hand loads vs factory for self defense

brusso89

brusso89

New member
The great debate I know. Researched this topic the past few days and I couldn't find any fresh threads so I'm asking you guys. Which do you prefer and why? I have a m and p compact with a apex 5.5 pound trigger (people also say not to modify your carry gun) so since I've already broke one rule in the debate I might as well use my reloads for self defense. Just wanting some newer opinions!
 
Factory. I'm not getting in a bind when push comes to shove.

Research Massad Ayoob and his thoughts on the issue.

All my carry weapons are 100% factory too.
 
State laws vary greatly! Castle Doctrine in effect for instance is HUGE!!!

In my state, there are other laws that protect a person that is defending himself from a felony assault or defending others from such.

So, know your state laws, and blanket questions like the OP started a thread on can mislead many on vital questions that they should be informed on.

For instance, there is ammo available on Gunbroker that states for Police only. Is this legal in your state? Many would argue that they want to shoot what the police are using.
 
Massad's articles get mis-quoted and misinterpreted a lot online these days... If you do the research yourself, you'll often find that the internet info on different "don't carry this or you'll lose in court" type bullschit just doesn't hold water.

I carry handloads in modified handguns.
 
I use my reloads for everything. Factory pistol velocity is usually faster than my reloads. As long as you're using factory bullets and standard loads I see no issues. As with all ammo that could be used for self-defense every round should be checked to insure they will chamber plus enough rounds should be test fired to insure they are totally reliable in your pistol. I've personally seen 2 instances with premium factory ammo that failed to chamber or fire. One had a case that was not trimmed and was .100" longer than maximum. Hopefully I or you will never see the need to fire a round in self-defense at another human but should it occur the ammunition used is the least of my concerns. I've watched this debate for years and have seen no compelling reasons not to use reloads. Whatever makes you more comfortable, either concerns from the law, or trust in the ammunition. Should it come to it I would hope MY lawyer could show the stupidity of another that would argue that my reloads are more destructive than factory.
 
While I do carry factory SD loads in my handguns, if the type of ammo is the only thing that an attorney can question/challenge, I have to think that all the other factors involved in the shooting under question must have been pretty solid....

Whether it was due to excellent training, the so-called Command Presence, or just Dumb Luck, in almost 30 years as a LEO, serving drug warrants, arresting armed bank robbers, etc... I never had to shoot anyone and only two times can I remember drawing an off duty weapon in an incident and one of those was in the aid of a uniformed officer having trouble with an arrest on a busy street to keep some by standers from jumping into the fray...That's not to say that I didn't approach a serious situation on duty with a firearm at the ready...And in those situations, I preferred my 12ga...

If you are always aware of your surroundings and what is going on around you, you can negate most confrontations that would require the use of a weapon and if a subject gets the drop on you, I would seriously question your ability to draw and fire successfully to end the situation in your favor...Only if it is obvious that the subject immediately intends to harm you, or someone with you, would it be feasible...Hopefully, you can wait, or talk, your way to a point where the situation is in your favor, rather than the other guys...
 
My reloads dont do this. Who shoots factory guns?
lol.gif

 
I think responsible reloads are fine if the shoot is a good one. By responsible what I mean is as long as you aren't trying to concoct some crazy witches brew load with deeply criss crossed hollowed out arsenic poison dipped and capped C4 exploder bullets. Well... you get the idea. If the shooting is questionable then everything in your entire life is coming under examination.
 
there has long been the expressed fear that a prosecutor might try to make it out that you worked up some man-killer loads & went looking for an excuse to try them out.

If this has ever actually happened, I haven't been able to find an example of it. But that doesn't mean that it couldn't.

If I were living in a state or city known to be hostile to gun owners & self defense I'd prolly be more concerned about it than otherwise.

The real question is "was the shoot justified or not?", what ammo you had at the time seems to be about the least of your worries.

I generally keep quality factory ammo in my carry guns, but when I carry a handgun hunting it usually has reloads in it & you can bet I'm not going to worry about that if I find myself in a defensive situation.
 
A good shoot is a good shoot. If I understand the argument against handloads, the risk is that the prosecutor will accuse you of using an extra lethal round that you purposely made to kill someone. I find that logic laughable! Does anyone really shoot someone without the full knowledge that their actions could end in the death or severe injury of person being shot???? What if the shooter would have used his 12ga with 00buck instead of his 9mm with his extra lethal handloads. To carry the anti handload logic a step further, It would then be OK in the eyes of the court to use a 12ga with factory 00buck, but to use ones own handoads in his 9mm is to lethal?????????????
 
Originally Posted By: Sod FarmerA good shoot is a good shoot. If I understand the argument against handloads, the risk is that the prosecutor will accuse you of using an extra lethal round that you purposely made to kill someone. I find that logic laughable! Does anyone really shoot someone without the full knowledge that their actions could end in the death or severe injury of person being shot???? What if the shooter would have used his 12ga with 00buck instead of his 9mm with his extra lethal handloads. To carry the anti handload logic a step further, It would then be OK in the eyes of the court to use a 12ga with factory 00buck, but to use ones own handoads in his 9mm is to lethal?????????????

Exactly! Shoot whatever works best for you. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot my reloads
 
I do remember hearing of a case in Arizona (I think? Could have been Southern California) in which a hiker was carrying a 10mm semi-auto handgun for bear/lion defense and was threatened/attacked on the trail by a homeless guy living in a trail side campground. The Prosecutor made a huge issue of what he continually called the "overly powerful inhumane handgun" used by the shooter. I don't recall the actual load used but the issue raised was about power of the 10mm as compared to what the local police carried. How much weight the jury gave that I'm not sure, but the shooter was convicted. It was interesting to me because a Glock 10mm is my most often carried woods gun.
 
I researched a while back, because the argument is funny. I found exactly 1 instance where anything remotely similar happened, the FBI agent Starling ended up being stripped of her badge.

I'm not with the FBI so it doesn't bother me.

In all reality, being I spent so much time turning lawyers arguments into mush while on the stand, they will try to use your brand of shoes against you and go up from there. I reload for everything except my glock .40. I have "police issue" and "law enforcement only" ammo for it, along with lots and lots of speer gold dot ammo. I don't plink with it, so I have several lifetimes worth and it's the only ammo I carry in it. Everything else if its on my hip, I made.
 

All I carry is handloads, unless I fly, then I fly with factory ammo, and use that while traveling. That makes for far less issues at the ticket counter, or with the TSA. And for factory, I buy what my research tells me is "full power" with a good bullet. For my 10mm, I shoot 200 gr. XTP factory, and for my 40, I shoot Gold Dot. For my handloads, I use XTP bullets, in everything from 380 Auto, to 10mm Auto, load them to max. load data, chrony them, and test them in the pistols that will be shooting them for safety, and reliability.

If you are involved in a shooting, your ammo is going to be way down on the list of issues.

Squeeze
 
Are Federal HST available for reloads? My main carry gun only has a 3" barrel, I want the best performing bullet I can get for the lower velocity...factory HST 124gr standard pressure for me. My full frame Glock .45 I'm not so picky..
 
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Just use factory load for self defense and play it safe. Why even take the chance because even you if you do have to shoot someone and it is a good shoot you will be put through the ringer so why even give them something else to look at. There is a reason why law enforcement is not allowed to use reloads for duty.
 
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