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Posted: 12/6/2007 9:42:39 PM EDT
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Hello everyone, it is my first post here. I have been sneaking around for about a month now, reading and researching. I am in the process of building my first AR-15. I am pretty new to the gun world, but used to compete in smallbore and air rifle about 7 years ago. Now moving into the bigger guns, finally :) Let's preface this with, "I am a stupid n00b. Logical thought escapes me somtimes. Please forgive me. And don't burn me too hard." how - Should I even use the reloads in my new rifle? - If I do, what should i pull aside in my sorting of rounds? There are some with dented cases, some with crooked primers, etc. What should I look for in deciding what should go through my rifle? - What are some risks I run by putting these rounds through my gun? I'd rather not lose the $140, but I also do not want to screw up my brand new toy! Thanks for your input. It will be built and complete tomorrow eve, and I plan on taking out real rounds for the first shoot or two. If it matters, I plan on only punching paper, until I have to actually use it Tristen |
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A quality reload should look pretty much like new ammo except for maybe some tarnish on the case. What you describe would cause me to question all of his reloads. That said, I wouldn't worry about the little dings that are normal for ejection from a self-loader. He should have caught and culled any crooked primers though. I'll recommend buying a case length gauge and checkng the rounds out. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=268983&t=11082005 Just drop each loaded round in the gauge. It should freely fall all the way in. Check the primers when it is upside down. Then place it on a smooth, flat surface and check the case length against the gauge's top surface. Cull out any rounds that do not fit or are not properly trimmed. |
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A good rule of thumb when using reloads of an un-known quality or origin is simply to shoot "one" round then check that eject case for any bad signs: overly flatten primer, split neck etc. before pulling the hammer on the next round. Fire a couple more then do the same check them, be aware that depending on whether your rifle has the M4 feed-ramps and given the un-known quality of your magazines that "set-back" due to improper neck tension of these reloads can be a problem so I'd watch for that too... After a mag you should know whether you are running decent reloads or not...., just go slow until your confidence in them builds being wary of anything that don't look or feel just right. You may also want to check out your "Hometown" forum and locate a more AR15 educated shooting bud to join you at the range while you are shaking down and breaking in your new rifle as he may be beneficial in aiding you in this process due to his more advanced knowledge with the AR15 platform. mike |
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Well, I'd cull all the ones with crooked primers and furthermore I'd inspect every round for high primers. Any not at or below flush go in the cull pile. those I'd single load and I'd lower the bolt slowly by hand and then push on the forward asssist to ensure full bolt closure and fire them off. I don't want a high primer being chambered by the bolt at full speed. That's a good way to get a round to go off before the bolt is locked into the chamber. After those rounds are gone, I'd load the normal rounds singly dropping the bolt normally. Then I'd eject them and inspect for the bullet setback into the case. If 10-20 of those rounds are not set back then I'd load and shoot the rest of them normally. If I got more than one or two with mis seated primers in that lot of 500, then I'd be done with that guy's ammo. Personally I load my own so I wouldn't buy his stuff in the first place. The description of his ammo scares me. they don't sound like a good investment. Hope it all goes well and welcome to the AR world. SoS |
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+1 to mr_wilson(ETA- Steel, too). If the quality is unknown, then much caution should be exercised. I reload almost exclusively for my AR now, but my QC is probably better than any major ammo manufacturer. If you're unsure of the quality, or unwilling to risk using it out of fear of KB, all is not lost. Poor quality ammo can be pulled for the components and redone with better quality, or the components (less powder and primers) can be sold to recoup some expense. I would recomend buying factory ammo of a reasonable qulity for the initial break in of your build. That way, you get used to how the gun is supposed to feel. Knowing your gun is very important when dealing with reloads. The sound of the bolt carrier, the noise level of the shot.......these things can clue you in on when something may be wrong. You pull the trigger, and the last shot didn't seem as loud? You stop and check for a squib. The sound of the carrier and buffer down the tube have a different "clang" to them? Could mean it was an over powered load, to high of pressure, so you can check your bolt and carrier...and look the brass over for pressure signs. The more you get to shoot with ammo of a consistant, know origin, the better you will know your own rifle later on. Be safe buddy 
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PN, Yeah, I had a similar problem with a can that I got in a gun show in Boise that came from some reloading outfit in Salt Lake. I was just looking for something to go bang close in on the range- not something to really rely on! Like you, I didn't look at it closely enough - though I knew that it was assembled with pulled componets, it wasn't until the first jam that I realized that over half of the bullets were serously out of round, (.025-.030") from the pulling machine & not run through a sizer before reloading them. Caught the vendor at the next Funshow & returned them. I was much more careful the next time I bought some- Good Judgement sometimes only comes from Bad experience- now you have some! |
With "some crooked primers" I'd toss the whole bunch. I'll go ahead and call them junk if nobody else will. A dicked-up primer is an obvious mistake, and it that made it to the sale table I'd be suspicious of the whole freaking bunch. 140 is not cheap, but it's better than a busted rifle or face. Toss em, or pull the components. |
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Personally, I don't shoot other folks' reloads. I would shoot factory reman ammo from a well known manufacturer with good QC, like Black Hills, but not "some guy at a gun show" reloads. No way in hell. My gun, hands, arms, eyes, face, etc., is worth too much to risk blowing up a gun. Especially a gun I made with the time and effort of my own two hands. |
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