knows me and thought it was an odd request and that is why he told me about it. I guess he thought one of my rounds would blow up with him next to me. Him telling me this at the counter is what started the conversation about reloading and what prompted two other customers to chime in.
 
#3 ·
It's been that way for a long time. All it takes is one accident and it's all over the place. You always hear about the guy blowing up his revolver or rifle and the story just seems to stick around forever.

My dad didn't like reloads because he remembered his neighbour made some hot loads and had some terrible blowback. All this happened in or about 1940. That was a long time ago ,but he still remembered it.

Reloads have also gotten a bad reputation for jamming . The jamming is not caused by the reloads, IT is caused by the RELOADER not being diligent while making reloads.
 
#6 ·
Anyone that thinks reloads done correctly are unsafe is ill informed and an idiot. Reloading is safe IF you follow the directions. Every new gun manual for a new gun says no reloads. That is because there are those among us who do not follow the rules, load hot loads beyond the manuals and brag about it. They damage the gun and send it back to the manufacturer to get a free fix for their stupidity. Some who do overload get tagged and others are just lucky.

The dominant rule is NEVER exceed listed maximum loads, EVER. Watching for signs of excessive pressure is Russian roulette. Most of the signs don't occur until the pressures are WAY too high.

If you have the capability to make good safe reloads and you don't do it, spending a fortune on factory loads, then that tells me you are not very smart. The exception is ammo used for a hunt where the cost of ammo is insignificant compared to the cost of the hunting trip.

In 25+ years of reloading I have had two incident neither of which were a real problem. I tired to guess at loads for 10mm when there was no reloading information available when the Colt 10mm Delta Elite was first introduced. I got a blown primer. I let my young son shoot my 38 and a primer pocket was blocked by cleaning media and bullet only made it half way up the barrel. He knew the sound was wrong and did not fire again and no damage was done. I no longer use liquid polishing compound in my tumbler!

Considering all the ammo I have reloaded over the years with no problems, it is an indicator that I follow the reloading rules of safety. But based on some that report here as to how they reload, I too might want to be away from an unknown shooter shooting his reloads. I shot reloads in an indoor range for ten years and I never got one negative comment and my ammo came out of a baggie that should have indicated it was not factory ammo.

For the last 17 years at the outdoor range I use I have never got a negative response to my reloads. And in fact 9 out of 10 guys that come to the rifle range when I do reload.

LDBennett
 
#7 ·
We have one indoor range in Bossier City, LA, and they don't allow reloads. I don't know if they still do, or not, but they used to sell reloads in .38, and 9mm. Where I take my refresher course for CCW doesn't allow reloads either, and they are outside. I really don't understand why. They claim it's a safety issue, maybe it's the insurance, but I've been reloading for over 35 years, and the only problem I've ever had with my reloads is that I once forgot the powder, squib load. Look at the ammo that gets recalled form the factory, over loaded to the max, but still because it's factory ammo, you can shoot it!
 
#9 ·
I'd just chaulk it up to ignorance and snobbery. Many of us who reload, if not most of us, have more confidence in our ammunition than those who just buy off the shelf ammo. I know that my .30-06 ammunition that I've hand loaded to original specs is much more accurate than anything that I could possibly buy in any store or shop. Same for my 7.62mm Match ammo.

I know of people who practice with handloads, and will only use factory 'premium' ammunition for hunting. I never buy factory ammunition - if I can avoid it. I know exactly what is in my weapon, and I know exactly how it will perform.

You are likely better off that those clowns at the range shot well away from you. The store employee was probably trying to sell more of his shelf products to the uninformed. Or maybe he was waiting to scarf up the brass monkey boy was going to leave behind.
 
#11 ·
It's all about the money, but the reason given is "safety" so it likely creates a group think at the range that reloads are not safe.

There is an indoor range near here that won't allow reloads and as of only 4 months ago now allow you to bring in factory ammo and they charge you to "inspect" it, including $2 to inspect each box of 50 .22LR. As if there are people out there reloading boxes of .22LR! The first and last time I was there they were out of factory ammo so your only option was to buy their in-house reloads cranked out on a Dillon press in the back room. Oh, no picking up brass, for safety reasons of course. Chaps my hide.
 
