New Year’s Eve is just four days away. Perhaps you’ve been getting ready for the big event, getting Champagne (and sparklers) to celebrate the New Year, and the opening of a new decade. 2020 will also be a Presidential election year, by the way — so make sure you’re registered to vote.
Recently 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).
When Annealing Made Perfect (AMP), a New Zealand-based company, first unveiled its original induction annealing machine at SHOT Show 2015, it was big news in the reloading world. This was a real breakthrough — an induction annealer running on electricity that was fully programmable. No more flames to fuss with. The advent of the AMP annealer was a true “game-changer” for the shooting enthusiasts who reloaded their ammo.
The AMP system is based on smart science and modern technology. Right from the start, AMP invested in advanced lab equipment (such as gear for Micro-Vickers hardness testing). AMP also worked with independent outside metallurgical laboratories. And AMP invited shooters from around the world to send in sample cartridge cases. AMP accumulated a huge archive of cartridges from .17 Hornet to an array of .50 BMG wildcats and everything in-between. AMP’s archive includes multiple brands and even different lot numbers of the same cartridge. AMP now offers the most highly developed and precise consumer annealing system on the planet. That is because of the amazing amount of R&D behind the product, plus the use of advanced technologies.
Annealing Under the Microscope — Informative Articles
Alex and Matt Findlay have produced a series of articles called “Annealing Under the Microscope”. The first of these was released in July 2017. Part 1 was a general explanation of annealing, and busted a number of myths. It examined the repeatability of annealing over multiple reloads, and conducted a series of tensile bullet pull tests.
Annealing Different Brands of Brass
Part 2 of Annealing Under the Microscope covered an important topic — annealing for different brands of brass. This article examines the reasons why different brands of the same cartridge can require different annealing settings. The article also reveals that lot to lot variations of the same brand of brass can make a big difference.
AZTEC Annealing System — AMP Annealers become Smart Machines
In late 2017, Alex and Matt started the development of their revolutionary AZTEC system, which in effect transformed AMP annealers into SMART annealers. It meant that individual customers could analyse their own cases with laboratory grade accuracy without the need to send samples to the AMP lab for calibration.
Part 3 of Annealing Under the Microscope was released in July 2018 after nearly 12 months of R&D on AZTEC. It focused on how to best utilize this new self-calibration capability. It also highlighted the difference between several “premium” brands of brass compared to cheaper alternatives.
Benefits of Precision Annealing — Accuracy and Repeatability
Part 4 of the series was released in September 2019. It focused on the true benefits of accurate annealing, and the arguments for annealing every reload. The study identified sizing accuracy and repeatability as the key factor. This article also revealed the first prototype of AMP’s new auto bullet seater with seating pressure data capture.
Proof on the Target — Down-Range Benefits of Annealing
In Part 5 of the series, AMP’s experts focus on the real world, down-range benefits of annealing, turned out to be a much more complex process than AMP initially planned. Accordingly, Part 5 was conducted in three stages, with three detailed write-ups.
The Part 5, Stage 1 paper examined sizing accuracy of annealed vs un-annealed cases, taking two sets of three identical Peterson Cartridge .308 Winchester cases through twenty (20) reloading cycles. For every cycle, cases were measured both fire-formed and as re-sized. With each cycle the cases were measured for case length, shoulder bump, neck OD, and head OD.
Field Testing in Tennessee — Proof on Target
The Part 5, Stage 2 article covered detailed ballistic testing using multiple rifles, cartridges, and shooters at the Strategic Edge range in Tennessee.
The Tennessee testing sessions accumulated a wealth of data on velocity spreads and group sizes right out to 1,000 yards. The evidence showed a clear advantage for annealed brass, both for average group size and average Extreme Spread for the groups shot with AMP-annealed cases.
Underground Testing with Lou Murdica
Lastly, AMP’s Part 5, Stage 3 paper featured testing by Lou Murdica at an underground range in California. We have previously shown a video of Lou shooting one case, then reloading it and shooting the same case into the same hole at 100 yards.
