Magnified 8X view looking down-range at buffalo target.
Could You Hit a Steel Buffalo at 2240 Yards (1.27 miles) … with Iron Sights?
Impossible as that may seem, that’s exactly what Ernie Jimenez did some years back at the North Springs Shooting Range in Price, Utah (elevation 5,627′). Shooting a milsurp Swiss K31 rifle chambered for the 7.5×55 Swiss round, Jimenez placed four hits on a three-foot-high, bison-shaped steel target placed a staggering 2240 yards from the firing line. Not bad for a rifle which Jimenez acquired many years ago for just $99.00. Of course he did have plenty of misses along the way (and Ernie even managed to hit the plate shielding his camera).
This video is set to start half-way through, when the shooter starts making hits:
The whole process was recorded on video and posted on YouTube. The Long-Range Shooters of Utah say this is an official Guinness World Record for longest shot with iron sights. We can’t confirm that, but it still is an impressive feat. Jimenez had to compensate for a huge amount of bullet drop. His K31’s long-range military sights helped but he still had to aim well over the pink bison. To see how far that target is, watch the video at 14:30 — a camera at the firing line zooms all the way back until the bison is nothing but a tiny dot. The photo below show the target at 8X magnification, but it’s still barely visible.
Here’s the unmagnified, “naked-eye” view from the firing line. Can you see a pink buffalo at all?
Bullet Dropped Over 400 Feet along its Trajectory
To roughly gauge the bullet drop, we took a 7.5x55mm Swiss load from the Hodgdon Reloading Center. With max “book” load of H4350, a 168gr Sierra HPBT has a muzzle velocity of 2524 FPS. According to JBM Ballistics, that bullet will drop over 400 feet during its flight. That’s lot of hold-over! Assuming a 100-yard zero, 59° temp, and 5,600′ altitude, JBM calculates that the drop to 2250 yards is a stunning 210.9 MOA — that’s 4969.9 inches, or 414.15 feet!
In the first part of the video, shooter Ernie Jimenez talks about his hand-loads and his K31 rifle. Here is an example of the distinctive straight-pull K31 (Karabiner Model 1931). Image courtesy AIM Surplus.
It’s been a good year for Taurus handguns. The GX4 family of pistols — including the standard GX4, the GX4 T.O.R.O., the GX4XL, and GXRL T.O.R.O. — earned Ballistic Magazine’s Best Value Handgun award. The Magazine give this award to the handgun with the best combination of “features and price point”.
Very Affordable with Good Ergonomics amd Reliablity
The GX4 pistols offer good ergonomics (better than Glock for most people), good reliability, decent accuracy, and great affordability. MSRP ranges from $429 to $469, and we’ve seen deals as low as $299.99 at PSA. Plus there is a $50 Rebate right now on GX4 models — that can lower your net cost to $249.99 — less than HALF what a Glock costs.
All GX4s made by Taurus in the USA are factory test-fired before shipping, so they are reliable. And the new GX4s have an updated trigger with shorter length of travel, and smooth reset. All GX4 pistols come with interchangeable backstraps, so you can adjust the size of the palmswell to fit to your hand.
Here are reviews of GX4 pistols from Colion Noir and Sootch00, two respected YouTube gun testers:
Today, December 21, 2022, is Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. At this time of year, mid-winter, guns are tucked away in gun safes. While in storage, all guns, even those with stainless components, should be protected with effective rust-blockers. You don’t want to put that prized rifle or shotgun into your safe, only to find the firearm rusty and corroded a couple months later.
What anti-corrosion products really fight rust effectively? You’ll hear many opinions, but what do actual field tests reveal? One rifle shooter, who posts on YouTube as BlueonGoldZ, wanted to separate myth (and marketing claims) from reality, so he completed his own long-term rust test using metal samples. First he used ordinary tap water spray, and then he did a second, longer-duration test with a salt-spray solution. Nine different products were tested: Break Free CLP, Corrosion-X, Frog Lube, M-Pro 7, Outers, Pro-Shot Zero Friction, Rem Oil, Slip 2000, and Tetra Gun Triple Action CLP.
BlueonGoldZ initially examined each product for its “beading” properties with a normal tap water spray. But the main test involved many multiple weeks of exposure after a “dense” salt-water spray. (No rust formed after two weeks tap water exposure, so the test was accelerated with salt-water exposure).
The clear winners in the test, as shown by the screen shot above, were Corrosion-X (Best), and Frog-Lube (Second Best). The photo shows the test samples two weeks after being sprayed with salt water. The results are pretty dramatic — you can see with your own eyes what happened. We think this is a very useful bit of real-world research.
