I first heard about Barnes bullets in the 1980s and by the 1990s, they were well-known and renowned for hunting. Copper bullets are different than lead core bullets. They want to go fast and penetrate hard, but are a different kind of bullet. It’s important to be conscious of this whenever changing your load from […]
Category: L.E. Wilson
Have a Need for Speed? Try the 204 Ruger!
What happens when two firearms industry giants put their heads together? The 204 Ruger, brainchild of Ruger and Hornady, is known for its high velocity, accuracy potential, minimal recoil and flat trajectory. Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / Making with Metal Disclaimer: (by reading this article and/or watching video content you accept these terms). The content […]
How Does Brass Prep Affect Bullet Seating? (AMP Press Tests)
In this article we’re going to look at different parts of rifle brass prep and the information the AMP press gives us. Each process is examined and a graph is presented of the bullet seating forces. We anticipated some of what we saw, and were surprised by other things! Disclaimer Ultimate Reloader LLC / Making […]
TECH TIP: Case Gauge -vs- Min Dimension Gauge
Wondering what the difference is between a standard “Case Gage” and a “Min-Chamber Gage”? That’s exactly what we’ll cover in this story! Wilson Case Gage A standard case gage from Wilson Tools and Gages (LE Wilson) is used for two things. First, you can view the back of the case gauge to check headspace (sizer […]
NEW Expanding Mandrel Die from L.E. Wilson
I do a lot of shooting with loads using brand new brass. And the results can be downright impressive! One challenge I’ve had with loading new brass (a frequent issue) is excessive neck tension. New brass necks tend to come a tad undersize (0.001″-ish). There are also situations where you’ll find dented or imperfect case […]
Monitor Bullet Seating Force: K&M Precision Force Pack with L.E. Wilson Seating Die
Bullet seating force can tell you a lot about what’s going on with your reloads. Are you wondering if you have proper neck tension? Measuring bullet seating force can lend important insights. Consistency in bullet seating force can also have a big affect on the consistency of muzzle velocity. While this factor is important (seating […]
Speed and Precision: Wilson Case Trimmer Power Adapter
What’s better than slow precision? Wait for it…….. Fast precision! And that’s what the Wilson Trimmer Power Adapter gives you. You start with the Wilson Stainless Trimmer, which gives you the highest level of precision for case trimming, and then “turbo charge” it with a power screwdriver. If you are unfamiliar with the Wilson Stainless […]
L.E. Wilson Stainless Case Trimmer: Overview, Setup, Trimming
Any shooting sport that takes precision to the extreme will involve exacting brass prep as a part of the reloading process. In order to achieve such exacting standards, case length and case squareness must be held to exacting tolerances. L.E. Wilson has spent the last 81 years perfecting their case trimming system, one that was […]
Concentricity King: L.E. Wilson Chamber-Type Micrometer Bullet Seater
A wobbling football doesn’t fly very straight. In the same way, a wobbling bullet will not group well at range. There are two major factors in eliminating bullet “wobble”: stabilizing the bullet properly (a function of bullet weight and rifling twist rate), and bullet/case concentricity. In this article, we’ll focus on concentricity, specifically bullet concentricity […]
L.E. Wilson Full-Length Bushing Sizing Die Now Available for 14 Cartridges
I was excited to be one of the first people to try out the new L.E. Wilson full-length bushing-type sizing die. When I got my .243 Winchester version, it was literally one of the first off the production line, and I picked it up from L.E. Wilson president Daniel Reichert himself! Since then, Dan has […]
Ruger Precision Rifle: Loading Precision .243 Winchester Ammunition
It’s hard to believe we’re already at “Part 11” on the Ruger Precision Rifle series, but there’s so much to cover, and I’m having a ton of fun bringing these stories to you all. This time, we’ll talk about precision reloads end-to-end for the Ruger Precision Rifle in .243 Winchester. Here’s the walk-through video: Hopefully […]
L.E. Wilson Full-Length Bushing-Type Sizing Die: Overview and Setup
It’s always exciting to try new products- the latest such product I’ve been working with is the L.E. Wilson Full-Length Bushing-Type Sizing Die. It all started when I asked Daniel Reichert (president at L.E. Wilson) about gear for the Ruger Precision Rifle I have in .243 Winchester. Daniel thought- why not try out the new Bushing-Type […]
Hands-on with the new L.E. Wilson Case Gage Depth Micrometer
One of the most critical aspects of reloading rifle ammunition is proper sizing. First, you need to have a good sizing die for the cartridge you are reloading. Second, you need to setup your sizing die for optimal functioning (Ex: feeding in an autoloader) and accuracy/precision. While it may sound simple to setup a sizing […]
Essential Gear: Using the L.E. Wilson Pistol Case Gage
I recently wrote about the importance of using a rifle case gage when loading rifle ammunition. Well, it’s equally as important to use a case gage when loading pistol ammunition, so that’s what I’ll cover in this post! I’ll demonstrate using a case gage for both autoloaders (using 40 S&W as an example) and for […]
Essential Gear: Using the L.E. Wilson Rifle Case Gage
There are certain tools that can save you a lot of time, effort, and money. For reloaders of ammunition, a case gage is one such tool. Have you ever gone to the range and discovered an issue with your handloads? I certainly have. While a case gage can’t prevent all ammunition problems, it is what […]
