Today’s showcase shows how CCI, Federal, and Remington .22 LR rimfire ammunition types are produced in large American factories. CCI and Federal, until very recently, were part of the Vista Outdoor Kinetic Group. In December 2024 CCI and Federal along with other Vista ammo brands were sold to a Czech company, CSG.* Most CCI rimfire is produced in Idaho, while most Federal rimfire ammo is produced in Anoka, Minnesota. Here we feature videos from CCI, Federal, and Remington ammo plants. Watch and learn how rimfire ammo is made.
The Manufacturing Process for .22 LR Rimfire Ammunition Shooting Sports USA explains: “Rimfire cartridge cases are the oldest self-contained cartridge in existence, having been in continuous production since the mid-1850s. Rimfire cases are drawn from a thin piece of brass and formed with a hollow rim. A priming compound is then forced into the case using centrifugal force, where it is charged with powder and a bullet is seated in the mouth of the case. The case is then crimped around the bullet to ensure sufficient push and pull when the round is fired. When the firing pin strikes the thin brass rim of the case, the hollow rim is crushed and the primer is ignited.” Source: SSUSA.org 9/2/2017.
.22 LR Ammo Production at Federal Ammo Plant in Minnesota
Note to Viewers — After Starting Video, Click Speaker Icon to HEAR audio!
A while back a Field & Stream writer toured the Federal ammunition production facility in Anoka, Minnesota. This large plant produces both rimfire and centerfire ammunition. While touring the plant, the reporter was allowed to capture video showing the creation of .22 LR rounds from start to finish. This is a fascinating video, well worth watching. Click speaker icon for sound.
22Plinkster Tours CCI/Speer Idaho Factory
Trickshot artist and YouTube host 22Plinkster was able to tour the CCI/Speer production facility in Lewiston, Idaho. This large plant produces both rimfire and centerfire ammunition. While touring the plant, 22Plinkster was allowed to capture video showing the creation of .22 LR rounds from start to finish.
This revealing video shows all phases of .22 LR ammo production including cupping, drawing, annealing, washing, drying, head-stamping, priming, powder charging, bullet seating, crimping, waxing, inspection, and final packaging. We really recommend you watch the video from start to finish. Well worth watching, this excellent video has logged 3.2 million views on YouTube.
Remington Factory Produces Millions of Rounds of Rimfire Ammo
Billions of .22 Long Rifle rounds are produced every year, and Remington Ammunition in Lonoke, Arkansas produces a significant share of the rimfire ammunition used worldwide. This “American Rifleman Television” feature shows the full ammo production process. At the start, brass cups are stamped out of large sheets of brass, and the cups then move on to have the headstamps applied and rims formed. Next, the rounds move on to be annealed and rinsed. Then the cases move onto priming. A wet priming pellet is then pressed into each empty .22 case, and the case is spun rapidly, spreading the pellet mix into the inner cartridge rim. The primed cartridges are then sent to a drying house, where they’ll sit for several days to allow the priming mixture to dry. The Remington factory is very efficient, with “some of the fastest rimfire-making equipment on the planet”.
*In December 2024, Vista Outdoor completed the $2.23 billion sale of the company’s “Sporting Products” division — which is known as the Kinetic Group and includes American ammunition brands CCI, Federal Premium, Hevi-Shot, Remington, and Speer — to the Czechoslovak Group (CSG), a Czech conglomerate. READ Full Story of Vista Outdoor Kinetic Group ammo brands sale.
SHOT Show 2026 kicks off 16 days from now in Las Vegas. The biggest gun industry trade show on the planet, SHOT Show will showcase a huge variety of new products including firearms, optics, electronics, reloading hardware, ammunition and more. For today’s Sunday GunDay article we feature seven new (or nearly new) rifles that will be on display at SHOT Show 2026. You’ll see a wide variety of long guns here, at all price levels — from $300 to $7999. This Sunday showcase features bolt guns, semi-autos, and lever-action guns offered with a huge selection of chamberings, rimfire and centerfire.
The Smith & Wesson (S&W) Model 1854 Stealth hunter is modernized lever-action rifle featuring a black finish, optics rail, and threaded barrel. This combines the slimness and easy cycling of a classic lever-action with the ability to mount modern optics and fit brakes and suppressors. The Stealth Hunter is currently offered in four chamberings: .30-30 Win, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, .45-70 Govt. The 45-70 delivers significant stopping power for big game hunting.
