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srothstein wrote:

Bisley wrote:I don't really know if handloads would be used against you in court because almost everyone has bought into this theory and we all recommend using standard ammo, preferably the same ammo the local police use in the same caliber. Are we right or are we just a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I suspect the latter. Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

Personally, I'm still carrying factory ammo, and I will likely continue to for as long as it is readily available in a type that works well in whichever handgun I might choose to carry for self defense. I think it's a close call whether this is really necessary, but still, "an ounce of prevention..."

srothstein wrote:...The real advantage of the immunity law is in its application in the real world. Most civil cases are taken on a contingency basis, where the lawyer gets paid out of the winnings. If there is little or no chance to win, the lawyers won't take the case. But a person does not really need a lawyer to file, or the plaintiff himself may be an attorney. The discouragement would not affect them. Nor would it affect some agencies that are truly anti-gun and think they might have a chance. Look at some of the shootings that the Brady Campaign has gotten behind. A third group it might not discourage is the ambulance chasers who know that a homeowner has insurance and they will offer $25,000 instead of going to court, simply because it is cheaper.

So, be prepared for the mental aggravation of a law suit after any use of force. You will probably win, but there is always the chance of the lawsuit and its hassles anyway.

This is absolutely the best explanation I have seen, concerning the likelihood of civil action, following a self defense shooting. Thanks for the reply.

Would you also address the question of whether the use of hand loads for self defense would be any more likely to put a person in civil jeopardy, than say, having attended a hand gun self defense school?

The reason I ask for this comparison is that so many of the self defense writers that advise most stridently against the use of hand loaded ammo, will then recommend that a concealed handgun permit holder attend as many self defense classes as possible. To me, this is a bit of a contradiction, in that either could be 'spun' to suggest that a person was seeking a deadly confrontation.

I have participated in discussions on this subject, on other forums, and I always end up getting swarmed by the folks who adamantly oppose the idea of carrying hand loaded self-defense ammo. I understand that this is due mainly to the fact that all of the self-defense writers strongly recommend the use of factory loaded ammo, and many even recommend using exactly the same ammo as local law enforcement.

I completely understand the arguments about how a lawyer might be able to influence a jury, by suggesting that custom-made 'killer' bullets were used to insure maximum damage. I understand that the consensus is that it is just best not to add another possible variable into an equation that could possibly result in your conviction, or an unfavorable civil judgment...or in larger defense fees being incurred to counter such arguments with expert witnesses, etc.

Personally, I am dead in the middle, on this issue. I understand the common sense argument, yet I also understand that it is an argument that is really not backed by much actual evidence. There are very few cases that can be cited in which hand loaded ammo was even mentioned, and even fewer cases where the use of hand loads were a factor in deciding the case. I have only ever seen two mentioned, personally, and in both cases, hand loads were peripheral to the main issue. I still carry factory loaded ammo, but should my preferred ammo become unavailable, I would not hesitate to carry my own hand loaded ammo. I am mostly unconvinced that this would be a disaster, should I ever have to fire my weapon in self-defense.

I'm not a lawyer, and I don't have any special ability to look for such cases, but common sense tells me that if they existed, I would be able to find more references to them, on the Internet. If anyone can cite instances where hand loaded ammo played a part in the conviction of a person who was defending himself, I would like to read them, and I would like to see more opinions on this subject.