Shoot someone else's reloads?

[Viperdoc]

I was at the range last week, and as usual met some nice people. On guy offered to let me shoot his AR with some of his home loads, but I declined, and said, that nothing personal, but we really didn't know each other, and it was my general practice to not shoot someone's rifle and reloads that I didn't know anything about. He did shoot my target rifle with factory ammo, which I was glad to offer.

This might come from my other hobby of flying, where most experienced pilots would not fly with a stranger in a strange airplane (talking about private piloting, not commercial airlines)- most of the times it would probably be just fine, but there's always the low percentage chance that the stranger, as nice as they might appear, could also be careless or worse. There are some pilots on our field who are great guys, but I would never get in an airplane with them at the controls. Why should it be any different with guns and home made ammo?

How do more experienced shooters dealt with this- if a stranger, but seemingly nice, offers to let you shoot his gun with his own reloads? Even if he shot it first, the loads could be on the edge or the gun not that well maintained so that the next round could be the one that pops the primer or worse.

Perhaps I'm being overly cautious, but this is from my flying experiences.

 

[gambleone]

Depends, if I knew him or her well enough I would, but you certainly bring up a good point. Speaking of a perfect stranger, I guess you are assuming & trusting to a certain extent & would be taking a chance.

 

[hottshott526]

I shot some one elses reloads ONCE. He was a good friend and I trusted him very much until IT happened.

44 mag 180gr bullets and a whole lot of powder in new brass

worked fine in his Blackhwawk not so much in my Smith 629 Classic
seperated 2 cases in the cylinder had to have my gunsmith remove the fragments left behind.

Never again will this happen with someone elses loads because I refuse,politely,to shoot them.

So my advise: Shoot them at your own risk! Even if it is HIS gun.


Brian

 

[Mikem]

When at the range, I wont shoot someone else's reloads in my rifle, but if hes shooting them in his, in most cases, I would shoot his reloads in his rifle, if he passes my test.
My test doesent take long in talking with someone to get a fairly good picture of where this guy or gal stands on the ladder of gun/reloading knowledge, plus ill take a look at what hes shooting, rifle and reloads, even empties, but if the guy has 3 BR rifles on the rack he built himself, I would likely chance it.
To many guys shoot neck sized and fire formed brass, like me, to ever switch ammo and rifles. That's a big NO NO in my book.
Mike.

 

[wapiti25]

I fully agree about letting someone's reloads going into my gun. It's like finding the largest powder charge in a loading manual and shooting it first in your gun. A LOT LIKE RUSSIAN ROULET.

 

[NHgunNut]

I would "pretend" to be curious aboout his brass and really check it over, see if it appears carelessly reloaded, or if he took some time, and of course look at the primer . AR-s are death traps anyways. i own one. been good so far, but there are some bad vids out there on AR's blowing up. absolutely never would i use a stranger's ammo in my gun tho. The only cases i swap are "plinking" loads that i full length size

 

[Taildrag15X]

I agree for the same reason.......I lost a friend and his wife who had his own plane, they had meet up with a another couple new to the town and seeming to be of good stock, job, house, cars, pilots license, etc......

So one day the couple take the new friend up to get a few hours and....he crashed the Mooney into the house of his wifes boyfriend, never found out "how" he got control as he was in the right seat.

Same feeling as being in a car with my 17 year old......

 

[jerrschmitt]

I just don't shoot other peoples guns no matter where the ammo came from. I can watch them make it go bang. I also seldom offer to let people shoot my guns.I bring enough ammo to the range for my purpose and that's it.

 

[c3006]

I have gotton my hands on other peoples reloads in a couple of trades,I pull the bullets and re reload them ;D

 

[Bistem]

I very often have friends and co-workers ask me to reload for them. I dont feel comfortable doing that so I always toss them the excuse that I dont have a remanfacturers license so it is illegal for me to do that . Besides....i barely have the time to keep myself in loaded rounds....speaking of which.....i better go finish my last 100 45ACP's so that i have no unloaded brass for that.