The updated Ruger American Rifle Gen II “Prairie” is a modern hunting rifle with nice features including a Cerakote coating on the receiver, bolt handle, and barrel. This rifle also includes a patented bedding block system with free-floating barrel and a Ruger Marksman adjustable trigger. This is a good value with a $729.00 MSRP.
Savage has released a pair of “Timber Tactical” rifles in matching green laminated stocks. The A22 is a semi-auto available in .22 LR only. The B Series Timber Tactical rifles are offered in three rimfire chamberings: .17 HMR, .22 LR, .22 WMR. These look like a good option for a plinking rifle or for someone looking for a small varmint rifle. We might get the A22 for rapid-fire steel target rimfire matches, while for shooting ground squirrels we’d opt for the B-Series in .17 HMR. CLICK HERE for detailed American Hunter review of both Timber Tactical variants.
The .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) The .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) was introduced in 2002 by Hornady as a high-velocity, rimfire cartridge derived from the .22 Magnum case necked down to .17-caliber. The .17 HMR gained popularity among varmint hunters and target shooters for its good accuracy and hitting power out to 200 yards or more — all with low recoil and relatively low cost (compared to centerfire ammo).
Most .17 HMR ammo runs 17-grain or 20-grain hollow-point or plastic-tipped bullets at speeds around 2375-2550 FPS (lower for 20-grainers). Though lightweight, these small projectiles do deliver a powerful impact on small game while maintaining low recoil. Compared to the .22 LR, the .17 HMR offers superior ballistic performance, with flatter trajectories and higher energy at extended distances. It’s good for shooting prairie dogs, ground squirrels, sage rats, and other small critters.
The Savage 110 Magpul Scout is a new, versatile rifle with interesting features. With a modern Magpul Hunter stock and a 16.5″ barrel it is relatively compact and fairly light. It boasts a long rail on top of the action plus AR-style sights. It ships with a factory muzzle brake which can be removed for placement of a suppressor. Both black and FDE (flat dark earth) stock colors are offered. NOTE: MSRP is $1099.00 but dealers are selling Savage Magpul Scout 110s for under $820. (See Bud’s Gun Shop.)
The Proof Research Tundra TI-X is a high-end ultra-lightweight hunting rifle, with a 1/2-MOA accuracy guarantee. Priced at $7999.00, this is one of the most expensive hunting rifles on the market. But you do get a titanium action, a carbon fiber stock, and high-tech carbon-wrapped barrel. The Tundra Ti X sports an adjustable TriggerTech Special Trigger and BDL-style magazine. A wide variety of chamberings is offered with barrels ranging from 20 to 26 inches. Listed starting weight (with shorter barrels) is 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Five different stock appearance types are offered: Green Granite, Green Jungle Camo, TFDE, Black, Black Jungle Camo.
The new Model 307 Alpine ST is light-weight, carbon-stock “backcountry bolt gun” built on Weatherby’s newest bolt-action rifle platform, the Model 307. Meant to complement the historic Mark V and Vanguard lineups, the Model 307 action is a 2-lug, fully cylindrical action compatible with aftermarket accessories. Model 307 is designed to accommodate a wide variety of stocks, triggers, rails, and mounts. Weatherby teamed up with PEAK 44 to produce an ultra-light rifle that can own the range and dominate in the field. The PEAK 44 Bastion stock weighs in at just 24 ounces and uses a proprietary 3D-Hex recoil pad to reduce the effects of recoil. The lightweight, spiral fluted barrel delivers good accuracy and comes with Weatherby’s recoil-reducing Accubrake ST.
Savage RXR22 Semi-Auto Rimfire
Chamberings: .22 LR Rimfire | MSRP: $299.99
The Savage RXR22 is a new budget-priced semi-auto rimfire rifle. This is a good choice for plinking and small varmint work. It features an optics rail on top, a short rail on the forearm (for bipod mounting) and a detachable 10/22 compatible rotary magazine. This is designed to compete with the Ruger 10/22 with better bolt/chamber access and a better stock trigger. The RXR22 has a 16.25″ barrel and weighs just 4.6 pounds without optic.