Results from Similar Long-Term Salt Exposure Test
Unfortunately, BlueonGoldZ’s test did NOT include Eezox, which we have found to be extremely effective (on a par with Corrosion-X). In another long-term test of corrosion preventatives, the two best rust fighters were Eezox and Corrosion-X in that order. Since that test was completed, Corrosion-X, already an excellent product, has been enhanced. CLICK HERE for Long-Term Salt Exposure Test Report.
Precision Rifle Series (PRS) 22 Finale on Shooting USA
This week Shooting USA showcases the first-ever PRS Rimfire Finale. This new rimfire discipline is akin to Precision Rifle Series (PRS) centerfire tactical competition, but shot with .22 LR rimfire rifles. The inaugural PRS Rimfire Finale drew nearly 150 competitors to Texas, where shooters could compete without the cost of expensive centerfire ammo and without the need for a 1000-yard range. SEE: PRS Rimfire Series Info.
Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
PRS Rimfire Finale — Nearly 150 Shooters in Texas
PRS and NRL tactical matches are among the fastest-growing competitive shooting disciplines. And rimfire tactical disciplines are actually growing even faster (than centerfire PRS/NRL) because .22 LR ammo is much cheaper than centerfire ammo, and there are many more ranges where rimfire matches can be held. PRS Rimfire offers the same kind of fun without the high cost of centerfire ammo and/or countless hours spent hand-loading. Rimfire PRS also offers generally less expensive rifles, and a whole lot less recoil. That’s why PRS Rimfire (as well as NRL22) has become so popular. And in the first year of the PRS Rimfire series, the Finale drew close to 150 competitors. The Finale Match was held at the Triple C Shooting Facility in College Station, Texas.
The Triple C Shooting Facility hosted the First Annual PRS Rimfire Finale. At this excellent Texas venue, match directors set out 20 unique courses of fire. There were the standard props you’d expect to see at any Precision Rifle match — tractor tires, wire spools, concrete culverts, and even cross tie bunkers. And the target placements were certainly challenging. Many of the stages had cross-course target lay-outs. This makes wind-reading much more challenging, especially with the relatively slow, low-BC .22 LR cartridges used in PRS rimfire competition.
Tune in to Shooting USA TV on Wednesday 12/21/22. You’ll enjoy the coverage of this popular PRS rimfire sport that is growing rapidly. Notably, the National Rifle League (NRL) now conducts many more NRL22 matches than NRL centerfire matches. And competitors of course are drawn by the fun/challenge of a tactical match with much lower ammo costs — $0.15-$0.25/rd vs. $1.00/rd or more (counting brass, primer, bullets, powder, and barrel wear). And there are many more viable venues, because you only need a 300-yard (max) range to conduct a rimfire tactical match.
Shown above is David Tubb, the legendary 11-time National High Power Champion, posing with a very serious rifle used in the Extreme Long Range (ELR) game. David has jumped into the Extreme Long Range discipline in a very big way, producing a .375-caliber, long-barreled ELR version of his famous Tubb rifle, called the Adaptive Target Rifle (ATR). A version of this rifle, piloted by David’s son-in-law Nate Stallter, set an ELR World Record in January 2018. See video below for a full report.
This video shows Team TUBB setting a new ELR World Record of 2011 Yards using the Tubb Adaptive Target Rifle in .375 CheyTac. Nate Stallter nailed three shots at over one mile — 1768 yards. Then Nate broke his own record, going 3 for 3 at 2011 yards. ELR Central hosted this match, held at the Front Sight gun range, Pahrump, Nevada on January 21, 2018.
David Tubb Shoots ELR Adaptive Target Rifle at KO2M
For the Extreme Long Range (ELR) discipline, David Tubb developed a .375-caliber, long-barreled ELR version of his famous Tubb rifle, called the Adaptive Target Rifle (ATR). A version of this rifle, piloted by David’s son-in-law Nate Stallter, set an ELR World Record in January 2018.
David Tubb Talks about KO2M and Extreme Long Range Shooting
David Tubb’s long-range rifles have performed well in Extreme Long Range shooting. AT the 2019 NRA Extreme Long Range Championship, David Tubb won the Heavy Gun Division. In this video, created during the King of 2 Miles (K02M) competition at the Whittington Center in New Mexico, David talks about the challenges of ELR shooting, and cartridge selection. Big, heavy, large-caliber bullets with ultra-high BCs are favored for the ELR game, but recoil and cost must also be considered.
