Vihtavuori N105 Super Magnum Powder

HANDLOADER
®

Ammunition Reloading Journal

Armscor International
.22 TCM

October 2022 No. 340

Display until 11/21/22 Printed in USA .35 Remington

 COLUMNS FEATURES
Vih tavuori N10

HANDLOADER
5 Super Magnu
m Powder
®

Ammunition Reload

4 Ten Out of 32 The 6.5 Creedmoor

ing Journal

Ten Millimeters? Again

Reloader’s Press Armscor Internatio
.22 TCM
nal Newer Powder
Jeremiah Polacek and Bullets
Page 4 . . . John Barsness

Page 32 . . .

October 2022
No. 340
Printed in USA
.35 Remington

On the cover . . .
Armscor International’s
.22 TCM 1911 Pistol.
Photo by Patrick Meitin.

8 Vihtavuori N105
Super Magnum
Propellant Profiles
Randy Bimson 38 Armscor International
.22 TCM 1911 Pistol
Handloads for a
12 .45 ACP with
Small Pistol Primers Little Cartridge
Patrick Meitin
Bullets & Brass
Brian Pearce
44 Updating
.35 Remington
and
18 Cartridge
5.45x39mm
Board
Page 22 . . .
Improving This
Gil Sengel
116-Year-Old Cartridge
Brian Pearce

22 From
Colt M45A1 .45 ACP
the Hip 52 .300 Rook Rifle
Brian Pearce Largely Forgotten,
but Worth the Effort

26 Mike’s
Favorite Casting Alloy
Shootin’ Shack
Page 38 . . .
Terry Wieland

Mike Venturino

Page 26 . . .

56 America and the

.32 Revolver
Page 52 . . . Shooting Five Classic
Cartridges
Gil Sengel

Page 56 . . .

28 6x45mm
Wildcat Cartridges
Layne Simpson

66 Sorting
In Range
Out Powders
Terry Wieland

October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 3

 Ten Out of Ten Millimeters?
SIG P320-XTEN
Reloader’s Press Jeremiah Polacek

O n May 6 of this year, a buddy

and I attended the SIG Free-
dom Days at the Ben Avery Shoot-
ing Facility near Phoenix, Arizona.
This one-of-a-kind event was open to
the public and allowed consumers to
test-fire many of the firearms in SIG’s
lineup, for a small fee of course. They
also had demonstrations and discus-
sions about the winner of the Next
Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW)
trials, the MCX Spear (also known
as the XM5 chambered in 6.8x51),
the SIG LMG-6.8 (or the M250) and A wide range of bullets and powders were selected for testing after consulting LoadData.com and
the SIG MG 338. Perhaps one of the various other loading manuals.
most interesting aspects of this sys-
tem is the fact that it uses a two-piece lot of big names attending and offer- site and handloads were developed
case. The case head is steel while the ing demonstrations, including Scotty by carefully selecting appropriate
body and neck are made of brass. Neil, Kyle Lamb and Lena Miculek. powders that I believed would yield
Having experience with numerous I even got to talk handloading with good results. Starline cases were se-
two-piece case designs, I am very ex- Jerry Miculek for a while, which was lected for all testing. Previous tests
cited to experiment with these cases, a real treat. During the event, SIG have proven their quality and per-
as firearms and the cases themselves released the SIG P320-XTEN cham- formance. After much deliberation,
become more available to the public. bered in 10mm Auto. After waiting a lineup of powders and bullets were
All in all, the event was a joy to in line, again and again, to hammer on the bench and loading began on
attend and I learned a lot while there, steel downrange, I decided to get an Area 419 ZERO Reloading Press.
from various SIG products to their one sent over for testing. The firearm Redding dies were used to size and
plans of manufacturing their own showed up about a week after the expand cases. The case mouths mea-
primers! They have no timeframe on event much to my glee. Ammunition sured .422 inch when expanded. The
this and it is not something they are has been flowing steadily through the cases were then primed with Federal
officially announcing, but it is some- gun since then. 150M primers (It should be noted
thing they are exploring. There were a I consulted our LoadData.com web- that magnum primers are not recom-

The SIG P320-XTEN does not feel bulky or blocky thanks to the design of the
grip frame. The sandpaper-like texture aids in controlling recoil especially if The slide is cut from the factory for mounting optics such as the Trijicon RMR
the shooter’s hands are sweaty or wet. or the SIG Romeo2 or any optic that shares that footprint.

4 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

 10mm Auto Handloads
overall 5-shot
loaded standard extreme 15-yard
bullet powder charge length velocity deviation spread group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches )

155 Hornady XTP A-7 11.5 1.258 1,137 12 31 1.24

11.6 1,148 13 34 1.23
11.9 1,180 12 30 1.68
12.2 1,219 6 16 1.22
12.5 1,237 4 13 .79
155 Speer Gold Dot HP W-231 6.1 1.255 1,043 14 37 1.21
6.4 1,077 12 36 .80
6.7 1,128 5 14 .94
7.0 1,165 5 13 1.18
7.3* 1,198 14 39 1.40
155 Barnes TAC-XP Unique 5.6 1.250 1,052 6 16 1.10
5.8 1,081 11 27 2.19
6.0 1,104 7 19 1.13
6.2 1.130 4 11 1.72
6.4 1,157 15 39 1.24
165 Federal Hydra-Shok A-5 8.6 1.255 1,136 7 19 .71
8.9 1,183 7 19 1.54
9.2 1,217 2 5 .88
9.5 1,245 5 12 1.37
9.8 1,268 3 10 1.87
180 Nosler JHP Longshot 8.4 1.260 1,183 8 22 1.26
8.6 1,188 2 8 1.23
8.8 1,192 14 5 1.12
9.0 1,225 25 63 1.20
9.2* 1,241 16 40 1.24
180 Hornady XTP A-9 12.1 1.250 1,185 6 16 2.13
12.4 1,207 9 23 1.02
12.7 1,244 8 21 1.14
13.0 1,282 4 11 .96
13.3* 1,300 5 13 1.17
180 Speer Gold Dot HP Major Pistol 9.8 1.250 1,141 3 9 1.47
10.2 1,189 4 10 1.29
10.6 1,223 4 9 1.33
11.0 1,260 7 16 1.59
11.4* 1,302 3 8 1.40
200 Swift A-Frame Power Pistol** 6.5 1.250 908 9 13 1.71
6.6 909 8 21 .71
6.8 950 10 22 1.53
7.1 977 13 36 1.13
7.3 1,000 13 31 1.41
* Indicates at or near maximum charge.
** Special notes: The charge weight should have produced higher velocities as this is close to maximum
charge weight in most reloading manuals. A potentially slow lot of powder produced lower than expected
velocity.
Notes: A SIG Sauer P320X-TEN 10mm Auto with a 5-inch barrel was used to test all loads. Starline cases
and Federal 150M primers were used throughout. An Area 419 Zero Reloading Press was used for all hand-
loading and an RCBS Matchmaster scale was used to weigh and dispense powder. All charges were accurate
to .04 grains. A Ransom International Master Series Rest was used for all accuracy testing with the target at
15 yards. An Oehler Model 35P chronograph 10 was used to record all velocities at 10 feet. The temperature
was 93 degrees Fahrenheit, wind 1-5 mph, humidity 22 percent, altitude was 5,000 feet and pressure was
25.20 in HG according to a Kestrel 5700.
For more data on these cartridges please visit LoadData.com.
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms
used. Reduce initial powder charge by 10 percent and work up while watching for signs of excessive pressure.

mended in the 10mm Auto and can seated to appropriate overall lengths
increase pressures drastically.) Pow- to ensure reliable feeding somewhere
der was weighed and dispensed us- between 1.250 to 1.260 inches de-
ing an RCBS Matchmaster scale that pending on the bullet. A medium
is accurate to .04 of a grain. Using taper crimp was applied in a sepa-
a Redding seating die, bullets were rate step from bullet seating to en-
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 5
 ®

Ammunition Reloading Journal

Volume 57 Number 5
Issue No. 340 October 2022
Publisher/President – Don Polacek
Associate Publisher – Jeremiah Polacek
Publishing Consultant – Mark Harris
Editor in Chief – Lee J. Hoots
Executive Secretary – Melanie Jayne
Copy Editor – David Roddy
Art Director – Chris Downs
Production Director – Becky Pinkley
Graphic Designers – Matthew West
Lacey Roy
Accurate No. 9 Powder was able to duplicate the original “hot” factory-loaded 10mm in both accuracy
and velocity. Contributing Editors
sure proper headspace and to hold the table. When it was all said and done, John Barsness Gil Sengel
Randy Bimson Layne Simpson
bullet in place during recoil and feed- the overall group size did not exceed Patrick Meitin Stan Trzoniec
ing. This is a critical step when load- 4 inches across all the various loads Brian Pearce Mike Venturino
ing 10mm, as a handloader does not tested. See the accompanying table Terry Wieland

want the bullet to set back into the for more details on the variety of Advertising
case. This can increase pressures be- loads tested. While testing the gun, Advertising Director: Casey Clifford
yond the maximum, especially if near initially it failed to eject a couple of [email protected]

the Sporting Arms and Ammunition cases. Both failures were within the Advertising Representative: James Dietsch

Manufacturer’s Institute maximum first two magazines; after that, the [email protected]

established pressure of 37,500 psi. gun functioned flawlessly for the rest Advertising Information: 1-800-899-7810

All load development was con- of the testing. The hypothesis be- Circulation
ducted using a Ransom International hind this is perhaps the recoil spring Circulation Manager: Lacey Roy
Master Series Rest. I have found that or magazine springs needed to be bro- [email protected]
this is a good test of the gun’s me- ken-in a little before flawless func- Subscription Information: 1-800-899-7810
www.handloadermagazine.com
chanical accuracy and a quick and tion was achieved. More than 500
Dealer Sales: Howard Traver
easy way to work up excellent loads rounds of various handloads and [email protected]
in addition to saving time. The over- brands of factory ammunition were
Handloader® (ISSN 0017-7393) is published bi-
all accuracy of the firearm was excel- put through this gun without any monthly by Polacek Publishing Corporation, dba
Wolfe Publishing Company, 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A,
lent as reflected in the accompanying further malfunctions. Prescott, Arizona 86301. Telephone: (928) 445-7810.
Periodical Postage paid at Prescott, Arizona, and
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Tel: (928) 445-7810 Fax: (928) 778-5124
© Polacek Publishing Corporation
Publisher of Handloader® is not responsible for
mishaps of any nature that might occur from use
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tions by any member of The Staff. No part of this
publication may be reproduced without written
permission from the publisher. Publisher assumes
all North American Rights upon acceptance and
payment for all manuscripts. Job 19:25-27

6 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

 A favorite bullet is the Swift A-Frame Auto, available in 180- and 200-grain weights. It offers
deep penetration and reliable expansion.

The most accurate load tested was Accurate No. 5 powder and a Federal 165-grain
Hydra-Shok bullet. The group measured out to .71 inch.

The fit and finish of the gun is is nice, short and positive, which aids the lack of a manual safety, which I
very nice and the texturing is aggres- in rapid follow-up shots. am sure will be addressed at some
sive and certainly helps control the The 10mm Auto seems to be mak- point with other models. Some may
recoil of the firearm. While work- ing a comeback, with many manu- prefer a manual safety, especially for
ing from the holster, the finish was facturers offering firearms chambered field carry and use. However, with a
found to be durable and more than in the cartridge. A contributing fac- good holster that offers good reten-
adequate to protect the firearm un- tor to that is that many hunters con- tion, this should be of little concern
der normal use and field conditions. sider it an alternative carry option to and mostly boils down to personal
The grip frame is designed from the a revolver. It is hard to argue with preference. In closing, the handgun
ground up, with a beveled magazine 15 rounds of 10mm in a magazine performed well and perhaps most
well, trigger undercut and a higher compared to six or so .357 Magnum notable is the consistency of group
beavertail. The firearm fits well in rounds in a revolver. The extra capac- sizes from load-to-load and the min-
my hand and was very comfortable ity available in the new model hand- imum point of impact shift across
to control despite the increased recoil guns certainly helps keep the 10mm all the loads tested. For readers who
of the 10mm. One thing I noticed relevant. This topic of increased mag- would like more information on the
was that with the grip I was initially azine capacity is widely talked about handgun or the loads tested, visit
using, my thumb would depress the among firearm enthusiasts. When YouTube.com/HandLoaderTV. •
slide stop and prevent the slide from factoring in the added velocity and
locking open after firing the last energy downrange, it made for a
round. Slightly modifying my grip very effective cartridge that should Increase Accuracy
resolved this issue. The slide is cut for not be overlooked by those who are Extended Cartridge Life
a SIG Romeo 2 or Trijicon RMR red looking for a very versatile handgun. Consistent • Fast • Perfect
dot optic. It features a 5-inch barrel The only gripe I could think of was Made in the USA
and has a capacity of 15+1 rounds of
10mm Auto. The weight of the fire-
arm unloaded is 2 pounds, 1 ounce;
the overall balance of the gun feels
good and the weight certainly helps
soak up some of the recoil generated
by the cartridge. The trigger feels
smooth and crisp with perhaps a hint
of grit after the 500-round mark. It Anneal-Rite
cartridgeanneal.com ~ View Demo Video
broke at 4 pounds, 5 ounces on an av-
[email protected]
erage of five pulls on a Wheeler Engi- 479-629-5566
neering trigger pull gauge. The reset
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 7
 Vihtavuori N105 Super Magnum
Propellant Profiles Randy Bimson

I f you are like me, you have one

or two propellant powders stashed
away in your powder magazine that
Vihtavuori is a relatively new pro-
pellant manufacturer to the North
American handloading market, first
are there not because of their versa- coming to the U.S. commercially in
tility, but because they fill a more 1990, but it has a long history dat-
specialized roll. Vihtavuori N105 ing back 100 years to 1922 when the
Super Magnum is one of those pow- company was established in the small
ders that I don’t burn up pounds of, town of Laukaa, Finland. Not every-
but I consider it a must-have pow- one on this side of the Atlantic Ocean
der for loading two firearm/cartridge is as familiar with the Vihtavuori
combinations, a .44 Magnum Mar- brand as they are with Alliant, Hodg-
lin Model 1894-P and a friend’s .454 don, IMR and Winchester; but in
Casull Big Horn Armory Model 90A. that short 30-year period, Vihtavuori
VV-N105 Super Magnum delivers has established a solid reputation for
performance way beyond the many manufacturing propellants that ex-
other propellants and bullet combi- hibit exacting ballistic performance
nations I have tried in those two fire- and consistency. Be it the big game
arms. or varmint hunter, handgun, or rifle
competitor, Vihtavuori has estab-
lished a solid following.
Super Magnum is a relatively
slow-burning pistol powder particu-
larly useful with heavy bullets and/or
cartridges with larger case volumes.
Many of these specialized rounds
operate at rifle pressures. Delivering
this type of performance is precisely
what prompted the development of
VV-N105. A special use powder of
sorts, I find VV-N105 is an excellent
powder for loading cartridges such as .10-inch squares
the 9mm Luger and .38 Super with
heavy-for-caliber bullets, the .357
Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Mag- electricity and make the finished
num, .50 Action Express and power- powder flow consistently through
houses like the .454 Casull and .500 powder measures.
S&W. The powder granules are a very
Characteristic-wise, Super Mag- light gray in color and are a very
num is a single-base powder with short-cut solid stick extrusion, mea-
the principal chemical components suring .063 inch in length and .029
being, nitrocellulose as the primary inch in diameter. The short compact
energizer, diphenylamine and di- sticks aid in very consistent charges
ethyldiphenylurea along with a pro- when dispensed from a powder mea-
prietary decoppering (anti-fouling) sure and are less prone than some
agent. Graphite is added to the sur- spherical powders to “leakage” in
face of the powder granules during some electronic powder dispensers.
the drying process to eliminate static The bulk density of N105 Super
8 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 Select Vihtavuori N105 Handloads and pushing the heavy-for-caliber
overall
Hornady 147-grain HP/XTP at 1,125
loaded feet per second (fps). In a 1911 Gov-
bullet charge primer case length velocity
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ernment Model .38 Super, 8.1 grains
9mm Luger, 4 21⁄32-inch barrel of VV-N105 Super Magnum, com-
147 Hornady XTP 6.2 Winchester WSP Winchester 1.142 1,125 bined with the same primer and bul-
.38 Super Automatic +P, 5-inch barrel let combination as the 9mm Luger
147 Hornady XTP 8.1 Winchester WSP Federal 1.260 1,204 load, drives the 147-grain XTP at
.357 Magnum, 6-inch barrel 1,204 fps from the 5-inch barrel. In
158 Hornady XTP 12.0 Winchester WSPM Hornady 1.575 1,435 a 6-inch barreled Smith and Wesson
.44 Magnum, 16½-inch barrel Model 686, VV-N105 Super Mag-
240 Sierra Sports Master JHC 16.5 Winchester WLPM Starline 1.600 1,705 num really shines with a combination
.454 Casull, 18-inch barrel of 12 grains of VV-N105, Winchester
300 Speer DeepCurl HP 22.9 Federal 205M Starline 1.755 1,910
Small Pistol Magnum primer and
Notes: All powder charges are at or near maximum and should be reduced 10 percent for starting loads.
Velocities at 15 feet per SAAMI standard Z299.3-2015. the Hornady 158-grain XTP bullet
For more data on these cartridges please visit LoadData.com. clocking 1,435 fps over my Oehler
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms
used. Reduce initial powder charge by 10 percent and work up while watching for signs of excessive pressure. 35P chronograph.
In the big bore category, I load
Magnum is 0.7 g/cc and the energy found loading data using N105 for for a friend’s rifle that I lust for, a
content is 3,950 J/g (Joules per gram). only one traditional rifle cartridge, Big Horn Armory Model 90A. The
Vihtavuori divides its propellants the .300 Blackout. Model 90A is a modern, beautiful
imported into the U.S. into three Powder burn rates are always sub- lever-action rifle embodying the best
main categories: single-base powders, jective and will often change a few of the J.M. Browning designed Win-
generally considered for use in rifle positions, slower or faster, depend- chester Model 1886/1892 lever-actions
cartridges, are the N100 series; single- ing on the lot of powder a particular and chambered in .454 Casull. As
base powders for handguns are the ballistic laboratory used. The most Brain Pearce found in his test and
N300 series; and the N500 series, current burn rate information I have evaluation of the Big Horn Armory
double-base powders, again for rifles. comes from Vihtavuori and places Model 90A .454 Casull in the Rifle
Vihtavuori’s classification of VV- VV-N105 at the same approximate No. 303 (March-April 2019), so too
N105 Super Magnum is interesting. burn rate as Hodgdon HS-7 and Al- is this Model 90A relatively immune
In the Vihtavuori reloading guide, liant Steel, a little slower than Alliant to the effects of barrel heating with
I did not find N105 with the other Blue Dot and a little faster than Al- successive shots and/or variations in
N100 series powders, but rather with liant 2400. bullet or powder choices. That being
the N300 series powders. In a confus- I have great results in my 9mm said, the Speer 300-grain DeepCurl
ing way, it makes sense as VV- N105 Luger Browning High Power with hollowpoint launched by 22.9 grains
Super Magnum’s principal use is in 6.2 grains of Super Magnum ignited of VV-N105 Super Magnum, initi-
handgun cartridges. In fact, I have by Winchester Small Pistol primers ated by a Federal 205M primer at
1,910 fps, constantly produces five-
shot groups measuring 1.250 inches
or less at 100 yards off the bench.
While maybe not quite as desir-
able as a Big Horn Armory Model
90A, I have a Marlin Model 1894-P
in .44 Magnum that is an extremely
versatile and handy rifle. The Model
1894-P was the Model 1894 series
equivalent of the Marlin’s 1895
“Guide Gun” and sports a 16.5-inch
ported barrel. Produced for only two
years (2000-2001), I ran across this
rifle in Iowa City a while back, when
the weather turned bad and rained
out our day of pheasant hunting. We
swung by Sheel’s Sporting Goods to
see what they might have of interest
in the gun library, and I got side-
10 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
tracked when I saw the 1894-P with
absolutely gorgeous wood on the new
gun rack. I asked the clerk if I could
dry-fire it. The trigger measured 2.5
pounds and I purchased it.
The little Marlin’s all-time favorite
load is 16.5 grains of VV-N105 Super
Magnum over a Winchester WLPM
primer and topped off with a Sierra
240-grain Sports Master JHC bullet.
Unlike the Big Horn 90A, the Marlin
1895-P is a little finicky about barrel
heat, so I limit groups to three shots
rather than the five-shot groups fired
with the Big Horn Armory Model
90A. Fitted out with a Brockman
Rifles Gen III Winged Ghost Ring
Sight, set the 1894-P will keep the
three-shot groups in 1.25- to 1.50-
inch groups at 100 yards. The Oehler
35P chronograph clocks this load at
1,705 fps.
Now, the bad news. Just days be-
fore going to press, I spoke with the
good folks at Capstone Precision
Group, Vihtavuori’s U.S. importer/
distributor. While Vihtavuori man-
ufactures a staggering number of
propellants for military and civilian
markets, Vihtavuori’s parent com-
pany, Nammo Lapua Oy, has worked
closely with Capstone Precision to ad-
dress the ongoing supply chain issues
by concentrating on producing and
delivering propellants most relevant
to the U.S. sporting market. Most re-
cently, the Vihtavuori 2021 Reload-
ing Guide listed 29 powders, while
the available list of powders in the
2022 Reloading Guide has been re-
duced to 14 powders.
VV-N105 Super Magnum, N32C-
Tin Star (Cowboy Action Shoot-
ing loads), W-N160, N165, N170,
24N21, 20N29, N340, N350, 3N37,
3N38 and N530 have all been cut
from the powders being imported to
service the North American market.
If, like me, you have a need for N105
Super Magnum or one of the other
Vihtavuori powders being dropped,
the time is now to buy what you
need while there are still quantities
on dealer’s shelves. N105 Super Mag-
num is packaged in 1-pound canisters
when you can find it. •
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 11
 .45 ACP with Small Pistol Primers
Bullets & Brass Brian Pearce

