There is an excellent article about primers on the Shooting Times website. We strongly recommend you read Mysteries And Misconceptions Of The All-Important Primer, written by Allan Jones. Mr. Jones is a bona fide expert — he served as the manager of technical publications for CCI Ammunition and Speer Bullets and Jones authored three editions of the Speer Reloading Manual.
This authoritative Shooting Times article explains the fine points of primer design and construction. Jones also reveals some little-known facts about primers and he corrects common misconceptions. Here are some highlights from the article:
Size Matters
Useful Trivia — even though Small Rifle and Small Pistol primer pockets share the same depth specification, Large Rifle and Large Pistol primers do not. The standard pocket for a Large Pistol primer is somewhat shallower than its Large Rifle counterpart, specifically, 0.008 to 0.009 inch less.
Magnum Primers
There are two ways to make a Magnum primer — either use more of the standard chemical mix to provide a longer-burning flame or change the mix to one with more aggressive burn characteristics. Prior to 1989, CCI used the first option in Magnum Rifle primers. After that, we switched to a mix optimized for spherical propellants that produced a 24% increase in flame temperature and a 16% boost in gas volume.
Foiled Again
Most component primers have a little disk of paper between the anvil and the priming mix. It is called “foil paper” not because it’s made of foil but because it replaces the true metal foil used to seal early percussion caps. The reason this little disk exists is strictly a manufacturing convenience. Wet primer pellets are smaller than the inside diameter of the cup when inserted and must be compacted to achieve their proper diameter and height. Without the foil paper, the wet mix would stick to the compaction pins and jam up the assembly process.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. K&M Precision Shooting Products — 21% Off Labor Day Sale
⏺ Save 21% on high-quality K&M tools with Discount Code KMLBRDAY21
K&M Precision Shooting Products makes outstanding tools for handloaders. Right now, you can save a whopping 21% on purchases $50 or more. To get the 21% discount, use Code KMLBRDAY21 during checkout. But don’t delay — this special 21% discount expires at 11:59 pm on Tuesday September 7, 2021. NOTE: A few items, such as Benchtop Machines and Mitutoyo tools, are excluded.
2. MidwayUSA — Camo Tuesday Sale — HUGE Savings 9/7/2021
⏺ Great deals on hunting gear — Right in time for hunting season
MidwayUSA’s Camo Tuesday is a huge hunting SALE marking the start of the fall hunting season. You’ll find killer deals on optics, camo gear, rangefinders, GPS units, hunting boots, ammunition, and more. But don’t hesitate. Camo Tuesday only happens once a year. Many of the best deals will expire at 11:59 PM Eastern time on the evening of 8/7/2021. Along with the discounts, MidwayUSA is offering a Camo Tuesday sweepstakes package worth $4998.82.
3. Savage — $50 Factory Rebate Through 9/8/2021
⏺ Save $50 on versatile, affordable Savage hunting rifles
Hunting season is commencing soon. If you need a good affordable deer rifle, consider a Savage. There are many models under $400. Cabela’s has a Savage Axis XP with camo stock and 3-9x40mm Weaver scope for just $309.97. Plus, right now, you can get a $50 Factory REBATE with the purchase of any Savage Axis, Trophy, Apex, or Engage Hunter. Rifle must be purchased between 8/15/2021 through 9/8/2021.
⏺ Fast, programmable, accurate dispenser at great price
The Frankford Arsenal Intellidropper is a high-quality powder scale dispenser. It’s accurate to +/- one-tenth of a grain, dispenses in seconds, and can be controlled by a handy mobile App that can store various charges weights for different cartridges. This unit has a 7000-grain capacity with both Auto and manual trickle capability. IMPORTANT: Act quickly to secure the Intellidropper for $199.95 on Sale.
5. Brownells — Leupold 3-9x40mm VX-Freedom CDS with FREE onX Hunting APP and one-piece mount, $349.99
⏺ Scope can take Custom Knobs from Leupold, FREE onX hunting App
Here’s a good basic 3-9x40mm Leupold scope for hunting. Plus, with the CDS option, Leupold can provide custom turrets* for your cartridge’s ballistics. This scope also comes with a one-piece AR IMS mount. BONUS: When you buy any Leupold riflescope you get a FREE 3-month subscription to onX Hunt App. The #1 hunting GPS App, onX tracks your route and adds property boundaries and way-points to GPS/Satellite maps. OnX is a important tool for hunters, helping them find game more efficiently.
