[marlas1too]

i make my own lead bullets most of the time and use lee die,s all the time for all of my pistols and rifles and today i was making some 158 gr. swc hollow points and found that a steel bb will fit very snugly into the hollow point i just used a channel lock to press them in and took it to the range and wow i tears a paint can up--now the bb weights in at 5.7 gr. so you have to factor that in to the 158 bollet which brings it tojust under 164 gr. i have some old books on reloading and cross ref. them till i got the load im going to use---3.0 gr red dot in a 38 special+p

[Logan2302]

That load sounds ok I guess. It'll be fairly light probably.

Homemade bullet made more lethal, hmm.

Stick with Federal if you like hydroshocks

[JonM]

i wouldnt use em for self defense... too many liberal presecutors and da would turn it into a grenade in front of a jury.

[Logan2302]

Originally Posted by JonM

i wouldnt use em for self defense... too many liberal presecutors and da would turn it into a grenade in front of a jury.

Exactly!

Stick w Federal

[powg]

There was a self defense shooting ,years ago in Baltimore Md. The victim (shooter) of armed robbery was sued by the robber (slower than shooter ) for his medical bills .The victim had cut X's into the tips of his .38 special 158grain, lead roundnose bullets . The lawyer ,for the bad guy, tried his best to make the victim out to be a vigilante,with special homemade bullets ,meant for maximum destuction .The victim ,not only was faster on the draw ,he had a better lawyer too!

[freefall]

Read Massad Ayoob's take on home rolled ammo for self defense.

[willfully armed]

and maybe rely on technology that was designed this century?

[Wenonah]

Originally Posted by powg

There was a self defense shooting ,years ago in Baltimore Md. The victim (shooter) of armed robbery was sued by the robber (slower than shooter ) for his medical bills .The victim had cut X's into the tips of his .38 special 158grain, lead roundnose bullets . The lawyer ,for the bad guy, tried his best to make the victim out to be a vigilante,with special homemade bullets ,meant for maximum destuction .The victim ,not only was faster on the draw ,he had a better lawyer too!

If you ever have to shoot someone you are in for a huge headache over the next year, even it it is completely justified with twenty witnesses who all agree that you had no other choice. One way to minimize that headache is to avoid giving the lawyers ammunition (unavoidable pun) by using commercially available, factory loaded ammo. Pick something that works in your gun and is used by a local, state or federal agency. Most LE agencies have done their research so you get an effective round while removing the "evil ammunition" argument from the post shooting finger pointing.

[BILLYBOB44]

Originally Posted by Wenonah

If you ever have to shoot someone you are in for a huge headache over the next year, even it it is completely justified with twenty witnesses who all agree that you had no other choice. One way to minimize that headache is to avoid giving the lawyers ammunition (unavoidable pun) by using commercially available, factory loaded ammo. Pick something that works in your gun and is used by a local, state or federal agency. Most LE agencies have done their research so you get an effective round while removing the "evil ammunition" argument from the post shooting finger pointing.

^^^++What he said!!

I have hand loaded ammo for over 35 years, and have no doubt that my loads will work as designed-have used my ammo for hunting+have NEVER had an animal live to complain!!
With that said-I will ONLY carry factory loads for SD. Yes,it DOES pain me to spend $1.00+per shot for the stuff, but I know that I have eliminated one more hassle to go through should I have to use my weapon in SD.
Just my 2 cents worth..Bill.

[marlas1too]

i also have over a 1,000 rnds of factory loaded ammo for each cal. pistol i have and here in wv. we have a castle law -if you have to shoot someone breaking into your home the LE will just be there for the clean up and yes i carry factory loads when im out in public---i just like to reload and when i come across someting new i like to share it--------remember its better to have and not need than need and not have