Active duty & hand loading?

K

Kimio

New member
I have no idea where to put this, not sure if this go into the hand loading section or here in the general section. If this is the wrong place, I apologize.

That said, I'm currently an AD Amn, while this is likely entirely up to the base commander, I'm curious if anyone else who is currently serving has ever been allowed to reload while living on base. I recently got out of the dorms and moved into base housing, the problem I'm encountering is that my base SF doesn't seem to know, or can't give me a straight answer on if I can or cannot reload while on base.

I can kind of see why it may be prohibited, due to the inherent properties of propellant and what have you, but that also doesn't make much sense considering that the propellant is also in any ammunition I would already have on hand.

I may just need to ask an NCO at the SF building, but it would be interesting to hear if others have had this issue or know if such a thing is allowed (or barred) from other bases within CONUS.

Would likely save me time from asking if it does happen to be prohibited across many other bases as well.
 
According to this article...

Privately owned firearms and ammunition are not allowed, unless they have been registered with the Provost Marshal's office within 72 hours of being brought on base. All other acceptable firearms and ammunition will be specified in the "Conditions of Occupancy" agreement.

You may not reload ammunition cartridges in any family housing area except the garage.

Firearms may not be discharged, brandished, or otherwise misused in any family housing area. Misuse of any firearm is cause for immediate termination of housing.
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Each individual base may have its own restrictions so check with the base Judge Advocate General (JAG) office.
 
I was active duty AF in the 80's and 90's, there were no restrictions on guns and reloading in base housing.
 
I was active duty AF in the 80's and 90's, there were no restrictions on guns and reloading in base housing.
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That situation has changed, substantially, at most bases, since the early 2000s.

Most don't allow firearms in base housing, now (armory or off-base only).
And restrictions on ammunition, flammable substances, accelerants, pesticides, fertilizers, etc were pretty bad when I left in 2008.
 
Thank you for the replies. I finally got an answer (From a Master Sergeant no less) It looks like my base does allow reloading, so long as my firearms are registered with the base security and armory. Of course, I can't go walking out my front door with it slung across my back, or have it loaded (go figure, trust me with multi-million dollar equipment and munitions, but can't trust me with my own AR15 or handgun) or anything.

Ultimately, I guess it boils down to simply seeking out someone who really knows the regulations and desires of the base commander. You can't even have an Airsoft or pellet gun on base without it having to be registered with the SF apparently.

Kind of a shame really, what a time to live and serve in eh?
 
trust me with multi-million dollar equipment and munitions, but can't trust me with my own AR15 or handgun) or anything.
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It has been that way for a long time. Keep in mind the vast majority of AF Regs came about because somebody screwed up.
 
@MikeG Yeah I know, it's still a right shame that the few bad apples ruined it for those who actually follow the rules. Of course this applies to most things in life sadly, such is the way of the world isn't it?
 
Hello Kimio. So judging by your location, either Hill or UTTR.

I hit 20 years this year and plan for another 3 before hanging it up. I was much more into shotshell reloading in my first few years when I was actively shooting trap and skeet on the base teams. Nowadays, you hardly find trap and skeet ranges on USAF bases.

I have NEVER lived on a USAF base that did NOT allow reloading, or personal firearms ownership, in base housing, and I am on my 8th base. The Dorms are a different matter completely and require firearms storage in the armory. For firearms ownership in family housing, it is normal to have your little DD Form (can't remember the number) for firearms registration where you list the make/model/caliber or gauge, and have your Sq/CC sign off. However, in today's world of privatized housing, sometimes this was not required as the privatized housing area is no longer considered part of the installation by SFS.

Bottom line, look to the housing rules for what you can/can't do in housing. If you go to SFS, you may get someone's opinion vs reality. If you ever run into a restrictive environment, the first question I would ask is "show me the guidance", because it either must be contained in an AFI, supp to the AFI, or local OI, or it doesn't exist.
 
To piggy back on what others have said: Usually there is no problem with reloading in you base housing quarters. (The dorm is another matter.) Each base is different and between base housing and the safety office they come up with some really strange requirement.

I would just reload and make sure the stuff is kept in a secure area. I do not know if you are in a single, duplex, tri-plex, etc. We had a fire at one of the housing areas and the guy in one side of the duplex was storing gasoline in his basement.

Be safe.
 
-when I was actively shooting trap and skeet on the base teams. Nowadays, you hardly find trap and skeet ranges on USAF bases.
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Sigh.

That's a shame. Happens in the private sector too. The company I worked for in the late 1970's had a pistol club sponsored by the company. That went away in the mid to late 1980's.
 
To piggyback off of Buck and globemaster3, you really need to get a look at the local guidances and procedures.

From SFS's end, the base IDP (Installation Defense Plan) will be the starting point for firearms regulations on base. Most cops on base will have never even read it (they'll have read their squadron's instructions, or OI's, which reference the IDP, but don't usually even mention anything about personally owned firearms).

After that, base safety and whoever controls the base housing would be your next stops. Enjoy a whole new can of worms if your base's housing is privatized, because they get to write their own rules and can cite you for not following them.

At the end of the day, it shouldn't be a big deal - I know a few people who do it at Whiteman, and we don't have any restrictions on it that I know of (at least, not in the IDP).
 
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