Q : I have been handloading am-

munition for the .45 ACP for
nearly 20 years, in conjunction with
several Model 1911 pistols that I own.
I have tried a variety of bullets, but
mostly stick with either 230-grain
roundnose ball-style, or JHP’s from
Hornady or Nosler that are of the
same weight. Recently, I purchased
a large quantity of once-fired cases,
as I cannot find them available new,
but when I began loading them, it
was quickly noticed that about half
of them take small pistol primers.
Other than not being able to mix
cases while reloading on my Dillon
550RL press, I am not sure if this is
The .45 ACP will work fine with standard small pistol primers including the CCI 500 and Remington 1½.
a problem. My question is: Should However, powder charges might need to be slightly increased to duplicate the velocity of the same loads
I use standard small pistol prim- using large pistol primers.
ers, or will I need to use small pis-
tol magnum primers (which I don’t Winchester 231 powder or 6.1 grains the decreased priming compound
have on hand and are not available of Hodgdon CFE Pistol powder with volume with the small primer. I don’t
anywhere at this time?) I do have on the previously mentioned 230-grain know if he is correct and am seeking
hand CCI 500 primers and Reming- bullets? An experienced friend told your advice. Any insight that you can
ton No. 1½ primers. Can I use either me that I will need to use a small pis- offer will be greatly appreciated. Also,
of these primers with 6.2 grains of tol magnum primer to make up for I find the technical aspects of your ar-
ticles very valuable and always learn
something from everything that you
write.
S.H., email
A: Thank you for you kind remarks.
Your question has been raised many
times over the past few years, as several
ammunition companies have begun us-
ing cases featuring small pistol primer
pockets. You will not need a small
magnum primer; rather your standard
small pistol primers will work fine. The
powder volume of the .45 ACP is not
great and small pistol standard primers
will offer adequate ignition. However,
pressures are decreased (when compared
with the same load containing a large
pistol primer) and velocity usually drops
around 10 to 30 fps. Variables include
primer make, powder type, load specif-
ics and other factors.
In order to duplicate the velocities
12 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
of your normal loads containing large
pistol primers, I suggest bumping the In spite of its age, Hodgdon H-4895
powder charge weights of both of your powder remains an excellent choice
loads by .2 grains. for handloading the .223 Remington.
.223 Powders
Q: Thanks for your article in Rifle
No. 323 (July – August 2022) “Hand-
loading to Improve the .223 Reming-
ton.” I do have a question regarding
handload data for that cartridge. I
purchased my one and only rifle in
.223 Remington in 1985, which is a
Winchester Model 70 Sporter Var-
mint model. At this point in my life,
I had been handloading for 20 years.
The best information that I could ob-
tain at that time suggested that I use
Hodgdon H-4895 powder. I found
that my loads were accurate and per-
formed well on prairie dogs. Over the powders for that cartridge. Can you ington. I first tried it around 1983,
years, I have tried other powders in offer any insight, or am I alone in us- primarily with various 55-grain bullets,
the .223, but none have equaled the ing H-4895 powder in the .223? which gave good accuracy and usually
accuracy of H-4895 powder. Today, Thank you and keep up your great more or less duplicated factory load
when I read new handloading data writing. velocities.
from various bullet and powder com- C.C., email Today, powder competition has be-
panies, seldom is H-4895 mentioned, A: Hodgdon H-4895 is an excellent come fierce. As a result, we have many
yet alone declared as one of the best choice for handloading the .223 Rem- more powders to choose from, with

14 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

many of them offering specific advan-
tages that modern shooters are looking
for. For example, Hodgdon introduced
CFE 223 specifically for that cartridge.
It costs less per pound, meters nearly
perfectly and offers a decoppering agent
to keep barrel fouling to a minimum.
Many high-volume shooters that of-
ten load ammunition on progressive
presses favor the lower cost, accurate
metering and a cleaner barrel. Other
powders are less sensitive to tempera-
ture changes and were developed spe-
cifically to offer benchrest-type accuracy
for both varmint shooters and target
To help prevent .444 Marlin bullets from deep seating in the magazine tube, a heavy roll-crimp should be
shooters. Examples include Hodgdon applied. Choosing a powder that utilizes 100 percent or more of the case capacity will serve to support
Varget, Benchmark, Accurate LT-30 the base of the bullet and prevents deep seating. Examples include Hodgdon H-322 and Accurate 2015.
and LT-32, IMR-8208-XBR, Alliant
Reloder 10X and many others. Some have experienced a problem that I neers to offer the 1:20 twist on .444
powders offer greater velocities than hope you can help me resolve. When Marlin rifles, but so did about 1,000
traditional factory load performance, using the 265-grain Hornady FP bul- others, so I take no credit for this long
which is appealing to hunters and long- let, it often deep seats when cartridges overdue change!
range shooters. are placed in the magazine and the Regarding your handloads shorten-
Back to H-4895: Hodgdon has re- gun fired. I am placing a roll crimp ing in the magazine tube; there are a
fined and improved this powder over on the bullets cannelure, but the last couple of items that should help rem-
the many decades since Bruce Hodg- cartridge in the magazine often short- edy this issue. First, use a powder that
don first began selling military surplus ens by around .100 to .200 inch by will support the base of the bullet, or in
H-4895 powder, which was the first the time that I have fired the other other words, utilizes 100 to 104 per-
powder that he began selling to hand- cartridges in the magazine. cent of the case capacity when measured
loaders. It now boasts of “Extreme” Handloader is like no other gun to the bottom of the bullet. Hodgdon
technology that further improves its magazine and I especially appreciate H-322 or Accurate 2015 are excellent
accuracy and appeal. Since you are your technical insight. choices for this application. You also
obviously thrilled with the overall per- T.S., via Facebook should increase the crimp. You don’t
formance of your handloads, there is no A: Yes, I did encourage Marlin engi- specify what kind of dies you are using,
reason to change. On the other hand, if
you like to experiment, the list of pos-
sible load and powder combinations is
nearly endless!
Loading for a M arLin
Q: I consider myself fortunate to
have acquired one of the last Marlin
Model 444 rifles that they produced
in Ilion, New York. Just like the rifle
that you reviewed in Rifle magazine,
mine is very accurate. More than 20
years ago, I had one with the 1:38-
inch twist barrel, but accuracy was
always a bit finicky. I am especially
excited to work with heavyweight
cast and jacketed bullets in the new
rifle with the 1:20-inch twist barrel,
which I understand from a company
spokesman that you had considerable
influence to get Marlin/Remington
to make this change.
In beginning to develop loads, I
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 15
but generally the crimp should be ap- The Ruger Redhawk chambered
plied as a separate step after bullets are in .41 Magnum is a very strong
seated to the correct depth. A good op- revolver that can handle +P-style
tion is to use the Lee Factory Crimp die. loads. However, pressures must
still be limited or primer pockets
And last, make certain that your ex- will loosen and cases can fail.
pander die is at least .004 inch smaller
than bullet diameter, or no larger than
.426 inch. When you begin using cast
bullets, most proper designs will have a
deep enough crimp groove, along with
a full-caliber ogive in front of the case,
that the problem you describe will be
alleviated.
Thank you for taking time to read
Handloader magazine.
.41 M agnuM
Q: I have very much enjoyed your
writing and data published in Hand-
loader magazine. As a fellow shooter
and handloader of quite a few revolver limit of that revolver might be? I have SAAMI pressure guidelines that are
cartridges, I have enjoyed developing not seen anyone address this before. established with a maximum average
loads for my Ruger Redhawks (both My calculations suggest that I can of 36,000 psi. However, the prob-
with 5½-inch barrels) in .45 Colt load the .41 to .454 Casull levels, but lem is that the case will not take the
and .41 Magnum. Your article on the then the limitation would become .454 Casull pressures that you suggest,
strength of the Redhawk in .45 Colt the large pistol primers. If needed, I which has a working pressure level
was of great interest to me and has me could possibly ream the primer pock- of 65,000 psi. Primer pockets will
wondering about the strength of the ets to accept large rifle primers. I in- loosen excessively after a single fir-
Redhawk in .41 Magnum. tend to fully explore the heaviest safe ing and should be destroyed for
Since the steel surrounding the loads in my Redhawk with cast bul- safety reasons. Keep in mind that
chambers is much thicker in .41 lets weighing from 212 to 280 grains, cases designed specifically for ultra-high
Magnum versus the .45 Colt version, naturally seated to utilize the extra pressures, such as the .454 Casull, are
what do you surmise the pressure available cylinder length. I also plan engineered differently than cases de-
to use the Swift 210-grain A-Frame signed for more traditional magnum
jacketed bullet. I have other .41 Mag- revolver pressures. In most instances
num revolvers, including Smith & they have different metallurgy or re-
Wesson and Ruger, for more conven- ceive a different heat-treating process
tional loads. to increase strength, prevent sticky ex-
Many thanks for any information traction, etc.
that you might be able, or are willing I suggest limiting .41 Magnum pres-
to share. sures (in the Ruger Redhawk and Free-
B.E., email dom Arms Model 83 only) to around
A: The Ruger Redhawk .41 Magnum 50,000 psi maximum. When loaded
NOE Bullet Moulds is a premium manufacturer
of bullet moulds and casting tools. is a very strong sixgun and will easily to this level, do not expect long case
handle high-pressure loads that exceed life, rather, fire cases only once at this
Bushing pressure level. Be certain to properly
Push Through
Size Die identify loads to prevent them from
inadvertently ending up in one of
your other .41 Magnum sixguns. I
would not suggest reaming primer pock-
ets to accept large rifle primers, as this
will result in premature high pressures.
Use large pistol primers that will
Check Us Out,You Won’t Be Disappointed! give more uniform velocities and will
NOE Bullet Moulds LLC actually allow you to reach higher ve-
801-377-7289 locities with loads that are at the same
www.noebulletmoulds.com pressure. •
16 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 5.45x39mm
Cartridge Board Gil Sengel

P icking a new rifle and cartridge

for any military force sets in mo-
tion a process with difficulty rank-
E F G

ing somewhere between lassoing D

gophers and trimming the toenails H
of wild lions. Everyone from mili- C
B
tary officers and politicians to their A
office staff, relatives and landscap-
ers have an opinion on the subject. Cartridge Dimensions
A - Overall Length . . . . . . . 1.230 E - Rim Thickness . . . . . . 0.0550
It just has such an effect on people.
B - Case Length . . . . . . . . . 1.552 F - Shoulder Diameter . . . . . 0.3650
Given that our cartridge this time is C - Length to Shoulder . . . . 1.180 G - Neck Diameter . . . . . . . . . 0.2450
the 5.45x39mm Russian, certainly D - Rim Diameter . . . . . . . 0.392 H - Bullet Diameter . . . . . . . . . 0.2205
the powers-that-be (or powers-that- NOTE: Dimensions may vary among manufacturers.

were) in the former Soviet Union

could design the perfect military rifle well-liked and fired a far shorter car-
cartridge without a lot of distraction. tridge than either the 7.62x54mm or
Let’s see. .30-06. Making mechanical mod-
The chronicles differ a bit here. ifications to allow it to fire a short,
Some insist the Soviet Army was small-caliber round would be just
the force behind the new cartridge. common sense. Before looking at
This is certainly possible since the what the new cartridge was, however,
folks charged with knowing such we must look at what it was not.
things knew all about the American At the World Shooting Champion-
5.56x45mm round. They were espe- ships in Cairo, Egypt, in 1962, Rus-
cially knowledgeable of the bullet sians competing in the running deer
part because of their use in Vietnam matches (a moving target event) fired
by the late 1960s. a necked-down 7.62x39mm round.
Others insist the Soviets had Apparently, the case was unaltered
been working on a new low impulse except for a .221-inch diameter bul-
(doesn’t kick much) rifle and cartridge let and smaller primer. There were
for some time before the U.S. became reported to be two loads. One was
interested. Well, maybe. Mikhail a 43-grain target bullet at 3,500 feet
Kalashnikov, principal designer of per second (fps) muzzle velocity. The
the AK-47, supposedly said he was other was a 54-grain hunting-type
against small-caliber military rifles. bullet that produced 2,900 fps. It
He believed the 7.62x39mm fired in was said to become popular in Russia
the AK-47 and SKS was superior to and Finland. This cartridge has often
anything else. Nevertheless, it is fairly been referred to as the 5.56x39mm,
certain that in the late 1960s, either but that is not correct because 5.56
a group of designers or reorganized equals .219 inch, which is bore di-
group of designers headed by Viktor ameter (hole in barrel before rifling)
Sabelnikov created the 5.45x39mm of what we today call a .22-caliber
cartridge. Kalashnikov was charged centerfire barrel. This Russian round
with designing a rifle to fire it. used a bore diameter of 5.41mm (.213
The Soviets had a much easier task inch) and 5.61 groove diameter (.221
creating a new small-caliber round An unmarked rifle chambered in 5.45x39mm was inch). So much for numbers!
than the Americans. The AK-47 was sold as an East German sniper rifle. At any rate, this Russian cartridge
18 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
was not the 5.45x39mm. It did attract the new military round was famil- exactly like the earlier AK-47, and
attention to the point where Sako iar with the earlier Cairo target car- yes, these numbers are correct. Due to
made cases available and called them tridge. Therefore, when the Soviets Soviet secrecy, that is where the
the .220 Russian. A fellow by the wanted a new, smallbore cartridge, matter stood until captured guns and
name of Dr. Lou Palmisano saw the the earlier round would be a logical ammunition came out of Afghani-
Sako case with its small rifle primer. place to start. Rumors in the West stan in 1980.
He teamed up with Gunsmith Ferris also included that of a new smokeless Examining the army issue ammu-
Pindell to create the famous .22 PPC powder giving much higher speeds to nition yielded several surprises. The
and 6mm PPC benchrest rounds by small bullets at standard pressure. round was not just a necked down
altering the .220 Russian case to have The smallbore Soviet cartridge 7.62x39mm. Case length was about
a 30-degree shoulder and 10-degree was adopted in 1974 along with a one millimeter longer. The case base
body taper. Kalashnikov rifle called AK-74 to fire was smaller in diameter than the
Of course the team working on it. This rifle looks like and operates 7.62x39mm by about .050 inch,

A Zeiss scope on an unmarked rifle is held by an unmarked mount that is The shape of the grip, trigger and “hook” on the bottom of the guard of an
unfamiliar to Gil. unmarked rifle, seem to indicate a target rifle of some type.

October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 19

 The groove
diameter of a
mysterious
5.45x39mm rifle
is .221 inch. The bore diameter of an unmarked rifle is .213 inch.

which makes it only .014 inch larger Of course, the AK-74 is a machine Red Army Standard is good enough
than the 5.56 NATO. A smaller di- gun with open sights, not exactly a for blasting ammunition (as it is af-
ameter case meant volume decreased precision test bed for ammunition fectionately known by military rifle
as well. Was this all that was needed evaluation. In 1994, the AK-74 was shooters), something a bit more pre-
for the new powder? replaced by the AN-94, another little cise would be nice. Recently, Hor-
More surprising was inside the machine gun firing the 5.45x39mm. nady provided this in its BLACK
barrel dimensions. The AK-74 bore Its accuracy is said to be somewhat Ammunition. Featuring a 60-grain
diameter was .218 inch (5.54mm cal- better than the AK-74. V-MAX bullet, muzzle velocity is
iber, not 5.45mm), grooves were .224- Military development of ammuni- listed as 2,810 fps from a 16-inch bar-
225 inch. This was essentially what tion has not stood still. More than a rel. This drops to 2,495 at 100 yards
we today call standard .22 centerfire dozen different cartridges are known and 2,202 fps at 200 yards where a
barrels. The bullet diameter was .223 that appear to be military issue. Of 200-yard zero results in 9.3 inches of
to a very pointed boat-tail in shape those disassembled, bullet weights drop at 300 yards and 28.2 inches at
using a steel core (penetrator), which vary from roughly 50-60 grains. 400 yards. The bolt gun shown in the
increases bullet length. An average There are flatbase and boat-tail de- photos was sold as an East German
velocity of 2,950 fps was obtained signs. Firing in semiauto AK-74s in sniper rifle many years ago. It puts
from 16.5-inch barrels. There was no the U.S. resulted in about 2,650 to the Hornady bullets into near 1-inch
new or special powder. 2,850 fps muzzle velocity from the clusters at 100 yards, but the ammu-
Accuracy from AK-74 rifles in all 16.5-inch barrel. nition is no longer available due to
the reports I could find varied from Although accuracy of all this am- demand for more popular rounds.
3.5 to nearly 8 inches at 100 yards. munition, plus imported Wolf and Handloading for the more accu-

The caliper shows the diameter of the bullet from 1 2 3 4

a 5.45x39mm military round is .221 inch.

