Reloading for friends!

Larryjk · #1 08-19-2010, 12:25 AM

I had a fellow call me today to see if I would do some reloading for him, 30-06 and .357. I explained that I couldn't for a few reasons; (1) Now is the time of the year when all of the repair and modification jobs show up that could have been done last year after season. I am maxed out. (2) I am concerned about the liability of reloading for someone else. If their gun hiccups, their lawyer will be looking for me to sue. (3) I am not sure the ATFE guys would say that is a legal thing to do without several licenses. I gave him the name and telephone number of someone I knew would do it, but warned him to dictate exactly what he wanted the reloads to be. Anyone out there looking for a way to keep busy?

Jack · #2 08-19-2010, 02:10 AM

I can't claim I've never reloaded ammo for a friend. But, I never do unless I can work up the loads in the firearm the loads will be used in.
That allows me to be sure the loads are safe in the firearm in question- and allows me to check out the firearm and make sure it's up to spec to begin with.

Dan Morris · #3 08-19-2010, 06:17 AM

I quit doing this years back, 2 kids n myself keep me busy at the press. I've offered to teach others how but the just don't seem to ' find the time'
Dan

buckhunter · #4 08-19-2010, 10:10 AM

No way. Did it one and spent every waking moment loading for him and not me. Finally said no. Then there is the liability issue.

Gil Martin · #5 08-19-2010, 08:21 PM

I reload for hunting trips and share my ammo with friends in the same hunting party. No money ever changes hands. I would not reload for resale because of the good reasons already cited. In addition, I do not have a state sales tax stamp to collect sales taxes and I do not have license to sell reloads. All the best...
Gil

wrenchman · #6 08-19-2010, 09:20 PM

I would offer to teach him that is what a freind did for me lots of guys are intimidadet by it after we did together a couple time i was good to go.
I dont reload formy 06 becouse it is a semi and chews up brass i like to load for my 270 i have lots of loads made up my fave load was 56grains imr 4831 and 130 grain boat tails

Mr. 16 gauge · #7 08-20-2010, 12:05 AM

I don't 'reload', per se, for friends, but I have been known to give a friend a box or two of handloads for specific calibers to try while shooting with me. Usually, these are low pressure loads that won't hurt a gun because they are too powerful, such as light .38 special loads or trap/skeet loads.
...but as was stated earlier, no $$$ ever changes hands!

skeet · #8 08-20-2010, 02:30 AM

Transfer of cash doesn't denote anything except you took money for something. If their gun blows up because of a bore obstruction that was already there...it won't matter. It's still gonna come back to you..unless you can prove something else caused it. Most of us have gotten away with giving reloads to friends because..first off we are safe and secondly because of the good nature of our "friends". But if an unscrupulous attorney gets to 'em..it may turn out another way. I have met more than one ambulance chaser in the course of my duties in the fire dept. Fortunately they are few and far between..I hope!

fabsroman · #9 09-16-2010, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeet

Transfer of cash doesn't denote anything except you took money for something. If their gun blows up because of a bore obstruction that was already there...it won't matter. It's still gonna come back to you..unless you can prove something else caused it. Most of us have gotten away with giving reloads to friends because..first off we are safe and secondly because of the good nature of our "friends". But if an unscrupulous attorney gets to 'em..it may turn out another way. I have met more than one ambulance chaser in the course of my duties in the fire dept. Fortunately they are few and far between..I hope!

Skeet, you are dead on. All the money does is create a contract for which breach of contract and product liability can be causes of action. Even if there is no money exchanged, negligence is still a cause of action that can be sued upon.

Yeah, I would be very, very hesitant about reloading for anybody. I have only ever taught one guy, which was a friend of mine from law school. He and I reloaded a bunch of shells together and did a bunch of hunting and shooting together. Otherwise, the only people that use my reloads are me and my family members.

