Handloader February - March 2025

Recently a package came in the mail from some friends over at Taylor’s & Company. I had been inquiring about getting a Winchester 1873 levergun from them chambered in 44-40 Winchester. It had finally arrived and as usual, the rifle was inspected and the mandatory checks were made on the smoothness of the lever, the crispness of the trigger, and so on and so forth. The excitement that filled the room from this delivery was almost contagious and it wasn’t before long that half the office wandered in to take a gander at what all the fuss was about. ...Read More >

About six months ago, I was poking around in our local gun shop and noticed an eight-pound bottle of Ramshot propellant sitting on a lower shelf almost out of sight behind a bunch of Hodgdon-branded powders. I was honestly hoping it was TAC, one of my favorites in the 223 Remington. To my surprise, the familiar green label proclaimed that the bottle contained Ramshot Grand, a magnum rifle powder. I’d never heard of it. ...Read More >

Q: I enjoy Handloader magazine, and in spite of having 40 years of handloading experience, I still learn something new from each issue. Today I’m writing to you regarding 44 Magnum rifles. I have three guns, including a 1970s vintage Marlin 1894, a Ruger 77/44, and a brand new Ruger-produced Marlin Model 1894. The early Marlin features the 1:38 twist barrel and only gives so-so accuracy with heavy 300- to 320-grain bullets. I limit bullet weight to 250-grains or less and it shoots wonderfully. I purchased the Ruger bolt action when they first came out because I wanted to try heavy bullets with the 1:20 twist barrel, but that rifle will only accept cartridges with an overall length that is within SAAMI specs. I have to seat 300-grain bullets deep. According to Hornady data, I am only getting around 1,150 feet per second (fps) using Alliant 2400 powder. Do you have a load that will give greater velocity? ...Read More >

It seems strange writing the history of a shotgun cartridge. After all, shotguns have been around forever. The Spanish Arquebusier of the sixteenth century fired small square “shot” cut from sheet lead in his matchlock. Millions of folks did the same thing in the following years because, until the last half of the twentieth century, most people on the planet went to bed hungry. A dead deer to chew on was great, but small game and sitting birds were far easier to find. A large bore musket firing small bits of lead (or small stones) made obtaining a source of protein more certain. ...Read More >

Lipsey’s, LLC and Ruger have teamed up to offer a very special edition Ruger New Model Blackhawk chambered in 45 Colt with a convertible 45 ACP cylinder. The gun will celebrate the many contributions and influence that gun writer John Taffin has brought to the firearms industry. The initial production run will be in stainless steel, with a blue version offered at a later date. Production will begin before the end of 2024 or early 2025. ...Read More >

This pair of “kabooms” may serve to remind fellow handloaders of a safety matter related to the mental aspect of handloading. We rarely discuss mental acuity. It also reemphasizes the caution that any time a shot “doesn’t feel right,” don’t keep on shooting – stop and investigate. ...Read More >

Soon after Phyllis and I were married, we became friends with Wyoming cattle ranchers Dick and Dorothy Keenan and hunted with them for several years. In addition to taking very good mule deer and pronghorn antelope on their property, on some years, the four of us would travel to the Bridger National Forest which was renowned for excellent elk hunting. Very nice bulls were harvested by all. It was during one of those hunts that bighorn sheep became the topic of conversation, and that got me hooked. Soon after returning home, I decided to start applying for a tag for an area described by a friendly game warden as one of the steepest and most rugged places in all of Wyoming. As he went on to say, my chances of drawing a tag were better there than in other areas because, due to its difficulty, fewer hunters applied. In that same year, I also began applying for a non-resident tag for Shiras moose as well. ...Read More >

Globalization and its economic confrères, free trade and capitalism can be thanked for many of the benefits of modern life. A new washing machine today is vastly cheaper in relative terms than it would have been for our parents 60 years ago. Same with a power mower. ...Read More >

Big brother to the 300 Blackout (BLK), the 8.6 Blackout provides added lethality and reach. The 8.6 Blackout is the brainchild of Kevin Brittingham of Q, LLC, with additional input provided by Faxon Firearms, Discreet Ballistics and Hornady. ...Read More >

There are any number of good reasons to load your own shotshells, and with the 28 gauge, even more than usual. First is availability: In most places, you just can’t find ’em. Second is cost: Although the shell is smaller and uses less lead shot and powder, a box of 28 will cost you half as much again as a box of standard 12 gauge ($14 vs. $10). ...Read More >

The method of loading pistol or rifle ammunition follows general guidelines. When preparing handloads for semi-automatic weapons, words such as taper crimp, fast-burning powders, or full metal-jacketed bullets become very meaningful. I became in tune with all this when involved in the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) matches years back when every shot could make the difference in the final outcome. ...Read More >

The 300 Ruger Compact Magnum (RCM) was designed in 2006/07 and released commercially in 2008, as a joint development between Ruger and Hornady Manufacturing. It was the third cartridge to bear Bill Ruger’s name. It is based on the 375 Ruger case but shortened and necked to accept .308-inch bullets. Testing factory loads and handloads offers excellent performance, accuracy and efficiency. It should be noted that it was never designed as an ultra-long-range cartridge; rather, it was intended to meet the needs of big game hunters who wanted to carry a lighter, shorter rifle but still have the power and long-range prowess of a .30 caliber magnum. ...Read More >

Al, he wrote, owned just one rifle, a 30-40 Krag won in a poker game. It fit his chosen habitation in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, where he split his time between a shack on a timber company tract and its coastal counterpart overlooking clam flats and black brant flyways. Besides shells for his Parker and “a broken box of 180-grain softpoints” for the Krag, Al had few encumbrances. But when dawn broke over clear-cuts during deer season, he rued the limited reach of his rifle. “Next year, Spud, you’ll see me out on Bone Mountain with one of them Gibbs 30 Magnums.” ...Read More >