Category: Reloading

Setting optimum headspace on your rifle brass can be a confusing chore. But if I can do it, so can you.

Let’s start with the basics.

When I pull the trigger of a firearm, its firing pin strikes the cartridge primer, igniting it, which in turn sets off the powder charge.

Shooting over distance requires you to adjust for bullet drop and windage. Calculating these corrections, or “dope,” ahead of time improves your chances for success.

My Opa learned over a lifetime of hunting to instinctively aim where he needed to cleanly hit his target. If he could see it, he could knock it down, quickly and humanely.

Unlike Opa I didn’t hunt to feed my family, so I lacked his motivation–and, sadly, his talent–to make every shot count by just looking.

As I mentioned in an earlier entry, you won’t necessarily save money by handloading your own ammunition. What you can do is tailor your loads to shoot better than factory ammunition (at least in your guns).

Here’s how I do it.

In an earlier journal entry I mentioned neck turning brass as a possible way to improve accuracy.

“Neck turning” consists of shaving the outer diameter of brass case necks to minimize variations in thickness. By uniforming the brass you’re supposed to get consistent neck tension, therefore consistent velocity and better accuracy.

A lot of smart people swear by it, but I couldn’t find much in the way of hard evidence for or against.

More of the equipment that’s earned a place on my reloading bench so far (continued from part 1).

Stumped by which reloading equipment to choose?

Trial and error can be a frustrating–and expensive–approach, so here’s a look at the equipment that’s earned a place on my reloading bench so far.