With today’s Saturday video showcase we feature eight videos from the Popular Backfire YouTube Channel. The host of the BackFire channel, Jim Harmer, also has a good website, Backfire.tv with written reviews. If you’re shopping for a hunting rifle we recommend you read the recent (12/1/2025) Best Hunting Rifles article. Without further ado, here are eight noteworthy videos from the BackFire Channel.
Five Powder Dispenser Comparison Test (All Units Purchased)
If you are in the market for a sub-$500 electronic powder dispenser, definitely watch this review. This Backfire comparison test is notable because the tester spent his own money to purchase all five powder dispensers being reviewed. That means Backfire could tell the full truth, both good and bad, about the machines. In fact, Backfire bought TWO ChargeMaster Lites because one failed (See 14:12 time-mark). The reviewer liked the RCBS ChargeMaster Supreme, but his top choice overall was the Hornady Auto Charge Pro. He favored the overall design, and really liked the way the dispensing speeds could be easily set faster or slower. Here are highlights from the video review:
00:08 Speed Test
03:09 Accuracy Test
07:57 Frankford Arsenal Intellidropper
09:08 Lyman Gen 6
10:44 RCBS Chargemaster Supreme
12:03 Hornady Auto Charge Pro
14:12 RCBS Chargemaster Lite
14:41 Conclusions
Best Rifle Scope Under $500 (2.2 Million Views)
This is a very comprehensive test of ten scopes under $500 MSRP. Unlike many reviews, the tester actually purchased all the tested scopes with his own money to provide a fair, unbiased review. The ten scopes all have approximately 4-14X magnification, common for a hunting/general purpose field scope. The reviewer ranked the $349 Vortex Diamondback Tactical FFP as the Best Overall scope. The reviewer’s first choice for a Target/Competition scope was the $299 Arken 4-16×50 model. The $175 Burris Fullfield E1 Hunting model was named the best “Lightweight, Capped Scope”.
The Backfire team purchased eight rangefinders and tested them in the field. Most of the products are under $500. This is a good review if you are looking for a compact LRF at a moderate price. Looking at performance for the price, for the hunting market, the reviewers favored the Leupold RX-1600 and the waterproof Vortex Ranger 1800. COMMENTARY: If you can afford it, we recommend that serious hunters consider top-end laser rangefinder-equipped binoculars such as the ZEISS Victory RF and Leica Geovid.
Affordable Hunting Rifles under $750.00 (1.3 million views)
Here’s another good Backfire Channel video for hunters looking for a new rig. With hunting season starting soon, this video can save you time and help you get the most bang for your buck. The Backfire team review eight affordable under-$750 rifles: Bergara B-14, Howa 1500 Hogue, Kimber Hunter, Remington 700, Ruger American, Savage 110 Switchback, Tikka T3X Superlite, and Weatherby Vanguard. The Backfire reviewers tested all 8 rifles for function and accuracy (4-shot groups). These 8 rifles were chose for review based on input from Backfire channel viewers.
Accuracy Secrets of a Champion — Interview with Erik Cortina
Our friend Erik Cortina is one of America’s top F-Class marksmen, and he has also achieved notable results in some long-range tactical matches. In this video Erik explains some of the factors that help in load development, wind reading, and achieving long range accuracy. If you shoot F-Class or even just compete in local matches, this video is worth watching. Erik’s Cortina Precision company produces high-quality tuners, tuner brakes, dies and other high quality products.
How to Set Up a Rifle for 1000 Yards
Here’s good video for novice ELR and Long range shooters. The video covers initial zeroing and then working with ballistics at 600-1000 yards. The tester explains the importance of a very stable platform and optics with adequate vertical adjustment and proper parallax control. The featured rifle is a 6.5 Creedmoor Bergara Premier Competition in a dark, gray PMA chassis (this is not the tan rifle in cover shot). Note: Bergara also offers a barreled action that you can put into a different chassis of your choice. The scope is an Athlon Helos BTR Gen2 4-20x50mm. A Garmin Xero C1 radar chrono was used to confirm velocity.