1 2 3

Disassembled military ammunition always yields surprises. The 5.45x39mm

bullet (1) has core flush with rear of jacket, but in (2) the core is .035 inch The (1) Russian 5.45x39mm is really not new. Similar rounds are (2) .222
short and (3) is .110 inch short. Remington, (3) .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO and (4) .222 Remington Magnum.

20 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

 The factory ammunition chronographed was Hornady BLACK and Red Army Standard, which is imported by Century Arms.

rate rifles would be logical, but with 5.45x39mm Yes, it is obvious the volume of
Hornady out of the picture, there is Factory Loads 5.45x39mm is very close to the .222
no source of either reloadable brass overall Remington. My measurements show
loaded
cases of the odd-sized bullet. Yes, bullet length velocity equal volumes to less than a two
odd-sized bullet is correct. During ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) percent larger figure for the metric
the last several years, bullets and 60 Hornady V-MAX 2.240 2,952 round. Thus, the Russian cartridge is
drawings of the 5.45x39mm have 60 Red Army Standard FMJ 2.230 2,793 nothing more than a .222 Reming-
shown a bullet diameter of .2205 to Notes: An unmarked 5.45x39mm bolt-action rifle ton with an odd-diameter bullet and
with a 257⁄8 -inch barrel was used to test all loads.
.221 inch. Groove diameter of the Velocities were recorded at 10 feet with an Oehler no available brass. Perhaps this will
bolt gun shown is .221 inch. The bul- M35 chronograph. change since no more Russian am-
let in the Red Army Standard import munition will be imported. We all
ammunition is .221 inch; Hornady proper bullets are available for devel- know, however that replacement vol-
rounds measure .222 inch. Until a re- oping pressure-tested data, handload- ume sources will be found, hopefully
liable source of reloadable brass and ing is impossible. also including brass and bullets! •

October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 21

 Colt M45A1 .45 ACP
From the Hip Brian Pearce

T his standout Colt Model 1911

variant is a first choice pistol
among combat Marines and is avail-
In addition to factory loads, the Colt M45A1
was tested with select handloads, that
proved accurate and reliable.
able to civilians.
After passing harsh military tests
and passing with flying colors so to
speak, Colt’s remarkable Model 1911
.45 ACP pistol was officially adopted
by the U.S. military on March 29,
1911. After 74 years of outstanding
service that included countless wars
and skirmishes, in 1985 the U.S.
changed its official sidearm to 9mm
NATO (to become NATO compli-
ant). However, many select units from
the U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S.
Navy and U.S. Marine Corps con-
tinue to use the proven Model 1911.
Let’s take a closer look the latest tions.” Clearly, the Marines need a have drop-in parts with no fitting,
pistol produced by Colt for the U.S. pistol that is tough as nails and will have high-corrosion resistance and
Marines that is known as the M45A1 easily take severe abuse, neglect and that it be a commercially offered pistol.
and is naturally chambered for the still work…flawlessly. While many major handgun man-
proven .45 ACP cartridge. Interestingly, the RFP did not out- ufacturers competed for the contract,
The request set forth by the U.S. line any particular pistol platform or Colt was the ultimate winner with a
Marine Corps (more formally the Re- design. However, it did specify .45 Model 1911 variant known as the
quest for Proposal or RFP) indicated ACP caliber and that it utilize the M45A1. This pistol boasts of several
that the gun’s “operating environ- same single stack 7-round magazine notable features. First, all major com-
ment is characterized by high usage used in the MEUSOC pistol. Just ponents, such as the frame and slide
in training, rough handling and en- some of the other aspects of the new are stainless steel forgings. Forging
vironments on deployments, and lim- pistol, as outlined in the RFP, in- essentially compresses the steel and
ited access to repair and maintenance cluded a locking slide, beveled maga- rearranges the structure to increase
resources during high-tempo opera- zine well, weigh less than 4.5 pounds, strength, durability and toughness
that is needed in extreme abuse sit-
uations. To better understand the
value of this feature, consider that
there are known U.S. military Colt
Model 1911 pistols (that likewise
boast of forgings) that have been fired
well in excess of 500,000 rounds and
are still in service. They have been
rebuilt from time to time with new
barrel, springs, etc., but the major
components are still running per-
fectly. With the Model 1911 in mil-
The Colt M45A1 comes standard with itary service for 111 years, it is no
two Wilson Combat 7-round magazines. wonder that experienced military
brass selected a forged gun. Addi-
22 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
The M45A1 features a lowered and angled The front sight is dovetail mounted into the slide The rear sight features tritium dots, a snag-free
ejection port and a National Match barrel. and features a tritium dot. profile and is adjustable for windage.

tional M45A1 parts are machined sight, a high-position beavertail-style My first impressions of the M45A1
steel, rather than the commonly en- grip safety with memory pad, corre- are very good. Machining is excel-
countered MIM parts found in many sponding slotted hammer, swept am- lent, the frame, slide and barrel re-
modern pistols. Other than the tri- bidextrous safety, lowered and angled lationship is ideal, the trigger pull
tium sights, the Wilson Combat 7- ejection port and a National Match breaks cleanly at 4 pounds, 1 ounce,
shot magazine and the G10 synthetic barrel. The recoil springs consist of the Trijicon sights offer an excellent
stocks, Colt manufactures every part two springs with the smaller one op- sight picture, the CERAKOTE finish
of this pistol in the U.S. erating inside of the larger one. This is uniform and functional, while the
Unlike the original Model 1911 serves to positively close the action safety and slide stop work perfectly.
adopted in that same year, the M45A1 when the pistol becomes dirty, but The only immediate improvement
features a large and robust Picatinny also serves to mitigate recoil. that I believed should have been in-
rail (Mil-Std-1913) to accommodate There are two versions of the cluded is some form of traction on
any practical accessory. The trigger is M45A1. The first is from the Colt the front-strap, which was quickly
solid (no slots) and is long and very Custom Shop and has a few upgraded addressed with a small strip of skate-
similar in length to the original mil- features including an overhauled trig- board tape.
itary 1911s (but should not be con- ger pull, textured front grip strap and The Marine’s accuracy criteria in-
fused with the Model 1911A1 with other custom items that increase the cludes that the average of five-shot
its shorter trigger.) The mainspring cost. The second version is identical groups does not exceed 4 inches at
housing is likewise flat, which is fa- to the U.S. Marine Corps pistol and 25 yards. Using a few select factory
vored by most modern shooters. is the one selected for this review. loads proved that the gun is capable
The Colt M45A1 boasts of other (Remember, the RFP wanting a com- of much better accuracy. For exam-
desirable features, including a Triji- mercially offered, off-the-shelf pistol ple, loads from Buffalo Bore Ammu-
con tritium dot front and two dot rear with fully interchangeable parts.) nition, Cutting Edge and Hornady

Winchester 231 is a classic powder for handloading the .45 ACP and performed well in Colt manufactures almost all parts for the M45A1, which are either forged or
the Colt M45A1. machined from high-tensile steel. Note the double recoil springs.

24 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

Table I .45 ACP Handloads But it also serves well for target
overall 5-shot
work, speed-shooting competitions
loaded 25-yard and old-fashioned recreational plink-
bullet powder charge length velocity group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches ) ing. It points naturally, boasts of
a short trigger reset that aids with
200 Hornady FMJ-C/T Titegroup 5.5 1.245 966 1.55
230 Speer Gold Dot HP Power Pistol 7.8 1.215 951 1.80 fast and accurate follow-up shots and
230 Nosler Sporting Handgun JHP BE-86 6.5 1.215 902 1.50 its primary cartridge, the .45 ACP, is
230 Hornady FMJ-RN A-2 5.7 1.250 861 2.10 battle proven, powerful and versatile,
* Average of three groups but is also easily managed by most
Notes: A Colt Model M45A1 .45 ACP with a 5-inch barrel was used to test all loads. Jacketed bullet diameter shooters. High-quality pistols boast
is .451 inch, while cast bullets were sized to .452 inch. Federal 150 primers were used throughout. Maximum
case length is .898 inch, while suggested trim-to length is .893 inch. SAAMI maximum overall cartridge length of many additional attributes in-
is 1.275 inches. A taper crimp was applied and measured .470 inch. cluding high reliability, accuracy and
For more data on this cartridge please visit LoadData.com. excellent trigger pulls. The new Colt
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms used.
M45A1 functioned perfectly with a
variety of factory loads and hand-
Table II .45 ACP Factory Loads loads. It is accurate, reliable and a
5-shot truly remarkable and outstanding
stated actual 25-yard
load velocity velocity group* off-the-shelf pistol that is battle
( grains ) ( fps ) ( fps ) ( inches )
worthy and ready to go right out of
135 Black Hills Ammunition HoneyBadger 1,250 1,244 2.00 the box. •
150 Cutting Edge PHD N/A 1,137 1.70
185 Buffalo Bore Ammunition Barnes TAC +P 1,150 1,154 1.70
205 Federal Syntech Defense SJHP 970 892 2.15 Gentry Quiet muzzle Brakes
220 Hornady Critical Duty FlexLock +P 975 1,018 1.65
Dealers and Shooters Welcome
230 Remington Golden Saber Black Belt BBJHP 875 831 2.20
* Average of three groups
406-388-4867
Visit our online store
Notes: A Colt M45A1 .45 ACP with a 5-inch barrel was used to test all loads.
GentryCustom.Com

.45 Model M45A1 Manufacturing produced three,

five-shot groups that averaged under
Specifications 1¾ inches at 25 yards. However, all
Manufacturer: Colt’s Patent Fire Arms factory loads averaged less than 2¼
Manufacturing Company
inches at that same distance.
Action: Single action, single stack
Caliber: .45 ACP
Moving on to a few select hand-
Barrel: Match grade (NM) loads, the Colt M45A1 again proved
Barrel Length: 5 inches accurate. A couple of examples in-
Barrel Twist Rate: 1:16 cluded the Hornady 200-grain
Magazine Capacity: 7+1, two magazines FMJ-C/T bullet pushed to 966 feet
included
per second (fps) using 5.5 grains of
Magazine: Wilson Combat 7-round with
bumper pad
Hodgdon Titegroup powder, ignited
Recoil Spring: Double-coil with a Federal 150 primer and as-
Frame: Hammer-forged stainless steel, sembled in Starline cases that pro-
Picatinny rail duced a three-group average of 1.55
Slide: Hammer-forged stainless, lowered inches. Another notable handload
and angled ejection port, internal extractor included the Nosler Sporting Hand-
Safety: Ambidextrous
Grip Safety: High position with memory pad
gun 230-grain JHP bullet pushed to
Mainspring Housing: Flat with lanyard loop 902 fps using Alliant BE-86 powder,
Trigger: Extended which grouped into 1.50 inches (with
Trigger Pull: 4 pounds, 1 ounce accuracy figures being rounded). Nat-
Hammer: Lightweight, slotted urally, I was very pleased with the ac-
Rear Sight: Trijicon snag-free, dovetail- curacy of the Colt M45A1 that easily
mounted, two tritium dots
Front Sight: Trijicon, dovetailed-mounted,
exceeded specifications.
tritium The Model 1911 remains hugely
Finish: Desert Tan CERAKOTE popular worldwide and is considered
Stocks/Grips: Textured synthetic G10 by many professionals as a state of the
Weight: 42.3 ounces (with magazine) art pistol for combat and self-defense
Street Price: $1,600 purposes.
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 25
 Favorite Casting Alloy
Mike’s Shootin’ Shack Mike Venturino

M y opinion is that recent short-

©2022 Yvonne Venturino photos

1 2 3 4 5
ages of reloading components,
specifically bullets of all sorts, have
caused many handloaders to return to
bullet casting or to start casting. One
reason I believe this is that more than
one custom mould maker advised me
their orders have boomed in 2021 and
2022. Of course, moulds are useless
without lead alloys, which also are
not as plentiful as in past times.
When my bullet casting career
started in 1966, lead alloys were
abundant. Besides the ubiquitous
wheel weights, old sheet roofing,
lead plumbing pipes and plain old
scrap alloy were cheap and plentiful.
Additionally, advances in printing
caused newspapers to begin dispos-
ing of Linotype albeit its cost was a
bit more than scrap alloys. Back in
those days, if it melted in my lead fur- For bullets from 1,000 fps to 1,500 fps, Mike prefers a gas-check design when using 1:20 (tin to lead)
alloy: (1) Lyman No. 357156HP, (2) RCBS No. 38-255-FN for .38/.357 revolvers and .38-55 rifles. The middle
nace and something resembling bul- wadcutter bullet (3) is a Redding/SAECO No. 453 for .45 revolvers. Bullets (4) .40- and (5) .45-caliber are
lets dropped from moulds it was shot. Creedmoor-style from a Steve Brooks custom BPCR mould.
My small hometown had a pros-
perous Western Auto store. In the late for me, I would buy all he saved at 5-gallon buckets of wheel weights
1960s, I made a deal with its owner. If $6 per 5-gallon bucket. That was just to get them out of my storage
he would save his used wheel weights roughly 100 pounds and he kept me shed. (They didn’t come from West
well supplied. For example: one col- Virginia. That half-ton had long been
lege spring break, being too poor to shot away.)
head to a warm beach, I stayed home Why the change of heart? It
and cast 12,000 handgun bullets – stemmed from my near obsession
.38s, .41s, .44s and .45s. with the then new NRA game of
However, upon moving to Mon- Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Sil-
tana in the early 1970s, I neglected houette (BPCR). After a few years of
advising the Western Auto fellow of avid participation, I was faced with
my leaving. At Christmas time in the fact that my scores varied from
1977, when back in West Virginia for decent to poor. Also, my rifle bar-
a family visit and when walking down rels occasionally lead-fouled badly.
the street, I encountered the Western Until then, I had relied on the usual
Auto owner. He said, “I wish you hard blend of wheel weights with a
would come get those wheel weights. little tin added to the lead pot. That
My storage shed is getting full.” Driv- roughly equaled Lyman’s formula for
ing back to Montana, my pickup’s No. 2 alloy. At that time, I was using
mileage was poor because of the half- a RN/FP .40-caliber bullet nominally
ton or so wheel weights in the back. weighing 400 grains. Trying to fig-
After Mike settled upon a consistent alloy, he
began to achieve 200-yard groups like this with Now fast forward about 15 years. ure out my problem, bullets from dif-
his BPCR Silhouette rifles. That’s when I gave a friend three ferent casting sessions were weighed.
26 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
They varied from 395 to 410 grains early years. They were melted out- MidwayUSA sell blended alloys and
and I blithely did not bother to keep doors, clips disposed, fluxed heavily pure lead. John Walters, a long-time
the batches separated. Obviously, my to remove road grit and cast into in- silhouette shooting friend (thetin
lack of consistency in mixing alloys gots. Now some (or all) wheel weights [email protected]) sells tin, pure lead
was at fault. No wonder I was missing are being imported and can contain or blended alloys. I’ve shot well over
many of the 500-meter ram targets mystery metals. Bullet casting friends a half-ton of his product with nary a
with dimensions from belly to back- have related that when some new complaint. Surely, there are more sell-
bone of only 12 inches. wheel weights are added to a pot of ers of which I’m not aware.
That’s when I began buying good alloy, it is tainted. Bullets don’t Not all my shooting is done with
foundry certified alloy – specifically fill out or have obvious voids. 1:20 (tin to lead) alloy, but it is used in
a blend of one part tin to 20 parts Metals such as lead and tin can be the greater bulk of my casting. (Some
pure lead. When the first ton arrived found on eBay, but I’d rather trust shooting projects require the use of
via truck freight, I was disappointed better known sources for alloy now. Linotype or pure lead but that’s fodder
to see that a ton of closely packed Lead foundries have all but died for another column.) However, a few
bars wasn’t the huge stack I’d envi- out in the U.S., but there are still hundred pounds of roofing lead and a
sioned. It would fit inside a surplus plenty of businesses selling shooters’ few dozen bars of 50/50 tin-lead solder
army foot locker. By the way, with alloy. The well-known companies of are kept on hand – just in case. I don’t
good moulds and careful casting my Buffalo Arms, Graf & Sons and plan to ever be without bullets. •
1:20 (tin to lead) alloy bullets usually

Accuracy In A Jar!
weighed within one half-grain plus/
minus or one grain total variation.
Also, barrel leading practically disap-
peared, except on extraordinarily hot
days. There is a cast bullet legend that Pro-Bed 2000
harder bullets are always better. The The Ultimate Stock Bedding Epoxy
truth is that harder is SOMETIMES G U N S M I T H I N G
better. Softer alloy will obturate and Toll Free: 800-326-5632 • www.probed2000.com
prevent gas cutting of bullet bases. By

It’s About Time

the way, with 1:20 alloy, 10 in a row
pins for 500-meter rams began accu-
mulating.
Decades back, Elmer Keith wrote
that for ordinary revolver cartridges,
for Better Drop Predictions.
he recommended a blend of one part
tin to 16 parts lead. For magnum re-
volver shooting, he used a “harder”
blend of one part tin to 10 parts lead.
Lyman’s various reloading and cast-
ing handbooks shows that 1:16 alloy
is rated 11 on the Brinell Hardness
(BHN) scale and 1:10 only a tiny 1. Time-of-Flight determines bullet drop
bit harder at 11.5. (Lyman No. 2
alloy formula is rated at 15 BHN.) 2. Muzzle velocity and ballistic coefficient
The blend of 1:20 rated 10, so with determine time-of-flight
hundreds of pounds of that alloy on 3. Oehler’s BC ChronoTM System 89 measures
hand, I began trying them for re- muzzle velocity, time-of-flight
volver bullets. Results were superla- and ballistic coefficient
tive. Almost always, they shot very 4. This gives you accurate predictions
clean – as in little or no lead fouling. I
will admit that with higher velocities,
a gas check bullet design is preferable. Phone: 512-327-6900
Another reason I gave away those P.O. Box 9135
buckets of wheel weights is that mod- Austin, TX 78766
ern ones are no longer trustworthy. Check it out at
Never was a problem experienced oehler-research.com ReseaRch, Inc.
with wheel weights back in those
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 27
 6x45mm
Wildcat Cartridges Layne Simpson

W e may never know for certain

who was first to neck up the .045
.223 Remington case for .243-inch
.376
23º
.354
.272

bullets, but it just might have been .378 6x45mm

longtime Remington Design Engi-
neer, Jim Stekl. The 6x45mm (some-
times called the 6mm-223) did not 1.438 .243
become as popular in benchrest com- 1.535
petition as the earlier 6x47mm on the 1.760
2.260
.222 Remington Magnum case, but
Stekl gave it a serious whirl.
In 1973, he used a heavy-barrel rifle on the Remington capacity when formed from Remington .223 brass is 30.4
40-XB action chambered for it to set a new 200-yard ag- grains compared to 32.4 grains for the 6x47mm, 33.5
gregate record of .3069 inch in IBS Sporter class compe- grains for the 6mm PPC and 27.9 grains for the .24 Nosler.
tition. That was his average for five, five-shot groups and A big advantage in favor of the 6x45mm is the abundance
back in the day, it was quite remarkable. Stekl was later of .223 Remington brass, military surplus for high-volume
involved in the development of the 6mm BR Remington varmint shooting and Hornady, Lapua and Nosler for the
cartridge, but neither it nor the 6x45mm managed to keep highest level of accuracy. A safety issue does exist.
the 6mm PPC at bay. The 6x47mm is longer than the 6mm PPC and .24
Among accuracy cartridges, the powder capacity of the Nosler, so it will not chamber in rifles chambered for
6x45mm puts it in serious company. Average gross water those cartridges. The 6x47mm won’t fully enter a 6x45mm
chamber, but since the opposite is not true, I am very
cautious about keeping the ammunition separate. The
6x45mm ammunition goes in red MTM boxes while the
6x47mm boxes are green.
A tapered expander button in the resizing die of re-
loading die sets makes case forming easy. Lightly lube the
mouth of a .223 Remington case with Redding or Hor-
nady sizing wax, run it through the die, trim to a uniform
length and the case is ready to load. Case loss with virgin
or once-fired brass seldom exceeds zero.
Many different powders are suitable for 6x45mm hand-
loads and plenty of load data is available in the Berger Bullets
Reloading Manual and the Western Powders Reloading
Guide. I have also used data published for the 6x47mm
in various editions of the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge
A tapered expander button in the resizing die of 6x45mm die set makes
Reloading, but always make it a point to reduce published
necking up virgin or once-fired .223 Remington cases for .243-inch bullets
easy with no case loss. Cartridges are the .223 Remington (left) and the starting loads by 2 grains for the 6x45mm. Most small rifle
6x45mm (right). primers will light the fire and I have enjoyed consistently

The Danish-built Schultz & Larsen Legacy is scaled to size for 6x45mm as well as the
.222 Remington, .223 Remington and .300 Blackout. Weighing just over 6 pounds, it is
a switch-barrel design and can be ordered with barrels in all four calibers.