If you want a solid, reliable, American-made defensive shotgun, look no further. Locked & Loaded Ltd. has the 12ga Winchester SXP Defender FDE (flat dark earth color) scattergun on sale now for just $279.99. NOTE: you must add the Winchester SXP shotgun to the online cart to see the $279.99 fully-discounted price (see right).
⏺ Sophisticated, sturdy, versatile gun vise great for many tasks
Having a stable rifle vise is critical for doing any kind of work, especially mounting optics. One of our favorites is the Tipton Ultra Vise . It features different modules that can be quickly moved, rearranged or removed anywhere along the rail. Leveling feet are situated on all corners making leveling easier, and dual clamp technology rigidly holds any gun shape into place. NOTE: This package includes a FREE Wheeler Scope Leveling System.
The Tipton Ultra Gun Vise’s modular, interchangeable design can hold nearly any type of long gun. Ball and socket articulating clamp pads adapt to any surface. The front and rear clamps are both height and length adjustable with fast-turn knobs for quick clamping.
8. Amazon — Frankford Arsenal Hand Deprimer Tool, $29.79
⏺ Deprime fired cartridge brass anywhere — no press needed
Decapping brass can be a tedious, time-consuming, and messy chore. Simplify the task (and avoid messing up your reloading area) with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Hand Deprimer Tool. This device lets you remove spent primers anywhere — no press needed and all the mess (cups/anvils/residue) stays in the capture chamber. You can deprime cases while watching TV. This tool features a Universal Collet that works with all case types. With good leverage, this tool is easy on the hands too.
9. Amazon — Jialitte Scope Bubble Level, $9.99
⏺ Effective and affordable — works for both 30mm and 1″ tubes
All serious rifle shooters need a scope level. This nicely-designed Jialitte Scope Bubble Level features a 30mm milled inside diameter, plus an inner insert ring so it will also fit 1″-diameter main tubes. That dual-diameter versatility is great. We also like the way the unit is nicely radiused, and has a low profile in the middle. Price is just $9.99 with free shipping. User reviews have been very positive. You could easily pay $30.00 or more for a 30mm scope level.
10. Amazon — Motion-Sensor LED Interior Light, $12.99
⏺ Activates when door opens, Rechargeable, 3 LED Light Levels
Here’s a great accessory for your Gun Safe or closet. This rechargeable LED Lamp turns itself on when you open the door, and then turns itself off when you close the door. With the supplied 3M adhesive magnetic strip you can easily attach the light to the inner walls of your gun safe. The unit can be quickly charged with a standard USB cord (no batteries to replace!). It works, it’s handy, and it’s inexpensive — just $12.99 on Amazon. These motion-sensor LED lamps can also be used in stairwells.
* To order a customized Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm CDS riflescope, provide the company with the specific ballistics you want in your turrets. The company will then create a custom turret system that works with your rifle system. Simply range your target, dial for the distance, and nail it in one perfect shot.
The Lee Hand Press Kit comes complete with: Breech Lock Hand Press, Ram Primer fittings, Powder Funnel, Case Lube, and one Breech Lock Quick Change Bushing.
The Lee Breech Lock Hand Press is a useful addition to any reloader’s tool collection. This Hand Press allows you to resize brass or seat bullets while at the range or away from your loading room. No it won’t replace your Co-Ax or Rockchucker, but this is a handy piece of gear. And it’s very affordable. Midsouth sells the Lee Breech Lock Hand Press Kit, with everything shown above, for $64.52. Or you can buy just the Hand Press by itself for $49.91 at Amazon. That’s a great deal.
Lee Hand Press Quick-Change Die Functionality
This Lee Press includes the Breech Lock Quick-Change Die Feature, so you can instantly change dies with just a twist of the wrist. One Breech Lock Quick Change Bushing is included. The Breech Lock Hand Press is light and compact. It tips the scale at a mere 1 3/4 pounds and overall product length is 11.5″. Note: the maximum overall length cartridge the Lee Hand Press can accept is 3.650 inches.
While we don’t recommend the Hand Press for major full-length sizing chores, it does a good job seating bullets. This makes it a handy “field expedient” tool when doing load development at the range. For example you can experiment with seating depth by loading a batch of cartridges at home with the bullets deliberately seated long. Then, at the range, you can re-seat the bullets progressively shorter (in a series of rounds), until you find the optimal Cartridge OAL.