About the .375 CheyTac Cartridge
Some of the most successful ELR cartridges are based on the CheyTac family, including the .375 CheyTac (9.5×77) and .408 CheyTac (10.36 x 77). This .375 Cheytac cartridge has proven to be tough and accurate. And it is capable of winning — our friend Derek Rodgers won the 2017 King of 2 Miles (K02M) event shooting a .375 CheyTac (9.5×77).
Derek Rodgers was the 2017 King of 2 Miles. Derek is also the first-ever human to ever hit the maximum distance target target at 3368 yards (1.91 miles). His cartridge choice? The .375 CheyTac. Derek ran Cutting Edge Bullets in Peterson brass with Hodgdon H50BMG powder.
Q: Why did you choose the .375 CheyTac cartridge?
Derek: When I was asked to join the Applied Ballistics Team, I needed to get an ELR rifle built in a short period of time. I was under a very tight time schedule to get the project complete. In an effort to eliminate variables, I decided to keep things standard and as simple as possible. I chose the .375 CheyTac for the ease of getting components. The larger rifles are more difficult to get components quickly and I felt like the .375 CheyTac had enough attributes to be competitive at ELR distances.
YouTube gun video producer 22plinkster 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.
Hand-loaders have never had so many great choices in single-stage presses, with many different configurations and features. There are classic O-Frame presses, Coax-style presses, Open-front presses, Pyramid presses, and compact C-Frame presses. Here is our 2019 Single Stage Press Showcase with products from Forster, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, MEC, and RCBS. We’ve included short videos showing the features of these reloading presses.
If you are shopping for a new press you should look at the various features of each. You may prefer something classic like a Rock Chucker, or the innovative open-front MEC. If you are looking for a compact press to use at the range, the Lyman C-Frame is very impressive for the price. And the Forster Co-Ax remains a great addition to any loading room.
MEC Marksman Single-Stage Press
If you are looking for a new, full-size single-stage reloading press, definitely consider the MEC Marksman. Created by the makers of the popular MEC shotshell reloading systems, the MEC Marksman combines a sturdy cast-iron frame with a modern open-front design. If you are looking for a new, full-size single-stage reloading press, definitely consider the MEC Marksman. Created by the makers of the popular MEC shotshell reloading systems, the MEC Marksman combines a sturdy cast-iron frame with a modern open-front design. With a $239.99 street price, the MEC Marksman press now costs more than an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press, but the MEC offers some distinct advantages — such as an open front plus a floating shell-holder system.
Our friend Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com got his hands on a MEC Marksman press and put it through its paces. He came away impressed with the product, saying it delivers excellent performance, and has many impressive features. Gavin tells us: “Cast iron tools and machines are a lifetime investment. The made-in-USA MEC Marksman features ductile cast-iron construction, an open-front frame design for easy cartridge access, a new floating shell-holder design with a unique retention system, and ambidextrous handle setup.” MEC also offers a wide selection of accessories for the Marksman press, including a press riser/mount, shell-holder caddy, and die trays.
Forster Co-Ax Press
If you are not yet familiar with the many unique features of the Forster Co-Ax, we recommend you watch the video above, a very thorough video review by Rex Roach. This shows how the press operates and highlights the design elements which set the Co-Ax apart from every other reloading press on the market. This 14-minute video shows the key Co-Ax features, explaining how the floating case-holder jaws work (3:30 time-mark), how the dies are held in place (4:40 time-mark), how spent primers are captured (6:10 time-mark), and how to set the primer seating depth (10:00 time-mark). We’ve used a Co-Ax for years and we still learned a few new things by watching this detailed video. If you are considering purchasing a Co-Ax, definitely watch this video start to finish.
In recent years, Forster Co-Ax® presses have been somewhat hard to find, as demand has out-stripped supply. The Co-Ax has many dedicated fans, given its unique features, such as the floating case-holder jaws, and easy, rapid slide-in/slide-out die placement. We’ve also found that Co-Ax presses load very straight ammo and we like the ability to switch between short handle (good for bullet seating) and long handle (ideal for heavy case-sizing tasks). We also think the Forster Co-Ax has one of the best spent primer capture systems on the market — a straight drop into a removable plastic cup. Simple and it works.
Lyman Brass Smith Victory Single-Stage Press
Lyman’s sturdy Victory Single-stage Press is a full-size unit that competes with the RCBS Rock Chucker Press. With beefy cast iron construction, the Victory’s strength and leverage rivals the Rock Chucker. The press operates smoothly and the handle can be mounted on either side.
If you like to prime cases using a press, this Victory press has a priming system that’s much easier to use than the RCBS Rock Chucker system. The priming tube is right up front, with multiple primers loaded vertically in a tube. Simply push the shuttle at the button of the tube to advance the primer into place.