28 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

 This Model 84 marked
“X1” is one of three
experimental rifles in
6x45mm with different
rifling twist rates built
by the original Kimber
of Oregon. It has a
1:12 twist.

The powder capacity

of the 6x45mm is
similar to those of other
accuracy cartridges.
Cartridges include:
(1) .24 Nosler,
(2) 6x45mm,
(3) 6x47mm and
(4) 6mm PPC. 1 2 3 4

good results with the Remington 7½, sporting ammunition. South African the dust before it was used up. I still
Federal GM205M and the CCI BR4. gunsmith Ken Stewart makes premi- have a box of Black Hills Ammunition
The 6x45mm appears to be more um-grade bullets and a number of loaded with an 85-grain bullet but was
popular in other countries than in cartridge cases, including 6x45mm. unable to find out if it is still available.
America, especially so in South Af- Sako used to load the 6x45 with the As rifles go, for many years I have
rica where it is used to hunt (and cull) ammunition sold locally and shipped owned a Model 84 in 6x45 built by
blesbok, klipspringer, impala and to various other European countries. Kimber of Oregon. A beautiful lit-
other fairly small antelope. The car- During a visit to the factory, I was tle rifle, it weighs a few ounces over
tridge is loaded there by Denel PMP, given several boxes to take home and 7 pounds with a light 2.5-8x scope.
a huge manufacturer of military and quite a few feral pigs and coyotes bit Considering its rather thin barrel,

October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 29

 6x45mm Handloads
overall 5-shot
loaded 100-yard
bullet powder charge length velocity group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches )
55 Nosler Ballistic Tip H-335 28.0 2.270 3,329 1.28
BL-C(2) 30.5 3,340 1.35
58 Hornady V-MAX A-2230 28.0 2.310 3,432 .72
VV-N130 26.0 3,366 .60 This box of 6x45mm ammunition was loaded by
Denel PMP, a large manufacturer of military and
60 Berger FB Varmint A-2200 26.2 2.275 3,155 .53
sporting ammunition in South Africa where the
H-322 25.5 2.280 3,129 .59 cartridge has long been quite popular.
65 Hornady V-MAX W-748 28.5 2.310 3,051 .68
VV-N135 27.2 2.440 3,115 .50
side 150 yards. For that, the Nosler
69 Berger FB Varmint VV-N133 25.0 2.300 2,917 .80
H-322 25.0 2,984 .89 85-grain Partition is the best bullet
85 Nosler Partition H-335 26.0 2.310 2,802 1.67 available for the 6x45mm, and while
BL-C(2) 27.5 2,744 1.55 today’s version is accurate enough,
85 Nosler Partition* H-335 26.0 2.300 2,791 1.18 the original screw-machine version
BL-C(2) 27.5 2.725 1.29 is more accurate because being a bit
* Original screw-machine Partition
Notes: A Kimber Model 84 6x45mm with a 22-inch barrel (1:12 twist) was used to test all loads. Powder
shorter, it is better stabilized by the
charges are maximum or close to it and should be reduced by 10 percent for starting loads in other 1:12 twist of the Kimber barrel.
rifles. Cases were formed from Hornady .223 Remington brass and Remington 7½ primers were used My most interesting hunt with
throughout. Velocities are averages of 10 rounds measured at 12 feet.
For more data on these cartridges please visit LoadData.com. the 6x45mm was for capercaillie in
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms
used. Reduce initial powder charge by 10 percent and work up while watching for signs of excessive pressure. central Finland. For those who do
not know, it is the largest member of
it is quite accurate. The Model 84 bullets weighing up to 85 grains, the the grouse family and only slightly
was introduced in .223 Remington rifle with a 1:12 twist had an edge in smaller than a young hen turkey.
and when Greg Warne of Kimber group size so the other two barrels even- Most Americans who hunt turkey
asked me about a close to medium- tually made their way back to Oregon. carry shotguns and so do Finns who
range deer cartridge small enough to Doors at the Kimber factory closed go after capercaillie with pointing
squeeze into its magazine, I imme- for a final time years ago, but Cooper and flushing dogs. Stalking a cock
diately recommended the 6x45mm. Firearms of Montana continues to bird resting high up in a hemlock as
Shortly thereafter, I received Model offer very nice rifles in 6x45mm. it sings a courting song in hopes of
84s having barrels with three differ- Through the years, I have used attracting a hen looking for romance
ence twist rates along with a note re- the Kimber to take deer, feral pigs is also popular. Using a small-caliber
questing accuracy test results. With and coyotes, with most standing in- rifle to take the bird seemed more
traditional and is how I pulled it off
during one of my several visits to the
Sako factory in Riihimäki. The Sako
L461 rifle I used belonged to my
guide who worked at Sako, and when
I asked why it was in 6x45mm rather
than .222 Remington, he replied that
it was less damaging to the skin and
feathers of a wonderful trophy.
The Danish-built Schultz & Larsen
Legacy may be the finest bolt-action
rifle built in 6x45mm and it is still
in production. Scaled to size for that
cartridge as well as the .222 Reming-
ton, .223 Remington and .300 Black-
out, it weighs just over 6 pounds, it
has knockout wood, flawless metal
finish and a reputation for excellent
accuracy. A switch-barrel design, it
can be ordered with barrels in the
four calibers. The barrels in .223
Remington are available with a 1:8
or a 1:10 rifling twist rate. •
30 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 The
6.5 C reedmoor
A gAin
The Vanguard First Lite is a very
twenty-first-century hunting rifle,
with a synthetic stock painted in
a computer-generated pattern,
and Cerakoted metal, including a
fluted barrel.

Newer Powder
and Bullets

I
John Barsness
n late spring of 2022, even more evidence of load. As most handloaders know, Lapua is a com-
the 6.5 Creedmoor’s popularity showed up pany in Finland known for very high-quality
on my front porch, a cardboard parcel con- cartridge cases, plus accurate match bullets
taining two boxes of a new Lapua factory and ammunition. The 6.5 Creedmoor is also
32 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 Below, the very stiff stock’s forend includes
a pressure point behind the tip to calm the
slim barrel’s vibrations. Right, it worked very
well, as evidenced by this group shot with
Berger 140-grain Hunting VLDs.

The magazine of the First Lite is a little longer

than on many other 6.5 Creedmoors, which
helped when seating very long, streamlined
bullets, including the Nosler 129-grain
AccuBond Long Range, which works very
well on game at Creedmoor velocities.

known for accuracy, especially with high bal- the bullet was Lapua’s 156-grain Mega, a heavy-
listic coefficient (BC) boat-tail bullets, and jacketed, semi-roundnose hunting bullet de-
I assumed the ammunition featured one of signed for deep penetration on larger big game
those bullets – but I was very wrong. Instead, – in particular moose, in Finland called hirvi.
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 33
6.5 C reedmoor Two of the new powders tested were at least partially designed

A gAin specifically for the 6.5 Creedmoor, Winchester StaBALL 6.5

and Vihtavuori N555.

Hirvi hunting is very popular in

Finland, partly because there are a
lot of ‘em, with year-to-year numbers
averaging around 100,000. This may
not sound like much compared to
Alaska’s moose population of around
200,000 – but Finland’s only about
20 percent as large as Alaska.
Such statistics, however, do not
reflect the vast enthusiasm for moose
hunting in Finland, which I learned
about while visiting the Sako/Tikka
factory in the town of Riihimäki, killed a big bull calf from his stand, Creedmoor, a Weatherby Vanguard
with several other gun writers, during across a small clearcut from mine. All First Lite, recently acquired for a very
autumn in 2015. Part of the deal was sizes of moose are taken in order to good price. Since purchasing my first
a Finnish moose hunt, usually per- keep the herd balanced, and everyone 6.5 Creedmoor in 2010, I’ve owned
formed by using Norwegian Elk- congratulated him, quite sincerely. six of ‘em, partly because I wanted
hounds to drive moose past a line of Thus Lapua’s 156-grain Mega factory to know whether they all shot as well
standers – the reason for the infamous load is significant news, reflecting the as my first, a Ruger Hawkeye. Even-
two-headed, running-moose target 6.5 Creedmoor’s popularity not just tually, I decided to settle down and
prospective hunters must qualify on. in the U.S. but in a land of avid – and stick with one, and the First Light
I qualified – but did not get to demanding – shooters and hunters. got picked partly because of the
shoot at a live moose, though one The ammunition shot very ac- deal, but partly due to realizing my
of my Finnish hunting companions curately, of course, in my latest 6.5 ideal 6.5 Creedmoor hunting rifle,

6.5 Creedmoor Handloads

overall 3-shot
loaded 100-yard
bullet powder charge case primer length velocity group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches )

85 Sierra HP RL-17 50.0 Hornady Federal 210M 2.536 3,475 .61

100 Hornady SP MR-2000 44.0 2.722 2,961 .74
107 Sierra MatchKing StaBALL 6.5 46.0 2.847 2,983 .93
120 Barnes TTSX StaBALL 6.5 45.0 2.775 2,992 1.07
120 Nosler Ballistic Tip IMR-4451 43.5 2.826 2,976 1.14
127 Barnes LRX StaBALL 6.5 44.0 Norma 2.818 2,808 .99
129 Nosler AccuBond LR VV-N555 44.0 2.856 2,792 .68
130 Swift Scirocco II VV-N555 43.5 Lapua CCI 450 2.847 2,787 .88
135 Hornady A-Tip VV-N555 44.0 2.852 2,761 1.03
139 Lapua Scenar VV-N555 42.5 2.851 2,667 .89
140 Berger HVLD RL-26 46.0 Norma Federal 210M 2.852 2,835 .54
143 Hornady ELD-X RL-16 43.0 2.843 2,909 .84
143 Hornady ELD-X StaBALL 6.5 43.0 2.843 2,853 1.15
156 Lapua Mega VV-N565 42.5 Lapua SR CCI 450 2.586 2,402 2.05
Factory Load
3-shot
stated actual extreme 100-yard
load velocity velocity spread group
( grains ) ( fps ) ( fps ) ( fps ) ( inches )

156 Lapua Mega 2,559 2,615 14 .70

. Notes: A Weatherby Vanguard 6.5 Creedmoor with a 24-inch barrel (1:8 twist) was used to test all loads. Velocities were chronographed at 15 feet.
For more data on this cartridge please visit LoadData.com.
. Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms used. Reduce initial powder charge by 10 percent and work up while
watching for signs of excessive pressure.

.
34 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
like Jack O’Connor’s favorite .270, Gradient Lens Hawkeye bore- much it copper-fouls. In fact, one
would weigh 8 pounds scoped – ex- scope. Copper never increased into of the smoothest centerfire barrels
actly like the custom walnut-stocked more than a faint line along the edges on any of my rifles copper-fouled so
FN Mauser 6.5x55 I put together in of the lands, and the rifle maintained badly, it had to be scrubbed out with
2007, the year Hornady formally an- its accuracy through several range JB Compound after every 20 rounds.
nounced the 6.5 Creedmoor. sessions without cleaning the barrel. (That problem was finally solved by a
The First Lite was my 6.5x55’s The same thing happened with then-new product named Dyna Bore-
twenty-first-century equivalent, with the Weatherby First Lite, which like Coat, but that’s another story.)
a synthetic camouflage stock and a the Mauser M18 has a very smooth The Weatherby’s bore has now
fluted, 24-inch barrel Cerakoted in bore. However, one thing I’ve learned been cleaned twice, once before
a color Weatherby’s website calls Flat after using the Hawkeye for around I ever fired it, to remove the slight
Dark Earth. The Lapua Megas were 20 years is the smoothness of a rifle’s amount of copper fouling from the
the first ammunition fired through bore does not necessarily effect how test-firing at the factory, and then af-
the barrel, and averaged three shots in
.70 inch at 100 yards. This is far finer
accuracy than required for a typical
Finland moose drive, but Finns tend
be perfectionists in anything involv-
ing rifles.
Afterward, a search was con-
ducted through the latest 6.5 Creed-
moor handloading information, both
printed and cyberspace, for data in-
volving newer bullets and, especially
powders. An article on the same sub-
ject appeared in Handloader several
years ago, but some new stuff had
been introduced since then. In fact,
at least two recent powders were de-
veloped at least partly for use the 6.5
Creedmoor, Winchester StaBALL
6.5 and Vihtavuori N555, which fills
the burn-rate gap between their long-
established VV-N550 and VV-N560.
One of the other interesting things
about the newer powders tried was
that many (including both Winchester
StaBall 6.5 and VV-N555) are both
temperature resistant and include a
decoppering agent. In fact, a few years
ago, Vihtavuori announced that ALL
its powders are now temp-resistant
and copper-reducing.
Decoppering comes in handy
when testing dozens of handloads,
because even if some of the pow-
ders don’t include a decoppering
agent, the decoppering powders still
remove most of the fouling. I re-
ported on this in Handloader No.
327 (September-October 2020) when
trying newer powders in the 7mm
Remington Magnum. The test rifle
was my Mauser M18, and after
every range session, I checked the
barrel for copper-fouling with my
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 35
6.5 C reedmoor
A gAin

ter the range session with the Lapua

Mega ammunition. Of the hand- The Lapua 156-grain
loads listed, 86 percent featured anti- Mega has a very heavy
copper powders, and the last group jacket that locks the
core inside.
fired measured .74 inch. I just looked
at the bore again, using my brand
new Teslong digital borescope, and
like the Mauser M18, there’s only a
hint of copper along the edges of the The Lapua cases also had small- some of the longer “heavyweights,”
lands, about as much copper as from rifle primer pockets. This, plus their from past experience at 4,000-plus
the factory testing. heavier weight, tends to lengthen feet in this part of Montana, I sus-
There was plenty of 6.5 Creedmoor case life to maybe forever, even with pected they would stabilize pretty
brass in my loading room, so I decided maximum-pressure loads, due to well, so I ran several on the JBM
to try three different brands, Hornady, more brass surrounding the primer Ballistics online twist-rate computer
Norma and the Lapua from the fired pocket. I decided to use CCI 450 program, which has proven very ac-
156-grain Mega factory loads. Before primers with them, which are prob- curate many times. It predicted all
loading them, however, I weighed ably the hottest small-rifle primers the recent 150-plus grain spitzer boat-
and measured a random sample of commonly available in the U.S. tails introduced by various companies
10 cases of each brand. All three had Due to the latest component short- would stabilize more than sufficiently
case necks varying no more than .001 age, I didn’t get to test all the new from the 1:8 rifling twist in the First
in thickness from side-to-side, which bullets that had recently appeared. In Lite’s barrel – but I couldn’t get any
is what I look for when handloading, fact, 6.5mm bullets were even harder of those bullets in time for this arti-
since “lopsided” necks tend to affect to find than bullets in other calibers cle. That said, the table’s load data
accuracy more than any other part of – yet another indication of the recent for Vihtavuorhi N565 for the 156-
a cartridge case. However, they all av- popularity of 6.5mm cartridges, in- grain Lapua Mega would be a good
eraged somewhat different in weight cluding the Creedmoor. I particu- starting point for any of those new
– including two different manufac- larly wanted to try some of the newer spitzers.
turing lots of Hornady cases. The high-BC bullets of 150-plus grains, With a few exceptions, the overall
first Hornady batch averaged 148.5 but none were available. Even though length of the of the test loads was de-
grains, varying 2.1 grains, while the the Weatherby’s barrel is the typical termined by seating lead-core bullets
second averaged 145.5 grains, varying 1:8 twist, which isn’t optimum for .03 inch from the lands, the Barnes
.6 grain. The Norma cases averaged
155.5 grains, varying 2.2 grains, and
the Lapua cases average 166.8 grains,
varying .8 grain.

The most popular hunting bullets for the 6.5 Creedmoor weigh
from around 130/140 grains. John has used all of these, and the
Nosler 129-grain Accubond Long Range, on various kinds of big
game and they all worked very well.

The Lapua cases had small-primer pockets,

and worked very well with CCI 450 primers.

