Handloader June-July 2026

The 45 Colt was developed in 1873 to go into Colt’s new Single Action Army revolver. Birthed in the aftermath of the Civil War, with westward expansion in full swing and the American Indian Wars still underway, the timing was right. ...Read More >

The first day of February was nicer than I had any right to expect. Well above freezing with no wind and bright skies, the range conditions were perfect. Among the rifles packed in my Jeep that morning were a Remington 700 heavy-barreled PSS in 308 Winchester and my Cooper Arms Model 21 Varminter in 223 Remington. These rifles, two of my favorites, are among the most accurate I own. They were also the ideal calibers for testing Shooters World’s new powder, The Patriot. ...Read More >

Q: I’m an old timer and purchased a Winchester pre-’64 Model 70 Featherweight chambered in 358 back in the 1960s. I hunted with it at that time, but kept it in high condition. ...Read More >

For more than half a century, Aldo Uberti has been offering a reproduction of the historic Remington Model 1875 Single Action Revolver (aka 1875 Army, Improved Army and Frontier Army). In addition to being a close copy manufactured with modern steels, this sixgun is handsome, shoots well and is a bargain considering its overall quality and cost. ...Read More >

At a recent cartridge collector’s show (no, I’m not a real collector, I attended with a friend who is), I stumbled onto a unique piece of Americana that would perhaps interest most handloaders as a historical curiosity. Eminently practical and useful for its purpose more than a hundred years ago, this piece has been eclipsed by time and the sometimes wasteful, bigger-better-faster-more attitude that underscores our lives here in the future. ...Read More >

A little-known fact is that during the early 1960s, J.D. Jones worked with Lee Jurras in developing Super Vel ammunition, which was the first high-performance handgun ammunition to become available in the United States. ...Read More >

Nestled within the cult of Gear Junkies, a cult whose numbers are grossly underestimated, lies the Sub-Cult of Catalogue Freaks. These are folks who hoard catalogs of all kinds, reading and re-reading them, flipping back to see what was available when, and for how much, and generally wallowing in a world where, since little is ever actually purchased, there is rarely disappointment and buyer’s remorse. ...Read More >

Two decades ago, Smith & Wesson introduced the speedy 460 S&W Magnum in its X-Frame revolver. Nowadays, when used in a carbine-length barrel, it’s tough to top in states permitting the use of straight-walled cartridges for deer. When Smith & Wesson’s Herb Belinset out to create an “unsurpassable” handgun cartridge in 2002, that goal was achieved with the 500 S&W Magnum and the oversize X-Frame revolver to fire it. Time to market? One year. That was only possible due to the collaboration with Pete Pi of Cor-Bon Ammunition. But why stop there? ...Read More >

Usually, when embarking on a handloading project for a specific cartridge, it is a routine affair. About three to five bullets are coupled with three to five propellants. Then the loads are test-fired in five-shot strings. For handguns, a Ransom Pistol Machine Rest is preferred. After group shooting, the results fall where they may, as I’m seeking only to learn, not to prove a point. This most recent project was not quite so routine. ...Read More >

Creating cartridges that better 5.56 NATO/223 Remington performance from the AR-15 platform is a fashionable pastime among firearms enthusiasts. We see this in popular or newer AR-15 cartridges such as the 224 Valkyrie, 22 and 6mm ARCs, 6.8 Remington SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) and 6.5 Grendel. The fantastic ARC (Advanced Rifle Cartridge) rounds offer exceptional long-range ballistics, which can also be said of the 224 Valkyrie. That said, I find the SPC and Grendel best for the hog hunting that inspires most of my AR use. ...Read More >

It has been 18 years since the 6.5 Creedmoor was formally announced by Hornady Manufacturing. Simply stated, it was modern in every respect and filled a significant void resulting in it becoming hugely popular in the United States and many other countries. Previously, 6.5mm or .264-inch cartridges have not boasted of huge sales with U.S. shooters and hunters. Hornady’s little 6.5 played a significant role in popularizing that caliber with Americans, and as a result, many additional 6.5 cartridges have been introduced and well received. It has helped to renew interest in several older 6.5s. ...Read More >

Almost every report you will ever read about the 25-20 WCF (Winchester Center Fire), and there have been many over the past 130 years, either begins or ends by calling it “a fun little cartridge.” ...Read More >