Lee’s Hand Press is also great for decapping operations. One verified buyer reports: “I mostly use it for decapping while watching TV, with a universal decapper die. Of course it is also useful for other operations. I wouldn’t love sizing large rifle cases with it, but if you’ve prepped your cases on a bigger press you could comfortably take it to the range for load development, one round at a time, working right there at the line instead of making a bunch of loads at home that you’ll have to disassemble later. It’s smaller and more lightweight than it looks[.]”
Using Hand Press to Load at the Range
To learn more about using the Lee Hand Press in the field with a compact scale, read Reloading Without a Bench on GunsAmerica.com. Author Christopher Mace explains: “whether you want a better way to do load development, the capability to reload out of your ‘bugout bag’, or you’re short of space but wanting to get into reloading, the Lee Loaders and the Lee Hand Press offer you some options.”
Here’s something all shooters need — a smartphone App that calculates bullet-hole group sizes from your own photos. The Ballistic-X App is simple to use. Take a photo of your target, set some values (such as bullet diameter and distance to target), then use the touchscreen to place circles around each hole. The App will calculate group size (in MOA or Mils), distance to point of aim, and provide all the info in an overlay. Then click “save” to record your group for posterity!
This App works well, is relatively easy to set-up, and costs just $7.99. It is available for both Android devices and iOS (Apple) devices. There are other ways to measure group sizes from target images, such as the excellent On-Target program, which we have used for years. However On-Target requires a software installation on a Windows platform desktop or laptop. Ballistic-X is a simple, easy-to-install App with versions for both Android and iOS (Apple) Mobile devices.
The Ballistic-X App has a relatively easy-to-use interface. Of course you can choose either MOA or Milrad group values, and Inch or Metric dimensions. There are various labeling options that provide useful info for Load Development. There is even an ATZ (Adjustment To Zero) feature for adjusting your turrets.
How to Use Ballistic-X App
1. Select Photo Source — Choose Camera to take new photo or get image from Photo Library.
2. Set Reference Values — Select Bullet Diameter and enter Distance to Target.
3. Establish Scale on Image — Mark two points on target photo to set scale. For example, if the target has a 1″-square grid lines, mark two points on grid for 1″ distance.
4. Mark Point Of Aim — Put the central X on the aim point.
5. Designate Shot Locations — Place the green circles around each shot.
6. Finalize Data Display — Position Overlay, select size/color options, and export file.
Android Options — Range Buddy FREE App
Along with Ballistic-X, there is another Mobile App, Range Buddy, that also measures shot groups. Range Buddy is currently offered for Android devices only. It is FREE, but has adverts. Range Buddy isn’t bad, but users complained about the program crashing, and there are compatibility issues with newer phones. We recommend you pay $7.99 and stick with Ballistic-X.
Here’s something you don’t see every day — the inside of loaded cartridges, sliced halfway through. This lets you see how bullet core, jacket, cartridge case, powder, and primer all fit together. Give credit to the folks at FOG Ammunition for creating this interesting series of cut-through ammo images. We show four cartridges here: the .308 Winchester, 9mm Luger, 300 BLK, and .50 BMG. You’ll find two more (the .223 Remington and .45 ACP) at www.FogAmmo.com.
This .308 Winchester model took on a different approach by only cutting the brass case and displaying the full bullet, primer and powder load. A spec amount of powder was used to create the model powder form. An estimated 10% volume was added during the forming process, along with an undetermined amount of air pockets.
This bisection is a 9mm Luger Jacketed Hollow Point round with flake powder held together with super glue. After this self-defense round was cut by a trained professional the round was polished by hand. This might look like stick powder, but those are in fact flakes stacked up in cross-section. Designed in 1901 by Georg Luger, this popular cartridge is used by civilians, military, and law enforcement.
For this model of the .300 AAC Blackout (aka 300 BLK), a Dremel tool was used to create a pie cut within the bullet and brass case. A measured amount of power, roughly 65% of spec charge, was placed inside the case with super glue. This cartridge was originally optimized for subsonic use with a suppressor, so the amount of powder used is small relative to the nominal case capacity. That leaves more room for the relatively large .30-caliber bullet.