Low-Cost vs. High-Cost Rifles — How They Compare (2 Videos)
Here are two interesting videos that compare the features and performance of rifles at various cost points. The first video compares two rifles with a 10X (1000%) price difference — $350 vs. $3500. Some quite inexpensive rifles can perform very well, if you get lucky with the factory barrel. At the high end of the spectrum you can (hopefully) expect a smoother action, better trigger, more sophisticated stock, and (hopefully) more shot-to-shot consistency. Still a big investment doesn’t always guarantee vastly improved performance. For a deer hunter, a $500 rifle with a modestly-priced scope can probably do the job. If you want to hit prairie dogs at 500 yards and beyond, you’ll need an accurate cartridge and a very good (preferably custom) barrel for consistent hits.
We like Lyman’s Electronic Digital Trigger Pull Gauge, which is faster and more precise than the previous model. The latest Lyman Pull Gauge measures trigger pull weights from 1 ounce to 12 pounds with resolution of 0.1 ounces (2.8 grams). It features an adjustable, 4-position rod which retracts into the gauge body. We think that anyone running match triggers below 2.5 pounds pull weight should have a gauge like this. Among the pull gauges on the market, we think the Lyman unit offers great performance for the price.
Features: More Precise Strain Gauge | Improved Grip Shape | Adjustable Rod Lengths
Lyman’s Electronic Digital Trigger Pull Gauge is designed to be the fastest and most accurate trigger pull gauge available. State-of-the-art strain gauge technology allows for repeatable accuracy of 1/10 ounce (2.8 grams). The gauge features a large, easy-to-read LCD display and you can switch from ounces to grams with the push of a button. The gauge can also deliver a pull weight average of the last 10 readings. That’s very helpful when working with factory triggers that may not be very consistent.
The Lyman Trigger Pull Gauge features a solid, collapsible rod with four locking positions. Being able to adjust length makes it easier to use the gauge with a wide variety of firearms — pistols, rifles, and shotguns. The locking feature prevents the rod from flexing when applying pressure to the trigger. When not in use, the rod conveniently collapses into the gauge body, making the whole unit more compact. The new Trigger Pull Gauge comes in an internally-padded plastic case that can be easily stored in a drawer or on your work bench.
Happy New Year to all our readers and site visitors, and especially the 81,030+ members of our AccurateShooter Forum. We hope 2026 brings you good times, fulfilment in your lives, and success in your endeavors. We also wish for high match scores, tight groups on target, and successful hunts in the New Year.
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Looking Forward to 2026 Every year we work to improve AccurateShooter.com. We have continued to upgrade the Forum, adding enhanced security measures, with background checks on all sign-ups and enhanced scammer detection. On the content side we have expanded our popular Deals of the Week and Sunday GunDay features. And we’ve added a Video Showcase every Saturday. We also now offer more product reviews in our Daily Bulletin. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our feature articles, our Deals of the Week, our match reports, and our Forum Classifieds. The formula seems to be working — our audience is bigger than ever, with Forum membership growing substantially year after year.
Forum Membership Increased 6% in 2025
Our Shooters’ Forum grew significantly over the past 12 months. Total registered membership grew by about 6% as Forum ranks swelled to 81,030+ members! More people are successfully buying and selling through our Forum Classifieds services than ever before. Silver and Gold members get unlimited Classifieds for 12 months. Gold members also get custom Avatars and other privileges.
We need your support. For 21+ years the site has relied largely on volunteer efforts. But as the site grows, we need the assistance of Forum moderators, product testers, web gurus, and computer software experts. Those guys don’t work for glory alone.
Consider this — you could pay $30 for a couple medium pizzas. For the same thirty dollars you can become a Silver Forum member for an entire YEAR and help this site provide info, tests, tech tips, bargains, and shooting news.
And consider the benefits — Silver or Gold Members get unlimited classifieds for 12 months. If you were to sell just ONE $600 item through Gunbroker.com, you would pay $32.00 in fees! That’s more than our 12-month Silver Membership fee — just to sell one single $600.00 rifle or pistol.
In 2025 about 2650 site users have donated or upgraded their Forum membership. That’s less than 3.3% of the current membership. We thank all those who have generously contributed. But that still leaves tens of thousands of users who access the site every week without contributing. With more donations and more Forum upgrades, we can deliver more premium content and offer more services to our members.
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For the very first day of 2026 we present a precision rifle built with a modern 6mm cartridge — the 6GT. Developed by George Gardner of G.A. Precision and Tom Jacobs of Vapor Trail Bullets, the 6GT was designed to have the efficiency of a 6mm Dasher without the need for case forming. It was also designed with a longer case body so it feeds better from magazines. Even with the added capacity, the 6GT is still very efficient, and can achieve good velocities with less powder than a 6mm Creedmoor.
