Handloader June/July 2022

There are many things we learn from first-time experiences. I thought it would be appropriate to talk about a few of my firsts and how much we can learn from these experiences. This all makes sense, given this is also my first column and I would like to invite you to join in my shared experiences and hopefully learn something along the way. ...Read More >

As I write this column, I have been seeing more and a greater variety of ammunition on our local store shelves as of late. I wish I could say the same about reloading components. It is getting better, no doubt, but components are still the weak link in the chain. Bullet supply seems to be rebounding quicker than either primers or powders. If readers are small-gauge shotshell reloaders, well they might be of the opinion that the world has forgotten about them all together. Wads and small gauge suitable propellants are conspicuous by their absence from most dealers’ shelves. ...Read More >

I recently read an article that brought back some bad memories of my handloads and perhaps you can help put my mind at ease. In this particular instance, the author referenced .32-20 W.C.F. factory loads that had wild extreme velocity spreads depending on if the revolver was pointed up, level or downward. In short, when the gun was pointed upward or level, the loads performed normally, but when the muzzle was pointed downward, the 100-grain jacketed bullets would regularly stick in the bore. I was shocked to read this, as I expect factory loads to always work flawlessly. Your thoughts on why this occurred would be of interest? ...Read More >

The origin of the Russian 9mm Makarov pistol, and its cartridge of the same name, is more than a bit confusing. In socialist countries, everything military is considered to be a “state secret.” If some information gets out, it’s a good bet that it’s largely false. Gun writers tend to take what is available and fill in the blanks. Of course, there are now internet experts who create narratives out of thin air. The 9mm Makarov has seen its share of all this, though the published account that follows seems to be plausible – at least at first glance. ...Read More >

It has been more or less 50 years since A. Uberti began building replicas of the legendary Colt Single Action Army revolver. While early examples lacked in overall quality, today’s guns are hugely improved, well-made, accurate, attractive and offered at reasonable prices. ...Read More >

There is a genre of bullet mould makers that fill the gap between large, standardized manufacturers with their carved-in-stone menus, and true custom makers, who cut mould blocks one on one as specified by a customer. In between are businesses that I call “semi-custom bullet mould makers.” They seldom keep inventory but make a mould when a customer picks from a large number of choices. Their designs are kept in CNC machinery memory banks. Any design stored therein can be called up simply by punching numbers into a keyboard. Usually, semi-custom mould makers have options as to mould block material and number of cavities. ...Read More >

Kenneth E. Clark was an accomplished gunsmith who grew up on a cattle ranch near Madera, California. The open country was rich with an assortment of varmints, ranging in size from coyotes to ground squirrels and shots were often taken at extreme distances. Windy days increased the challenge of connecting. After trying rifles chambered for various cartridges, he decided to come up with something better suited for the task at hand. ...Read More >

Next to primers, which no one can make for himself, and for which there is no substitute, the most critical component for loading your own is brass – the shorthand we all use for cartridge cases. ...Read More >

Imagine watching your shots grow into a cluster on a laptop computer screen as you fire at long distance. Velocity figures appear and a proof channel verifies each recording is valid. Time of flight is there, along with ballistic coefficient (BC), velocity at the target, horizontal and vertical shot dispersion, group size and radial group standard deviation. Average, standard deviation, the fastest shot, slowest shot and extreme spread emerge for all the numbers mentioned above. While this may sound too awesome to be true, that is what Oehler’s new System 89 does and a whole lot more. ...Read More >

During World War II, Roy Weatherby (1910-1988) began experimenting with several wildcat cartridges in an effort to achieve notably greater velocities than standard cartridges of the same caliber. Most of his developments were based on the .375/.300 H&H belted case, but naturally blown out to hold significantly more powder than other cartridges of the same caliber. For example, the .300 Weatherby Magnum held around 14 to 15 grains (depending on case make, etc.) more water than its parent cartridge, the .300 H&H Magnum, which gave it approximately 200 to 250 feet per second (fps) greater velocity with most bullet weights. The .270 Weatherby Magnum (probably his first cartridge) likewise held greater powder and produced substantially greater velocities than the hustling .270 Winchester. ...Read More >

Introduced in slightly different form as the .256 Newton, today’s 6.5-06 A-Square has been with us since 1913. It is the brainchild of Charles Newton, an undisputed firearms genius who was well ahead of his time. If that name sounds familiar, think in terms of the .22 Savage, and most notably, the .250-3000, or .250 Savage. Newton is one of those names, like P.O. Ackley, Colonel Townsend Whelen, Phillip B. Sharp or Ned H. Roberts that speaks of the intrepid age of cartridge development and handloading. Educated as a lawyer, Newton was an avid handloader who developed his own reloading tools and eventually became a firearms manufacturer. Newton was granted many firearms patents during his career and started his own arms manufacturing firm in 1914. ...Read More >

Some handloaders use their bench time as a mini vacation from what many humans call “real life,” which becomes apparent when they choose to use relatively slow-loading techniques. If you are among them, you may not be interested in the following suggestions, which often save quite a bit of time, and sometimes even money. ...Read More >

Rifles were made to be shot. Every single one, no matter how ornate: If it’s a real rifle, it can be stuffed with powder and ball and made to go “bang,” whether the target is man, beast, paper target or tin can. ...Read More >