There are three readily-available 17-caliber rimfire rounds now on the market: 17 HMR, 17 WSM, and 17 Mach 2(aka 17 HM2). Aguila also made a .17 rimfire, the .17 PMC/Aguila, but it never became popular. What should be your choice? The 17 HMR is a very popular round, available from multiple manufacturers — CCI, Hornady, and now Norma. The 17 Mach 2 (HM2) is making a resurgence, as it is less expensive than 17 HMR and it can be shot from rifles converted from .22 LR since it shares the .22 LR cartridge OAL. Finally the 17 WSM is, without question, the performance leader among .17-Cal rimfire rounds.
17 HMR — Still the Market Leader in 17-Cal Rimfires
The 17 HMR (Hornady Magnum Rimfire) is popular and well-established. Ammo with a variety of bullet weights and designs is available. Most 17 HMR ammo is priced from $10-$12 per box, and you can get some better deals during sales.
You can buy quality 17 HMR rifles from many makers at all price levels. The Savage A17 with laminated thumbhole stock is a good choice. There were some early issues with the A17, but Savage improved the magwell and now this rifle is very reliable and accurate, particularly with the CCI-brand A17 ammo.
The laminated thumbhole stock version of the Savage A17 is a great carry-around varminter.
Ruger now makes a .17 HMR version of the Ruger Precision Rifle. If you prefer a modular chassis type rig, this is a great option:
Here is a semi-auto 17 HMR fitted with a suppressor. Even with the cameraman just 20 feet away, you can barely hear the shot, and recoil is non-existent. (NOTE: be sure to turn on the sound icon). Varminter Magazine says: “No ground squirrels were spooked during these shots. Quiet is an understatement!”. This may be the ultimate stealth varminter set-up.
17 Mach 2 (17 HM2) — Best Bang for the Buck?
The 17 Mach 2 (17 HM2) is making a comeback. Now leading manufacturers are offering this efficient little rimfire cartridge in some nice rifles. Both Anschutz and Volquartsen will offer new 17 Mach 2 rifles in 2019. Check out this Volquartsen Summit from SHOT Show. It offers a slick, straight-pull toggle bolt, like you’d find on Olympic biathlon rifles.
Considering that 17 HMR ammo costs $14 to $16 per 50ct box, the 17 Mach 2 is an excellent value by comparison. You can now get 50 rounds of CCI 17 Mach 2 for just $8.99 at Midsouth. Grab it while you can.
The Mach 2 propels the same 17gr V-Max bullet as the 17 HMR, but the Mach 2 runs about 16% slower — 2100 fps vs. 2500 for the 17 HMR. For many shooters, it makes sense to use the 17 Mach 2 rather than a 17 HMR. You save money, barrel life is a little longer, and the 17 Mach 2 is still a much more potent cartridge than the .22 LR. Check out this comparison, and note how the 17 Mach 2 has a much flatter trajectory than the .22 LR:
Hornady’s 17 Mach 2 has a 2100 FPS muzzle velocity vs. 1255 FPS for .22 LR.
17 WSM — More Speed, More Energy, and Flatter Trajectory
The 17 WSM (“Winchester Super Magnum”) is the fastest, flattest-shooting rimfire round you can buy. It totally stomps the .22 LR, and even offers significantly better ballistics than the popular 17 HMR. Check out this comparison of three rimfire magnmum cartridges (17 WMS, 17 HMR, and 22 WMR):
And now lead-free 17 WSM ammo is available. This “unleaded” version is impressively flat-shooting. With a 100-yard zero, it drops only 4.3 inches at 200 yards. Compare that with a .22 LR which can drop 18 inches or more from 100 to 200 yards (based on 1150 fps MV).
CLICK HERE for 17 WSM lead-free ammo test article.
The Applied Ballistics Facebook Page features great, interesting new content posted multiple times each week. This resource features videos, test results, accuracy tips, and samples from Bryan Litz’s excellent books on ballistics and the three volume series on Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting. Here are some highlights from Applied Ballistics’ Facebook posts from the past two weeks. Plus there’s a discount code, READ2026, that can save you 25% on Applied Ballistics books purchased in the month of March.