36 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

monolithics .05 inch from the lands. One interesting feature of the pounds, so eventually the Leupold
Both have proven to be good start- Weatherby First Lite is the magazine will be transferred to a harder-recoil-
ing points, but the accuracy of some length, slightly longer than most ing rifle for more testing and a lighter
loads would improve with some more other 6.5 Creedmoors I have tested, scope mounted on the Weatherby.
tweaking of seating depth. I would several of which would not accom- Now, a decision needs to be made
have liked to try deeper seating with a modate rounds even slightly longer about what animal should be the rifle’s
few loads, but range time was limited than 2.800 inches. The Weatherby first “field test.” A 2022 Montana
by perhaps the windiest, wettest May worked fine with rounds up to 2.856 Sportsman’s License was purchased as
and June since weather recording be- inches long. soon as it was available, which comes
gan in Montana in the 1800s (In fact, The trigger of the First Lite with general-season deer and elk tags,
the last range-test was made the day is listed as a two-stage, because it has and I’ve drawn two more tags since,
after Yellowstone Park, a little over a slight amount of free-travel before one for a doe mule deer and the other
100 miles away, was shut down due a very clean break, which averaged a for a cow moose. I kept enough of
to unprecedented flooding destroying very consistent 2 pounds, 12 ounces the Lapua Mega ammunition to hunt
its highways). The exceptions were on my Timney scale. This is about with, and a moose would sure be an
the 85-, 100- and 107-grain bullets, what I prefer these days for Montana appropriate test, but several other
which had to be seated farther from big-game hunting; providing enough rifle candidates are also in the safe. It’s
the lands to hold them firmly in place control during cold weather, but still the old rifle loony dilemma, caused
inside the case necks. light enough for accurate shooting. by owning more rifles than tags. •
However, some loads obviously The stock’s forend has a pressure
didn’t need any tweaking, in par- point at the tip, which can some-
ticular the Berger 140-grain Hunt- times help a rifle shoot more accu-
ing VLD with Alliant Reloder 26 rately, but sometimes not. In fact, 7
and the Hornady 143-grain ELD-X one of my previous 6.5 Creedmoors
with Reloder 16. The velocity with was also a Vanguard, an older model
RL-16 was somewhat surprising, purchased used in 2017, made back
since the 43-grain charge is slightly when Weatherby used pretty flexible
less than Alliant lists as maximum injection-molded stocks, also with
with a different brand of 140-grain tip-pressure forends.
bullet, for a velocity of 2,821 feet per My first synthetic-stocked Weath- Polished NEW!
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second (fps) from its 24-inch test bar-
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erby was a sub-MOA Vanguard in
.300 Weatherby Magnum, which shot
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However, powders vary slightly in more accurately after I free-floated the

burn rate from lot to lot, and bullets barrel – but free-floating didn’t make Tumbler Media Additive
also differ in the amount of pressure any change in that first 6.5 Creed- • Cleans and Polishes
to a High Luster
they create, though there was no hint moor Vanguard’s accuracy. However, • Removes Powder
Residue Discoloration
of excess pressure when shooting the it would still put three rounds of my and Oxidation
load. Plus, the First Lite proved to normal test load of 41.5 grains of • Drastically Reduces
Tumbling Time
have a tight chamber: None of the Hodgdon H-4350 with the Berger
• Protects from
brass fired in other 6.5 Creedmoors 140-grain Hunting VLD into less Future Tarnish

would work unless it was first run than an inch. The injection-molded • Available in 8 oz.
Bottles Up to 55 Gal. Drums
into the “body die” included in my stock on the First Lite is much stiffer
Redding Type S Match Die set. than the stocks on those older Van- IOSSO
I also want to retest the 156- grain guards, and it shot very well. Pre-Treated Corn Cobb with Iosso Case Polish
Mega bullet with heavier powder The scope used was a 2-10x 42mm • Removes Carbon,
charges, because the muzzle velocity Leupold 5HD, which they sent me Powder Fouling,
Oxidation & Stains
was pretty low compared to the fac- for testing. The adjustments clicks • Reduces Tumbling Time
tory ammunition – which actually worked very reliably, and the optics • Shines to a High Luster
chronographed over 50 fps faster than are very sharp and bright. However, • Protects from Tarnish

Lapua’s listed 2,559 fps. I broke down like many 30mm-tubed scopes, the • Bio-Based Formula, No Odor!

one of the factory rounds, finding 2-10x 42mm 5HD weighs somewhat This product is made up of ground corn cobb
premixed with the Iosso Case Polish. Easy to
43.5 grains of a powder that looked a more than typical 1-inch tube scopes use, just throw in your tumbler with casings!
It is available in 3#, 20#, and 128# drums.
lot like VV N565, though of course in the same magnification range, and
it might not be. The overall length of in this particular model, 18 ounces. IOSSO PRODUCTS
® MADE IN THE U.S.A.

the factory ammunition was also used As a result, with the scope, the First 847.437.8400
www.iosso.com
for the handloads. Lite weighed closer to 8.5 than 8
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 37
 Armscor
International’s
.22 TCM 1911 Pistol

Handloads for a Patrick shot the Armscor 1911-style

.22 TCM from a solid bench and used the

Little Cartridge
front half of a MTM Case-Gard Predator
rest with an incorporated wrist rest.

38 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

 1 2 3 4 5 Patrick Meitin

T
he .22 TCM has been around since
2012 and is most commonly cham-
bered in Rock Island Armory 1911-
style handguns. Two Armscor/Rock
Island rifle models have been chambered for
the round as well, one each with wood and
synthetic stocks. The .22 TCM is a bottle-
necked pistol cartridge based on a necked-
down .223 Remington case shortened to
The .22 TCM is a squat, bottleneck cartridge. Shown for comparison: (1) .22,
function from 9mm Luger magazines. It is an
(2) .22 TCM, (3) .22 Hornet, (4) .22 K-Hornet and (5) .218 Bee. Armscor International propriety cartridge, and
as such, has been chambered only in Armscor/
Rock Island firearms. It has not gained the
Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactur-
er’s Institute’s (SAAMI) seal of approval.
The “T” in TCM comes from Martin Tuason,
Armscor’s president; the “C” from Frederick
1 2 3 4 5 6 Craig, a former Armscor gunsmith and consul-
tant; the “M” stands for MicroMag. Armscor
advertises that it will launch 40-grain jacketed
hollowpoint bullets at 2,000 feet per second (fps)
from the 5-inch barrel.
While I own, load for and occasionally varmint
shoot with an Armscor/Rock Island Armory M22
Bullets used for testing included: (1) Midsouth Shooters
Supply 34-grain Varmint Nightmare Xtreme, (2) Hornady
TCM BA rifle, my experiences with the pistol ver-
35-grain V-MAX, (3) Armscor 40-grain hollowpoint, sion had been limited to a handful of magazines
(4) Sierra 40-Grain Varminter Hornet softpoint and fired while attending SHOT Show Industry Day
(5) Hornady 45-grain flatpoint hollowpoint Bee and
(6) the FMJ 55-grain shown for comparison.
at a range in Boulder City, Nevada. These sessions
proved quite enjoyable. The TCM’s gentle recoil
is offset by its obnoxious muzzle report, so serious hearing
protection is required for this one. The TCM struggled to
flip 8-inch dueling-tree steel plates that 9mm Luger hand-
gun rounds slammed with authority – though I certainly
wouldn’t want to take one of those frangible 40-grain hol-
lowpoints in the chest!
Loading for my rifle was initially hampered by scant
and oftentimes sketchy load data. Standard .22 Hornet
data (and a lot of trial and error) served to get me started,
as the cases included similar capacities. Winchester .22
Hornet cases hold an average of 13.2 grains of water when
filled to the brim, TCM cases around 14.5 grains. The
1-grain difference adds a margin for safety.
Since then, Western Powder’s Handloading Guide Edi-
tion 1 appeared (Wolfe Publishing, 2017), including pres-
sure-tested pistol data (no rifle) for the .22 TCM. The
only drawback is that this data includes only four West-
ern Powder options: Accurate TCM, A-4100, No. 11 FS
The best group produced by the Midsouth 34-grain Varmint Nightmare
Xtreme bullet resulted from 10 grains of Accurate 4100 at 1,958 fps. That and Ramshot Enforcer. Maximum pressures were held
group measured 1.89 inches. to around 38,000 psi, while Armscor factory loads are
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 39
Armscor International
.22 TCM Pistol Handloads the slow end at around 66. This test
takes in everything from Accurate
overall 3-shot
loaded 25-yard TCM at the fast end to Alliant Power
bullet powder charge length velocity group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches )
Pro 300-MP and Accurate No. 11 FS
at the slow end. My additions all oc-
34 Midsouth Shooters Supply TCM 9.0 1.290 1,944 3.13
Varmint Nightmare Xtreme 9.5 1,991 3.43 curred at the slower end, including
10.0 2,037* 2.28 Vihtavuori N110 (61), H-110 (63) and
A-4100 9.0 1,826 2.04 Power Pro 300-MP (66). The slow-
9.5 1,923 3.08 er-burning powders didn’t really give
10.0 1,958 1.86 up any velocity to the faster options,
VV-N110 9.0 1,668 3.41
and some solid loads were discovered.
9.5 1,891 4.31
10.0 1,970 4.16 As far as I can determine, Armscor
35 Hornady V-MAX Enforcer 9.5 1.310 1,918* 3.73 headstamped brass is the only option
10.0 1,998 2.91 available to handloaders, much of this
10.5 2,078 3.90 found as range brass for sale online.
No. 11 FS 10.0 1,865 3.42 Armscor offers a proprietary 40-grain
10.5 1,940 1.20
11.0 2,160* 1.88
jacketed hollowpoint – if you can
2400 9.5 1,990 2.32 find them – with test gaps filled with
10.0 2,072 3.51 stumpy examples of bullets weighing
10.5 2,097 3.14 from 34 to 45 grains. The short bul-
40 Armscor hollowpoint TCM 9.2 1.280 1,886 3.14 lets are a necessity due to the confines
9.6 1,958* 3.60
of the steel double-stack detachable
H-110 10.5 1,877 2.99
11.0 1,960* 2.03 magazine, which serves double duty
11.5 2,005 3.63 as a 9mm Luger magazine. Several
Power Pro 300-MP 10.5 1,864 .93 of Rock Island pistol’s include inter-
11.0 1,955 3.58 changeable .22 TCM/9mm Luger
40 Sierra Varminter Hornet TCM 8.5 1.290 1,726 3.03 barrels.
9.0 1,822* 1.50
I started shooting with Philip-
9.5 1,891* 3.26
No. 11 FS 10.0 1,792 3.52 pine-made Armscor factory ammuni-
10.5 1,850 2.96 tion to establish a baseline. Armscor’s
11.0 2,013 3.28 factory rounds held a 40-grain jack-
A-4100 9.0 1,777 2.40 eted hollowpoint and are sold in
9.5 1,884 2.50 100-round boxes with either brass
10.0 1,901* 2.20
45 Hornady Bee TCM 8.5 1.285 1,854 3.23
or nickel cases. Velocity ranged from
9.0 1,930 3.10 1,970 fps at the low end and 2,014 fps
9.5 2,078* 2.71 at the high end, averaging 1,987 fps
Power Pro 300-MP 10.0 1,883 3.39 after firing 10 rounds past the Lab-
10.5 1,898 4.76 Radar Doppler chronograph. Over-
* Extreme velocity spread less than 25 fps. all, my handloads closely matched
Notes: A Rock Island Armory M1911 A2 .22 TCM Pistol was used to test all loads. Armscor brass, Winchester
Small Rifle primers, Redding full-length dies and an Area 419 ZERO Reloading Press were used to assemble
factory velocities, with a few excep-
all loads. Velocity was established with a LabRadar Doppler unit. tions seen with lighter bullets or start
For more data on this cartridge please visit LoadData.com. loads. Armscor is an ISO 9001 cer-
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms
used. Reduce initial powder charge by 10 percent and work up while watching for signs of excessive pressure. tified company, with cartridges and
components widely used by police,
apparently loaded to around 40,000 pellants transferring well to the short military and other shooting enthu-
psi. This data has been recently added barrel of the 1911-style handgun. siasts, but any extensive experience
to Hodgdon’s handloading website, Accurate TCM was developed spe- I’ve had with the company’s ammu-
as the company purchased Western cifically for the .22 TCM cartridge, nition was limited to .22 Long Rifle
Powders several years ago. Still, the as the name would imply. It sits at rounds, which performed acceptably
lessons learned while loading from the fast end of the relative burn-rate with minimal duds.
Hornet-based data for my bolt rifle spectrum at number 53, to Ramshot The test pistol is Rock Island
served this pistol project well, with Enforcer’s 55, Accurate 4100’s 58, Armory’s Standard FS 22TCM 10-
many of those “magnum-pistol” pro- with Accurate No. 11 FS sitting at round HC with a reasonable MSRP
40 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
Armscor International

The tightest group of the entire .22 TCM test was

produced using Armscor’s 40-grain hollowpoint
and 10.5 grains of Alliant Power Pro 300-MP.
That .93-inch group left the muzzle at 1,864 fps.

Xtreme, a Hornady 35-grain V-MAX,

a Armscor 40-grain hollowpoint, a
Sierra 40-grain Varminter Hornet
Hornady’s 35-grain V-MAX and 10.5 grains of Accurate No. 11 FS paired well, producing this 1.20-inch softpoint and a Hornady 45-grain
group that left the muzzle at 1,940 fps. hollowpoint/Bee. All were squat de-
signs, the Midsouth measuring .413
of $749. The 1911-style pistol is Parkerized coating to deter rust. The inch, the V-MAX .515 inch, the Arm-
constructed from 4140 ordnance double-stack magazine made the grip scor .473 inch, the Sierra .491-inch
steel and refined by the company’s somewhat chunky, around 1.45 inches and the Bee bullet .490 inch. The
hand-fitting process. It holds a 5-inch side plate edge to side plate edge, com- Armscor brass was full-length resized
barrel and feeds from an Italian-made pared to the 1.16 inches of my Spring- using Redding Custom dies, Win-
10-round double-stack magazine. The field 1911 A1 in single-stack .45 Auto. chester WSR primers seated with an
skeletonized hammer and trigger in- I have big hands, so this presented no RCBS hand-priming tool. A gener-
cluded an adjustable overtravel stop, problems. Standard 1911 thumb and ous inside neck chamfer was required
the trigger breaking at a reasonable grip safeties (ribbed), left-side maga- to ensure the stubby, flatbase bullets
4.5 pounds. The pistol arrived with zine release button slide release and started square into the cases, as they
a dovetail-cut, fiber-optic front bead beavertail grip are included. The rear- were frustratingly prone to tipping.
and TRT1 adjustable rear sight with ribbed slide serrations proved suffi- All groups were shot at 25 yards,
no alignment dots. The checkered cient for the light-cycling slide. fired from a solid bench with the pis-
polymer grips and knurled grip back- Bullets consisted of five examples, tol rested over the front half of an
strap provided good purchase. The including a Midsouth Shooters Sup- MTM Case-Gard Predator Shooting
pistol was finished with a durable ply 34-grain Varmint Nightmare Rest with incorporated wrist rest. Up
front, accuracy was somewhat disap-
pointing, but I blame this mostly on
my inability to cope with the pistol’s
chunky sights. Looking at the front
fiber-optic bead through the rear
sight notch left sloppy margins to
each side, making repeatable consis-
tency challenging. Many tight two-
shot clusters were ruined by single
fliers that were no doubt all on me.
This pistol deserves better sights!
More importantly to me, though, ev-
ery single handload fed and ejected
flawlessly. I’d expected to experience
The test pistol, a Rock Island Armory
jams and hang-ups due to the piece-
1911-style handgun, included a 5-inch meal collection of bullets, but happily,
barrel and fed from an Italian-made, that wasn’t the case.
10-round, double-stack magazine.
Midsouth Shooters Supply’s 34-
Patrick’s only complaint was the
imprecise sights. grain Varmint Nightmare Xtreme
is a flatnose hollowpoint I keep on
42 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 Nine grains of averaged 2.84 inches. Surprisingly,
Accurate TCM
and Sierra’s
TCM did poorly here, producing
40-grain groups measuring more than 3
Varminter inches. Hodgdon H-110 nearly broke
Hornet proved 2 inches using 11 grains sent at 1,960
a good
combination, fps, and with very impressively low
printing 1.50 extreme-velocity spreads. Though, I
inches at did note elevated muzzle report and
an average
velocity of
flash with this powder. This bullet’s
1,822 fps. tightest group – .93-inch at 1,864 fps
– resulted from 10.5 grains of Alli-
ant Power Pro 300-MP, but then fell
completely apart with the addition of
a half grain more. That powder obvi-
ously deserves more experimentation.
hand for my Taurus Raging (.22) 1.88-inch groups at 1,940 and 2,160 Sierra’s 40-grain Hornet softpoint
Hornet revolver. They were paired feet per second, the latter with very made a good TCM bullet, falling
with Accurate TCM and A-4100, low extreme-velocity spreads. The right in the middle of measured
and Vihtavuori N110, producing an 1.20-inch group resulted from 10.5 length with all bullets tested. Accu-
overall group average of 3.08 inches. grains of powder. rate TCM, No. 11 FS and A-4100
Accurate TCM failed to impress, and I had a limited supply of Armscor’s were tested with this bullet, produc-
Vihtavuori N110 proved downright 40-grain softpoint/hollowpoint bul- ing 2.74-inch average groups – the
disappointing, producing some of lets, pulled from older factory am- best of this test. The start load of 8.5
the largest groups of the entire test. munition, allowing two groups with grains of TCM dribbled spent brass
Accurate A-4100 ran away with this Accurate TCM, three with Hodg- onto the shooting bench, indicat-
one, producing a 2.04-inch group us- don 110 and two with Alliant Power ing it was too light at 1,726 fps. The
ing 9 grains of powder at 1,826 fps, Pro 300-MP. All groups combined (Continued on page 62)
plus the best group with this bullet
produced by a maximum load of 10
grains at 1,958 fps. That group mea-
sured 1.86 inches.
The Hornady 35-grain V-MAX is
the shortest bullet in that series, but
still the longest bullet used in this test.
To fit in the magazine, bullets were
seated so the start of the ogive was just
inside the case neck, which I feared
would cause stoppages, yet that failed
• Spitzer, Flat Nose, or High BC ultra-low
to materialize. Ramshot Enforcer, Ac- drag long-range hollow point bullets
curate No. 11 FS and Alliant 2400
were paired with this bullet, produc- • Custom Made Bullets hand swaged
ing a 2.89-inch overall group average. for superior accuracy.
Ramshot Enforcer produced some im-
pressive velocities, but failed to pro- • Hard to find and discontinued weights
duce any equally impressive groups.
Alliant 2400 also produced some of • Small lot manufacturing available.
the top velocities of this test, but only
one group worth mentioning. That • Order the exact bullet weight and style.
group measured 2.32 inches, using 9.5
• Ammo for Hunting & Personal Defense
grains of powder and pushed to 1,990
fps. At the maximum 10.5 grains, Al-
liant 2400 also proved a bit too hot, Check website for available calibers.
conspicuously flattening primers. Ac- GoldCountryAmmo.com
530-626-6702
curate No. 11 FS (FS stands for Flash
Suppressed) proved the clear winner
with this bullet, producing 1.20- and
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 43
.35 Remington

To develop .35 Remington

handload data, Brian used
two vintage Remington
pump-action rifles including
a Model 141 Gamemaster
(left) and a Model 14 (right).

Updating and Improving This 116-Year-Old Cartridge

44 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

Brian Pearce

T
he .35 Remington was introduced in
1906 in the Model 8 autoloading rifle.
In spite of legendary lawman Frank
Hamer using this rifle and cartridge
combination on May 23, 1934, to abruptly
end the bloody career of the notorious kill-
ers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the
Model 8 rifle was rather odd in both appear-
Bullets designed for the .357 Magnum can offer respectable performance
ance and function. As a result, this early rifle in the .35 Remington. Examples include the Speer 158-grain Deepcurl and
and cartridge combination only enjoyed mod- the Hornady 158-grain XTP.

est popularity among hunters and sportsman.

