Factory vs Reload

[Trophy Tom]

Is there a way to look at a shell and tell by looking at the
primer and determining if it factory or a reload?
Any other ways to tell.
Thanks

[hornady]

By shell do you mean shot shell or are you talking cartridge such as rifle or pistol. If a shot shell sometimes you can tell by the crimp. If a metallic cartridge if loaded properly I have no sure way to tell. If the ammo were questionable I would not take the chance of shooting another’s reloads. If you do not reload you could sell the questionable ammo to a reloader for the components.

[Trophy Tom]

Rifle n pistol cartridges. I have some old ammo I might sell but don't want to pass it off as factory if it's a reload


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Grumulkin]

There are several ways to tell:
 
1.  If the primer is crimped, it's factory.
 
2.  If there is reddish or blueish coloring around the primer from primer sealer, it's factory.
 
3.  You can also tell by the crimp at times.  Unless you use a Lee Factory Crimp Die, all handloads have either a taper crimp or a roll crimp if they have any at all.  Some factory crimps have relatively long indentations around the cannelure with significantly wider spaces between than a crimp made with a Lee die.
 
4.  A somewhat less dependable way to tell would be by primer color.  Remington and Winchester primers are usually (maybe always) brass colored so if you see a nickel plated primer in a Remington or Winchester case, it's probably a reload.

[SHOOTALL]

If you have a factory load with the same bullet you can measure it OAL , you can see if the primer matches the factory primer Color in particular or a bench rest mark on it  , does the crimp match etc. I seal some of my reloads with sealer made to do so , finger nail polish or a paint pen all work . I have factory Winchester loads with green sealant so I would be careful using seal color as an indicator , some are sealed with black or purple even blue. You can look at the base of a case to see if the expansion ring is expanded or shows signs of being compressed back to spec. Do the bullets that are loaded get loaded by the factory in the first place ? Do the cases have any marks that would be from sizing ? And of course crimp as most factory crimps look different than what most hand loaders use.

[buck460XVR]

Sometimes the resizing die can leave streaks or a ring near the base on the case. Hornady bullets in a Remington case could be a give away. Other than that, good luck.

[Land_Owner]

Good handloads are chamfered both inside and outside of the case mouth with a deburring tool.  Inside chamfer will be difficult or impossible to see as it is there to ease flat based bullets into the case.  The outside chamfer (like half of a "V") should be apparent as most factory rounds are straight edged and sharp at the case to bullet interface (like an "L").

[bilmac]

An individual round may be difficult to tell, but if you look at a bunch in the same lot you could get a clue if you see marks made by cycling through a rifle, or maybe dents left on shoulders by a little excess lube. A lot of factories have a segmented crimp on the bullet rather than just a simple round crimp. A lot of little clues can give you a pretty good idea.

[Trophy Tom]

Thanks for all the help. I'll investigate with my magnifying glass when I get some spare time



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Old Syko]

Tom there is absolutely no way to be assured your loads are factory.  Sealed primers or bullets certainly won't help you.  I do that myself.  Reloaded ammo made for full auto may also have primers that have been re-crimped.  Here again myself and a lot of other folks do this.  I would suggest you sell the stuff by giving the buyer the straight dope, that you're unsure of it's origin or contents and would suggest it be used as components only while dumping the powder.  On the off chance you make the wrong decision and someone gets hurt, guess who will be held responsible?   

[Doublebass73]

Scratch marks in the brass from dies are a dead giveaway that they're reloads. Other than that it can be tough to tell sometimes.

[Land_Owner]

In my earlier response I was totally thinking rifle cartridges.  Most pistol cartridges are not chamfered as they are "belled" prior to and crimped closed following bullet seating.

Often the case ejector will leave tell-tale marks on the rims of cases indicating they have been shot and subsequently reloaded.  Not always though...

[Trophy Tom]

The shells in question are the
Rem 22 jet mag. Original boxes
So it would be a rifle cartridge in the way the are loaded.
 I also have a bunch of reloads
Just trying to make sure reloads were not just put in the boxes. Tonight I'll have time to look closely.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Savage]

Tom there is absolutely no way to be assured your loads are factory.  Sealed primers or bullets certainly won't help you.  I do that myself.  Reloaded ammo made for full auto may also have primers that have been re-crimped.  Here again myself and a lot of other folks do this.  I would suggest you sell the stuff by giving the buyer the straight dope, that you're unsure of it's origin or contents and would suggest it be used as components only while dumping the powder.  On the off chance you make the wrong decision and someone gets hurt, guess who will be held responsible?   

Absolutely!
There is NO sure way to visually tell properly done reloads from factory. If there were any question, I'd treat them as reloads from an unknown source.
Savage

[Trophy Tom]

Did my research last night and I think they are factory. The pics are of reloads vs factory
The bullets left to right
40 gr hornady .222 jet
45 gr ? Reloads from reeds ammo
40 gr from ?(factory ammo)the factory ammo is the only one with a cantalure groove
Empties   Headstamp
Left is factory
Right is reload
Empties.    Neck
Reversed the order
Left is reload
Right is factory
Close up of neck
Factory doesn't  look chamfered
At the neck
COL on the factory ammo spot on
My thoughts are factory ammo
is


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[D Fischer]

I agree no way with properly done handloads if they have also been tumbled. That usually removes the area around the case neck that results from FL sizing. But the best way I'd think were it me is the carton they come in. The longer the box they came in is used, the sorrier it kooks, they get ragged. If they are not in the factory box I'd consider them reloads no matter what. I don't think it's a good idea to shoot reloads, particularly reloaded by someone unknown in any rifle. It's not that reloader's are screw ups, most aren't. It's that you could find the one that is and that could be unfortunate!