.22 LR Super Slow Motion Video — Watch the Bullet!
Watch .22 LR Rimfire Projectile Exiting Rifle Muzzle
This video, filmed with an ultra-high-speed camera, shows the milliseconds in time as a .22-caliber bullet travels the first 11 inches after leaving a .22 LR rifle barrel. Applied Ballistics states: “Notice that the bullet is fully obturated to the internal bore dimension — the step/rebate that exists on the unfired bullet where it meets the case gets expanded (obturated) and doesn’t exist on the fired bullet.”
How Important is Case Fill Ratio — You May Be Surprised
Conventional reloading practice is to select a powder that gives you a good case fill, meaning 90%-100% fill ratio for the cartridge and bullet you’re using. But why?
Some say that a higher fill ratio is good because it prevents the powder from settling differently in the case (which could lead to inconsistent ignition and greater MV SD). This explanation sounds good, and went unchallenged for a long time. However, Applied Ballistics has done some interesting testing that sheds new light on the density issue.
Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting – Vol. 2 contains the results of Applied Ballistics tests of five different cartridge types — .223 Rem to .338 Lapua — loaded with different powders to produce fill ratios of 80%, 90%, and 100%. The testers wanted to see if 100% fill ratios actually gave better results (lower MV SDs) than the lower fill ratios.
Results of testing 3 different loads in 5 different cartridges — The highest MV SD was in fact measured in an 80% fill ratio load. However, the lowest MV SD was also measured for a different 80% load! Seems like the more we learn, the more questions we have. An informative Applied Ballistics podcast covers the Fill Ratio test. Visit Thescienceofaccuracy.com to access this and interesting podcasts.
EDITOR’s NOTE: There were multiple comments from Facebook readers stating that fill ratios 90% and above worked more consistently for them. And the reloading manuals warn against very low fill ratios.
Get 25% Off Applied Ballistics Books in March 2026
Applied Ballistics, through its Science of Accuracy webstore, is currently offering big savings on its popular books — considered to be the best print resources about rifle accuracy/ballistics ever published. This month you can save 25% on all Applied Ballistics book titles by respected expert (and past national champion) Bryan Litz. Use Code READ2026 to get 25% of one or more of these books.
Get 25% OFF Applied Ballistics Books! Use code: READ2026 at checkout.
Today we showcase six YouTube videos that explain basic reloading processes. This article focuses on the .45 ACP cartridge because this a very good choice for hand-loaders getting started. The .45 ACP is one of the easier cartridges to reload, because it has a large case diameter and large primer pocket, and because it operates at relatively low pressures (compared to rifle rounds).
We recommend that new reloaders consider starting with the .45 ACP cartridge. There are many reasons why the .45 ACP is a good choice for those just getting started in hand-loading:
1. The case is fairly short but has a relatively large diameter (and minimal taper), so it is easy to see inside the case. That helps you quickly check powder levels.
2. Many good powders (for the .45 ACP) will fill the case over 60%, so you will have an obvious overflow if you double-charge by accident.
3. The .45 ACP round runs at relatively low pressures, but delivers excellent accuracy.
4. Good .45 ACP brass lasts a long time, is easy to size, and is good for many reloads.
5. Along with 1911s, there are fine .45 ACP revolvers that shoot the round with moon clips.
6. The vast majority of .45 ACP brass uses large pistol primers (although there ARE some small primer pocket varieties*). We find that large primers are easier to pick up and handle if you are using a single primer tool.
The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridge is a rimless straight-walled handgun cartridge originally developed in 1904 by John Moses Browning for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic pistol. After successful military trials, it was adopted as the standard chambering for Colt’s M1911 pistol.
For reloading, there are many good powder choices. We recommend Vihtavuori N320. This is very accurate and burns cleaner than some otherwise good powders, such as Accurate (AA) No. 5 and Unique.