Last but definitely not least is the .50 Caliber BMG round (aka .50 Browning Machine Gun). Famed for its wartime use in the M2 Machine gun, the .50 BMG round is also used in civilian Long Range competitions. A typical .50 BMG cartridge holds over 225 grains of powder. That’s almost ten times the amount in a 5.56×45 NATO Round! To demonstrate the size of the .50 BMG, check out that .223 Rem for comparison.
Can you form a wildcat cartridge such as the 6 Dasher without expending primer, powders, and bullets? Absolutely. Using the hydro-forming method you can form improved cases in your workshop with no firing whatsoever, so there is no wear on your precious barrel. Watch this video to see how it’s done:
6 Dasher Case Hydro-Forming Demonstration:
Forum member Wes J. (aka P1ZombieKiller) has produced a helpful video showing how to form Dasher cases use the Hornady Hydraulic forming die kit. This includes a two-part die (body and piston), and a special shell holder. To form the case, you insert a primer in your virgin brass, top the case off with with a fluid (water or alcohol), then run the case up into the Hydro-forming die. A few stout whacks with a hammer and your case is 95% formed.
This same procedure can be accomplished with a Whidden Gunworks 6mm Dasher hydraulic form die. We like the Whidden hydro-forming die for its production quality and consistent results. This Whidden system works great according to our Forum members.
Hydro-Forming Procedure Step-by-Step:
1. Insert spent primer in new 6mmBR brass case.
2. Fill with water or alcohol (Wes prefers alcohol).
3. Wipe excess fluid off case.
4. Place case in special Hornady shell-holder (no primer hole).
5. Run case up into Hydraulic forming die.
6. Smack top piston of forming die 3-4 times with rubber mallet or dead-blow hammer.
7. Inspect case, re-fill and repeat if necessary.
8. Drain alcohol (or water) into container.
9. Remove primer (and save for re-use).
10. Blow-dry formed case. Inspect and measure formed case.
Wes achieves very uniform cartridge OALs with this method. He measured ten (10) hydro-formed 6 Dasher cases and got these results: two @ 1.536″; 2 @ 1.537″; and 6 @ 1.538″.
Three or Four Whacks Produces a 95%-Formed Case
With a Whidden or Hornady hydro-forming die, hydraulic pressure does the job of blowing out the shoulders of your improved case. The process is relatively simple. Place a spent primer in the bottom of a new piece of brass. Fill the case with water, and then slip it into a special Hornady shell-holder with no hole in the middle. Then you run the case up into the forming die. Now comes the fun part. You gently insert a plunger (hydraulic ram) from the top, and give it three or four stiff whacks with a mallet (or better yet, a dead-blow hammer). Remove the plunger and you have a 95% formed case, ready to load.
Special Shell-Holder
Hornady supplies a shell holder made specifically for the hydro die; there’s no hole in the bottom of it. Just insert a spent primer into the primer pocket and you’re ready to go. The spent primer, combined with the solid shell holder, keeps the water from seeping out of the primer pocket. The primer pushes out a little bit during this process, but it’s impossible for it to come out because of the way the shell holder is designed. The shell holder has a grove which allows the case to slide out of the shell holder even when the primer protrudes a bit.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Sportsman’s Warehouse — FREE Shotgun with AR15
⏺ Get FREE 12ga shotgun with purchase of F1 Firearms AR-15
Get two guns for the price of one. Buy a F1 Firearms FDR AR-15 for $899.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse and get a FREE Citadel Boss Hog 12ga Shotgun. That’s right — you get the Shotgun for FREE! The FDR AR-15 is chambered for the .223 Wylde chambering favored by match shooters (you can still shoot .223 Rem in the Wylde chamber). It has a M-LOK free-float handguard over 16″ barrel with fitted A2 flash hider.
2. Bruno Shooters Supply — Bartlein Match Barrels in Stock
⏺ Top-quality barrels, many calibers, avoid months of waiting
You’ll typically wait months to get a quality custom barrel from a top barrel-maker such as Bartlein. However, Bruno’s now has a good selection of Bartlein barrels in stock. You’ll find a variety of calibers, lengths, and contours. But act soon — we expect these to sell out fast.
3. Creedmoor Sports — Trieble Reloading Dies
⏺ Very high quality precision dies from Germany
If you’re looking to produce more precise handloads, then consider upgrading your dies. New to the market are Triebel dies that feature incredible tolerances, are available for a wide variety of cartridges, and are machined from the highest-grade materials.