Today’s feature rifle was smithed and tested by Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com. Gavin did all the gunsmithing — chambering the barrel, fitting the muzzle brake, and even laser engraving the barrel. In building this 6GT rifle, Gavin used top-tier components: BAT TR action, Krieger 28″ 1:7.5″-twist 4-groove 6mm barrel, TriggerTech Diamond Rem 700-compatible trigger, and Area 419 Hellfire Muzzle Brake. The barreled action was then fitted in a handsome and rugged MDT ACC Chassis. On top is a Zero Tech 4.5-27×50mm FFP Trace Advanced scope in 30mm Hawkins Precision high rings.
We recommend you watch the video above — it covers the rifle build, load development, and then features some remarkable shooting sequences across snowy hills in the Pacific Northwest. Gavin’s team actually used a drone to capture overhead footage of the location.
After developing a promising load with Berger 109gr LRHT bullets, Varget powder, and Alpha brass, Gavin literally headed for the hills to test his new rifle at longer ranges, shooting from bipod. His load had shot well under half-MOA at 100 yards in testing so he was hoping he could hit multiple steel targets positioned at 340 yards, 760 yards, and 1000 yards. Indeed he did, proving the rifle’s great accuracy and Gavin’s fine trigger-pulling skills. You can see the hits at these time points in the above video:
340 Yards — 18:15 time | 760 Yards — 19:00 time | 1000 Yards — 19:54 Time
Gavin’s 6GT Hit Highlights on Steel out to 1000 Yards
Building Gavin’s 6GT Precision Rifle
Gavin Gear did all the gunsmithing on this project, using his own Precision Matthews TL-1660 lathe for the chambering with an Alpha carbide 6GT reamer. The barrel work took about four hours total. Shown below is the reamer cutting the chamber, which was finished with a 0.170″ freebore and 0.270″ neck diameter. For other brands of brass you might want the chamber to have a larger 0.272″ neck diameter.
Chambering the Krieger barrel with Alpha carbide 6GT reamer, 0.170” freebore, .270″ neck diameter.
This project when smoothly, with Gavin able to install the barreled action in the MDT Chassis and fit the buttstock in an hour or so. So total build time was about five hours. One nice “finishing touch” on the project was laser engraving the 28″ Krieger barrel — a process you can see in the video below.
Laser engraving of Krieger 28″ barrel.
About the 6GT — Sort of a 6 Dasher on Steroids
6GT Cartridge Design Features
The 6GT was designed to have an optimal length and capacity for mag-fed PRS/NRL tactical rifles. The 6GT is longer than a 6mmBR and 6 Dasher, but shorter than a 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5×47 Lapua. That gives the 6GT ample case body length to feed reliably from a magazine, while the case capacity is sufficient to run popular powders at reasonable pressures. It has a 35-degree shoulder angle.
On paper the 6GT seemed like the perfect cartridge for PRS- and NRL-style centerfire competition. It has the low recoil of a 6 Dasher, with good feeding and mag compatibility. With the 6GT, a competitor can push 6mm 105gr bullets at 3000+ FPS or run heavier bullets at ~2950 FPS. With this 28″ Krieger barrel, Gavin actually achieved 3004 FPS running 109gr Bergers.
Gavin started with quality Alpha Munitions brass. The cases were then annealed with an AMP Annealer and trimmed to length with a Henderson powered trimmer (see video below). After sizing with a Forster Co-Ax press, Federal SR Primers were seated using a Primal Rights competition seater. Next the powder was measured with an A&D FX120i force restoration scale. Finally, the Berger 109gr LR Hybrid Target bullets were seated with a Forster Micrometer die, again using the smooth Forster Co-Ax press.
Initial Load Testing with Berger and Hornady Projectiles
Before it got cold and snowy, Gavin did load development, shooting from a bench with a Sinclair front rest. The Krieger cut-rifled barrel was accurate right from the start and Hodgdon Varget powder proved to be a very good choice for the 6GT.
Gavin’s 6GT boasts a MDT ACC short action chassis with SRS-X Elite buttstock, vertical grip, and MDT CKYE-POD Bipod.