For convenience, the entire primer-loading system can also be removed so it doesn’t interfere with case and bullet-handling operations. We generally prefer to prime cases separately using a dedicated hand- or bench-mounted tool, but the Victory press does the job nicely.
Overall, the Victory is a great value in a full-size “O-Frame” press with sturdy construction and a solid Lyman warranty. It’s on sale now for $179.99 at Midsouth.
RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Single-Stage Press
Nearly every serious hand-loader has owned or used the RCBS Rock Chucker press. This Editor still uses a Rock Chucker passed down by his brother 20 years ago. And yes, it is still going strong. The latest Rock Chucker Supreme single-stage press features an improved “upside-down Y-path” dual-bin spent primer catcher. Otherwise the Rock Chucker Supreme remains big, strong, versatile and sturdy. It has very strong linkages, with a compound leverage system providing plenty of power — FL-sizing is a breeze even with large, magnum cases. The 1″-diameter ram has 12.5 sq. inches of ram-bearing surface.
Some people may not know that the Rock Chucker offers a secondary 1 1/4″ x 12 thread for shotshell reloading dies and Piggyback 3 upgrade. The Rock Chucker Supreme retails for under $190.00 ($169.99 now at Midsouth). The RCBS Rock Chucker is definitely a quality product that can last a lifetime. For heavy-duty sizing chores this remains one of the best choices in single-stage presses. We do recommend shopping around. You can sometimes get a pretty big discount on Rock Chuckers and RCBS has regular rebate programs.
Lyman Brass Smith Ideal C-Frame Compact Press
The Lyman Brass Smith Ideal Press is a very affordable, cast iron C-Frame reloading press. We think it is the new “class leader” in compact presses. This works great as a secondary press for your reloading room or a small press you can take to the range. The large front opening allows you to access the shell holder without hitting the support bar on other types of presses. Unlike other compact presses made from aluminum, Lyman’s Ideal press is cast iron so it is rigid and strong. The high-quality steel ram is one inch in diameter. The Brass Smith is a true ambidextrous press that can be accessed from either side and mounted the same. This is a great choice for a second, auxiliary press for depriming and bullet seating.
Hornady Iron Single Stage (Open-front) Press
In this “Reloading with Rosie” video, the attractive female host loads some ammo using the Hornady Iron Press. With a beefy, pyramid-style cast-iron frame with an open front, this press offers some advantages over a traditional “O-Frame” type press. Access is considerably easier, for one thing. And the top of the press includes slots to hold dies and tools — that’s really a very nice feature that saves time. Also an optional “automatic” priming system shuttles primers from a vertical tube in the back to the shell-holder in the front. That’s clever. Over all the Iron Press is a nice piece of engineering — good job Hornady.
Lee Classic Cast (Iron) Breech Lock Press
The Lee Classic Cast Breech Lock Press offers excellent value for the money ($169.99 at Midsouth). Based on the proven design of the Classic Cast press, the updated Breech Lock series adds the quick-change die bushing and an improved primer drop system. This press is strong, with cast iron frame, all-steel linkage, and 12 square inches of ram bearing surface.
Lee says this press has the “largest opening and the longest stroke in the industry” among O-frame type presses. The handle can be mounted on either side. We love the fact that the handle ANGLE can be adjusted, as well as the lever arm length — that allows you to adjust travel and leverage to suit your preference. Smart engineering.
The new spent primer drop features a large-diameter hollow ram with clear hose that drops primers straight to a bin — that’s simple and effective. The press is very rigid and the base is wide enough for good stability. We have one of these Classic Cast Breech Lock Presses in our reloading room and it works well.
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 June 2013, Birmingham Gunmakers Ltd. acquired Border Barrels. Dr. Geoffrey Kolbe has set up a new company called BBT Ltd. which produces chamber reamers and other gunsmithing tools and gauges. (Thanks to L. Holland for the Kolbe update).
Here is a stunning highlight reel created by Bullet Theory Films, a Los Angeles-based production company that specializes in capturing action that is too quick for the human eye to see. Using ultra-high-speed cameras, these talented film-makers have captured blindingly fast phenomena — things that happen in micro-seconds. The resulting video imagery can be used for R&D, scientific analysis, product marketing, or (of course) entertainment.