4. KYGUNCO — Remington .223 Rem Ammo, $569.99/1000
⏺ Exceptional deal — just $0.57/round or $11.40/20 rounds
If you want American-made, name-brand .223 Rem ammo, you can’t beat this deal. Get 1000 .223 Rem rounds for $569.99 with this Remington bulk pack with 55gr FMJ bullets. That works out to just $0.57 per round — HALF what you might pay for other .223 Rem ammo.
5. MidwayUSA — Lee App Deluxe Press, $74.06
⏺ Unique Lee APP vertical feed press good for repetitive processes
Need a dedicated press for repetitive processes such as decapping (spent primer removal) or primer pocket swaging, but don’t want another heavy (and expensive) cast-iron press? Then consider the innovative Lee Deluxe APP (Automatic Processing Press) Reloading Press. With the ability to mount your dies either on the top or bottom, this press offers unique versatility. On sale at MidwayUSA for $74.06, the LEE Deluxe APP also offers a vertical feed function for cases or bullets. This is a great little workhorse for the $74.06 price. NOTE: Press does NOT include raised mount.
6. EuroOptic — SIG Sauer Optics on Sale
⏺ Quality scopes, Red Dots on Sale — Save up to $160
Currently EuroOptic is running a SIG Sauer Optics Sale . You’ll find Tango4 and Whiskey3 scopes on sale along with a variety of Red Dot (reflex) sight systems, including the Romeo5/Juliet3 combo red dot plus magnifier that is great for tactical rifles.
7. Amazon — Double Rifle Case with Shoulder Straps, $56.99
⏺ Versatile, 2-rifle case with comfortable shoulder straps
Here’s a good, affordable case for transporting ARs or tactical rifles. This case hauls two rifles in separate, well-padded compartments. Strong shoulder straps support the weight. For less than $70 you can choose either the 38″ or 42″ Double Rifle Soft Cases in one of several colors. This is a great way to protect two rifles during transport while carrying extra gear in the three outside pockets.
8. Midsouth — Tac-Pod Carbon Pro Bipod, $54.99
⏺ Nice light-weight bipod with versions for Picatinny and M-LOK Rails
If you’re looking for a new lightweight but strong bipod, check out the TruGlo Tac-Pod Carbon Pro Bipod series. These are versatile, with 6-9″ and 9-13″ leg size choices. Choose the Tac-Pod model with your preferred mounting option(s) — Swivel Stud, Picatinny Rail, and M-LOK/KMOD. Right now save $15 with this sale.
9. Amazon — KRATE AR500 Steel Targets, $17.99 and Up
⏺ Tough AR500 steel gongs, excellent user reviews, lifetime warranty
KRATE offers quality, durable AR500 steel targets, starting at just $17.99 for a 4″ Gong. KRATE AR500 targets have a lifetime warranty, and have earned good user reviews. These Tactical AR500 Steel Gongs are 3/8″ thick and come in various sizes set up for hanging chains (sold separately). And get this, right now if you spend at least $25, your Gongs ship for FREE! Along with Gong targets, KRATE also sells AR500 steel silhouette targets through Amazon.
10. Palmetto State Armory — CCI 40gr .22 LR 500 Rds, $54.99
⏺ Excellent price on quality ammo — just $5.50 for 50 rounds
Here’s good, USA-made .22 LR rimfire ammo good for plinking and rimfire tactical games. On sale this week at PSA, this CCI .22 LR Std. Velocity 40gr ammo is just $54.99 for 500 rounds. That works out to just 11 cents per round. That’s hard to beat these days for big-brand .22 LR ammo.
Ever wanted to see how Nosler bullets and cartridges are made? Here’s your opportunity. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) has produced a video (“Quality First”) that offers a behind-the-scenes look inside Nosler’s Oregon factory that produces bullets, brass, and ammunition.
Video Showcases Nosler Production Facility and Ballistics Lab
RMEF representatives were provided with unprecedented access into Nosler’s famously-guarded manufacturing plant to show the technology used by Nosler to produce bullets and ammunition. The “Quality First” video showcases Nosler’s complex production processes that include technologically advanced machinery, and stringent quality control measures.
After the intro, this video illustrates Nosler’s bullet construction techniques with a cool animation sequence. The video then showcases the Nosler ballistics lab, inspection room, and packaging line.