Basic Reloading for the .45 ACP Cartridge
This is the most-viewed .45 ACP reloading video on YouTube. It is directed primarily for the novice or prospective reloader. It covers the basic processes: case inspection, cleaning, trimming, sizing, priming, powder filling, bullet seating, and crimping. The video creator notes: “Trimming pistol/revolver brass is optional and usually not necessary. it was included because that is what I did when I first began reloading, before I found out that handgun brass does not stretch as much as bottleneck rifle brass.”
How To Reload .45 ACP — Basic Tutorial for Newer Reloaders
This is a detailed 20-minute video that shows the reloading process start to finish. The video shows how to clean the cases, deprime, and check them before loading.
In this video the cases are sized and bullets seated using a single-stage RCBS press. The cases are primed using an RCBS hand-priming tool which keeps multiple primers in a tray (see 8:55 time-mark). For efficiency, we recommend seating with a hand tool (or bench-mounted tool) vs. seating primers using the priming system on the press itself. The hand seating tool also gives you a better “feel” for setting the primers.
How To Reload .45 ACP Start to Finish on a Progressive Press
This is a detailed 19-minute video that shows the reloading process start to finish, along with an bit of history on the .45 ACP cartridge. The video begins with case cleaning using a tumbler. The cartridges are loaded with Hodgdon CFE pistol powder, Federal primers, and 230gr plated bullet. Equipment used in the video are: Hornady LnL progressive press, Hornady Carbide die set and taper crimp die, RCBS 505 balance scale, and harbor freight wet tumbler. While we like the efficiency of a progressive press, we recommend that novice hand-loader begin with a single stage or turret press. We recommend a powder that fills the .45 ACP case pretty full. That reduces the risk of double-charging.
Safety First When Loading All Cartridges
Along with the first two instructional videos above, we include two important videos focused on reloading safety. In the first video, UltimateReloader’s Gavin Gear explains how to check your cartridge during the loading process to eliminate squib loads and other defects. In the second video, Starline Brass tech Hunter Pilant explains how to avoid double charges.
Load .45 ACP Safely — Avoid Squib Loads and Overcharges
You need to check the powder level of EVERY round you load. Do this visually BEFORE seating a bullet. (Or, with a progressive press, use a lock-out die that monitors powder levels). This is very important because a squib load (with little or no powder) can leave a bullet lodged in the barrel. A subsequent full, live round can cause a Kaboom with dire consequences.
Preventing Double Charges — Use a Case-filling Powder with .45 ACP
IMPORTANT TIP: Use a bulky powder that fills your case more than half way with a correct charge. “This will over-fill the case if it is double-charged, making it impossible to load. This is one safeguard that can keep you from making a big [mistake]” (Hunter Pilant, Starline). A bulky powder with high fill level will also be easier to see inside the case.
Good Powder Choices for the .45 ACP Cartridge
We know that many of our readers own .45 ACP handguns and load for this extremely accurate “classic” cartridge. When selecting a powder for the .45 ACP, there are many good options. All the major powder manufacturers make propellants with appropriate density and burn rate characteristics for the .45 ACP. Popular choices include: AA #5 (Accurate Powder); Bullseye (Alliant); Clays, HP-38, and Titegroup (Hodgdon); VV N310 and N320 (Vihtavuori); and WW 231 and WST (Winchester). We’ve tried all those powders in a variety of .45 ACP handguns. When we consider all the factors that make for a good pistol powder, we think Vihtavuori N320 is one of the best available propellants for the .45 ACP.
Vihtavuori N320 is very accurate, it meters well, and it burns clean, with minimal smoke and flash. If you haven’t tried VV N320 yet, you should.
Pros and Cons of Different Powders for the .45 ACP
This Editor has personally tried out eight or more different powders for the .45 ACP. Bullseye works but it is very dirty (both smoke out the barrel and sooty powder fouling on case). Though it otherwise burns clean, Titegroup leaves a singular (and nasty) high-temp flame streak on your brass that is hard to remove. AA #5 is a good choice for progressive press newbies as you use more powder so a double charge will (usually) be obvious. I like AA #5 but N320 was more accurate. Clays burns clean but some powder measures struggle with flake powders like this. WW 231 offered excellent accuracy and metered well, but it kicked out sparks with little pieces of carbon that would hit me in the face.