We recommend you watch this video full-screen in High-Definition:
This impressive slo-mo “sizzle reel” features many notable sequences, including:
00:18: .45 ACP leaving m1911 muzzle
00:27: Rifle bullet penetrating barrier with explosive ejecta
00:33: M1A cycling 7.62×51 cartridges
00:38: Pistol bullet disintegrating on steel
00:40: Huge muzzle flame from 12ga shotgun and lead shot on steel
00:45: 5.56 bullet in ballistics gelatin with secondary explosion
01:07: Handgun flame ring from muzzle
01:11: Massive shotgun blast with slug in midair
About the Film-Makers
Bullet Theory Films Co-Founders Matt Novello and Matt Drake first met on the set of History Channel’s highly successful competition reality show TOP SHOT. Throughout five seasons, the show set a benchmark in the art of capturing firearms and live ammunition in action, which has yet to be surpassed.
Utilizing the latest digital high speed technology, Bullet Theory Films offers a full range of production services; from concept development, to the final delivery of your vision. For more information, visit BulletTheoryFilms.com.
Gun-maker Bear Creek Arsenal has a good article on its website about rifling barrels. The article explains four common methods of rifling the interior of barrels: Cut Rifling, Broach Rifling, Button Rifling, and Hammer Forging. In addition, the article describes a new (and somewhat radical) method, Cation Rifling, which employs acid to etch rifling. READ Full Article.
The main focus of the article is on Cold Hammer Forging of barrels. This requires massive, expensive tooling, but the results can be very consistent. Many top gun-makers, such as FN, HK, and Ruger, have used the hammer forging process. And now Bear Creek Arsenal also offers hammer-forged barrels. Bear Creek recently acquired two state-of-the-art cold hammer forging machines. With hammer forging, a chamber can be formed and barrel contour shaped at the same time. This process produces some of the most consistent barrels available today. Here is a summary of how Cold Hammer Forging works:
Cold Hammer Forging — Machinery and Process
A cold hammer-forged barrel starts life… as a short and fat blank with a polished hole running through the center. A hardened mandrel of proper width (caliber) and rifling pattern — again reversed/inverted — is placed into the smooth bore. The pair go into a forging machine that compresses the steel against the mandrel, hammering it into final shape. The barely detectable external spiral patterns that remain on some barrels are imprints from those hammers at work. Some companies polish them out, however.
Cold hammer forging machinery is very expensive, representing a significant investment for companies. However, when the hammer forging process is done and the mandrel removed, the resulting barrel is the proper length and profile with rifling that is consistent and butter smooth. No lapping is required — a time and expense saver — although a stress-relief step often follows.
The process takes place at room temperature, despite the misleading “cold” terminology. There is a hot hammer forging process, but the equipment is even more expensive and the slight improvement in grain consistency hasn’t proven advantageous enough for a return on that investment. Performance is impressive and consistent.
One of the biggest advantages of a cold hammer forged barrel is longevity. They… survive abuse and last longer. The manufacturing process adds those enviable virtues with each strike of those hammers — strengthening the metal in a work-hardening process employed by blacksmiths for centuries.
Comparing Popular Rifling Methods
What rifling process should you choose? If long-distance is your passion and you home brew custom cartridges to print tiny groups in the next zip code, cut rifling is the optimum choice. Button rifling is a solid second choice, but not always the Holy Grail long-distance shooters dream about. Cold hammer forged barrels, however, last longer and [offer great performance for the price.]
If you are not yet familiar with the many unique features of the Forster Co-Ax, we recommend you watch the video above, a very thorough video review by Rex Roach. This shows how the press operates and highlights the design elements which set the Co-Ax apart from every other reloading press on the market. This 14-minute video shows the key Co-Ax features, explaining how the floating case-holder jaws work (3:30 time-mark), how the dies are held in place (4:40 time-mark), how spent primers are captured (6:10 time-mark), and how to set the primer seating depth (10:00 time-mark). We’ve used a Co-Ax for years and we still learned a few new things by watching this detailed video. If you are considering purchasing a Co-Ax, definitely watch this video start to finish.
Lyman’s sturdy Victory Single-stage Press is a full-size unit that competes with the RCBS Rock Chucker Press. With beefy cast iron construction, the Victory’s strength and leverage rivals the Rock Chucker. The press operates smoothly and the handle can be mounted on either side.
Nearly every serious hand-loader has owned or used the RCBS Rock Chucker press. This Editor still uses a Rock Chucker passed down by his brother 20 years ago. And yes, it is still going strong. The latest Rock Chucker Supreme single-stage press features an improved “upside-down Y-path” dual-bin spent primer catcher. Otherwise the Rock Chucker Supreme remains big, strong, versatile and sturdy. It has very strong linkages, with a compound leverage system providing plenty of power — FL-sizing is a breeze even with large, magnum cases. The 1″-diameter ram has 12.5 sq. inches of ram-bearing surface.
The Lee Classic Cast Breech Lock Press offers excellent value for the money (