This time he repeated the feat, shooting one un-annealed case twenty times into the one hole. Then Lou produced another even smaller 20-shot group, shot with a case which he annealed before every shot.
Enjoy These Technical Articles from AMP Annealing
Collectively AMP’s “Annealing Under the Microscope” series represents a remarkable body of outstanding work. Whether you anneal your cartridge brass now, or just want to learn more about the benefits of annealing, we recommend you take a look at this series of informative articles.
Here’s a new safety device that should prove useful for firearms, particularly pistols. The patented ShotBlock is a hi-viz orange foam chamber plug mated to an orange brush extension that goes in the barrel. This serves the same purpose as a Chamber Flag or Empty Chamber Indicator (ECI), but is more compact (and multi-purpose). With the Shot Block in place a round cannot be chambered. That should, with most firearms, render the gun safe, and unable to fire.*
Currently, the bright orange ShotBlock safety plugs are available for .380 ACP, 9mm Luger, .40 SW, and .223 Remington. Soon versions will be offered for .45 ACP and .308 Winchester as well. Watch the Video to see how this works:
The ShotBlock works by blocking the ability to chamber a round. The ShotBlock is attached to an “extended protection indicator” (i.e. an orange nylon brush). The plug and brush are placed into the barrel with the wide end of the plug on the breech lip. The extended protection indicator (orange brush) can be trimmed to fit the barrel length. Having the tip of brush visible at the end of the gun barrel confirms the Shot Block is in the chamber. As an added benefit, you can spray an anti-corrosion product on the brush for long-term storage.
The inventors state: “Once the ShotBlock is in the barrel of the gun you can easily manipulate the weapon safely, and any attempt to load the firearm will cause the bullet to be wedged inside the Shot Block, and prevent the [cartridge] from going inside the breach.”
Shot Block is Patented
The inventor of the ShotBlock, Bill Masters, has been awarded two U.S. Patents for this product: Nos. 9,448,024 and 9,310,149, both for “Firearm Safety and Chamber Block Indicator”. Bill explains why he invented the ShotBlock: “I had the idea for the ShotBlock after visiting a shooting range with my wife. The owner brought it out of the case and held it facing my wife without clearing it. He finally handed it to me and I cleared it. I left there telling myself there should be an easy way to let the customer know it was safe … to prevent someone quickly loading the weapon and doing bad things with it.”
Bill Masters is an engineer, inventor, designer, entrepreneur, and business advisor. He holds the first 3D printing patent, along with patents for other 3D printing technologies and CAD. He founded Perception Kayaks, which revolutionized the industry through by using molded plastics instead of fiberglass.
Alternative Product Available Soon from Chamber-View
Chamber-View will soon offer a chamber plug for pistols. Like the ShotBlock, Chamber-View’s Universal Empty Chamber Indicator (ECI) prevents a round from chambering. Unlike the ShotBlock, there is no barrel brush, but a large bright orange extension wing serves as an Empty Chamber Indicator:
* We are concerned however, that with some type of floating firing pins in semi-auto systems, it still might be possible to get a primer strike. This might happen if a round is stripped from the magazine and the firing pin moves forward from inertia as the pistol slide or bolt carrier moves forward rapidly and then stops. It’s unlikely a light strike could cause a round to fire, but check your firearm with dummy rounds before assuming it is 100% safe.
SIG Sauer is offering a limited number of authentic M17 pistols originally issued by the U.S. Army and fielded during the initial domestic and in-theater deployment of the Modular Handgun System. These unique firearms feature the original Coyote controls, the original government-issue markings and serial numbers, along with the U.S. Army specified orange rear and green front Night Sights. As these were fielded by the U.S. Army, their condition will vary, making each one uniquely different, and making this truly an opportunity to own a piece of history. Tom Taylor, SIG Executive VP notes: “These handguns [will be] coveted by both military and firearms collectors alike.”
