Can we agree that there aren’t nearly enough oddball cartridges on the market? I mean, really, there are only about 18.23 trillion different caliber options out there. But seriously? As a ballistics geek and reloader, I kind of like that. Is there a law that says we can only have ten calibers and every new […]
How Bullets Work
Know what drives me crazy? When certain gun people get all cranky and attitudinal about new(er) shooters using the wrong word to describe some piece, part, or technique. If you’ve visited enough gun stores, you might have been the victim of this type of snobbery: Joe or Jane Customer: “Hi! I need to buy a […]
300 AAC Blackout Fundamentals – Ammunition and Reloading
Recently when I wrote a review of the Daniel Defense DDM4v5 300 Blackout rifle, I mentioned that I’d be doing a drill down series on different aspects of the 300 AAC Blackout. Well, it starts here. Including this article, we’ll be looking at the following topics over the next few weeks: 300 AAC Blackout Ammunition […]
Reloading Ammunition: The Final Steps, Seating, Crimping and Inspecting
Last time we covered the powder charging step and briefly touched on the whole concept of pressure curves. While reloading is a safe pastime when proper care is taken, the care-taking part is a really big deal. The last steps, seating, crimping and inspecting cartridges, are equally important when it comes to safety. Seating the new […]
New Book! The Insanely Practical Guide to Reloading Ammunition
When I started reloading, I made lots of mistakes. I learned the hard way by screwing things up on occasion. Yes, I had fun, but my learning process might have been more fun if someone had taken the time to explain the procedures and equipment to me. In plain non-engineering oriented English. Fortunately, that’s what […]
Squashing Brass: The Basics Of Resizing Rifle And Pistol Cartridge Cases
Every time you pull the trigger, lot’s of violent things happen inside the chamber of your gun. The primer ignites. The primer ignition sets flame to the propellant, which then begins to burn at an obscenely fast rate. It doesn’t technically explode (unless you’re using black powder) but it burns so fast you might think […]
Reloading Ammunition in 10 Easy Steps
This article originally appeared at OutdoorHub. If you read the first article in this reloading series, “To Reload or Not to Reload: 12 Important Considerations,” and decided reloading might be for you, read on! Today we’ll talk about the basic steps of reloading brass ammunition, like common rifle and handgun cartridges. Shotgun reloading is fun and […]
New “Bolo” Connected Projectiles From Advanced Ballistic Concepts
On the more radical news front, I was able to see the new connected projectiles cartridge from Advanced Ballistic Concepts. Think of these as bullet bolos. You know, those primitive weapons where you connect three rocks or other heavy objects with string. As you spin and throw the bolo, the rocks on the end spread […]
Primers Exist! Here’s The Proof…
If you reload, or have been looking for ammunition anytime during 2013, you know that supplies of primers are scarce. In case you don’t know, primers are those little metal “caps” that go in the base of a cartridge to make it go bang. They’re sort of like those newer style caps for toy guns […]
What Has More Energy? A 3 ½” 12 Gauge Buckshot Load or a Throat Punch By Mike Tyson?
Find out with the Cartridge Comparison Guide, Second Edition I now have all the answers. Not because I’m some sort of genius, but because I met the guy who HAS found all the answers at this year’s Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) Conference. His name is Andrew and he created the Cartridge Comparison Guide, now […]