Wadcutter effectiveness

[LSP972]

I've actually had more problems with (pistol) ammo from large US manufacturers than I've had with places like Precision Delta or Georgia Arms. I don't know why that is, but Remington, Winchester and AE all...
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I do. It's called massively expanding production without adding more equipment. All of the "Big Four" are guilty of that,although ATK did shift a lot of production to their Lewiston ID (CCI/Speer factory) plant when the Minnesota plant was tapped out/full up.

Basically, their management knows that this bubble won't last; especially since the military has geared down and we don't have a two-theater war any more. So they have been running their equipment 24/7 for quite some time. These big plants... Winchester's new one in Mississippi, Reminton's in Arkansas, ATK in Minnesota and Idaho... all use arsenal grade loading machines; great big suckers that have numerous QC devices designed to prevent bad cartridges. They usually work. Sometimes, as you have seen, they don't.

What my problem with the "reman" guys is, almost all of them use "lesser" machines; the same equipment that we "hobby reloaders" use. There is NO way that gear can be as quality-control enabled as the big arsenal machines. I've been in some of those plants, and seen them operate. I also, as the FNG rookie at the LSP FTU, was responsible for running both a Camdex and Auto Load machines. Those machines were cool... Until they choked due a reversed primer, bad piece of brass, inverted bullet, whatever. Then, it was HOURS to remove the trashed components and get the machine back into operation. And I was required to WATCH those suckers while they cranked out ammo. Because if something went wrong (and it did), sometimes the machine would spit out dozens of bad cartridges before the machine would quit running.

Again, my point is, if those reman firms don't have a QC guy ( who actually gives a shit) watching their production output like a hawk, well...

I know Joe at PD insists on that. Black Hills too. The others... ????

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[NEPAKevin]

There was a local guy who claimed to use Camdex machines to crank out the stuff he sold pretty cheap at the gun shows. Rumor had it that among other things, one reason he was so cheap was he neglected to pay some of those funny taxes the government seems to think you should when you manufacture ammunition for sale. Oops.

[Jeep]

There was a local guy who claimed to use Camdex machines to crank out the stuff he sold pretty cheap at the gun shows. Rumor had it that among other things, one reason he was so cheap was he neglected to pay some of those funny taxes the government seems to think you should when you manufacture ammunition for sale. Oops.

Unpaid taxes on things sold at gun shows? Say it ain't so!

[BehindBlueI's]

This probably isn't the right to place to discuss this but it's about wadcutters and reloading so why not? I've read the thoughts about carrying reloads for SD and the pros and cons other places. What I'm wondering is what's the thinking here?

Locally, I've never seen it to be an issue. I know of a hand full of SD shootings with reloads, and I also know the screening prosecutor has not once asked me what type of ammunition was used. Keep in mind I only know the criminal side, not civil. Also keep in mind I only know my own jurisdiction, not yours. I *personally* see no benefit in reloading SD ammo when plenty of quality factory options exist. Should quality factory options dry up, then and only then will I consider reloads for real use.

[LSP972]

I *personally* see no benefit in reloading SD ammo when plenty of quality factory options exist. Should quality factory options dry up, then and only then will I consider reloads for real use.

Well stated; and 100% correct.

Like he said, your average prosecutor doesn't know a reloaded cartridge from a cannon shell. BUT... there is a growing number of bottom-feeding lawyers, eager for the quick pay-off, who ARE getting schooled in ammunition basics. These are the guys who will make the prosecutor (and the jury) believe that you most certainly reloaded your own ammunition because you wanted to kill better... Or whatever sad bullshit they try to display.

If you have ever been involved in a trial, criminal OR civil, you will know that the facts are rarely the determining factor. It's all about PERCEPTION.

Stick with factory ammunition for carry... please.

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[LSP972]

BB1, the last two sentences in my post were NOT directed at you. I hope you realized that.

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