The M17 Surplus handgun is a 9mm, striker-fired, P320-based handgun platform, featuring a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide, coyote-tan controls, a coyote-tan medium carry grip module, with the U.S. Government slide markings and serial numbers. The handguns are equipped with SIGLITE sights (orange rear & green front), removable night sight rear plates, and the same optic cut as specified by the MHS contract, ready to fit a SIG Sauer Electro-Optics ROMEO1Pro Optic. The M17 features an ambidextrous manual safety, ships with (1) 17-round and (2) 21-round magazines, includes an official SIG Sauer M17 Certificate of Authenticity, and comes packed just as the handguns are delivered to the U.S. Military. Limited quantities available soon. Call your local dealer for pricing/availability.
The Action Target Sport Plate Rack is specifically designed for .22 LR Rimfire shooting. This rack features six 4″-diameter plates that reset with a provided cable.
Shooting plates is fun. You get immediate feedback — “instant gratification” when you make a hit. When shooting steel inside 100 yards, we like to use .22 LR rimfire guns. The ammo is inexpensive, noise levels are lower (though you still need ear protection), and at close ranges there are fewer issue with ricochets and bullet splash-back. Additionally, for busy folks who don’t have time to reload, you can pick up a .22 LR rifle or pistol, grab a couple $5 boxes of ammo, and get to the range in a few minutes. The convenience means it is easier to shoot every week if you like.
Above, SFC Joel Turner from the USAMU’s Action Shooting Team offers a few pointers on how to shoot plates quickly and accurately. He’s using a centerfire pistol, but the same principles apply for rimfire handguns. Click speaker icon to activate audio.
New .22 LR CP33 Pistol is Great for Plates
If you like shooting plates, one of the better new handguns for the job is Kel-Tec’s CP33. We tested this interesting handgun at the 2019 SHOT Show Media Day at the Range, and were impressed. The pistol is big, but balances well. The sights are easy to see, and the full-length rail lets you easily mount a variety of optics. The trigger is surprisingly good — better than 90% of rimfire handguns out there. For the plates game, this “quad-stack” gun can handle long stages without mag changes. The standard clear-sided CP33 magazine holds 33 rounds of .22 LR ammo.
If you are interested in an affordable, but very accurate, high-capacity semi-auto rimfire pistoldefinitely consider Kel-Tec’s new CP33. 22 Plinkster agrees — this is a nice pistol. In his video review below 22 Plinkster reports: “This handgun has been 100% reliable IF I load the magazine the right way… and it’s pretty dog-gone accurate.”
Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) tested Keltec’s CP33 with a variety of ammo. The CP33 consistently shot about one-half-inch for five shots “from a 25-yard sandbag bench rest using the iron sights.” SSUSA noted that the gun disassembles quickly and easily by removing one central pin. SSUSA’s tester, Chris Christian, was impressed with the gun, saying it balanced well and the sights aligned naturally.
SSUSA notes: “The rapid growth of rimfire competition in Steel Challenge has prompted some gun makers to enter the fray. Kel-Tec is one, and their new CP33 .22 LR pistol has a lot of potential.”
GunsAmerica also reviewed the Keltec CP33, which it called “The Most Innovative Gun of 2019″. Reviewer Riley Baxter liked the ergonomics and sights. He tested a variety of ammo, getting the best results with Norma Match-22. Baxter concluded: “I thoroughly enjoyed every moment that I spent shooting the KelTec CP33[.] The magazines took a little bit of trial and error… but once I had this down, the CP33 ran reliably and loading 33 rounds took no time at all. This is a gun that I would recommend to anyone who may be interested in buying a .22 pistol[.]”
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before — a rimfire tracer bullet split in half on the blade of a machete. This pistol trick shot is performed by 22Plinkster, an avid rifle/pistol shooter with a hugely popular YouTube Channel. This impressive split bullet demonstration was filmed with high-speed cameras. This lets you see the bullet fly onto the machete blade in slow motion, with red tracer particles streaming behind. And then a freeze-frame clearly shows the two bullet halves after they have passed through two balloons. Check it out:
The high-speed camera (which allows super slow-motion playback) was provided by RatedRR studios. The .22 LR tracer ammunition was provided by Piney Mountain Ammunition Company.
