Is it okay if I don’t hand load myself?

[memtb]

Absolutely nothing wrong with going with this. "If" you have complete trust (as stated) with your friends handloads "AND" you are willing assume the liability "if" (not likely) something goes wrong. If something were to happen, I'm sure that your friend would be devastated enough....without any "finger pointing"! Friendships are an invaluable commodity! memtb

 

[snox801]

My brother loads most of mine. We sound like you and your friend. I buy supplies he loads and when we get tougher we can get a lot done. That being said I never shoot a load from someone I don't know or trust.
Heck I have a friend and his dad who think the max in the book is for the weakest rifle on the market. Almost like hornady goes on a search for the weakest action. Dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Heck his dad brought over a .357 titanium load to book max. He shot it out of the back of my barn. I stood way back. After he shot it I asked to see it. The round he shot was so over pressure I can't believe it did t blow apart that gun. It started to make a rim at the bottom of the case. I tossed all his ammo in the snow. He was not happy.
That is the person you have to be careful of. Every load he does is book max right out the gate and if it doesn't shoot it's the rifles fault. Scary to because he has no issue loading for others.
Trusted friend or company no problem.

 

[nmbarta]

We put our lives and our safety in strangers hands every day multiple times. You trust other drivers to stay in their lane, and you trust the engineer and maintenance crew that the bridge your about to drive over will hold. You trust that your food is safe to eat and your water is safe to drink.

I'd be more worried about my drive to the range than I would be about shooting custom loaded ammo from a trusted friend.

 

[misterc01]

If it (and the reloads) work for you, go for it. I took a reloading class when I first decided to see what it was al about. The Instructor at the end of the class told us about half his students when done made the decision that reloading was NOT for them.

 

[Tulsa Reiner]

I'm not trying to open a can of worms here but I put this in another thread and didn't get any response. What about those like me who don't actually reload, but do shoot hand loads?
Let me explain.
I good friend and shooting partner who also is wanting to shoot long range, loads for me.
He's 11 years older than me and has been loading for close to 40 years. I trust him and he knows what he's doing with safety being his main priority. He loads for himself and only a couple more. He is very reluctant to load for others due to liability. He's taught me a lot. He and I developed the loads for my rifles, starting low and working up to find loads my guns seem to shoot well.
He doesn't charge me a thing. Won't even let me pay him. I buy my powder, primers, bullets, and the dies he doesn't have.
I help out by
doing the simple things like removing primers and dropping powder charges. He seats the bullets and weighs and measures each round to book tolerances and determined lengths for my chambers.
I'm really under qualified to write on this topic, but I have gained a true understanding of getting maximum output from my guns from load development.
Reasons I don't do it:
I don't have the equipment for one but mainly, I'm self diagnosed with ADULT ADD(LOL).Wasn't a thing in elementary school in the 70's, but I did get my butt torn up a lot for not paying attention. I still to this day at 49, have trouble focusing for long periods of time and I'm scared to death I'd miss a step on a round if I did it alone.

Sorry for writing a book.

I have a load for a,
Rem 700 220 swift
Ruger 77 220 swift
Ruger 77 6.5 CM

I bought dies for my
7mm RUM
And a 2506 for my son, but have not had the time to develop loads yet.

The guns I don't load for, we seem to Shoot fairly well with factory Ammo.

It just seems to me the majority of members here hand load.

You don't have to apologize for anything. Sounds like you have a great friend, and I am sure he enjoys the company at the reloading bench.

 

[rharfo]

I load for a few people. The only thing I ask is for them to let me have the rifle while I do load work up. Once I have the load I keep repeating it as needed. Fun for me...

 

[Flatbow]

I do the same for three of my best buddy's and my two sons.
Just as rharfo does, I keep the guns here until load development in done.
One of my buddy's is now loading his own with me just helping with any new load development.
Just as your friend I will not accept payment but they buy supply's.
I do get a lot of enjoyment from them when they have successful hunts with my loads!
Also, a couple of my buddy's have some seriously nice custom rifles rifles that I get to shoot!

 

[Buck1970]

You don't have to apologize for anything. Sounds like you have a great friend, and I am sure he enjoys the company at the reloading bench.

He is - great guy.
He's stopped hunting and now is strictly into marksmanship.
He's taught me how to not only look for, but recognize signs of pressure.
All of my loads are at least a 1/2grain under book max.
During initial development, we loaded groups of three in half grain increments and stopped at the first signs. Only my rem700 220 had slight primer marks and a little stiffer bolt at max load.
But he wanted me to back off.

 

[LongProng]

I'm going to disagree with your premise that you don't reload yourself. It sounds like you are intimately involved in the process as an apprentice of sorts.

 

[javman]

Nothing wrong with it as long as you understand you are trusting your friend with your health. He screws up and you might pay the price.

I handload for myself and my best buddy since he doesn't reload.

The OP stated that he helps by helping in dropping charges and priming and such and it seems his friend is double checking things out before loading up the ammo! Seriously doubt there'd be anything to worry about! Two heads is better than one! Just my .02.

 

[coyotezapper]

Eventually you may be left with nobody to load for you. Why not start buying tools and components now so you are prepared to do it yourself down the road. I would never rely on being able to buy ammo retail in the future. I have not purchased factory ammo other than rimfire in over 20ish years and that was only bulk 223 ammo that was too hard to pass up and if they outlawed ammo sales tomorrow I would be fine for the rest of my life.

 

[tony d willIiams]

I reload my own, my son and a friend know me and realize that my analness helps me be precise. I will help friends work through, know the dangers and rewards, let them use my equipment.
As I know, and have as members of my family special needs folk, if they asked me we would talk about and then we would reload as a team.
I have spoken to reloaders that grab a recipe off the web because the writer said it was great. When asked, they didn't use the same powder or bullet and didn't remember what they did except that it was great.
Have fun, be safe

 

[Buck1970]

Eventually you may be left with nobody to load for you. Why not start buying tools and components now so you are prepared to do it yourself down the road. I would never rely on being able to buy ammo retail in the future. I have not purchased factory ammo other than rimfire in over 20ish years and that was only bulk 223 ammo that was too hard to pass up and if they outlawed ammo sales tomorrow I would be fine for the rest of my life.

You know, I've not really thought of it like that.
My preachers dad passed away last year and had a room full of reloading equipment the family will never use.
Brand new rock chucker 2, scales, assorted dies and the lot.
Sold all for $500
Wish now I'd of bought it.

 

[rocksolid]

We put our lives and our safety in strangers hands every day multiple times. You trust other drivers to stay in their lane, and you trust the engineer and maintenance crew that the bridge your about to drive over will hold. You trust that your food is safe to eat and your water is safe to drink.

I'd be more worried about my drive to the range than I would be about shooting custom loaded ammo from a trusted friend.

This says it all.

I'd much rato put my life in the hands of a good hunting buddy or range partner than the general public.

Sounds like a good guy to know. Be sure to say thanks even when he know your thankful.