The Progressive Option — Loading .45 ACP on the Dillon 550B
Once you have mastered the basics of reloading for the .45 ACP, if you require large quantities of ammo, you may want to consider getting a progressive press. Progressive presses can significantly increase your ammo output, but there are also important safety considerations. You need to be careful about powder levels and priming. In this video, Gavin Gear explains how to reload safely with a Dillon 550B progressive press. The equivalent current model is the Dillon 550C.
.45 ACP Ammunition Loading Guide — Nosler Data
If you “roll your own” .45 ACP cartridges, there are many good powder choices. Our favorites are Vihtavuori N320, AA No. 5, and Hodgdon TiteGroup, but there are many other good choices. You’ll find these three recommended powders (plus many others) in the .45 ACP Load Data Charts from Nosler. Shown below are the Nosler Guides for 185gr bullets and 230gr bullets. Click each image below to access printable PDF files.
Click for PDF File
Click for PDF File
* However, be aware that CCI and other companies are now manufacturing .45 ACP brass with SMALL PRIMER POCKETS. Whenever you get new brass, be sure so check ALL the cases for primer size, and segregate large and small in two groups. Attempting to push a large primer into a small primer hole can lead to jams, or worse, dangerous detonation. Be CAREFUL!
We like well-executed DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects. You can save money with DIY projects, and often create something unique and special that can’t be purchased from any vendor. That’s the case with this very cool double shooting bench built by Jacob D., a pilot and 6.5 Creedmoor shooter. The design of the bench is smart — it allows two right-handed shooters, but it can also handle a right-hander and a left-hander. (The lefty sets up in the right half of the bench.)
Jacob, who flies for Arizona’s Mesa Airlines, built his own side-by-side benchrest shooting bench. He then posted photos of this on the 6.5 Creedmoor Group Facebook Page. We like this — very nice work Jacob!
Jacob writes: “Sighting in my new Ruger Precision Rifle with Leupold VX3i LRP 6.5-20x50mm and Burris tactical rings, using my benchrest table I built. Very happy with the combo!”
There is plenty of room for two shooters and two rifles on Jacob’s big and sturdy DIY shooting bench.
Want to see a bullet hit a target in ultra-slow motion? Watch this video to witness some amazing things — such as a bullet jacket peeling back like a banana-skin (at time-mark 7:30). A while back, Germany’s Werner Mehl produced this remarkable 10-minute video for the NSSF SHOT Show. This video has has been watched over 15.6 million times, making it one of the most popular shooting-related videos in history. Employing cameras recording at up to 1,000,000 (one million) frames per second, Mehl’s bullet flight video has been called “astounding” and “mesmerizing”. If you haven’t seen it yet, sit back and enjoy!
Watch This Video! It’s Really Something Special…
This remarkable 1 million Frame Per Second video by Werner has over 15,600,000 YouTube Views with 77,000+ likes. It is one of the best high-speed bullet impact videos ever created.
You may have heard the phrase “blueprinting an action”, but do you know what that really means? Do you know what operations are done to an action during the blueprinting process? To help you understand, gunsmith Bill Marr of RifleShooter.com has created a helpful article showing a Rem 700 blueprinting job start to finish. This article spotlights how the procedures can be done with manual tools. Bill, who runs 782 Custom Gunworks Ltd., can also perform many of these operations with modern automated machinery. In fact, Bill has written a follow-up article on Truing a Rem 700 receiver with a Lathe.
Bill explains: “Blue-printing, or truing a rifle action, ensures the receiver face, threads, lugs, bolt lugs, and bolt face are square to the center line of the receiver.” In Bill’s informative article, Bill shows how he blueprints a Remington 700 short action receiver with .308 Win bolt face. He covers the following procedures step by step:
Action Disassembly
Ream Minor Diameter of Receiver Threads
Square the Receiver Lugs
Square the Face of the Receiver
Lap the Bolt Lugs
Square the Bolt Face
Bill employed a variety of tools from Brownells to complete the blueprinting job, including: Remington 700 Armorer’s Kit; Manson Receiver Accurizing Kit; Bolt Lapping Kit; Bolt Face Truing Tool; Manson Receiver Ring Facing Cutter; Multi-Vise with Jaw Pads; Silicone Carbide Abrasive; and Do-Drill Cutting Oil.
