I've heard this many times, and the reasons stated are liability and reliability.

The liability argument as I've heard it basically when you are defending yourself (civilly, perhaps criminally) in court, the other side can claim that you purposefully loaded "more dangerous" ammunition to inflict greater bodily harm.

The reliability argument is that "premium" personal defense ammo made by wise elves in a factory somewhere always goes bang in an optimal way and has been precision loaded for optimum ballistics, etc, etc.

I don't know if I buy this. It's trivial to scientifically demonstrate that handloaded ammunition isn't worse than factory ammunition. In fact the evidence may show its loaded lighter/weaker than factory ammunition, which can be claimed as a plus.

As for reliability? I've had better functioning since I started loading my own ammo vs. mid-quality commercial ammo (CCI Blazer Brass, Fed American Eagle, etc).

Which brings up my third point -- practice, practice, practice. I can't see practicing with carry ammo @ ~$120 for a "case" of 200 rounds. I can see loading Speer Gold Dots for not much more money and 5 times as many rounds, enable practice ammo that's the same as carry ammo.

Can anyone cite specific cases where handloads cost someone their freedom? And cite what the specific circumstances were? I can believe that some hillbilly that loaded 15 grains of blue dot into a 45 auto case and set a primer into the hollow point would make his stiuation worse, but it stretches credibility to assume that handloaded ammunition loaded to normal safe loadings for a specific caliber would cause anyone any problems. But I'm willing to be wrong, too.

I've heard this question mentioned before. I've never heard of an actuall case sited or mentioned. It's always been hearsay.

Steelheart

Did some Google searching and found the links below. Looks like a no. As long as the bullets are legal there should be no problem. But when you involve lawyers and juries who knows. I did find some things on a real light trigger pull being blamed when the fool said it accidently went off. You pointed it at him so it was no accident.

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?s=b2b86b40c9b8443ec9c2402da700319c&p=1086945&postcount=5

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-114917.html

http://galleryofguns.com/Shootingtimes/Articles/DisplayArticles.asp?ID=4837

Thanks for the link. Looks like it is an urban legend of sorts.

From that last link:

Some of this may have started due to "bleed over" from the LEO community. I know many LEO trainers, including John Plaster "Ultimate Sniper" recommends that LEO's not use hand loads. The reasoning is simply because of liability and the scrutiny (and civil lawsuits) that will occur after a shooting.

As for civilians, hand loads should be ok.

Standard Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, although I've been known to play one on the internet.

My handloads are lead LSWC, and loaded to the light side of the recommendation for the poweder bullet combo I'm loading.
This is what I usually shoot at the range, to save some money.
The Speer lawman ammo I use when I carry the same gun would be considered more "leathal" by most any measure.
I've loaded 10K+ rounds for several calibers, and have had maybe a couple dud primers in the lot.
I don't buy too much store bought ammo except for .22 long rifle, and I've had way more of those fail then my handloads.

I'd like to see an actual case where someone got nailed for using handloads for self defense.
You hear the warnings a lot , but has it ever happend to anyone?
I guess I'd expect the prosecution to use it if they could, but I'd expect my defender to counter, and hopefully common sense to prevail.

None known so far, read links above

I think I'd rather buy a lottery ticket than count on common sense to prevail in a legal proceeding.

Using factory loads in a carry gun is cheap insurance against the admittedly slim chance that hand loads become an issue that could harm your case.

Of course, should you get into a defensive encounter, there are far more important issues, like it being a legitimate use of force and your actions afterward. But that's another topic.

OK, as they say, IANAL!

However, I can do some common sense reasoning here...

If you are forced to use a firearm to defend your life according to the law you are using "deadly force". Now my understanding of "deadly force" is that if you use it, the BG you use it on may die. (Yes I know this concept offends liberals and ACLU lawyers everywhere.)

So, if you are going to do something which results in said BGs ultimate demise, you can't make him more dead. So as far as a prosecution or lawsuit for shooting the BG I would think it should not matter.

However, you are still responsible for where all of your expended rounds go. For example, if you are toting ball ammo handloaded hotter than Nikki Cox in a low cut dress your round stands a better chance of exiting the BG and hitting little Johnny in the eye 50 feet behind him. This of course could be a liability issue.

Of course that could happen with factory loaded ammo too.

So I guess the right answer is... use whatever the heck you want, just use common sense (if you have some left to spare!).

P.S. here is a visual for comparison:

Wow, I want ammo like that!

Nice, um.... guns?

You mean rounds....

One can only guess whether it's a standard factory loading, or if it's been handloaded beyond original specifications.

I don't understand how the County Attorney would know you were using handloads unless you told them.

And from what I know of the people at the BCA and other forensic consultants the state of MN uses I don't think they would be looking for that information anyway.

Only place I think might turn it up would be if/when they did a test to see if a bullet fired from your gun matched bullets fired.

The only reason I guess I'd use factory loaded ammo vs handloads is that if you buy personal defense ammo, it's supposed to have been assembled with more care and moisture precautions than plinking ammo.

From what I've been told by a Federal employee, the Hydrashock line has all kinds of safeguards like a sealant around the crimp, all rounds weighed, tons of testing, etc etc etc.

I've personally decided to relax a lot about ammo. It's all good.

(on second thought, this is a bit of topic drift... see this thread in "Calibers, Stopping Power, and Such" for more.