Adam Helmer · #10 08-20-2010, 10:44 AM

Larryjk,

I NEVER reload for anyone for all the very good reasons already posted. I have supervised folks who reloaded their own ammo on their equipment. I have been asked to load various rifle loads for folks just before deer season. I asked them to drop off the rifle in question and ALWAYS got the dumb response: "Why do you need my gun?"

I told them I needed the gun to ensure the cases were sized properly to fit the chambers. I never got the guns and never loaded the shells. That was a decade ago, and now I will not even discuss reloading for anyone. The ONLY reloads I will shoot are those loaded by my twin brother, PERIOD!

Adam

buckhunter · #11 08-20-2010, 11:10 AM

So Adam,

Is that your evil twin brother with hair growing on his chin? Beware.

Ol` Joe · #12 08-20-2010, 01:01 PM

For what I`ve been lead to believe according to the BATF you need a manufacturing license to assemble ammo with the "intent" of selling it or gaining something of value for it. I expect the local tax board would also enjoy a few percent of the take for their back pocket too, and the zoning committee will have a say abut where you do it.
You can however offer a box of reloads you assembled for your own use to a friend as a "gift" and be totally legal. Liability however is always present, and not just from the "buddy". His wife or kids could feel depraved by injuries suffered and sue without him, so could his loving mother.
I would allow a friend to borrow my tools to reload under my supervision using his components any time they want. I won`t weight a charge or pull a lever on ammo not intended for my own guns though.

PJgunner · #13 08-20-2010, 03:29 PM

It's been more than 30 years since I reloaded ammo on a commercial basis so I don't know what rule changes have been made by the BATFE.
I always insisted on havig th gun in question when doig a job and thank God, never had a gun mishap with my loads. Liabilty insurance id damnably expensive too.
I do not reload for friends unless my rules are adhered to and then very rarely.
The last time was for my ex-son in law when he bought his new Winchester
M70 Featherweight in .300 WSM. We decided on what powder he wanted to use and what bullet and I sent him to shop around and get the components.
After the ammo was loaded up, we went to the range and ran them over the Chrony and shot for groups at the same time. Once that was done, we got more components and I then ran him through the various steps after which he loaded his own ammo on my equipment. He then bought his own tools to do the job and has been reloading ever since.
If I understand it correctly, as long as your friend furnishes all the components, you should be legal in assembling the ammo. But if you furnish just one thing, let's say the primers, then you run into trouble. it's no problem to contact the BATFE and ask. I've done this even when I aleady as positive on the correct answer and they've never told me otherwise.
Paul B.

Rapier · #14 08-21-2010, 06:53 AM

"Transfer of cash doesn't denote anything except you took money for something. If their gun blows up because of a bore obstruction that was already there...it won't matter."

Ah, but it does. Personal activities and injuries caused by you in the persuit of your hobbies may be covered under your homeowners policy; Personal Liability. However, if you receive any compensation whatever, the activity could be considered a business venture and would be excluded, as such.

Although I believe there is coverage under the standard ISO forms of insurance for this hobby exactly like fishing or golf, your policy may well be different and would need to be examined carefully for an exclusion, by a competent agent.

I personally do not reload for friends but on occasion at the range, will allow a person to shoot my gun (s) with my reloads for a few rounds. Over the years I have found that people do strange things with guns and you can never tell. Like my hunting buddy that loaned his 391 to a guy, got it back full of water grass and mud, without a word, just wiped off. The guy finally admitted that he dropped the 391 in a pond. Imagine giving this clown a box of reloads and the gun explodes full of mud.

Ed

Seawolf1090 · #15 08-21-2010, 10:49 AM

At one time, I bought reloads in a certain obsolete odd-ball caliber from a buddy who reloaded. He had the dies for it, while I did not. He also is the guy who taught me to reload, and we shoot together often. I paid only the cost of the materials - he made no profit. Hey, nobody's gonna GIVE you ammo at the cost of lead and brass.......
Now, I got the dies and load ALL my own ammo.

Years ago in the Navy, I got .45 ACP reloads from another buddy - but I had to trim excess lead from the case mouth/bullet joint - he was sloppy. That's a big reason I got into 'rolling my own'......