reload ammo at Dallas Gun Show

[Daltex1]

I am torn between buying a shotgun or just stocking up on ammo this weekend at the Dallas gun show, I would like to know you guys opinion on the reloaded ammo that people sell at the gun shows that are in the old ammo boxes, The ammo I have seen look great but I had a buddy buy some pistol reloads from a guy at the mesquite gun show and he shot a few rounds and ended blowing up his Glock.Is it cheaper to buy from these type of guys or should I just buy bulk of the manufactured ammo.If anyone has purchased these reloads and have had a good experience with it please let me know . And if you remember the booth or company that you bought them from would be greatly apprerciated. Thanx to all that respond.

[RKirby]

The only reloads that I would shoot through my guns are my reloads. I've heard too many horror stories about gun show reloads to take a any chances.

At least if one of my reloads damages one of my guns or even worse, damages me, I know where to find the person at fault. Not so with a gun show seller who may drop off the face of the earth after this show.

Not worth the risk in my opinion.

Oh,BTW...one can never have too many shotguns!

[Mike1951]

When it is something I don't want to load myself, I buy from Georgia Arms.

Good stuff at a fair price.

http://www.georgia-arms.com/index.asp

[MoJo]

I bought one batch of Gun Show reloads I was underwhelmed by the quality. They all went "bang" but, there was no accuracy and some rounds felt hotter than others and others were almost squibs. I will shoot remanufactured ammo made by Black Hills or Georgia Arms and my own reloads but no others.

[drw]

There are two major ammo vendors at the DFW gun shows. One of them seems to carry 95% reloaded ammo, and the other has about half-and-half. I've bought plenty from both of them and have had decent experience. The ammo has performed acceptably for general shooting at the property, but I wouldn't load it for actual defense or hunting needs. I guess I'd call it plinking ammo.

I'm currently on a long quest to find a good source of ammo so I can do some serious stocking up. I'm looking to buy about 10K rounds each of .223, 9mm, .308, and .45acp. Any advice on that front? What would you do if you were me?

[Crossfire]

I'm currently on a long quest to find a good source of ammo so I can do some serious stocking up. I'm looking to buy about 10K rounds each of .223, 9mm, .308, and .45acp. Any advice on that front? What would you do if you were me?

Sounds like you need a reloading press!

[Mike1951]

I'm currently on a long quest to find a good source of ammo so I can do some serious stocking up. I'm looking to buy about 10K rounds each of .223, 9mm, .308, and .45acp. Any advice on that front? What would you do if you were me?

Build a time machine!!

Three years ago a 20rd box of .223 could be found for $3.99, 9mm/50 for $5.99, .308 South African $26/140, and .45acp was less than $10 (actually just 6mos back Walmart had .45 for $9.47/50).

That's the bad news. Worse news is that the trend appears to continue.

Check Natchez Supply, Widener's Reloading, and Aim Surplus regularly as they are most likely to run a sale below current street prices.

[AEA]

I bought reloads at the Market Hall gun show only once. Had several Squibs (bullet stuck in barrel) in both an HK Compact and a 1911. This is a very dangerous situation. If you don't know that the bullet has not cleared the barrel from the last shot, or if you are shooting at maximum shooting speed, the gun will blow up in your face!

Fortunately, my Son, who was shooting the HK, had sense enough to stop shooting after he "felt" that the last shot just didn't feel right. Also fortunate that he was shooting slowly enough to make the determination. I will NEVER buy reloads from anybody in the future. They couldn't even give them to me!

The ammo cans are good though.........

Try ammoman.com for factory fresh ammo.

[Mike from Texas]

Wow. I've bought and shot several thousand rounds from Dallas reloading supply at Market Hall. Zero failures to date. I wouldn't use them for defense, but I don't plan to. I just use them for plinking in my AR, my 45 and my 10mm. No problems whatsoever and I have probably shot 5000 rounds of their ammo.

[dukalmighty]

I reload my own ammo and unless I knew somebody personally and watched him reload etc.might trust their reloads,you are gambling with fly by night reloaders,I do have a friend that I reload .223 for his M16 but that is the only one I reload for.

[Daltex1]

I am heading out to the show at noon, I guess I am going to just purchase a shotgun and buy a few boxes of factory ammo Better safe than sorry, I would hate to ruin a$2000 dollar gun!

[drw]

I ended up getting a bunch of factory ammo (though not nearly in the quantities that I desire). Lots of Winchester ammo in various flavors, and then a pile of Wolf, Yellow Tiger and Brown Bear.

Also, a beautiful Inland M1 carbine followed me home, as well as a couple of really snazzy steel plate targets made by a gentleman in Oklahoma.

It was a great show, but probably my last for quite some time. I need some serious financial recovery now.

[Daltex1]

I ended up with some wolf and some remington and a few boxes of shotgun shells that went along with the shotgun I purchased! I prefer The market hall show to all the other gun shows that are in the DFW area!Now its time to save up for the Desert Eagle and the Barrett 50 caliber!!!!!

[bdickens]

The ammo I have seen look great but I had a buddy buy some pistol reloads from a guy at the mesquite gun show and he shot a few rounds and ended blowing up his Glock.

For some reason, reloads are a double plus extra big no-go in Glocks. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it has something to do with the case not being fully supported in the chamber coupled with the brass being work-hardened after having been stretched and resized. From what I've read, almost every Glock kaboom has been traced to reloads. Unfortunately, Glock's warning about reloads is pretty anemic. They should say "Warning! Under no circumstances use reloaded ammunition in your Glock. Severe injury may result." instead of "Glock does not reccomend...."

[Greybeard]

I'm in the camp of not trusting most reloads.

The first experience we had with such shortly after opening the range (12+ years ago). was with a semi-newbie who'd bought a new Glock 23 at Market Hall as well as a sandwich bag with 100 rounds of ".40 S&W". It took him having some malfs and seeing buldged cases before determining there were several 9mm rounds in the mix ...

I subsequently got to razz another CHL guy after he blew some parts out of his $1000+ squeeze cocker from a batch of $7 per 50 reloads. One lady in a private class had an (exiting) squib with some .40 stuff her husband had sent with her and said it sounded like a "good fart". (We subsequently started prohibiting anybody's reloads during CHL testing.)

The last known incident from Market Hall reloads involved a member heavy in to 10mm. He'd picked up another few hundred rounds from a guy there whose ammo had previously served him well for practicng. Early into a rapid fire session, the slide failed to go all the way closed on his latest-and-greatest-tricked-out Kimber. A good thing it did not go another 1/4" further forward though because as things shook out, he had one of those "cheap" reloaded bullet lodged just in front of the chamber ...