However, as early as 1912, Remington intro- Standard bullet diameter for the .35 Remington is .358 inch.

duced its Model 14 slide-action rifle, which

became the improved Model 141 Gamemaster
in 1935, with each being chambered in .35
Remington. Both of these “trombone” or
pump-action rifles became fairly popular and
the cartridge earned respect among hunters.
As early as 1910, Stevens offered its Model 425
lever-action rifle.
However, the popularity of the cartridge really acceler-
ated when shortly after World War II, Marlin began offer-
ing its excellent Model 336 lever-action rifle so chambered.
Maximum case length for the .35 Remington is
Remington expanded its rifle offerings with the Models 1.920 inches, while suggested trim-to length
760, 7600 pump actions and Model 600 bolt action, while is 1.910 inches.
Winchester offered its pre-’64 Model 70. As of this writ-
ing, Marlin Firearms has been back in production under
Ruger ownership for just a few months and is adding new
models and calibers as production ramps up.
It is expected that due to continuing demand, eventu-
ally, the Model 336 will again be offered in .35 Reming-
ton. Incidentally, Henry Repeating Arms currently offers
its Side Gate Lever Action with a brass frame so cham-
bered. The .35 has also gained considerable popularity
among handgun hunters and silhouette competitors in the
Thompson/Center Arms single-shot pistols.
The .35 Remington is one of those cartridges that is are always placed precisely through the vitals. Owing to
often overlooked and certainly misunderstood by modern its larger caliber and heavier bullet options, properly
shooters who often seek rounds with higher velocity and loaded, it most certainly offers greater shock and pene-
greater range potential. However, hunters that use it in tration on game than competing cartridges such as the
brush and timber country will attest to its value. I know of .30-30 Winchester. In addition to boasting of reliable me-
several houndsmen and guides that swear by it for hunting dium bore performance, recoil is comparatively modest
black bear and will energetically state its value on north- and it is easily mastered by most hunters. With all of that
west bruins. I know of a family of northern Idaho hunters said, it is at its best as a black bear and deer cartridge, and
that have used the .35 to harvest elk and whitetail deer is generally considered light for large moose and the great
for more than 50 years and have never lost a single ani- bears of the north. However, with proper bullet choice and
mal. The brush and timber is dense, and they are skilled placement…but I digress.
hunters and shots rarely exceed 100 yards, while bullets While bullet weights and velocities have varied during
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 45
.35 Remington
the past 116 years, Remington cur- worked with both rifles previously
rently lists a 150-grain bullet at 2,300 and found them to be accurate. Most
feet per second (fps) or a 200-grain of the load development was in the
bullet at 2,080 fps. Federal Cartridge Model 141, as it featured the longer
likewise lists a 200-grain bullet at barrel and a period Redfield receiver
2,080 fps, but Winchester dropped mounted aperture rear sight that al-
the same bullet weight to 2,020 fps. lows more accurate target shooting
Hornady lists the 200-grain FTX under all light conditions than the
bullet in the LEVERevolution prod- Model 14 that still retains its facto-
uct line, with its rubber tip and ry-issued open sights. The Model 14
spitzer profile for a higher ballistic was primarily included to check func-
The .35 Remington (left) is compared to the
coefficient at an impressive 2,225 tion and to cross-reference maximum
.30-30 Winchester (right). The .35 offers notably
fps. Buffalo Bore Ammunition lists loads to see if they were exhibiting greater terminal performance, especially on
a 220-grain JFN bullet at 2,200 fps. signs of excess pressure. black bears and feral hogs.
All of the above stated velocities are Shooting a pump-action rifle from
obtained from 24-inch barrels. It is sandbag rests, is a bit different than (technically .4574 inch), which is
always interesting to reference the a bolt-action rifle with its one-piece smaller than the .30-06 that is stan-
actual velocities of factory loads in stock. While I have obtained good dardized at .4698 inch. Neither does
a given test rifle and make a direct accuracy by simply resting the fore- it share the same case head dimen-
comparison with handload data. Un- arm directly on the sandbags, some- sions as its obsolete siblings includ-
fortunately, due to an ongoing indus- times this method can cause fliers. ing the .25, .30 and .32 Remington
try-wide backorder of ammunition, I prefer to place my left hand (I am cartridges. The Sporting Arms and
the only loads available at press time right-handed) between the forearm Ammunition Manufacturer’s Insti-
were the 150- and 200-grain Rem- and the sandbags. Rather than pull- tute’s (SAAMI) standardized maxi-
ington loads that clocked 2,309 fps ing backward on the forearm while mum average pressure is 35,000 CUP
and 2,105 fps, respectively, from the squeezing the trigger, my grip is firm or using the more modern piezoelec-
Remington Model 141 Gamemaster but is neutral in that I am not pulling tric methodology, it is established
rifle with 24-inch barrel. backward or pushing forward. Pull- at 33,500 psi. Most of the accom-
Two rifles were used to develop ing backward on the forearm will panying data has been tested and is
data that includes a Remington cause it to move back instantly as the within these pressure limits while
Model 14 and a Model 141 Game- trigger breaks, which causes move- the remaining loads are believed to
master with 22- and 24-inch bar- ment and results in fliers. be within these limits.
rels, respectively. These are sleek, The .35 Remington case is tech- When using pump-action, auto-
compact, reliable and well-made nically odd and not based on any loading or lever-action rifles, it is gen-
pump-action rifles that still find fa- other rimless case. For example, its erally recommended to use a small
vor with many woods hunters. I have head diameter measures .457 inch base sizing die to assure that loaded

Many traditional and new powders from Hodgdon, Accurate and Ramshot gave top RCBS dies were used to handload ammunition, while CCI BR-2 primers
performance in the .35 Remington. were used to offer consistency.

46 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

 .35 Remington Handloads
overall 4-shot
loaded 100-yard
bullet powder charge length velocity group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches )

158 Speer DeepCurl H-322 34.0 2.230 2,090

35.0 2,194
36.0 2,313
H-4895 35.0 1,966
36.0 2,026
37.0 2,115
38.0 2,189
39.0 2,254
H-4198 27.0 1,902
28.0 2,004
29.0* 2,110 2.10
30.0 2,216
Remington offers two .35 Remington factory 158 Hornady XTP-FP RL-7 33.0 2.240 2,104
loads that list a 150-grain bullet at 2,300 fps or
34.0 2,175
a 200-grain bullet at 2,080 fps.
35.0* 2,251 1.80
36.0 2,343
cartridges chamber with ease. Other- 37.0 2,417
wise, cartridges may offer slight re- A-2495 35.0 1,955
sistance as the action is closing, or in 36.0 2,018
37.0 2,095
some cases may not chamber at all. I
38.0 2,166
have two sets of .35 Remington dies 39.0 2,222
that include a set of RCBS and a set of 180 Speer FNSP A-5744 22.0 2.460 1,632
Hornady. Both feature a full-length 23.0 1,702
sizer die. Cases were sized with each 24.0 1,805
of the above dies and then checked 25.0 1,882
AR-Comp 34.0 2,085
for proper chambering in three rifles, 35.0 2,130
including the above mentioned Rem- 36.0 2,193
ington Models 14 and 141 and a 37.0 2,238
Marlin Model 336C. As long as the A-2520 36.0 1,891
sizing dies were properly adjusted, 37.0 1,960
all cartridges chambered easily and 38.0 2,041
39.0 2,129
without resistance in any of the rifles. 40.0 2,199
With that said, some rifles may still Power Pro Varmint 35.0 2,011
require a small base sizer die to bring 36.0 2,050
cases back to specifications and allow 37.0 2,108
loaded cartridges to readily chamber. 38.0 2,143
38.5 2,187
Like most cartridges, the .35 can
A-2495 37.0 1,854
have varying case capacity depending 38.0 1,916
on case make. In checking Federal, 39.0 1,980
Hornady, Remington and Win- 40.0 2,059
chester, the Remington has the least 41.0 2,130
capacity and Winchester the most. 42.0 2,188
VV-N133 31.0 1,854
Remington cases were selected for 32.0 1,916
two reasons; first, I had enough on 33.0 1,980
hand to work with in large batches. 34.0 2,059
Second, the Remington case will give 35.0 2,063
slightly higher pressure than other 36.0* 2,110 2.45
cases. As a result, the accompanying 200 Sierra RN Varget 36.0 2.480 1,954
37.0 1,993
data is suitable for any case used. 38.0 2,051
After full-length sizing cases and 39.0* 2,091 1.95
checking them for proper case length, 39.5 2,144
trimming and chamfering as needed, IMR-4320 35.0 1,785
they were primed using CCI BR-2 37.0 1,900
39.0 2,033 (Continued)
primers seated .003 to .005 inch be-
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 47
 .35 Remington Handloads (Continued) low flush. In addition to being an in-
dustry standard, seating primers with
overall 4-shot
loaded 100-yard the anvil in positive contact with the
bullet powder charge length velocity group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches )
bottom of the primer pocket will help
prevent misfires.
200 Sierra RN IMR-4320 39.5 2.480 2,070
IMR-3031 33.0 1,805 After charging cases and seating
34.0 1,863 bullets to specified overall cartridge
35.0 1,943 length, bullets were crimped in place.
36.0 2,006 This is important when cartridges are
X-Terminator 34.0 1,918 used in rifles with a tubular magazine
35.0 1,973
36.0 2,046
(with almost all .35 Remington rifles
37.0 2,105 featuring a tubular magazine); as this
LEVERevolution 42.0 2,021 practice helps to prevent bullets from
43.0 2,083 being deep seated when subjected to
44.0 2,163 magazine spring pressure and recoil.
45.0 2,224 The Lee Factory Crimp die is an ex-
BL-C(2) 39.0 1,811
40.0 1,899
cellent choice for this application. If
41.0 1,981 bullets still tend to deep seat, using a
42.0 2,060 powder that uses 100 percent plus of
200 Hornady RN IMR-3031 35.0 2.520 1,910 the case capacity will offer support
36.0 2,003 to the base of the bullet and further
37.0 2,098
prevent deep-seating issues.
37.5 2,140
A-2230 33.0 1,895 There is a reasonable bullet selec-
34.0 1,933 tion for the .35, which is specified to
35.0 1,999 be used with .358-inch bullets. Tra-
36.0 2,065 ditional designs feature a roundnose
37.0 2,122 profile such as the Sierra 200-grain
37.3 2,144
IMR-4198 26.0 1,669
RN, or Hornady 200-grain RN.
27.0 1,735 Their design generally places the
27.5* 1,760 1.80 ogive close to the rifling or chamber
200 Hornady FTX LEVERevolution 38.0 2.540 1,930 leade. As a result, they shoot well in
39.0 1,977 most rifles. For those wanting to ex-
40.0 2,038 tend the cartridges effective range,
41.0 2,087
41.5 2,101
the Hornady 200-grain FTX boasts
A-2230 33.0 1,865 of a spitzer profile with a flexible
34.0 1,919 rubber tip to allow its use in tubu-
35.0 1,978 lar magazines. Another excellent big-
36.0 2,044 game bullet is the Speer 220-grain
37.0 2,095
Hot Core Flat Point. Back in the mid-
37.3 2,124
IMR-8208-XBR 33.0 1,754 1980s, family, friends and I used this
34.0 1,817 bullet on black bear, mule deer and
35.0 1,894 several head of elk. My handloads
36.0* 1,956 2.20 reached around 2,200 fps from the
A-2495 34.0 1,798 Marlin leverguns, which performed
35.0 1,877
36.0 1,944
very well and was a notable improve-
36.5 1,985 ment over the traditional factory
VV-N135 35.0 1,820 loads. Regardless of the bullets se-
36.0 1,880 lected, if using a rifle with a tubular
37.0 1,961 magazine, be certain they feature a
38.0 2,021
nose profile that is suitable for tubu-
W-748 41.0 1,977
42.0 2,026 lar magazines.
43.0 2,081 In the past, I have experimented
A-2015 32.0 1,766 with .357 Magnum revolver bullets
33.0 1,840 in various .35-caliber rifle cartridges
34.0 1,921 such as .358 Winchester, .350 Rem-
35.0 2,011 (Continued)
ington Magnum, .35 Whelen and .35
48 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 .35 Remington Handloads (Continued) (scrutinized with the aid of a Lyman
Borecam Digital Borescope) both
overall 4-shot
loaded 100-yard Hornady and Speer .357-inch revolver
bullet powder charge length velocity group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( inches )
bullets were tried. Accuracy was re-
spectable, as select loads contain-
200 Hornady FTX A-2015 36.0 2.540 2,085
A-2520 36.0 1,810 ing the Hornady 158-grain XTP-FP
37.0 1,851 bullet grouped into 1.80 inches while
38.0 1,906 loads containing the Speer 158-grain
39.0 1,945 DeepCurl bullet hovered just over 2
39.5 2,009
IMR-4064 35.0 1,749
36.0 1,817
37.0 1,895
220 Speer FN A-2015 30.0 2.480 1,714
31.0 1,777
32.0 1,856 and Reloading Dies
33.0 1,921 Current, Discontinued and
CFE-223 32.0 1,766 Hard to Find Items
33.0 1,801
34.0 1,855
Trade-Ins Welcomed
35.0 1,888
35.5 1,922
BL-C(2) 36.0 1,809
37.0 1,833
38.0 1,871
39.0 1,907
40.0 1,929
Power Pro 2000-MR 38.0 1,907
39.0 1,941 303-204-8058
40.0 1,988 duckcreeksportinggoods.com
41.0 2,020
Varget 35.0 1,841
36.0 1,880
37.0 1,931
38.0* 1,970 1.90
208 RCBS No. 35-200-FN Cast A-5744 20.0 2.420 1,511
21.0 1,582
22.0* 1,671 2.35
23.0 1,744
A-2230 30.0 1,700
31.0 1,769
32.0 1,873
33.0 1,953
A-2495 36.0 1,741
37.0 1,800
38.0 1,870
39.0 1,946
40.0 2,009
* Potentially most accurate load with that particular bullet
Notes: A Remington Model 14 .35 Remington with a 24-inch barrel was used to test all handloads, while a
Remington Model 141 Gamemaster with a 24-inch barrel was used to conduct accuracy testing. Suggested
starting loads should not be reduced. Industry jacketed bullet diameter is .358 inch, however, select data
is offered containing .357 Magnum bullets that measure .357 inch. Cast bullets were sized to .3585 inch.
CCI BR-2 primers were used throughout. Maximum case length is 1.920 inches, while suggested trim-to
length is 1.910 inches. SAAMI maximum overall cartridge length is 2.525 inches. A Lee Factory crimp die
was used to crimp all bullets.
For more data on this cartridge please visit LoadData.com.
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms used.

Remington. There is great interest in ington loaded with various .357-inch

this practice, as various handloading bullets that only produced mediocre
manuals offer data and many let- accuracy. However, its bore showed
ters have been received seeking data. some wear and my tests were not
About eight or nine years ago, I used conclusive. Using a different Model
a Remington Model 141 .35 Rem- 141 that showed very little bore wear
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 49
.35 Remington accuracy and velocity, was almost im-
perceptible. This illustrates that the
inches at 100 yards. These bullets can .35 Remington is relatively easy to
be pushed to 2,400 fps and offer ex- develop good handloads for, but also
tremely rapid expansion even at ex- how many excellent and competitive
tended distances. powders are offered to handloaders.
Data is included for cast bullets Top-performing extruded powders
from RCBS mould No. 35-200-FN include Alliant Reloder 7, AR-Comp,
that weighed 208 grains and were Hodgdon Varget, H-322, H-4895,
sized to .3585 inch with Lyman NRA H-4198, IMR-4320, IMR-3031,
formula Alox bullet lube applied. IMR-4198, IMR-8208-XBR, IMR-
While the best group obtained came 4064, Accurate A-2495, A-5744, Brian developed load data with many modern
from 22 grains of Accurate 5744 A-2015, Vihtavuori N133 and N135. propellants including Hodgdon Varget, that
Select spherical powders likewise proved accurate, with 100-yard groups shrinking
powder (1,671 fps), I believe that with
below 2 inches from the Remington Model 141
additional experimenting, groups can provided excellent performance. They Gamemaster pump-action rifle fitted with a
be further improved, as several three- boast of near perfect metering and are Redfield aperture rear sight.
shot groups measured 1.5 to 2 inches, often offered at lower costs (when
but the fourth shot opened groups to compared to extruded powders). select lever-action cartridges. Exam-
around 2.5 inches. Finding out why Many give very low extreme spreads, ples used in the accompanying data
this flier occurred and making cor- offer benchrest-type accuracy and are include Accurate A-2520, A-2230, Al-
rection should bring groups down to clean burning. Others, such as Hodg- liant Power Pro Varmint, Power Pro
below 2 inches. don CFE 223 and Ramshot X-Termi- 2000-MR, Hodgdon LEVERevolu-
There are many, many powders nator offer decoppering agents that tion, BL-C (2), CFE-223, Winchester
that duplicate factory load perfor- control barrel fouling. Hodgdon LE- W-748 and Ramshot X-Terminator.
mance and provide excellent accuracy. VERevolution powder was developed Generally speaking, suggested start
The difference in overall performance in conjunction with Hornady Manu- powder charges using spherical pow-
of the accompanying data, including facturing to increase performance in ders should not be reduced, or hang-
fires and erratic performance can
occur.
Many loads produced four-shot
groups that hovered around 2 inches
in the Remington Model 141 Game-
master. This is respectable accuracy
with an 85-year-old pump-action rifle
fitted with aperture sights and being
fired by a respectable, but imperfect
shooter! With that said, I have seen
scope-sighted Marlin lever-action ri-
fles with Micro Groove rifling, along
with carefully developed .35 Reming-
ton handloads, produce MOA groups.
The accuracy potential is there in
many rifles, and the handloader just
needs to experiment to find it.
Considering that the .35 Rem-
ington is 116-years-old (as of this
writing), is not based on any other
existing case, is not one of the
more popular bore sizes, is still be-
ing offered in new rifles while used
versions are commanding premiums
due to demand and does not have
a popular gun writer promoting its
virtues, seems to be proof that it still
has plenty of merit with modern
hunters. •
50 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 .300
Rook Rifle
Joseph Harkom Rook & Rabbit Rifle,
chambered in .300 Rook.

A Rook Rifle with its best group: 1.3 inches for five shots at 50 yards.

Largely
Forgotten,
but Worth
the Effort
52 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
Terry Wieland

O
ne of the first lessons one learns in this
business is to expect the unexpected.
Logic may tell you this powder or
that will deliver the best results, but
when you try it, it may fail abysmally. So we
come to reloading ammunition for the vener-
able English .300 Rook Rifle.
The .300 Rook (as it’s commonly known) was one of a
group of cartridges developed in the late 1800s for a class
of rifle called “rook & rabbit.” These were single-shots, Swiss FFFg delivered the best performance of the powders tested, but either
often of very high quality, intended for shooting rooks in Unique or Herco work well if a shooter insists on smokeless loads.
the spring and rabbits the rest of the year. Rooks are black-
birds, distantly related to the crow, which are very good who made what and for whom is a losing game. All three
eating when they first emerge from the nest. made high-quality guns and at least one H&H-designed
If you remember “four and twenty blackbirds, baked Ross exists with the name James Purdey on the barrel.
in a pie,” those were rooks, and if you look on the inter- That should tell you everything you need to know.
net you can still find recipes for rook pie. Traditionally, My rifle bears the name “Joseph Harkom,” which was a
rook season begins on May 15, and lasts as long as the highly respected Edinburgh maker of primarily shotguns.
young rooks continue to leave the nest, climb out onto In 1923, Harkom merged with T.E. Mortimer, and the
the branches of the “rookery” tree, and get up their nerve two were later absorbed by John Dickson.
to try flying. In 1883, the sporting magazine, The Field, held a series
Sportsmen (and women) would position themselves 50 of rifle trials to determine which manufacturer’s rifles and
to 75 yards from the tree and pick off the young birds one ammunition were the best. Holland’s entered all 10 cat-
by one. egories and swept the field. The rifle that won the “rook
Obviously, shooting in this style required a rifle with rifle” class was a Ross chambered for the .300 Rook.
some very specific qualities. First, it needed to be highly Twenty shots at 50 yards were grouped into a cluster that
accurate; second, it must not destroy much meat; third, could be covered by a half-crown – approximately 1.25
it should lose its velocity and fall to earth quickly, rather inches in diameter. That’s fine shooting in anyone’s world.
than carry on into the next shire and wound a cow. Ammunition was made by Kynoch, which called it the
Rook rifle cartridges were being developed around the .300 Rook, while H&H called it the .295 Rook, and it is
same time as early cartridge revolvers, and revolver car- so named on H&H rifles. These are, however, exactly the
tridges (or something very like them) were found to be same cartridge. There are conflicting reports as to its or-
ideal for the purpose. Some were as large as .36 caliber igin, with some crediting H&H, others suggesting it was
(think .38 Long Colt), others as small as .25, but most were merely an elongation of the .30 Revolver cartridge, and
around .30 to .32. The .300 Rook so closely resembles the possibly introduced by Eley Brothers. For our purposes,
modern American .32 H&R Magnum that it’s hard to tell this is arcane to the point of inanity and has no bearing
them apart at a distance. on loading for it.
The .300 Rook was developed by Holland & Holland in Originally, it was loaded with an 80-grain bullet,
the early 1880s, and chambered in a break-action, single-
shot rifle they dubbed “The Ross.” It was named after The 80-grain roundnose bullets came from Buffalo Arms, while the cases are
Bertram, imported by Huntington Die Specialties.
Captain Horatio Ross, a famous shot of the era, who at-
tested that it was the “most accurate rifle he’d ever held in
his hands.” H&H had no factory of its own at that time
so the rifles were manufactured for them in Birmingham
by W&C Scott & Son.
The Ross design became a standard of the trade and
can be found bearing many different names of gunmakers,
ironmongers and retailers; the evidence indicates they were
made by both P. Webley & Son and Richard Ellis & Sons,
as well as Scott, and since these three companies merged
in 1897 to become Webley & Scott, trying to figure out
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 53
 .300 Rook Rifle

The Harkom is fitted with a rear sight with one

standing leaf (50 yards) and two folding (100 and
150 yards). Rooks are normally shot at a distance
of 50 to 75 yards.

