Making It Go Bang
Reloading and Ammunition
If you reload you get to do two fun things at once — shoot more — and reload! If you don’t reload, check out a simple how-to video we’ve done using the Lee Loader (American Handgunner Videos) and I’m wagering it’ll light a fire under you to give it a try. What you see here is a combo of ammunition (for you lazy bums out there!) and loading tools and accessories to help you out. As usual, there’s way too many goodies to list, but these should whet your appetite to dig deeper at your local gun store and online.
Eley’s known for their meticulous attention to quality, and their new .38 Super Major Power Factor round shows this dedication. Geared specifically to meet “major” competitions, the 124-gr. load delivers lower recoil, and is safe to shoot in any gun designed to handle Major Power ammo — $17.45 for 50 rounds.
Mistakes happen when reloading so the Hornady L-N-L Impact Bullet Puller removes bullets from loaded rounds safely and easily. It captures the bullet and powder for re-use, working best on handgun and rifle cartridges up to .45 caliber. You “chamber” a cartridge in it using the built-in holder, then a couple of whacks on a firm surface does the magic, all for about $20.
If you reload, you need a good quality scale to weigh bullets and powders. Lyman’s new Pro-Touch 1500 Electronic Scale has big 7/8″ numbers and handles weights up to 1,500 grains — plenty! It operates on AAA batteries or AC power, works in grain or gram modes, has a dust cover and is accurate to 1/10 grain — MSRP: $99.95.
A single stage press means you have to change dies for each step. With the Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro the dies stay installed and a “shell” plate moves cases from position to position. Once you get going, each pull of the handle makes a loaded round — for just $165. That’s little more than the cost of a single stage press in most cases. It loads most handgun rounds and some rifle rounds.
Norma has always been famous for precision and quality. Their new .22 Magnum ammo firing a 40-gr. bullet at about 1,870 fps promises to carry that tradition forward. With the establishment of Norma USA, look for all of Norma’s remarkable ammo and components for sale here in the U.S. again soon. MSRP on the .22 Magnum is $10.30 for 50.
The RCBS Matchmaster powder scale and measure is controlled by a simple phone app — but can be used alone too. The app allows you to calibrate, dispense, fine-tune your operations, modify configurations and build a database of your favorite loads. The scale can be used in “auto, manual and match” modes and throws a typical load in about 20 seconds. This is really convenient!
Nosler continues to make ultra-precise “Custom Competition” bullets in .45 (180 gr.) and 9mm. The 147-gr. 9mm JHP blends the accuracy of their competition bullet jackets with its own precise, lead-alloy core. The HP provides a small meplat for reducing drag and efficiency. If you want the best for your gaming, you’ve found it! MSRP is $60.90 for 250.
I just had to show you this from Lee. It’s a very simple powder measure kit coming with an old-school sliding card powder dispensing chart. Pick the load, powder and bullet weight and the chart tells you which measure to use to dip that load. If you’ve got a Lee Loader, or just don’t want to mess with a scale, here you go. Sometimes old is just fine! And at only $12.98 you can spend your money on bullets, powder and primers instead of equipment!
Speer Gold Dot ammo is legendary in its reliability, accuracy and stopping power in the real world. Their “Personal Protection” .380 ACP is a 90-gr. Gold Dot HP load at about 1,040 fps. Testing has shown reliable, deep penetration in gel and barrier tests. With the .380’s explosion of popularity, the caliber — and this ammo — deserves a close look. About $21.56 MSRP for 20 rounds.