Highlights from the Rifleshooter.com article:
1. Chasing the Threads
We use the bushings to guide the receiver tap. This chases the threads and ensures they are square.
2. Truing the Receiver Face
Using the receiver facing tool, the front of the receiver is trued. The tool is placed over the tap and turned by hand. We used Do Drill to lubricate it.
3. Lapping the Lugs
The bolt lapping tool screws into the front of the action and applies rearward pressure on the bolt face. A little bit of lapping compound is placed on the front of the receiver lugs. The bolt handle is then raised and lowered repeatedly. Note — it is critical that we do not get any lapping compound on any other surfaces.
4. Truing the Bolt Face
On this bolt, the central part of the bolt face was low. After the truing operation, this Rem 700 bolt face is now completely square to the action.
IMPORTANT: Rifleshooter.com states: “This article highlights our project and is presented for information purposes only. This provides an overview of the process and should not be attempted without the guidance and supervision of an experienced gunsmith“.
Brandon Green, a multi-time long-range and service rifle national champion, recently won the Open Heavy division at the 2026 Best of the West Hunter match. Held March 6–8, 2026 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the Best of the West Hunter competition had 20 simulated hunting stages with targets ranging from 200 yards to over 900 yards, with average target distance around 400 yards. The range was within a large horseshoe bend of Buck creek, giving a 360∘ course of fire over terrain with rolling, rocky bluffs, tall-grass hills, wooded draws, open valleys, and creek bottoms. On the range competitors engaged life‑size AR500 steel animal targets including wolf, bighorn sheep, moose, bear, whitetail deer, hog, coyote, mountain lion, bobcat, turkey, elk, antelope, mule deer, otter, raccoon, rock chuck, squirrel, lynx, prairie dog, and jackrabbit. Round count was 80-160, depending on a first round impact or second round impact.
Green, who has already secured three NRL Hunter match wins this season, credited both the match design and his equipment for the successful outing: “I find the NRL game has its unique challenges along with really fun courses of fire. Having confidence in your equipment and ammunition gives you the ability to focus on the task at hand and that’s the key to having a strong performance. My .260 Remington AI platform loaded with Berger 144 grain Long Range Hybrid Target bullets, Lapua cases, powered with Vihtavuori N160 has been one of the most consistent combinations I’ve ever seen. I’m very thankful these helped secure the Best of the West Hunter Championship.”
Key Details of the 2026 Best of the West Hunter Match
Winner: Brandon Green (Team Lapua).
Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma, known for challenging, rugged terrain.
Format: 20 stages, 80-160 rounds, including hunting scenarios with simulated wildlife targets (e.g., elk, mule deer, bear). Match focuseson skill-building and practical hunting scenarios.
Rules: NRL Hunter regulations, requiring chamber flags and adhering to safety protocols.
Divisions: Open Heavy, Skills, Team, and Young Guns.
Best of West Match Elements Featured in This Video
About Lapua
Lapua produces high-quality small caliber cartridges and components for civilian and professional use. Lapua is imported by Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori, and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Lapua.com.
Millions of Americans now exercise their Constitutional right to “keep and bear arms”, specifically to carry a pistol for personal protection and home defense. In response to the rapid growth of the CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) market, numerous gun-makers have introduced compact handguns specifically designed for concealed carry. These “Carry Guns” tend to be smaller, lighter, with smoother, rounded edges on slide and frame. Today, many modern carry guns are also “Optics Ready”, meaning they have slides that can accept smaller red dot sights. And some companies are now selling handguns with the optics pre-installed.