Watch .22 LR Tracer Shooting Montage (Shots Synced to Music):
Here’s a very cool video that shows .22 LR Rimfire Tracer Rounds shot at a variety of targets. There’s a nice musical background that adds to the entertainment value. This video has been viewed over 240,000 times with over 2600 “likes”!
Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com recently tested Hawkeye Borescopes from Gradient Lens Corp., along with the impressive Hawkeye Video Slide System. Gavin observed: “When it comes to gunsmithing, gun inspection, and gun maintenance, a borescope can tell you things that nothing else can. And that’s why a borescope is an invaluable tool for gunsmiths, competition shooters, and gun enthusiasts.”
UltimateReloader.com MUST WATCH Video — See What Hawkeye Borescope Reveals:
A good borescope reveals the reality inside your barrel(s). There’s no more guesswork. All the issues associated with barrel will be revealed — carbon build-up, copper fouling, fire-cracking and more. Within a few seconds you can judge the state of your bore, and diagnose problems such as copper fouling and fire-cracking. Check out these two images. On the left is a brand new hand-lapped barrel. On the right is a barrel with heavy fire-cracking.
Gavin tested both 7″ and 17″ versions of the Hawkeye Borescope. He tested straight versions, and both long and short borescopes with a 90° eyepiece. For most tasks we prefer the 90° eyepiece. In addition to these systems, Gavin tested the the Hawkeye Video Slide and video image acquisition system, shown below.
The features are: 1. Video Slide support system; 2. Pistol barrel being inspected; 3. Borescope with quick-coupler equipped Sony camera; 4. Windows 10 PC Laptop running Hawkeye App with VIDEO Feed; 5. LED illumination for borescope.
“The Hawkeye Video Slide and video image acquisition system are not intended for consumers. They are primarily used by laboratories, gun OEMs, and other commercial customers,” Gavin notes. He used the Video Slide to provide the “next best thing” to viewing through the Hawkeye itself.
What You Can See with a Hawkeye Borescope
This Gradient Lens video shows how to correctly borescope your barrel:
A precision optical borescope is a pricey tool, but it performs critical tasks for gun-owners, and a Hawkeye’s rigid optic tube offers some important advantages over a cheap endoscope on a flexible cord. To learn how a Hawkeye borescope can help you diagnose barrel issues, you should read a Rifle Shooter magazine feature story, What the Eye Can See.
In this article, writer Terry Wieland shows how to inspect for defects in new barrels, how to recognize different kinds of fouling (in both barrels and brass), and how to spot throat erosion in its early stages. Terry uses a Gradient Lens HawkEye BoreScope. The current generation of HawkEyes can be attached to a still or video camera to record digital images. The most interesting part of the article is on the second page. There, author Wieland provides photos of various types of internal flaws that can appear in barrels. This will help you spot pitting, excessive land wear, rust damage, and damage from corrosive primers.
Wieland notes that BoreScopes aren’t just for barrels: “The borescope has other uses as well. It can be used to examine the interior of a cartridge case to look for the beginnings of a case separation or to examine the interior of a loading die that is giving you trouble. When you consider the number of tubular objects that play such an important role in rifle shooting, it is a wonder we were ever able to function without such a method of studying bores.”
YouTube gun video producer .22 Plinkster has unbridled curiosity when it comes to .22 LR performance. A while back he wanted to see how many Christmas ornaments could be penetrated by one .22 LR round. To answer that burning question, Mr. Plinkster lined up 40 plastic Xmas bulbs in a row and then fired a single round of CCI .22 LR Velocitor ammo through the bunch, using his Henry Golden Boy lever action rifle. Did the bullet penetrate a dozen ornaments? Two dozen? What do you think? Watch the video to find out the surprising answer. The CCI Velocitor ammo is rated at 1435 fps.
Christmas Ornament Penetration Test with Henry .22 LR Lever Action Rifle.
Curious about suppressors (aka “silencers”, “moderators”, or “cans”)? Below you’ll find an informative NSSF Infographic that covers the history, legal status, design, and operation of modern-day suppressors.
