Handloader December-January 2026

For many years, I have been a huge fan of big-bore sixguns, in particular the 45 Colt; like many, this passion has led to progression. This led me straight to the 454 Casull, a cartridge that, in my mind, is one of the more practical big-bore magnum performance cartridges. This is largely thanks to the excellent and relatively compact guns that Freedom Arms makes chambered in the cartridge. When hunting, shooting, or carrying a handgun, I prefer mine to be in a holster and not a sling. This is where the Freedom Arms Model 83 chambered in 454 Casull truly shines. ...Read More >

The group had looked promis- ing through my Bushmaster Varminter’s SIG Sauer optic. The fifth shot changed that picture, opening the group to something past a minute of angle. The shot had seemed clean, and the wind was behaving itself, which is not often the case on our public range. I had just blown the shot; there was nothing else to blame. It certainly was not the propellant’s fault. Shooters World’s The Creed had outperformed my expectations dramatically against physical limitations I did not believe it could overcome. Low charge weights, weirdly inconsistent grain geometry, and temperature testing had not phased the powder. ...Read More >

Q: I recently tried one of your recommended 45-70 Government handloads for modern Marlin Model 1895 rifles but am having problems with it working in my Browning Model 1886 rifle. I am using the 400-grain Speer Jacketed FNSP bullet with 50.0 grains of Accurate A-2015 powder in Starline cases. I am full-length sizing cases; then after priming, charging with powder, and seating bullets, the roll-crimp is applied as a separate step per your suggestion. I am using RCBS dies. The overall cartridge length is 2.540 inches as outlined in the Speer Reloading Manual #14 for this bullet. ...Read More >

Once upon a time, at a shooting range not so very far away, a young fellow walked up to my bench during a break in the shooting. After looking at the half dozen World War I-era Smith & Wessons lying there, he asked, “Why are so many old guns still in existence?” Before I could answer, he said something I was totally unprepared for. In short, he didn’t understand why, with modern guns being stronger and more accurate, we didn’t melt down all the old stuff and buy new guns! Then he added that the salesman who sold him his new concealed carry gun had said a 9mm Luger served 98 percent of all handgun needs. ...Read More >

Beginning in 2018, Standard Manufacturing Company, based in New Britain, Connecticut, began producing a Colt Single Action Army pattern sixgun. While there were some minor issues with early production guns, those problems have long since been resolved, and today their Single Action is a high-quality and accurate sixgun that is 100 percent built in the USA. ...Read More >

Scandinavian hunters have been bagging caribou and moose with the 6.5x55 Swedish (6.5 Swede) cartridge since just after its introduction as a military cartridge in 1894. To this day, the 6.5 Swede remains popular in Scandinavian countries for hunting big game. ...Read More >

I grew up on a farm, and one of my father’s best friends owned land about 10 miles away. When an accident with a John Deere tractor ended his days of the soil, two sons took over the day-to-day operation. ...Read More >

Many years ago, a psychiatrist of my acquaintance told me about an unnamed patient, a senior executive in a large company, who suffered from periodic bouts of severe depression. ...Read More >

I don’t find the subsonic approach particularly appealing, even while hunting nighttime feral hogs with thermal-equipped and suppressed ARs. I seem to be in the minority on this subject. Sure, subsonic is quiet, especially with a suppressed rifle. That holds obvious appeal. The sharp-stick truth is subsonic velocities sacrifice significant delivered energy and result in looping trajectories beyond 100 yards. Blame this attitude on being a child of the West, where 100 yards is considered rock-throwing distance, and success frequently hinges on the ability to go long. I’m rarely shooting where gunshots would annoy anyone. ...Read More >

Shooters and hunters in the 1970s were enjoying decades of bottleneck cartridge developments with ultra-popular cartridges such as the 30-06 Springfield, 270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum and 300 Winchester Magnum, as well as short-action cartridges such as the 308 and 243 Winchester and many others. ...Read More >

To begin with, the plan was pretty simple: For years, I’ve wanted to try the old Lyman Ideal 310 loading tool, a pliers-like instrument universally known as a “tong” tool or “nutcracker” that, at one time, was the most common method of reloading ammunition. ...Read More >

One of the fascinations in being a lifelong student of World War II history is in discovering another piece of that war that I can take home with me. While it would be nice to garner, say, a PT boat or a P-38 Lightning, and I do have room in the back yard by the garden shed, I must content myself with historical items within my price range, and many firearms fall within that category. ...Read More >

Bill Ruger had a beautifully devious mind. After successfully launchinghis 22 rimfire semiautomatic pistol in 1949, he took what many considered a step backward when he released the Ruger Single-Six revolver in 1953. Many considered single-action sixgun history dead, kaput, but Bill Ruger displayed his confidence by ignoring the naysayers. ...Read More >