what to do with inaccurate handloads?

[archerross]

Hi All,

At the end of last year I bought a 7mm-08 from a buddy. The package deal included dies, brass, and about 200 rounds of handloads. These rounds are mostly 140 Accubonds (~100) with handfuls of 140 TSX and 139 SSTs. I shot some of this stuff before I started overhauling the rifle. It shot ok, about 1 MOA. The rifle has since received a new stock (complete with floating the barrel) and new bottom metal for detachable magazines. No surprise, the handloads no longer shoot very accurately, 1.5+ MOA.

What would you do with all of these handloads? I'd hate to shoot them just for the sake of shooting them...seems like a waste.

If I were to pull them, do you think anyone would buy them? I'm looking to shoot heavier bullets.

This is also posted on another forum, so you might see it twice.

 

[Cort]

I would pull the bullets and reload them. For small numbers of cartridges, the hammer type of bullet puller works but for larger numbers, the collet pullers are much easier to use. Hornady, RCBS and Forster all make good choices.

Cort

 

[GSRswapandslow]

why not just shoot them? I mean...it's a gun...they're loaded rounds...even the worst hand loads should still hit a 6" steel plate at 100yds...

 

[KevinThomas]

Your call, but I have a personal policy regarding handloads. A) I won't handload for others, and B), I won't shoot others handloads in my rifles. Sorry, but there's just not that many people I trust that much! After all, they're MY eyes and MY fingers. Pull 'em down and start over.

 

[Cakes]

IMO if they are safe rounds to shoot, go out to the range and work on off-hand...EVERYBODY needs the practice at offhand. I bet after a few sessions and the ammo used up, compare the first target to last and you'll see quite a difference, IMO. Eric in DL

 

[jbpmidas]

I ran into the same situation. A friend gave me several hundred .308 reloads. They didn't shoot the way I wanted them to. I bought a Hornadt collet bullet puller and am pulling them down and reloading them with a different charge.

 

[necchi]

IMO if they are safe rounds to shoot, go out to the range and work on off-hand...EVERYBODY needs the practice at offhand. I bet after a few sessions and the ammo used up, compare the first target to last and you'll see quite a difference, IMO. Eric in DL

Now that's a darn good idea!

 

[Leaddog]

If you have confidence that the loads are charged correctly, then shoot them. Fire form them for your chamber as you practice. If not, pull them with a collet die and reload.

 

[22BRGUY]

Another idea as long as they are safe....A lot of rifles like to be shot once or twice after cleaning to get to where they are "on track". Use those rounds one or two at a time just after cleaning your rifle to "season" the bore and then save them in their own batch for later reloading of your favorite recipe.

 

[fdshuster]

I'm with Kevin on this. Been shooting & loading since 1960 and have never (a) fired someone else's reloads in any of my firearms. (b) Never given my reloaded ammunition to someone else to use.

If you're comfortable doing that, then you're on your own.

I would take them apart & use the components, if I had any use for them, otherwise they would be torn apart & safely disposed of.

A guy at one of my club's recently loaded some ammo for his newly built custom bolt action (custom receiver also), and blew it up. Thought he was loading with RL17 & after the blow-up, discovered that he used RL10. The receiver held together, but was heavily damaged, no injuries, just the loss of a lot of $$$$.

 

[jerrschmitt]

I picked up 200 rounds of 6MM BR from an estate sale. The guy that loaded them was an old long time shooter and reloader. I don't shoot other peoples hand loads so I pulled them all down and am going to use the brass and primers. Didn't take all that long to do.

 

[fdshuster]

And we have not even brought up the legal ramifications involved. Give your reloads to someone else, they blow up their firearm, with or without injuries/ fatalities and you better be prepared for a lawsuit.

Start a search for a defense attorney & be prepared to be wiped out financially. I know I'm painting a worst case scenerio, but do you want to bet it can't happen to you?

 

[archerross]

I'm likely going to pull them. Do I think they are safe? Yes, I taught my friend good loading techniques and helped him with these loads. That much being said, I'm not sure what I would gain by shooting them "as is", except for perhaps offhand practice. Working on bench or prone technique and wind reading with inaccurate rounds would likely cause more frustration than meaningful learning. I would be constantly wondering if an errant shot was me or the out of tune load.

I should have enough 140 Accubonds to work up a new load and have some for the hunting season, but I prefer to shoot heavier bullets. Do you think anyone would be interested in buying pulled bullets, assuming the price is right?

 

[markm87]

Treat them like they were BLACK HILLS ammuntion. i.e.... Pull them apart and salvage what you can.... and maybe end up with some decent ammo. 8)

You might find a buyer on the hunting bullets if they aren't crimped hard or something weird.