Handloads for self defense with a twist

[849ACSO]

Quote:
While I DO have a very limited supply of factory loaded ammo, I usually have my hunting rounds in the firearm(s) to begin with.
you conceal carry with hunting rounds?

Quote:
Why am I a "Sicko" for reloading my own practice ammunition?
He didn't say you were, but the DA can certianly paint the picture.

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I'm certainly not going to ask for a time out so I can switch yo something more politically correct.
I wouldn't either, but I ain't hunting when the guns in my nightstand either.

In my 20+ years of law enforcement experience, I will state this -

If lethal force is justified, it really doesn't matter if you used a hand loaded round or a brick to the head. If you're right in your use of the force you used, there's not much that will sway opinion, unless you use a bomb or some other device that just goes too far. Most folks don't think it's very humane to kill a deer with a .22 rimfire, but I've NEVER heard of that argument being used in a situation where a 230 lb perpetrator was shot in a SD situation.

Bottom line, if you're right, you're right, even if you use the "wrong" implement, and if your wrong, it doesn't matter if you used factory ammo and the best practices, you're getting hung out.

FWIW.

 

[cw308]

A self defense round sounds a little radical, stopping power I like better , in 38spl.158gr. Iead is a good choice. Hydra shock & hollow point with post, my be looking for trouble. HP's poor choice for stopping power with cold weather clothing.

 

[Tomas]

Sounds to me like you made up your mind long ago what you are going to do.

That being said, a good shoot is a good shoot, no doubt. However, there is no way for you to control all the variables of a lethal SD situation. I'm sure George Zimmerman thought his deal was a clean shoot too, and look what he went through. I'm just saying you want all the evidence you can to support your case if things go sideways. If you manufacture your own ammo, you won't be able to use it as part of your defense...you can't 'make' your own supporting evidence, however, it can and will be used against you. So, you've already tossed one piece of supporting evidence out the window. If you use commercial ammo, they can verify lot #s &c. and it may assist in your defense. This very thread may even come back to haunt you if you end up in a compromised SD shooting...

 

[rclark]

I shoot what I load, and load what I shoot. Simple as that. Lets the chips fall where they may. Not going to worry about it.

 

[Jim243]

My CCW issue agency says not to cook your own.

You live in California what do you expect??

I've always been taught/told to use what ever says police , law enforcement or duty on the box . That negates all DA's from painting you as using some "EXTRA" deadly ammo . They will have to explain why cops get to use such "DEADLY" ammo but if you use it you're some sort of sicko . There are plenty of good ammo's out there with that label so why poke the bear

That's the best answer I ever heard. And there are some really hot LE loads out there.

Stay safe.
Jim

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

This issue has been discussed into the ground with researched opinion and legal resources.

The thread is a sticky:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452627

I suggest the OP read the resources as compared to another endless set of opinions that are not based in what we actually know about the issues.

Thus, I'm closing this.

If the OP has a question of a technical nature beyond what do you think and not answered in the sticky, the OP should contact a moderator for consideration of how to deal with that.

No offense, but we don't need a replay of a guy told me and I don't like so and so and if it's a good shoot, blah, blah.

 

[Unclenick]

I agree with Glen, but I composed this before he closed it, so I'll put it up anyway.

To the OP's original question, I think the previous advice to mind the design impact velocity envelope of the bullet is the right advice if you are considering this for SD/stopping power or even for the odd coyote or racoon. A lot of 9 mm bullets, especially those made with the .380 Auto in mind, will be made to expand at modest impact velocities. At carbine velocities they may disintegrate and lose all their energy to a temporary cavity in just a few inches. Just call the manufacturers of whatever bullets you are considering and ask what impact velocity range they were designed for.

As to legal consequences, clearly, if your state's castle doctrine and stand-your-ground laws give you full immunity from both criminal and civil prosecution in the matter, and you never use the weapon outside the circumstances they cover, then this is just not an issue for you. It's a topic that, as Glen points out, has been opined to death on the forum. In cases other than Florida, I've concluded there most often isn't really any firm way to know what legal consequences, if any, there may be. This is because most prosecutable shooting cases, like most cases of all kinds (about 98% at the state and county level) are settled out of court. What threats the prosecutor may or may not have made to get a plea agreement won't be a matter of record. That means there is nowhere to look it up. And whether or not he would actually have followed through with a threat to make an issue out of handloads in court is moot if it never gets there. So everybody speculates and nobody really knows for sure.