Reloading at Home: Is it Safe?

Reloading your own ammo is a great way to save money.

There are some safety considerations you need to be aware of before reloading at home, however.

This article will cover the most important safety considerations when reloading ammunition in your house or apartment.

Be aware of the safety considerations

First of all, there are a few safety precautions you should follow when reloading your own ammo.

The most important rule to remember is the four rules of firearms safety .

Never point a firearm towards anything that you do not intend to shoot Keep your finger off the trigger until just before firing Always assume a loaded firearm contains ammunition Be sure of your target and what lies beyond

You need to follow these rules for any form of firearms handling, reloading included.

Second, when reloading you’ll be handling explosives, so you should never smoke.

You don’t want to risk the fire hazard when you are pulling explosive powder through your press by lighting up a cigarette or cigar.

Third, it’s best to load in a well-ventilated area with good airflow .

Otherwise extremely dangerous powders like magnum primers or saltpeter can form hazardous fumes.

Have a dedicated work space for reloading and storing all materials used when

By having a dedicated work area when reloading, you’ll have an easier time cleaning up afterwards.

You can also tell your friends or family not to touch anything in the area unless you are present, so they know it’s off limits.

Fourth, make sure there is no one nearby when you are reloading .

If something goes wrong and a shell fails to fire, having someone nearby increases the risk of them being hit by debris.

Finally, handle your reloaded ammunition with care and respect .

Keep it stored in a safe place and always keep an eye on who is nearby when you are handling loaded cartridges.

If anyone else is nearby, be sure to tell them what you’re doing and why so they don’t do anything careless.

Need to complete your reloading equipment? Find our top picks from these helpful buyer’s guides:

• Best Reloading Dies
• Best Brass Tumblers for Reloading
• Best Case Trimmer 

Don’t store any ammunition in your house or apartment without proper storage containers.

You need to keep the primers and gunpowder separate from each other when they are in components.

Think about what will happen in a fire. Powder, primers, and ammunition can all be dangerous, so carefully consider how you’ll store them.

Keep children away from the area where you are loading ammo.

Reloading should be done by adults with a sound mind, since mistakes tend to be very serious and can even be deadly. If you aren’t naturally focused and very careful, reloading may not be a great idea for you.

Always wear protective equipment like eye protection, gloves, and ear plugs

All reloading processes generate fine dust particles that could end up in your eyes, hands, and ears. This is why you will want to always wear protective safety gear whenever working with firearms components.

Be extremely careful around primers too.

Primers are the explosive elements of ammunition cartridges. They ignite when struck by a firing pin or when struck by a primer-activating mechanism in a reloading press. Always handle them with care and respect, because mishandling ammunition components can lead to serious injury or death.

Follow manufacturer recommendations on loads and

Your powder, primer and bullet manufacturer will always recommend a max pressure and charge weight for their cartridges. You should never exceed these specifications since it can be dangerous for you and your equipment.

You don’t want to damage your firearm with excess force or cause an accident. A reliable bullet puller will come in handy as well.

Take extra precautions if you’re using reloaded ammunition. Squib loads aren’t common, but the ramifications can be very serious if they aren’t recognized quickly.

TLDR;

Be sure to have a proper workspace, follow rules for firearm safety, separate gunpowder & primers when using components in reloading, wear protective equipment, always follow manufacturer recommendations on loads and charges , take extra precautions if you are using your own reloaded cartridges.

That’s all there is to it! Follow these five steps to be perfectly safe when reloading ammunition at home!

Want to know if reloading your own ammo really helps save money? Our latest article reveals how much it costs to reload 9mm.