#12 ·
I've looked at a few firearms training courses recently, and have been seeing requirements listed in the fine print that include xxx boxes of factory ammunition - no reloads. This ludicrous mindset isn't limited to shooting ranges, apparently.
 
#17 ·
For a few of the gun classes I've been in, the instructors state "never shoot reloads" I always took that as do not shoot other peoples' reloads. I agree, I only shoot my reloads unless it is from someone I know and trust. At my indoor range it seems more people pick up brass than don't. Many if not all of them do reload.

On the flip side, there have been a couple of occasions where I took Boy Scouts to the range (with their scout leaders). I do not allow them to shoot my reloads. Why? Because if something goes wrong I don't need some ignorant parent blaming me or my reloads.

 
#19 ·
My dad used to be completly agianst reloads cuz unsafe and not enough savins to justify the unsafness of it. Now hes talkin bout doin it after me tellin him fer two years how its safe as long as ya pay attention n dont try to really hotrod or shoot over max loads. Peoples thoughts can change bout it but some of em id rather not try to change their minds due to they couldnt safely doo it anyway
 
#21 ·
The thing about fear of reloads is a legitimate gripe...
ever been next to someone who had a KABOOM due to their own stupidity??
Most of the time they only hurt themselves, but occasionally they hurt others.

Reloaders need to be somewhat OCD...and follow the Army Marksmanship Unit's rules for reloading.
Anything less can lead to serious errors and problems.
I've reloaded, my wifey does most of it now as she's even more meticulous.
No kabooms, no squibs, no errors for either of us...
but we've seen others screw up, and never want to be in that boat...
 
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#22 ·
The thing about fear of reloads is a legitimate gripe...
ever been next to someone who had a KABOOM due to their own stupidity??
Most of the time they only hurt themselves, but occasionally they hurt others.

Reloaders need to be somewhat OCD...and follow the Army Marksmanship Unit's rules for reloading.
Anything less can lead to serious errors and problems.
I've reloaded, my wifey does most of it now as she's even more meticulous.
No kabooms, no squibs, no errors for either of us...
but we've seen others screw up, and never want to be in that boat...
I agree because your receiver goes flying across the boat and punches a hole through the side. Sometimes the trigger can go flying all the way through your outboard motor.

I hate it when that happens!!!
 
#23 ·
Try being within 50 feet of a guy with a Ruger that went KABOOM...
probably due to a double powder load...stuff happens.
If you spend enough time at the range, you are eventually present
when something goes wrong...hopefully nobody gets hurt badly,
but it still makes you think, and think hard, about everything around you.

I might not be as worried about a well-known shooter & reloader,
but I'll still place myself in a (relatively) safe location in case the unexpected happens.
 
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#24 ·
Several have said they had never heard of this happening but I wonder....... how often has someone moved away from you without you knowing they did it or why? I didn't even know the man asked to change lanes until I quit for the day and was at the front desk settling up for the range fee and targets we used. Had the attendant not told me about I would have never know of the lane change either and this thread would never have been posted.

Could be that this man had a previous bad experience himself and didn't want to repeat it. I don't think this range has a policy against reloads since I have been bringing in reloads for a couple months now and all the range officers know I reload and several have helped me out a time or two themselves. The owner said I could set up my chronograph (and pick up my brass from across the line) anytime I wanted to in the earlier hours of any week days but would need a special kit so it would work under the florescent lights.
 
#25 ·
Could be that this man had a previous bad experience himself and didn't want to repeat it.

That's a very good possibility, Show Low, and I'm glad you thought of it before simply flipping him the bird.:)

Most people, despite evidence to the contrary, don't act irrationally without reason. He may well have had a close call sometime in the past. I can't blame him for being cautious, and I don't think that you do, either.

I find that when I'm at the range when other people are present (rare), most of those around me are also reloaders, and I tend to trust them more than the ones who only shoot new ammo. I happen to think that you can't reload for long without developing a healthy respect for the risks; those who don't tend not to reload, or live, for very long. They also don't get offended by an occasional "cease fire" to check targets or collect brass on the hot side of the line.
 