Here’s a cool video showing how suppressors work. This video features see-through rifle suppressors filmed with ultra-high-speed (110,000 frame per second) cameras. When played back in super-slow-motion, you can see the flame propagate through the suppressor and the bullet move through each baffle before it exists the muzzle. Check it out!
See Through Suppressor in Super Slow Motion (110,000 fps) — Click Arrow to Watch:
Suppressor Facts — What You Need to Know
In this infographic, the NSSF provides the history, specifications, benefits and uses of firearm suppressors. Don’t suppress your knowledge!
Suppressors reduce gunfire sound levels by using baffles that contain expanding gasses exiting a firearm’s muzzle when ammo is discharged. Suppressors are similar to car mufflers that were, in fact, developed in parallel by the same inventor in the early 1900s. Well-designed suppressors typically reduce the gun sound levels by 30-35 decibels (dB). Suppressors are becoming more popular even though it still takes many months to get approved. In fact, the number of suppressors registered with the ATF grew by over 1 million from 2011 to 2017. That’s a 355% increase.
Many of the best videos on reloading products and methods have been produced by Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com. Over the last 12 years, Gavin has released 465 videos showcasing reloading products, gunsmithing techniques, and gun testing. Thanks to Gavin’s movie-making skills and hard work, his GavinToobe YouTube Channel recently achieved the 100,000 subscriber milestone. Over the years Gavin’s videos have received over 17.7 million views. Gavin’s videos have benefited shooting enthusiasts and hand-loaders around the globe, and we congratulate Gavin and UltimateReloader.com!
Gavin posted: “Twelve years ago I started my YouTube channel. Shortly thereafter I started publishing ammunition, reloading and shooting sports content. In 2017 I quit Microsoft to work on Ultimate Reloader full time, and on 11/26/2019 I surpassed the 100,000 subscriber mark. WOW, it’s been sooooo much work, but sooooo much fun. Special thanks to my family for putting up with all of the times I’ve worked on this project ‘after hours’. I feel totally blessed. Very much appreciate my community, and also Jonathan Patton for helping me to understand online communities better. I also really appreciate Hornady for their help in getting me started (my first partner). Neil Davies — that’s you. Thanks everyone!”
To mark this major milestone, we’re featuring five of Gavin’s popular videos. The first is his 2019 Black Friday video covering bargains from Midsouth, Starline, KMS Squared, and Inline Fabrication.
Black Friday 2019 Special Bargains
Epic Reloading Hardware Test — 14 Single-Stage Presses
In this remarkable video, Gavin review fourteen (14) single-stage reloading presses. This is the most comprehensive reloading press comparison test ever done by anyone:
Most Popular Video — .223 Rem vs. 5.56×45
This is Gavin’s #1 Video of all time. His .223 Rem vs. 5.56×45 video has been viewed over 1.9 million times. It provides key facts about the similarities (and a few differences) between the .223 Remington cartridge and the 5.56x45mm NATO round.
1000 Yards with .224 Valkyrie
With 50,000+ views, this is one of Gavin’s most popular field shooting videos. Shooting on his scenic “home range” in the Washington mountains, Gavin developed a tack-driving load using Berger 80.5 gr bullets. See 100-yard results and Gavin’s remarkable first-round hit on steel at 1000 yards!
Buck Fever — Right in the Back Yard!
In this video, Gavin uses his new 300 PRC rifle to bag an impressive buck just 100 yards from his shop. For those of you who have hiked miles on a hunt, only to return home empty-handed, this will seem amazing. And yes, Gavin’s 300 PRC cartridge dropped the animal like a stone.
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…
Gavin tested both 7″ and 17″ versions of the Hawkeye Borescope. He tested straight versions, and both long and short borescopes with a 90° eyepiece. For most tasks we prefer the 90° eyepiece. In addition to these systems, Gavin tested the the Hawkeye Video Slide and video image acquisition system, shown below.
A precision optical borescope is a pricey tool, but it performs critical tasks for gun-owners, and a Hawkeye’s rigid optic tube offers some important advantages over a cheap endoscope on a flexible cord. To learn how a Hawkeye borescope can help you diagnose barrel issues, you should read a 