Top Ten Best Carry Pistols for the Money
Here the Honest Outlaw Channel reviews ten semi-auto pistols. The host states these are the “10 best pistols for the money,” adding that “these handguns are reliable, accurate, durable, light weight, and cost less than most alternatives.” This video was released in December 2022, so it covers the latest generation of modern carry pistols.
Five Favorite Carry Pistols — Colion Noir’s Top Handguns
Colion Noir is a very popular gun reviewer and Second Amendment advocate. In this video, which has over 1.1 million views, Colion covers the five guns he personally carries. Why five? Colion states: “When it comes to my concealed carry guns, I practice tactical polyamory. Essentially, I don’t just carry one gun. I have a rotation of guns I carry based on what I’m wearing that day, where I’m going, and what I’m doing. I put a lot of thought into my carry rotation, which changes based on my needs. Sometimes a gun that’s better at handling the job comes out, and I’ll carry it once I’m comfortable with its reliability. That said, there are five guns I consistently carry[.]”
Five Top Choices among CCW & EDC (Everyday Carry) Handguns
The host notes: “We are going over the five best CCW firearms that I reviewed this year and ranking them from 1 to 5. We are going to save the best for the last. Some of the criteria for ranking these firearms isn’t only based on performance. We are ranking based on performance, price, reliability, and comfort.”
This photo is one of Nightforce’s series of picturesque “Gunscapes”. SEE MORE HERE.
We should remember the real reasons many of us enjoy the shooting hobby. Many of us like shooting because it gets us outdoors, away from work pressures. Shooting gives us a chance both to enjoy solitude as well as have fun with friends and family in the outdoors. For this Editor, a solo trip to the range in mid-week was often the perfect antidote to job stress. Going to a scenic venue and sending a few shots downrange was satisfying. And getting out of the hustle and bustle of the city did indeed calm the soul.
Talented 3-position shooter (and trick-shot artist) Kirsten Joy Weiss says that any day at the range is “always a good day”. Here is her photo to prove it. If that shot doesn’t motivate you to spend a day outdoor with rifles, we’re not sure what will. Here’s hoping you’ll have a chance to get in many fun days of shooting and/or hunting this summer and fall. That can be with air rifles, rimfire guns, or centerfire guns — they are all fun to shoot.
Montana-based PROOF Research has released a revealing video showcasing carbon fiber firearms technology and the company’s barrel-making process. Viewers will find the 8-minute film an intriguing introduction to composite barrel-making, which employs aerospace carbon fiber wrapped around a steel barrel core. The video showcases the high-tech machines used at PROOF’s production facilities.
This video shows how PROOF Research employs aerospace-grade, high-temperature composite materials to build match-grade carbon fiber-wrapped barrels.
Dr. David Curliss, General Manager of PROOF Research’s Advanced Composite Division, and former head of the U.S. Air Force High Temperature Composites Laboratory, explains how aerospace expertise helps in the development of PROOF’s firearms-related products: “We are able to provide premier materials for PROOF Research for firearms barrels applications as well as the aerospace market. We’re probably the only firearms technology company that has composite materials in orbit around the earth.”
Some say that a higher fill ratio is good because it prevents the powder from settling differently in the case (which could lead to inconsistent ignition and greater MV SD). This explanation sounds good, and went unchallenged for a long time. However, Applied Ballistics has done some interesting testing that sheds new light on the density issue.
This is a detailed 20-minute video that shows the reloading process start to finish. The video shows how to clean the cases, deprime, and check them before loading.
We know that many of our readers own .45 ACP handguns and load for this extremely accurate “classic” cartridge. When selecting a powder for the .45 ACP, there are many good options. All the major powder manufacturers make propellants with appropriate density and burn rate characteristics for the .45 ACP. Popular choices include: AA #5 (Accurate Powder); Bullseye (Alliant); Clays, HP-38, and Titegroup (Hodgdon); VV N310 and N320 (Vihtavuori); and WW 231 and WST (Winchester). We’ve tried all those powders in a variety of .45 ACP handguns. When we consider all the factors that make for a good pistol powder, we think Vihtavuori N320 is one of the best available propellants for the .45 ACP.