#26 ·
I used to use an indoor range about 15 miles away. They did not like reloads and banned lead cast projectiles based on a phony claim that it created huge lead exposures in the air that they did not want. This claim was supposed to have been confirmed by OSHA which regulates lead exposure at the range. They also sold factory ammo with a big mark-up.

I don't think they are doing well financially, however. I also have seen people at outdoor ranges ask others if they were using reloaded ammo. I believe that is not unusual.
 
#27 ·
When I regularly used an indoor range 17 years ago for a period of 10+ years, the rule was no exposed lead bullets. That included soft nosed bullets, or cast bullets. Since they knew me after awhile they never checked my ammo but they did check other people's ammo. They had no rule about no reloads. I shot reloads there for over 10+ years. They were not trying to sell ammo.

The reason was the steel plates would get pock marked from the bullets. Exposed lead bullets would breakup when they hit the steel plate whereas jacketed or plated bullet would not. They were worried about the splatter. Even with those rules I got spatter back occasionally even though they changed out the plates regularly. It was a 50 foot range.

I no longer have access to any indoor range for centerfire handguns after moving 17 years ago. A lot has changed environmentally in that period so rules have changed, I would imagine. But reloads are not a reason to ban someone and I think it a way to force you to buy their ammo. I went this year to one many miles away and the rules were different. While they did not impact me I dislike rules that seem pointless to me.

I have shot at rifle ranges that had rules about no steel cored or tracer ammo and for good reason I suppose as I have seen fires start from each kind. One range we use to go to had a change of club leadership and they got religion about steel cored ammo. Since my son-in-law has tons of surplus ammo with steel cores we were banned from shooting. I promptly resigned and insisted on my membership dues be returned which they did. We had shot there for over 5 years with steel cored ammo with never a problem. I never went back.

LDBennett
 
#28 ·
I don't have that problem. I shoot outdoors on private property. The only instance I can think of is when the wife and I took our carry class. The instructor owned the indoor range and would not allow reloads. He tried to explain how unsafe they were because hs buddy double charged a 38 special round for his wifes revolver and it blew the cylinder apart. Reloads are bad. He sure didn't have a problem bagging up and selling the brass off his range floor.
 
#29 ·
The range I took my CHL at a few years back banned reloads. I tried to take the class at a different place, but without any luck. I wanted my papers to go in ASAP to get my CHL because Texas was backlogged on them and a friend that had did his about a year before mine said it took him almost 9 months to get his license in and everybody I called was full for close to three months on the day I could take it. So I researched a few things and found out Texas has 60 working days to approve or deny your CHL by law so I picked up a empty 50 round Winchester white box 115gr FMJ from the range on my next visit there, sorted my mixed 9mm brass and got 50 pieces of Winchester brass, loaded them up with Hodgdon HS-6 and FMJ's and took my class. They checked the rounds at the door but never knew the difference. Sad to say but that was the last time I went to that range and I even retrieved my brass afterwords! I sent my info to Texas via Next Day with signature confirmation for $18.00 and 59 days later I had my CHL in my hand!
 
#30 ·
AZ has a similar law, and when AZ DPS was farting around delaying my application because "something" turned up in the background investigation (a lie, as there's nothing there but merit badges), I wrote them, reminding them that the statute was about to run out. I followed up with a phone call the next day and was told, quite gruffly by the female at the desk, that my license was in her hands about to go out that day. If you don't call and pester them, they will delay as long as possible to avoid putting down the donuts and doing their jobs.
 
#31 ·
I've got my rifles sighted with my custom tailored reloads, I get better grouping than factory, no way I'd use commercial to hunt.. Id have to sight back in to do so. I collect boxes and trays from the range.. I doubt most at the range know I am shooting reloads..
 
#32 ·
Ignorance! Complete "head up their rear" ignorance. How can anybody with any common sense, having been around guns for any period off time, really say reloading is unsafe. That's the kind of "range rat" that gives reloading a bad reputation. When I was hanging around ranges in the late '60s, I was fascinated by the fellers that collected brass from the range floor and came back next week and shot them all over again. These guys usually shot a lot more than other shooters, and their targets showed much better groups. (BTW, their brass was brown, not shiny polished, virgin looking 'cause tumbling wasn't "necessary" back then!).

When I encounter this kind of bull clap I just smile, and walk away...
 
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