These gave me a starting point.

CH4D makes .300 Rook dies as a
matter of course, and fortunately, had
Comparable cartridges, left to right: .32 H&R Magnum, For comparison, the .300 Rook falls between the some in stock. Having found some
.300 Rook and .327 Federal. .32 S&W Long (left) and the .30 Carbine (right). suitable 80-grain bullets at Buffalo
Arms, and Bertram brass at Hunting-
with 10 grains of black powder, and first be checked over thoroughly by ton Die Specialties, I was ready to
achieved a muzzle velocity of 1,100 a gunsmith familiar with older rifles begin. This I did by trying Green-
feet per second (fps). Later, the same to make sure it’s safe to shoot with wood’s load, as well as the old SR-
performance was delivered with smokeless powder. Some rifles may 4759 load, and a third with black
smokeless powders such as Cadet already have nitro proof marks, oth- powder. The results are shown in the
Neonite, long since obsolete. Kynoch ers may not. Mine does not, but Lee accompanying table.
discontinued .300 Rook ammunition Shaver considered it stout enough, Although early data calls for 10
in 1962 and it’s been a handloading and in excellent condition, and there- grains of black powder, it required 12
proposition ever since. fore safe to develop some moderate grains of Swiss FFFg to fill the case to
Loading the .300 Rook, one is smokeless loads. Obviously, a hand- the base of the bullet, which is what
immediately presented with two loader is not going to try to break any I did.
problems. First, it was chambered velocity records and, as I found out, The result with IMR SR-4759 was
in rifles other than Holland’s Ross, higher velocities can work against us. such that it was not worth pursuing.
so given the variety of designs and The second problem is lack of The Unique load, however, was better
possible condition, the rifle should loading data. As mentioned, Kynoch’s than expected. So far, so good.
smokeless loads used obsolete pow- Another modern powder that
ders like Cadet Neonite. While the should have been suitable was IMR’s
.300 Rook was loaded in the U.S. at Trail Boss, which is simple enough to
various times, those times were long use: In a cartridge like this, I simply
ago, and who knows what powders fill the case to the base of the bul-
were used? let, being careful not to compress it.
Early editions of Cartridges of the The result, however, was disappoint-
World suggested loads using both ing, and I abandoned it since I could
Alliant’s Unique and IMR SR-4759, not vary the charge to improve per-
as well as 10 grains of black powder, formance.
with either 80- or 90-grain bullets. It occurred to me that loads for
Bulldozer 2 - Hunting
100% non-toxic copper bullets Why these loads were omitted later, comparable revolver cartridges might
swiss lathe turned I have no idea. It may have been on serve equally well in the .300 Rook.
Highest BC/Weight Ratio
legal advice. Colin Greenwood, in Its case is remarkably similar to the
Extreme game-stopping penetration his book The Classic British Rook .32 H&R Magnum – slightly nar-
Controlled expansion from 1700 - 2800 FPS
Effective Ranges Exceed 750 yards & Rabbit Rifle, also recommends rower, slightly longer, with water
badlandsprecision.com 605-665-1339 Unique, but a smaller charge (4.5 capacities of 15 and 16 grains, re-
grains versus 5.0). spectively. Since the .32 H&R can be
54 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 .300 Rook Rifle Handloads
overall 5-shot
loaded extreme 50-yard
bullet powder charge length velocity spread group
( grains ) ( grains ) ( inches ) ( fps ) ( fps ) ( inches )
loaded with a 90-grain bullet ahead
80 Cast Swiss FFFg 12.0 1.40 1,232 36 1.300
of 4.5 grains of Unique, it seemed Unique 4.5 1,436 12 1.770
reasonable (and safe) to assume that Trail Boss 3.6 830 52 N/A
other loads for it might work in the IMR SR-4759 6.0 870 44 N/A
.300 Rook. Herco 4.5 1,466 70 2.820
Anyone who tries this approach True Blue 6.0 1,639 74 4.825
is, of course, doing so at their own Notes: A Joseph Harkom .300 Rook Rifle with a 26-inch barrel (1:20 twist) was used to test all loads. Federal
Gold Medal GM205M primers were used throughout.
risk, but it seemed like a safe method Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test firearms
used. Reduce initial powder charge by 10 percent and work up while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
to me. Naturally, I started with mid-
range charges – nothing near maxi-
mum – and proceeded with caution. The one fly in the ointment was excessive pressures. The only physi-
Sierra lists at least a dozen suitable that two of the Bertram cases split – cal difference I could see among any
powders and loads, and I tried two one with Unique, the other with True of them was a slight variation in the
aside from Unique – Alliant’s Herco Blue, but that is a brass problem, not appearance of the primer, with those
and Ramshot’s True Blue. an indication of an excessive charge. from Ramshot True Blue and Unique
Again, the results are in the load- As with some other calibers of Ber- flowing back slightly into the striker
ing table. I was astonished at the tram brass, annealing before begin- hole. The recoil (slight as it was) was
velocities. Contrary to my usual expe- ning should forestall this. more noticeable with Ramshot True
rience, they were substantially higher Other than that, not one of these Blue, which is understandable.
than expected. loads displayed any sign whatever of (Continued on page 63)
 A pair of .327 Federal Magnums:
the eight-shot, Ruger Blackhawk
and the Ruger LCR.

America and the .32 Revolver

Shooting
Five
Classic
Cartridges

56 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

 2

Often called “dresser drawer” or “sock drawer” guns in the early 1900s, these A K-frame .32-20 (Colt had a similar gun) was used by some lawmen,
.32 Smith & Wesson (S&W) revolvers are: (1) a blued Iver Johnson with pearl game wardens and woodsmen, perhaps because it was the most
grips, (2) a S&W Safety Hammerless and (3) a nickel-plated Iver Johnson. powerful .32 then available.

Gil Sengel Such history is exposed when we look at the story of

A
America’s so-called .32-caliber revolvers. It began with
s a student of history for some 60 Samuel Colt’s small .31-caliber percussion pocket pistols.
years, I am saddened to see the re- Collectors tell me that the guns fired a .310-inch diameter
writing of our American story by roundball (which would make it only about .30 caliber). By
1857, Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson had created the
today’s revisionist historians. This .22 Short rimfire. Then, in 1861, the .32 rimfire appeared,
scholar malpractice is obvious when firearms which became the .32 Long rimfire when a shorter-cased
are the topic. The new historians insist ordi- version (.32 Short rimfire) was loaded for very small pocket
nary citizens didn’t own many revolvers in the pistols beginning in the mid-1860s.
The .32 Long rimfire was the first American revolver
late 1800s, except “on the frontier,” and these cartridge to be called a .32, even though its bullet diame-
were discarded by the turn of the twentieth- ter of .315 to .319 inch made it a .31 caliber. Why wasn’t
century because there was simply no need for it given a .320-inch bore and .328/.329-inch groove diam-
them! eter making it a real .32 caliber? No one seems to know.

Handload and factory cartridges include: (1) .32 S&W, 3

(2) .32 S&W Long, (3) .32-20, (4) .32 H&R Magnum
5
and (5) .327 Federal Magnum.
4
2

October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 57

America and the .32 Revolver

The S&W Long was very popular up

to World War II. These S&Ws include:
(1) a blued hand-ejector with 6-inch
target, (2) a blued snubbie with
a 2-inch barrel and (3) A nickel
hand-ejector with a 4-inch barrel with
3 an early inside-the-waistband holster.

.32 s&w Smith & Wesson. The bullet diameter All of this puts doubt into our
In 1869, when the Rollin White was .312/314 inch, making it a 30½ American history. There was abso-
patent for a bored-through revolver caliber. Case length was .605 inch. It lutely no purpose for these millions
cylinder (held by S&W) expired, ev- became the standard for small pocket of inexpensive .32s other than per-
eryone that had been making percus- revolvers in the U.S. for 50 years. sonal self-defense. None – and, yes, I
sion revolvers immediately switched By 1899, Harrington & Richard- am familiar with the term “Saturday
to cartridge guns. Unfortunately, son was offering 10 revolver models night special,” indicating a criminal
drawn copper rimfire cases had a in 23 variations for the .32 S&W. Iver would buy the cheapest handgun he
habit of rupturing at the rim, sending Johnson had sold three million in could find to use in burglaries and
hot gas and metal fragments flying the chambering by 1910. Even Sears, Saturday night robberies when folks
and/or preventing the cylinder from Roebuck and Co., sold 13 models in who worked six-day weeks got paid.
turning. This led to the drawn brass 1908, including S&W, Colt, imports Absurd. Why wouldn’t the gun just
centerfire case and in 1878, to the .32 and house brand A.J. Aubrey. be stolen in the normal course of
activities, in which case, it could as
A Lyman 313249 mould for a .32 S&W (left), a Lee 311-100-2R mould for a .32 S&W Long (center) well be a .45 Colt or .44 S&W as a
and a Lyman 311008 mould for .32-20 cast bullets (right) are all that are necessary for these rounds. .32 Iver Johnson?
Given that these early guns were
made in the U.S. by the millions and
imported in seemingly equal num-
bers, it’s not surprising they are com-
monly seen today. Almost all are of
hinged-frame design. In other words,
when a lock at the top of the frame
is released, barrel and cylinder pivot
up like a double shotgun. If bore and
chamber are not pitted, it is great fun
58 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 loads that duplicated smokeless pow-
Table I Table II
der factory load velocities (of 1910)
powder charge velocity powder charge velocity
( grains ) ( fps ) ( grains ) ( fps ) in a Winchester M92 carbine. These
.32 S&W, Starline cases, .32 S&W, Long Starline cases, Winchester were then shot in Colt and S&W
Winchester primers, 84-grain No. 313249 primers, 100-grain Lee 311-100-2 6-inch revolvers. See Table III.
GOEX FFFg case full 435 Red Dot 2.4 846 The bullet used was Lyman’s
Pyrodex P case full 462 HP-38 2.5 769 copy of the factory slug, 115-grain
Green Dot 1.4 551 Green Dot 2.6 788 No. 311008; the mould is still listed.
Red Dot 1.3 595 Unique 3.0 806 Commercial cast bullets from this
700-X 1.1 507 Universal 3.0 811
Bullseye 1.0 466
mould are also readily available. If
Factory Load
using other data, be certain it does
Factory Load Aguila factory,
Winchester N/A 603 98-grain lead RN N/A 701 not exceed The Sporting Arms and
For more data on this cartridge visit LoadData.com. For more data on this cartridge visit LoadData.com. Ammunition Manufacturers’ Insti-
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors
in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors
in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test
tute (SAAMI) maximum pressure
firearms used. firearms used. of 16,000 CUP. Do not use data
for T/C Contender! Loaded to 1910
to shoot them a little. As handloaders, 800 fps from a 6-inch barrel; that was specifications, the .32-20 performs
we can do this. reduced to 705 fps by the 1960s for
The original load for the .32 S&W unknown reasons. The earlier load The World’s Best Borescope?
was an 85-grain lead bullet ahead is easily duplicated by handloaders ENDOSNAKE
It’s like having a $300-an hour inspector
of a case full of fine black powder. today using cast bullets from a Lee in your pocket!

Muzzle velocity was said to be in the 311-100-2R roundnose mould. Works w/ Android,
600/650 feet per second (fps) range. Citizens bought countless revolvers PC, Mac, & IOS
Early smokeless loadings use the same for the .32 S&W Long, as did met- Get 10% of your order
bullet at 650/680 fps. ropolitan police departments. Thus, with code HL2022

Surprisingly, Lyman still sells the these used guns are easy to find today. endosnake.com
proper mould for the .32 S&W. It Early Colts and S&Ws were built on
is number 313249. Mine drops an small frames like .22 rimfires and so
84-grain bullet when cast of pure they are a bit hard to shoot accurately
lead and unsized, using Lee Liquid for anyone with large hands. The pick
Alox. The 3-inch Iver Johnson shown of the litter is the S&W K-32 built on
in the photo only gives 435 fps from the larger K-frame. If there is a finer
a Starline case full of GOEX FFFg centerfire plinker and small-game
and 462 fps using Pyrodex P. Table revolver, I don’t know what it could
I shows this as well as load data for be. An S&W 6-inch Hand Ejector of
smokeless powders collected over the 1907 was used for Table II.
years from sources who insist it is .32-20 winchester
maximum for break-open guns. Something rather strange hap-
.32 s&w Long pened in the history of .32 revolvers
A few more powerful .32 revolver in 1899. That year, S&W introduced
rounds appeared in the 1880s. They the .38 S&W Special cartridge and
were either outside lubed or cham- a heavier frame revolver with longer
bered in revolvers that did not be- cylinder to accommodate it. This
come popular. This changed in 1896 same gun was also chambered in
when S&W lengthened its old, .32 .32-20 Winchester (.32 WCF), a rifle
S&W case to .910 inch and increased round originally designed for the
its bullet weight to 98 grains. The Winchester M73 rifle in 1882. Colt
cartridge was called .32 S&W Long. did the same the following year. The
Originally loaded with black reason for doing so is far from clear.
powder, smokeless became available The bullet weight was 115 grains and
rather quickly guaranteeing the .32 muzzle velocity about 1,000 fps from
Long’s success. Colt chambered it as a 6-inch barrel, raising energy some
well, but flattened the bullets nose 65 percent over the .32 Long.
and called it the .32 Colt New Police. These revolvers were somewhat
The 98-grain lead roundnose bullet popular, but are not often seen today.
was first given a velocity of just over Several years ago, I worked up hand-
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 59
 much like our next American .32
round. Current .32-20 factory loads,
however, are significantly reduced.
.32 h&r M agnuM
After nearly 106 years of existence,
it seemed that America’s smallest
centerfire revolver would soon be for-
gotten. Then, 1984 saw Harrington
& Richardson Arms (H&R) begin
selling its lightweight, inexpensive
revolvers firing a new cartridge called
the .32 H&R Magnum. The round
was a joint venture of Federal Car-
tridge and H&R. It was also the first
new round in a long time to fill a
real need, even though it didn’t blow
paint off the walls or cause instant
hearing loss. Modern gun writers
didn’t know what to make of it. They
called it “underpowered.”
It is simply a .32 S&W Long case
lengthened some .155 inch, so there
could be no possibility of firing it
in an old .32 Long chamber (work-
ing pressure nearly doubled), the .32
H&R was designed for self-defense
only. The first load offered by Fed-
eral indicated that perfectly with
a 95-grain swaged lead semiwad-
cutter at 1,030 fps from a 45⁄8 -inch
barrel. Jacketed bullets followed.
Other companies listed 85- to 95-
grain bullets at speeds of 1,000 to
1,125 fps.
The .32 H&R is not intended to
shoot through auto bodies, 10 sheets
of drywall or 28 inches of Jell-O.
It’s also not intended for 50 yards
or even 25 yards, but rather 25 feet.
Both the H&R revolver and the re-
coil produced are light enough to be
handled by most anyone. H&R guns
are dead reliable and cost one-third
or less of other brands. A textbook
example of a win-win situation for
home protection.
Most all makers of revolvers sold
at least one model chambered for the
.32 H&R. The gun used here was an
original H&R with a 4-inch barrel.
It easily delivered 1½-inch groups at
30 feet, perfect for its intended pur-
pose. Loads shown in Table IV were
shot in the original H&R loaned by
friend John Gannaway, who also pro-
vided some of the others pictured.
60 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 Designed
Table III for the sole
powder charge velocity purpose of
( grains ) ( fps ) self-defense,
.32-20 Winchester, Starline cases, this original
Winchester primer, Lyman No. 311008 Harrington
& Richardson
Unique 4.5 958 .32 H&R
Herco 5.0 1,033 Magnum is
HS-6 5.5 901 simply perfect.
Blue Dot 6.2 1,041
Factory Loads
Winchester 100 762
Remington 100 794
For more data on this cartridge visit LoadData.com.
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors
in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test
firearms used. the .32 H&R was underpowered, the With loading dies, Starline brass and
appearance of the .327 Federal was a other components commonly avail-
foregone conclusion. In 2007, it be- able, handloaders can experience
Table IV came reality. By stretching the .32 shooting a real piece of history – de-
bullet powder charge velocity
( grains ) ( grains ) ( fps )
H&R case .125 inch and vastly in- spite what today’s historians say. •
.32 H&R Magnum, Starline cases, creasing breech pressure (45,000 psi),
CCI 500 primers muzzle velocities from 4-inch barrels
85 Hornady HP HS-6 5.5 1,051 were advertised as 1,400/1,500 fps for Rifledjag.com
“The best barrel grooves cleaning tool”
Universal 4.2 1,030 various 85/100-grain bullets. Now, “Gets the corners and copper”
90 Sierra HP HS-6 5.5 1,038 according to the experts, we had a “Caliber Specific”
Universal 4.0 991 $9.95
useful revolver cartridge! For Supreme Accuracy! Brass
Factory Loads What we do have is a painfully See our website! Patented