Gavin did initial load testing with both Hornady 110gr A-Tip Match and Berger 109gr Long Range Hybrid Target bullets. The Berger 109gr LRHT bullets were the most promising. A variety of charge weights were tested, with Gavin settling on 34.6 grains of Varget. This delivered fine accuracy with a 3004 FPS muzzle velocity. Group size measurements with this load are shown in the chart. At 100 yards, four three-shot groups averaged 0.361 MOA, and the rifle produced a nice 0.387 MOA (0.405″) five-shot group.
———————————————— Winter Wonderland for Shooters ———————————————–
As we release this story, the New Year — January 1, 2026 — is just 22 hours away (East Coast Time). Perhaps you’ve been eagerly awaiting for the big event, getting champagne (and sparklers) to celebrate the New Year. With the election of Donald J. Trump in November 2024, America has seen big changes in 2025 — we’re pleased to see that the current President has restored border security and is protecting Second Amendment rights. To mark the dawning of 2026, with hope for a good year, we expect many folks will open a bottle of champagne. You could pop the cork the traditional way, or read on and learn how to release the celebratory champagne with a rifle shot, as demonstrated by the talented Kirsten Joy Weiss. Click on the above video to see Kirsten release champagne with a rimfire rifle.
A while back at Thorton Winery in Temecula, California, a champagne vintner, we were shown the best way to open a champagne bottle. We were told you should hold the bottle nose up at an angle then rotate the BOTTLE slowly while holding the cork. That works great… but it’s not as stunning as the way sharpshooter Kirsten Joy Weiss opens a bottle of bubbly.
A former competitive smallbore rifle shooter, ace trigger-puller Kirsten Joy Weiss tried a special New Year’s trick shot a few seasons back. In keeping with the festive New Year’s spirit, Kirsten attempted to shoot the cork off a champagne bottle. After a few unsuccessful tries, she managed to hit the cork with at least two shots. But alas the cork did not fly. She actually hit the cork, but it did not release. That was surprising…
Undaunted, Kirsten changed her strategy, aiming for the neck of the bottle. This duplicates the process of “sabering” a champagne bottle — a method of liberating the bubbly by slashing off the end of the neck with a blade. Aiming for the neck of the bottle, Kirsten successfully blew off the top of the bottle. (Apparently, when “sabering” it is actually the pressure within the champagne bottle which does most of the work).
You’ve probably heard of cut-rifling, but did you know this process was invented in Germany nearly 500 years ago? Read on to learn more about how a cut-rifled barrel is made…
The cut-rifling process, used by leading barrel-makers such as Bartlein, Blake, Brux, and Krieger can yield a very high-quality barrel with a long useful life. Cut-rifled barrels have been at the top in short- and long-range benchrest competition in recent years, and cut-rifled barrels have long been popular with F-Class and High Power shooters.
You may be surprised to learn that cut-rifling is probably the oldest method of rifling a barrel. Invented in Nuremberg around 1520, the cut-rifling technique creates spiral grooves in the barrel by removing steel using some form of cutter. In its traditional form, cut rifling may be described as a single-point cutting system using a “hook” cutter. The cutter rests in the cutter box, a hardened steel cylinder made so it will just fit the reamed barrel blank and which also contains the cutter raising mechanism.
Above is a computer animation of an older style, sine-bar cut-rifling machine. Some machine features have been simplified for the purposes of illustration, but the basic operation is correctly shown. No, the cut-rifling machines at Krieger don’t use a hand-crank, but the mechanical process shown in this video is very similar to the way cut-rifling is done with more modern machines.
Read About Cut-Rifling Process at FirearmsID.com
To learn more about the barrel-making process, and cut-rifling in particular, visit FirearmsID.com. There you’ll find a “must-read” article by Dr. Geoffrey Kolbe: The Making of a Rifled Barrel. This article describes in detail how barrels are crafted, using both cut-rifling and button-rifling methods. Kolbe (past owner of Border Barrels) covers all the important processes: steel selection, hole drilling, hole reaming, and rifling (by various means). You’ll find a very extensive discussion of how rifling machines work. Here’s a short sample:
“At the start of World War Two, Pratt & Whitney developed a new, ‘B’ series of hydraulically-powered rifling machines, which were in fact two machines on the same bed. They weighed in at three tons and required the concrete floors now generally seen in workshops by this time. About two thousand were built to satisfy the new demand for rifle barrels, but many were broken up after the war or sold to emerging third world countries building up their own arms industry.
