In “action” pistol matches, it’s common that a competitor’s ammunition must make a particular power factor (pf), a number derived based on the projectile’s weight and velocity. There are standards for what that number must be, and not making pf carries with it penalties. While we rarely see a chrono at club matches, at a…
I’ve mentioned the trials and tribulations of the pre-Dillon press world. Size and de-cap a case, then prime if you wished. It took a lot of practice to develop the correct feel for priming – not too deep and not too shallow. And it interrupted the flow some. My group used a hand primer, which…
Reloading is the process of reconditioning spent casings into ready to fire ammunition.
In this process there are many permutations and processes, today we will look at how to determine how much powder gets in the case and how to keep the amount consistent.
There are several methods to get the proper amount of powder…
There are three types of cartridge cases, defined by their overall shape, used in pistol ammunition. These are (1) straight-walled, (2) tapered, and (3) bottlenecked. Let’s discuss their virtues and vices.
Certain undertakings are not group activities, and handloading is one of them. Handloading is best undertaken by a single person, an individual who can give the process their undivided attention, from start-to-finish. Handloading is a safe undertaking that can be executed by anyone willing to learn a few simple rules. Some of those rules relate…
Once you’ve realized having clean cartridge cases for reloading is desirable, the next question to ask yourself is what sort of media you’re going to load into your Dillon vibratory case cleaner. You have two options: crushed walnut hulls or corncob. Both have their virtues.
One of the most common reasons a handloaded cartridge fails to chamber is the split case. Before we discuss how to prevent split cases from ever finding their way into our firearms, let’s address how they happen in the first place.
When reloading, the question of do I need to lube cases comes up. This is very quickly followed by, what is the best way to lube.
As with most things in life, need is relative, as is the “best” choice.
If we take a systematic approach to the question, first we have to ask ourselves…
As a cartridge fires, the gunpowder burns, producing a large quantity of expanding gases; this presses outward on the interior walls of the case, causes them to expand until stopped by the surrounding, steel chamber walls. When this happens, the case seals off gas from blowing backward, past the case, and instead ensures it’s all…
Competition shooting is still a popular sport, despite the efforts of those who see no reason why civilians should own firearms. And in many of the shooting sports, loading your own ammunition is required in order to meet the accuracy and reliability requirements that come with the sport.
In my time working in laboratories, in different careers, balances seemed more and more integral to the work – just as scales/balances always have been in reloading. Working with true black powder, adding a powder charge by scooping it up with the case might have been OK (NOT that I’m advocating such a thing!) but…
In “action” pistol competitions like USPSA/IPSC or IDPA, your ammo must make a particular power factor, a number derived according to the bullet’s weight and velocity. There are two classic approaches to getting that number: (1) Run a heavy bullet with a fast-burning powder at low velocity, (2) run a light bullet with a medium-to-slow-burning…