I thoroughly enjoyed looking over the items in this Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit and putting them to work. My familiarity with RCBS gear dates back to the 1970s with my father’s RCBS press. In the mid-1980s, I bought my own Rock Chucker press which I still use 40 years later! Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader […]
Tag: Hodgdon Varget
.308 Shorty Chronograph Data Comparison: 16″ vs 24″ Barrels!
A short while ago, we asked for input on our .308 build. Overwhelmingly, you all wanted a 16” barrel, so “Shorty” was born! Looking to compare velocities, I brought out my match .308 with a 24” barrel to compare the results with some Hodgdon pistol data! (Yes, .308 Pistol data.) Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / […]
Quick Look: Frankford Arsenal Aluminum Powder Funnel Kit
If you’re loading precision cartridges, a good powder funnel setup is imperative. In this story, we’ll take a look at the Frankford Arsenal Powder Funnel Kit which works with pretty much everything from .17 caliber on up! Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / Making with Metal Disclaimer: (by reading this article and/or watching video content you […]
TESTED: Hodgdon’s CFE-223 Smokeless Powder
Have you used Hodgdon’s CFE 223 ball powder? CFE stands for Copper Fouling Eraser and is designed to provide greater accuracy for longer periods of time with less cleaning, making it ideal for competition and varmint shooters. It’s also not just for 223! Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / Making with Metal Disclaimer: (by reading this […]
TESTED: Hodgdon Retumbo
If you’re loading magnum cartridges, you may be familiar with Hodgdon’s overbore cartridge powder — Retumbo. To learn more, read on and watch the video! About Hodgdon’s Retumbo From the manufacturer’s product page: This magnum, extruded powder was designed expressly for the really large overbore cartridges such as the 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum, 300 Remington […]
Returning to PRS: The Lead Farm Match
After many years, I recently had the opportunity to get back into PRS style competitions. I know there is a lot of rust to knock off, but the camaraderie and fun is well worth it. Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / Making with Metal Disclaimer: (by reading this article and/or watching video content you accept these […]
30-30 in the 21st Century?
This article was written by Guy Miner Is the 30-30 lever action rifle still a worthy hunting rifle in the 21st Century? Oh my goodness yes! I do love my lever action rifles, and in this story I’ll both expose Gavin to the lever action 30-30 *and* walk through the reloading process as well. Let’s […]
What? Fast 308 Winchester Loads?
This story was written by Guy Miner A fast 308 – who ever needed that? What started out as a search for a low-recoil hunting load ended up as a flat shooting deer load, with great accuracy and high velocity. In this story, we get into it! Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / Making with Metal […]
Reloading 223 / 5.56 From A to Z
223 Remington and 5.56 NATO rifles span a wide variety of uses and scenarios. Reloading for 223 / 5.56 is very much worthwhile, but there are some special considerations to think about before you head to your reloading bench. We’ll cover the entire process from planning to loading in this story! 223 -vs- 5.56 Ammunition […]
TESTED: Forster Bench Rest Powder Measure
When you’re loading precision ammunition, measuring powder charges is both critical to good accuracy, and time consuming. So it’s important to select the right powder measure with the right features. Forster has re-introduced their Bench Rest Powder Measure, and in this story, we’ll take a hands-on look! About the Forster Bench Rest Powder Measure The […]
TESTED: Hodgdon Varget Smokeless Powder
There are some powders that are noteworthy for both their performance, and their versatility. When it comes to rifle powders, the first one that comes to my mind to fit these criteria is Hodgdon Varget. In this article, we’ll go “in-depth” with Varget, including a look under the microscope! Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / Making […]
30 Cal RUSSIAN -VS- 308 (Differences Explained)
Have you ever compared cartridges like 7.62x39mm and 308 Winchester and thought to yourself: What is up with 0.308″ -vs- 0.312″ ??? I definitely have! In this article I’ll look at the differences between these two caliber conventions (30 cal Russian versus 308) and talk about interoperability between the two for reloading. Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader […]
TESTED: Winchester StaBALL 6.5 Creedmoor-Class Powder
Finding the right powder for your load can involve compromises. Powder burn rate, metering, and temperature sensitivity are examples of variables that may translate to compromises based on your reloading equipment and load/cartridge. With newer powders like Winchester StaBALL 6.5, those compromises are becoming less of an issue. In this article, we’ll explore this recent […]
Breaking: Hodgdon Powder Company Acquires Multiple Brands
Exciting news today! Hodgdon Powder Company has announced that they are acquiring multiple powder brands, including smokeless powders, and more! Here’s the full press release: Press Release October 1, 2020 Hodgdon Powder Company Acquires Ramshot Powder, Accurate Powder and Blackhorn 209 from Western Powders Hodgdon Powder Company is pleased to announce the acquisition of the […]
MEC Bench Top Powder Measure: King of Capacity
MEC Makes great reloading equipment. Many families have loaded shotshells on MEC equipment for generations. But in the last few years, MEC has offered a whole new lineup of metallic reloading equipment with the MEC Marksman press at center stage. In the next couple stories I’ll be using some of the accessories and other MEC […]
Light Up the Sky: Reloading and Shooting .308 Tracers
Since I was a boy I’ve been drawn to fire and fireworks. To me, the 4th of July wasn’t just a day of celebrating, it was an entire week of improvisational pyrotechnical “experiences”. Fast forward from 1985 to 2017, and I’m still just as excited about fire and destruction. So when friend Jim Findlay recently […]
5 Tips for Reloading Accurate Rifle Ammunition
There are many reasons to handload your own rifle ammunition. It’s fun, it’s economical, and you can attain maximum accuracy by carefully loading custom ammunition for your rifle. If you’re new to handloading rifle ammunition, here are some basic considerations for accuracy: Start with proven loads and load data Fire form your brass Optimize bullet […]