Very few of these hydraulic machines subsequently became available on the surplus market and now it is these machines which are sought after and used by barrel makers like John Krieger and ‘Boots’ Obermeyer. In fact, there are probably less of the ‘B’ series hydraulic riflers around today than of the older ‘Sine Bar’ universal riflers.
The techniques of cut rifling have not stood still since the end of the war though. Largely due to the efforts of Boots Obermeyer the design, manufacture and maintenance of the hook cutter and the cutter box have been refined and developed so that barrels of superb accuracy have come from his shop. Cut rifled barrel makers like John Krieger (Krieger Barrels), Mark Chanlyn (Rocky Mountain Rifle Works) and Cliff Labounty (Labounty Precision Reboring)… learned much of their art from Boots Obermeyer, as did I.” — Geoffrey Kolbe
Video find by Boyd Allen. Archive photos from Border Barrels in the UK.
When you make a reloading mistake, you may need to “pull down” assembled ammo. The embedded UltimateReloader.com video demonstrates how to use the Hornady Cam-Lock bullet pulling system.
When Reloading Goes Bad — The Danger of Over-Charging
Our friend Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com was recently reloading some 9mm pistol ammo with his Hornady progressive press. As part of his reloading procedure, he visually checks the cases — and he noticed that the charges seemed high. Sure enough, his most recently-produced rounds were about two grains over spec. He diagnosed the issue: “I was using a powder measure without a baffle. What happened was, over the course of the loading session, things settled in, and the charge level increased.”
Not knowing just when his powder measure started delivering too much powder, Gavin decided, for safety’s sake, to pull down all the ammo he had just reloaded. Yes that’s time-consuming, but it’s better than the alternative — having a dangerous Kaboom while shooting. With fast-burning pistol powders, a two-grain over-charge could cause a blown case, damaged firearm, and/or serious injury.
Watch Cam-Lock Bullet Puller Used to Remove Bullets from Loaded Ammo:
Use of Bullet Puller starts 4:00 minutes into video.
Gavin says it is vitally important to perform safety checks during the reloading process: “You’ve got to do it — check every single round to make sure there IS powder, and that there’s not too MUCH powder. Double, Triple, Quadruple check your components… and your powder charges. You can’t be too careful.”
To pull down a loaded round, first place the cartridge in the shellholder on your press ram. Then raise the round up into the bullet puller device installed where a die would go. The Hornady Cam-lock bullet puller works by clamping the bullet in a collet when you flip down the red-coated lever. Then, with the case held by the rim in the shell-holder, the bullet exits the cartridge as the press ram is lowered. It takes time, but it’s pretty fool-proof once you get the hang of it. This entire process is illustrated in Gavin’s video, starting near the four-minute mark.
The Hornady Cam Lock Bullet Puller has four (4) key components: 1. Cam-Lock die body; 2. Cam-Lock lever; 3. Stem; and 4. Collet (Caliber-specific).
NOTE: In order to use this tool, you’ll need the appropriate collet for each diameter range of bullets you intend to pull. For example use collet #3 for 6mm, collect #6 for 7mm, and collet #7 for .308 Caliber.
RCBS Lock-Out Die
A good safety option for users with progressive presses is the RCBS Lock-Out Die. This has a charge detection rod that dips into each case after powder has dropped. You adjust the die to the proper charge height for your desired load. If the actual dispensed charge is too high or too low, the Lock-Out Die senses the problem and stops the press from advancing to the next case (it does this by preventing the ram/shellplate from fully elevating). We’ve used the Lock-out die with success for both pistol and rifle cartridges. It’s sensitive to about one-half grain with pistol powders.
This Lock-Out Die works with Hornady and Dillon progressives as well as with RCBS progressives. It does take up one die station on the press.
Our friend Dennis Santiago is a talented Service Rifle shooter, who regularly competes with an AR shooting the .223 Rem cartridge. A few seasons back, he decided to go over to the “dark side”, putting together a Palma (fullbore) rifle chambered for the .308 Winchester. Dennis selected a Competition Machine (Gary Eliseo) R1 Chassis for the project. Here’s Santiago’s account of his “true blue” Palma build.