85 JHP Federal 962 noisy, hard-kicking gun if in a small,

85 Black Hills Factory 1,011
95 lead Federal Factory 809
concealed carry format. The Ruger
For more data on this cartridge visit LoadData.com. LOR in the photo, with a 20-ounce
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors weight, under 2-inch barrel and 2-
in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test •275 Rigby •348 Win. •25 Rem.
firearms used. finger grip, recoils so violently with •7x61 S&H •284 Win. •30 Rem.
factory loads that the trigger guard •303 Savage •350 Rem. •32 Rem.
slams into my trigger finger causing •8x68 S •455 Webley
Table V such pain as to almost drop the gun
•9.3x64 •6.5 Rem. Mag.
bullet powder charge velocity •8mm Nambu
( grains ) ( grains ) ( fps ) – and this is with a muzzle velocity •32-40 Win.
nearly 300 fps less than the Ruger •25-20 WCF
.327 Federal Magnum, Starline cases,
Winchester WSP primers Blackhawk! I have never before expe-
85 Hornady HP HS-6 8.0 1,458 rienced such a thing.
Accurate No. 9 13.5 1,533 The 8-shot Ruger Blackhawk is
Alliant 2400 11.0 1,502 much better. It shot the loads for
Accurate No. 9 12.5 1,497 Table V. Here is a handgun giving
H-110 13.3 1,420
higher velocities than the original
Factory Loads
100 JSP 1,602
.32-20 did from a rifle. It’s 51-ounce
100 JSP in Ruger LCR 2 inch 1,312 weight reduces recoil to a manageable
For more data on this cartridge visit LoadData.com. degree for most folks. It’s still not en-
Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors
joyable. Sniping at tip-over steel sil-
in published load data. Listed loads are only valid in the test
firearms used. houettes at 100 to 150 yards is fun Now Making
for a while. Some will like it, but the 10mm, 6.5, .348,
There is much data available, but be blast and small caliber make it ques-
careful here. Pressure limit for the tionable for hunting and single-action .400, 38-40 and .412
.32 H&R is 21,000 CUP, well below revolvers are questionable for home • Custom Made Weights and Styles
the .357 Magnum in deference to the defense for about a dozen reasons. • Ultra-Low Drag .308 Metal Tip
light H&R revolvers. Much data is Thus, we come to the end of Amer-
• Now also making PCP Slugs
intended for stronger guns. Be certain ica’s popular so-called .32-caliber
of the pressure before using. revolvers. All but the last one are a Custom Swaged Bullets
.327 federaL M agnuM part of the history of self-defense 329 South James Street • Carthage NY 13619
(315) 955-8679 • www.npcustombullets.com
After the “experts” opined that handguns that is never told today.
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 61
 Armscor
International
(Continued from page 43)

best TCM group involved 9 grains of

powder at 1,822 fps and a 5 fps ex-
treme velocity spread, printing at 1.50
inches. Accurate No. 11 FS didn’t do
the trick with this bullet. Accurate
A-4100 provided the magic with the
Sierra, all groups measuring at or less
than 2.5 inches. The best measured
2.20 inches with a maximum load
of 10 grains with a velocity of 1,901
fps and impressively low extreme-
velocity spreads.
Finally, the 45-grain Hornady Bee
hollowpoint includes a flatpoint de-
signed for tubular magazines, making
it TCM compatible. I had just enough
to create three loads with Accurate
TCM and two with Alliant Power Pro
300-MP. The aggregate of all groups
averaged 3.44 inches, heavily weighted
by the largest group of the entire test
– 4.76 inches – though the bullet re-
ally didn’t get a fair shake with this
limited sampling. All of the listed
45-grain Bee groups could be dropped
from this test, but were left to serve
as what not to try. The tightest group
measured just 2.71 inches, including
a maximum load of 9.5 grains of Ac-
curate TCM at 2,078 fps and includ-
ing a very low extreme-velocity spread.
A friend who tagged along to
watch my testing asked what this pis-
tol and cartridge was good for. Fair
question. Equipped with a compact
red dot (I cannot say with any de-
gree of certainty if such an option
is available for this pistol model), it
would make a super-fun, small-game
option, especially for southwestern
See Website for Offer!
jackrabbits or tight-cover predator
calling for foxes, bobcats and coyotes.
I think most people who purchase a
.22 TCM see it as the ultimate tin
can plinking pistol, and it would cer-
tainly be that.
Overall, I enjoyed shooting this
pistol and wouldn’t hesitate to pur-
chase one. I would certainly figure
out where it fit into the overall pic-
ture, even if all it was used for is to
send tin cans spinning. •
62 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 .300 ing leaf is regulated for 50 yards, the
folding ones for 100 and 150. I could
bullet diameter to fit the bore tightly,
something smokeless doesn’t do. My

Rook probably bring the group down where

it belongs by simply drawing what the
rifle’s bore diameter is .296 inches,
groove diameter about .300 and the

Rifle
(Continued from page 55)
Brits called “a finer bead.”
I could live with either the Unique
or Herco loads, and in fact, those
bullets are .299. A little bumping ob-
viously wouldn’t hurt, and would give
a firm grip on the rifling.
might well be tightened up by reduc- For now, the Harkom is back to
The remarkable thing about the ing the charge to get the velocity back being a black-powder rifle – which is
results – aside from the accuracy, down closer to the 1,100 fps that was certainly not something I expected
which we’ll get to – was the wide the advertised velocity for a century, when I began all this. •
variation in velocities. In the Sierra and the one that set the records.
table for the .32 H&R, with a 90- Either way, I now have what I was
grain bullet, Alliant’s Unique, Herco, looking for: A highly accurate load
and Ramshot True Blue were rated in (black powder) and a usable load with
the 950-1,050 fps range. In the origi- smokeless should I need it.
nal Cartridges of the World data from Some years ago, my friend Garry UNI-CHUCK “SHIM FIT” COMBO
long ago, Alliant’s Unique and SR- James, who is a black-powder devotee • Upgrade your current Kinetic Bullet Puller (any make)
4759 were rated at 1,100 fps. There of long standing, advised me that if • Increases pulling power
was no rating anywhere for Hodgdon a rifle was made to shoot black pow- • Restore / replace the worn interface
Trail Boss. Yet, the measured veloc- der, then only black powder should • Fits ALL Kinetic Bullet Puller Brand
ities ranged from a low of 830 fps be used. It’s a matter of balancing names on the market
(Trail Boss) to a high of 1,639 with all the factors: Velocity, rifling twist, Free Shipping!
True Blue. SR-4759 was well below bullet hardness. Another explanation Simply “FIT IT” and “HIT IT”
what was expected (870 vs. 1,100) for the fine performance with black 830-693-0237 l www.quineticscorp.com
while Unique was well above (1,436 powder here is its ability to “bump”
vs. 1,100).
The only load that came close to
delivering the expected velocity and
consistency was the black-powder
load of 12 grains of Swiss FFFg.
www.
Rim Rock Bullets .net
Top Shelf Cast Lead Bullets
So now I want to discuss accuracy.
If I’d been offered a bet, I would have
put money on Unique, based on its
proven performance during the past Cowboy Standard Gas-Check

New Lo
.25 85 GR. RNFP / 500 .32 Keith 125 GR. SWC / 500 .38 158 GR. SWC-HP / 100
120 years. It did do the best of any .32 78 GR. RNFP / 500 .380 95 GR. RN / 500 .38 180 GR. LBT-WFN / 100
of the smokeless loads, followed by .38 120 GR. TC / 500 9mm 115 GR. RN / 500 .41 230 GR. SWC / 100

wer Pri
.38 125 GR. RNFP / 500 9mm 125 GR. RN / 500 .44 240 GR. SWC-HP / 100
Herco and True Blue. I noticed that .38 148 GR. DEWC / 600 .44 240 GR. SWC / 100
.38 130 GR. RNFP / 500

ces
as the powder got newer, the velocity .38 158 GR. SWC / 600
.38-40 180 GR. RNFP / 500 .44 305 GR. LBT-WFN / 100
.40 180 GR. RNFP / 500
.44-40 180 GR. RNFP / 500 .45LC 260 GR. SWC-HP / 100
got higher, but the accuracy deterio- .45ACP 200 GR. SWC / 500
.45LC 325 GR. LBT-LWN / 100
.45LC 160 GR. RNFP / 900 .45ACP 230 GR. RN / 500
rated. That’s one for which I have no .45LC 200 GR. RNFP / 500 .45LC 255 GR. SWC / 500 .45-70 430 GR. LBT-LWN / 40
explanation. .458 350 GR. RNFP / 100 .38 148 GR. WC / 500 .500 440 GR. LBT-WFN / 100

The real surprise out of it all was Prices subject to change without notice.
This is a good cross reference of the bullets we offer. We have about 220 sets of molds with new molds coming.
the black-powder load. Like Hol- Sixteen employees working 10 hr. a day shifts 4 days a week with 25 casters, 14 auto lubers and 12 star lubers
land & Holland’s famous group in gas checking every day.
We have bullets made with five different alloys that we order 40,000 - 60,000 lbs at a time a mixed per our
the long-ago The Field trials, it could set alloys.
have been covered by a half-crown. Now in our new state-of-the-art 12,000 square foot facility!
Also notable was the group’s lo- Our Online Catalog Has Over 100 Different Bullets!
cation in relation to the rifle’s iron Everything is in stock
Specialty Sizing Available See our Website
sights. Like most rifles of the era, the Brinell Hardness from 4-22 for Free Shipping
Offer!
Harkom was regulated to shoot one Rim Rock Bullets
load only (probably the Kynoch) and 35675 Minesinger Trail • Polson, MT 59860
is fitted with a non-adjustable front (406) 883-1899 • Mon-Thurs, 8:00-5:00 p.m. MST
sight, and a rear sight with one stand- [email protected]
ing leaf and two folding. The stand-
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 63
 In Range
The Ultimate Online Reloading Manual (Continued from page 66)
Over 309,000 Loads! 5) IMR-3031 – IMR-3031 has been
around since 1934. Aside from
being a standard powder in prac-
tically any cartridge introduced
since 1925, it is the powder most
often recommended as a substitute
Get Trim with the for cordite in British cartridges,

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“World’s Finest Trimmer” and most of the old European
military rounds. Look in an early
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Tel: (320) 796-0530
The WFT is designed for trimming bottle-neck edition of Cartridges of the World
[email protected] cartridges powered by your hand held drill. and you will find a starting load
• The Original WFT – for practically everything. That
Single caliber trimmer (3/8” shaft)
available for .17 through .338 alone makes it worth having.
calibers. $72.95
6) IMR-4350 – This is the powder
• The WFT2 –
Interchangeable caliber trimmer that made magnum performance
(1/2” shaft) available for .17
through .45 calibers.
possible with the .300 H&H and
Housing Assembly - $72.95 the later .300 Winchester Magnum.
Chambers sold separately - $25.95
• The “Big Boy” WFT –
This should really read “any”
50 BMG model also available 4350, since there are powders with
We currently manufacture more Starting at the same number from Hodgdon,
than 150 different calibers
$72.95 Accurate, and Shooter’s World.
WFT provides accurate
and consistent results, Visit our website These are not interchangeable, and
GUARANTEED! www.littlecrowgunworks.com should not be treated as such, but
After a dozen cases you to order and view video demonstrations,
should be an expert! instructions and additional products. a good load with one often trans-
lates into a good load with an-
other, provided a handloader starts
at a safe level and works up. It’s
also great in the 6.5 Creedmoor
and anything similar.
7) H-4831 – Moving up – or down,
in burning speed – from the
4350s, H-4831 is quite simply one
of the great powders. If you own a
magnum rifle and like heavy bul-
lets, this is the fallback powder no
one should be without. IMR-4831
fills the bill equally well.
8) Reloder 22 – My three favorite
Alliant powders, aside from
Unique and Bullseye, are RL-15,
RL-19, and RL-22. Newer num-
bers (RL-21, RL-25, etc.) cater to
specific uses, but 15, 19 and 22
pretty much cover the gamut of
conventional cartridges, big and
small, from the .22-250 to the
.470 Nitro Express. I’d hate to
have to choose, but if forced, I’d
take RL-22. I’ve found nothing
to beat it in my .257 Weatherby,
which is on the short list of rifles
I’ll never part with.
9) Accurate 5744 – This is a spe-
cialty powder in the sense that it
64 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340
 has only one real application – re- good news is it can be had in an unlikely to make the investment in
duced practice loads – but since 8-pound keg. time and equipment to work up loads
a handloader can work one up in For sheer volume in midrange for the .32 Winchester Special or .35
almost any rifle cartridge, big or pistol cartridges, a keg of Ramshot Remington.
small, it is both handy and eco- True Blue or Hodgdon’s CFE Pistol The great thing about my list
nomical. It was a toss-up between will keep most people shooting for above is that there are reams of data,
A-5744 and IMR Trail Boss; I a good, long time. For shotguns, for cartridges old and new, and when
picked A-5744 because I’m more I’d add Hodgdon Universal Clays. a new cartridge comes out, there will
rifle oriented; a handgunner would Throw in H-110, and you’ve now usually be data included for older
probably choose Trail Boss. covered .410 shotshells as well as se- powders simply because they are stal-
10) Hodgdon Clays – My one and rious magnum handgun loads. warts that everyone has or can get. For
only primary shotshell powder. Although we sometimes forget it example, the 6.5 PRC is new (2017),
Mostly good for 12 gauge, but in the age of the internet, loading a but the first powder in Hodgdon’s data
then that’s mostly what I load and, cartridge requires not just the car- is Accurate 4350. IMR-4350 (the orig-
in a crisis, would be about the only tridge case and some powder, it also inal) has been around for almost 90
one. It can also be used to power requires loading data. You might have years. The three 4350s are not exactly
a range of handgun cartridges and an old rifle and lots of brass, but be interchangeable, but provided a han-
does so in tiny amounts. unable to find data for new powders. dloader stays well below maximum,
*** Manufacturers with a new powder they can be substituted and used to
Looking at the list, other names intended for the .300 Blackout are work up new loads. •
keep popping into my head. H-4198,
for example and Norma MRP.
Thirty years ago, N-MRP was essen-
tially identical to RL-22, but today’s
N-MRP no longer looks the same as
it did, although the burning charac-
teristics are the same.
Adding to the list, or deleting from
it, largely depends on where your
specific interests lie. If you’re a pis-
tol shooter wanting loads for every-
thing from .25 ACP to .480 Ruger,
then you’d want more than the pow-
ders listed here. Same if you’re a
diehard long-range shooter with car-
tridges like the 6.5 PRC, and you’ll
see I didn’t list anything for the .50 AD INDEX
BMG, at one end, or benchrest at 4D Reamer Rentals, Ltd. .....................................37 Midsouth Shooters Supply Co. ............................ 12
the other. ADCO Arms Co. ..................................................15 Missouri Bullet Company ....................................21
Alliant Powder.....................................................23 MTM Molded Products Company ........................50
Also, all of the powders listed have Anneal-Rite...........................................................7 NOE Bullet Moulds, LLC ......................................16
been around for a while. This is not Badlands Precision .............................................54 Northern Precision ..............................................61
Berger Bullets .....................................................68 Oehler Research, Inc. .........................................27
because I’m stuck in the past, it’s be- Berry’s Mfg. ..........................................................2 Oregon Trail Bullets Company .............................62
cause new powders now tend to be Black Hills Ammunition .......................................29 Quality Cartridge ................................................62
Buffalo Arms Company .......................................10 Quinetics Corporation .........................................63
specialized, intended to do one or two Corbin Mfg. & Supply ..........................................59 RCBS ..................................................................31
things extraordinarily well, some- Dale Fricke Holsters............................................62 Redding Reloading Equipment ............................35
Dillon Precision Products, Inc. ............................55 RGB Bullet Company ...........................................16
times with specific bullet weights in Duck Creek Sporting Goods ................................49 Rifled Jag ...........................................................61
Endosnake ..........................................................59
one class of cartridge. Wide versatil- Gentry Custom....................................................25
Rigel Products ....................................................66
Rim Rock Bullets ................................................63
ity in smokeless powders is largely a Gold Country Ammo............................................27
Score High Gunsmithing .....................................27
Graf & Sons, Inc..................................................49
thing of the past, with the odd excep- Hammond Game Getter ......................................66 Sharp Shoot R Precision, Inc...............................30
Shotgun Sports ...................................................64
tion like Hodgdon Trail Boss. High Plains Reboring & Barrels, LLC ...................62
Speer ....................................................................9
Hodgdon Powder Company.................................13
Naturally, there is a second tier of Hornady Manfuacturing Co. ................................41 Starline ............................................................... 11
Huntington Die Specialties ..................................61 Stocky’s, LLC......................................................65
powders I try to keep a good stock The Blue Bullets..................................................14
Iosso Products ....................................................37
of. The 4198s (IMR and Hodgdon) IMR Powder Company ........................................51 UniqueTek, Inc. .....................................................8
James Calhoon Mfg. ...........................................10 Vickerman Die ......................................................7
are good for everything from .222 Little Crow Gunworks, LLC .................................64 Winchester Powder Company .............................17
Remington to .45-70, with a side Lou’s Gun Work ..................................................10 Wolfe Publishing Company .................... 60, 64, 67
Lyman Products Corporation ..........................5, 19 Zero Bullet Company, Inc. ...................................25
trip to 7.62x39. Given that fact, the
October-November 2022 www.handloadermagazine.com 65
 Sorting Out Powders
In Range Terry Wieland

R ecent powder shortages have

forced some retrenchment
among handloaders. Some powders
are sold out because of unprecedented
demand; others appear to be tied up
somewhere off the coast in a tramp
steamer that’s 427th in line to offload
cargo. With a full-scale war raging in
Europe and everyone busily rearming
in the face of a Russian threat most
thought was a thing of the past, there
are many strains on supplies of brass,
powder and primers.
At the same time, the last two
years have seen the greatest sudden
influx of new handloaders since 1950.
A few I’ve talked to confess to being
overwhelmed, trying to decide which
powders to buy. Where do you start?
Hodgdon’s Clays is one of the best multi-purpose powders on the market – superb in 12-gauge shotshells,
Overwhelmed, confused – who can and a fine pistol powder as well. The other members of the Clays family – Universal and International –
blame them? I feel that way some are equally useful.
days myself, and I’ve been doing this
for almost 60 years. 1) Unique – If this list had only three midrange handgun cartridges.
Herewith is a list of powders that powders, Unique would be on it. Charges are so small – a grain or
can do everything one might want It’s our second-oldest powder after two, some of them – a pound goes
to do, and most will handle not just Bullseye, its stablemate in the old a long, long way. It’s no slouch
one but a wide variety of applica- Hercules line, and dates to 1899. in either power or accuracy, and
tions. This is no small thing when It can be loaded in almost any has applications in both rifles and
you find your favorite powder out of handgun cartridge, giving good- shotshells as well.
stock, backordered and expected who to-top performance in both veloc- 3) IMR-4227 – This is mostly a
knows when. ity and accuracy; it provides light small-rifle powder, but it has ap-
In the interests of ruthlessness, I rifle loads from the .22 Hornet plications in large pistol rounds
limited the list to 10, and only 10, to the .460 Weatherby, and full- with heavy bullets, and even in
powders, covering pistols, rifles and powers shotshells from 12 gauge shotguns (20 gauge, 3 inch). Years
shotguns. Given that limitation, there to 28. Unique may not provide the ago, a reviewer for Handloader
is a lot of emphasis on versatility – best load in anything, but it’s never wrote “No other propellant…does
powders that, in a pinch, can be used the worst and always usable. so many jobs so well.”
in multiple ways. 2) Bullseye – The oldest powder still 4) H-4895 – This medium burning-
available – 124 years old – and rate powder works well in any-
still an excellent choice for most thing from the .222 Remington to
the .450s. It has the advantage of
being adaptable to reduced loads
TARGETS - SMALL GAME - BIRDS for practice, which in turn makes
it very economical in times of
shortage. But if you find a pachy-
Cartridge adapters for most rifle calibers!
For wildcats, etc. You supply brass and loan FL dies. derm ravaging the petunias, you
$45.00 plus postage. B. Hammond, Box 41061,
Yellowbird P.O. Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6J6M7
Email: [email protected] • Google : gamegetter
®
can fill up a .458 and deal with it.
(Continued on page 64)

66 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 340

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