Palma Rifle Report by Dennis Santiago
“This project was a .308 Win Palma rifle with an Eliseo R1 chassis, Rem 700 action (blue-printed with PT&G upgrades), Jewell trigger, Boots Obermeyer 1:11″-twist barrel, and Phoenix sights holding Gehmann apertures. Next comes chassis and sling set-up, initial mechanical zeroing, and load development. Yup, I have a bunch of Peterson small primer .308 brass, Sierra #2156 155gr MKs, and Varget to get started with. I’m told I can drive 155gr pills to stay supersonic to 1K. Should make for an interesting 2020. My goal was to be cozy with this blue beast by the time the Berger Southwest Nationals kicked off in February 2020.”
CLICK Imagefor full-screen photo with more detail.
Pinning the Picatinny — For a Super-Solid Mount
One of the key parts of the build, Dennis explains, is mounting the top rail with pins: “Once the rail is aligned using a spin-centered optic, it locks down with three 3/16″ roll pins. That way there is no reliance on screws that can come loose. Above is a photo of the top of the Eliseo tube chassis showing the three, 3/16″ roll pins that unitize the Picatinny rail. You can also see the four brass screws that just kiss the action to fully stabilize it in the tube. The recoil ring buttresses completely around the action with metal to metal contact. There are a million details hidden inside a Gary gun.”
Phoenix Sights Front and Rear
Rise of the Phoenix — Here are the sights for the Eliseo R1. There are very few manufacturers left making these kinds of ultra-precise and repeatable iron sights.
These Ray-Vin tools help set mechanical zero on the sights. Dennis notes: “Finally a reason to pull out the Ray-Vin calibration paraphernalia to set up a mechanical zero. This photo is for all of you who still remember that those barrel flats and screws in our sight towers actually had a purpose once upon a time.”
Sling ‘N Irons — Classic Palma Configuration Dennis plans to use an Eric Hollis sling with his new blue Palma rifle.
Peterson Small Primer .308 Win Brass for Santiago’s Rig
Dennis has used Peterson Cartridge Small Rifle primer .308 Win brass. Peterson offers a “Select” version weight-sorted and length-sorted at the factory. All Select casings (in a 50ct box) are guaranteed to be within 1 grain in weight and .001″ in OAL. Peterson Select brass is available for 20 different cartridge types, including .308 Win both small primer/small flash hole and large primer/large flash hole.
Now Adapted with a Scope
Currently (in 2025) Dennis has this rifle fitted with a high-magnification Nightforce zoom scope, and he competes with his blue prone rifle in the “Any-Any” division. He usually runs the scope at about 22X power. For an older guy with aging eyes, being able to run high-magnification optics is a big plus.
With the optics Dennis has found the rifle to be exceptionally accurate. Shooting 168gr bullets it has produced 5-round groups around 1/3-MOA during testing. And it can easily hold the X-Ring at 300 yards.
Getting the Blue Rifle Ready for the Berger SW Nationals
Dennis has campaigned his rifle at recent Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN) events. At the SWN a Palma shooter can shoot iron sights, or also fit a scope and shoot in the “Any Sights” category. The week-long Berger SWN is the biggest rifle match in the Western United States. Hundreds of shooters compete in both individual and team events. The SWN begins with the Mid-Range Nationals at 600 yards. Then the Long-Range matches are held, with targets out to 1000 yards. Watch the video to see the Ben Avery facility, home of the Berger SWN:
Chassis-maker Gary Elesio at the 2017 Berger SW Nationals. Gary shoots what he sells:
The .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) was introduced in 2002 by Hornady as a high-velocity, rimfire cartridge derived from the .22 Magnum case necked down to .17-caliber. The .17 HMR gained popularity among varmint hunters and target shooters for its good accuracy and hitting power out to 200 yards or more — all with low recoil and relatively low cost (compared to centerfire ammo).
A former competitive smallbore rifle shooter, ace trigger-puller Kirsten Joy Weiss tried a special New Year’s trick shot a few seasons back. In keeping with the festive New Year’s spirit, Kirsten attempted to shoot the cork off a champagne bottle. After a few unsuccessful tries, she managed to hit the cork with at least two shots. But alas the cork did not fly. She actually hit the cork, but it did not release. That was surprising…
RCBS Lock-Out Die