The “Quality First” video starts with the history of the company, tracking Nosler’s development from the 1940s. Then the video shows the bullet construction techniques followed by a ‘walk-though’ in the factory, showing the sophisticated machinery used to make bullets, brass, and ammunition. “‘Quality First’ isn’t just a saying that’s printed on our factory walls, it’s the guiding principle that affects every decision we make” says Mason Payer, Senior Marketing Manager at Nosler.
Nosler has completely upgraded its Nosler.com website that provides Nosler product information, online shopping, and customer service. The redesigned Nosler.com site now boasts improved e-Commerce functionality. This should allow faster order processing and shipping, and allow customers to get real-time order status, plus up-to-date tracking information.
Better Search and More Detailed Product INFO
On the updated Nosler website, navigation is easier, and the search function is improved, allowing customers to search Nosler products by name, product line, cartridge, caliber, activity, and several other parameters. The updated product listings have more detailed specifications. For example the site now includes velocity, energy AND drop charts for all Nosler ammunition products.
Information Resources — Load Data and Nosler Blog
The enhanced Nosler website also features comprehensive LOAD DATA, plus informative content in the Nosler Blog. The Load Data page works well on smartphones. Go to the Load Data Index Page, then simply scroll down to a caliber. Then select your cartridge type and bullet weight(s). The rifle listings are quite comprehensive, covering .17 caliber up to .458 caliber. Here is a data example for the 6mm Creedmoor with popular 105-107gr bullets:
About Nosler and Support for Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation
Founded in 1948, Nosler, Inc. is a family-owned company located in Bend, Oregon. Nosler is most known for hunting bullets such as the Partition®, Ballistic Tip®, AccuBond®, E-Tip® and most recently the AccuBond® LR and RDF. Nosler manufactures premium component bullets, reloading brass, ammunition and semi-custom rifles for domestic and international customers.
A long-time proponent of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Nosler donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of five Partition bullets to benefit RMEF’s mission and recently added proceeds from Trophy Grade® and Expansion Tip™ ammunition to increase support.
Video find by ELR Researcher. We welcome reader submissions.
Want to improve your understanding of Ballistics, Bullet Design, Bullet Pointing, and other shooting-related tech topics? Well here’s a treasure trove of gun expertise. Applied Ballistics offers dozens of FREE tech articles on its website. Curious about Coriolis? — You’ll find answers. Want to understand the difference between G1 and G7 BC? — There’s an article about that.
“Doc” Beech, technical support specialist at Applied Ballistics says these articles can help shooters working with ballistics programs: “One of the biggest issues I have seen is the misunderstanding… about a bullet’s ballistic coefficient (BC) and what it really means. Several papers on ballistic coefficient are available for shooters to review on the website.”
Credit Shooting Sports USA Editor John Parker for finding this great resource. John writes: “Our friends at Applied Ballistics have a real gold mine of articles on the science of accurate shooting on their website. This is a fantastic source for precision shooting information[.] Topics presented are wide-ranging — from ballistic coefficients to bullet analysis.”
Here are six (6) of our favorite Applied Ballistics articles, available for FREE to read online. There are dozens more, all available on the Applied Ballistics Education Webpage. After Clicking link, select Plus (+) Symbol for “White Papers”, then find the article(s) you want in the list. For each selection, then click “Download” in the right column. This will send a PDF version to your device.
The Biden State Department has banned imports of Russian-made firearms and ammunition. Russian firearms and ammo importation will be blocked for a minimum of 12 months starting September 7, 2021. The State Department Notice states:
New sanctions imposed today under the CBW Act include:
Restrictions on the permanent imports of certain Russian firearms. New and pending permit applications for the permanent importation of firearms and ammunition manufactured or located in Russia will be subject to a policy of denial.
Action Will Harm U.S. Firearms Owners
The Gun Owners of America (GOA) criticized the action, stating it will NOT achieve its stated purpose, but will only harm American hunters, shooters, and gun owners:
“It is clear to us that the intention is not to harm Russia but rather to hinder the acquisition of firearms and ammunition by American citizens.
Once again, the Biden Administration’s actions are misplaced. Ending imports by licensed importers will not stop drug dealers, murderers, and other assorted street criminals. It will, however, harm legitimate U.S. businesses while driving up the cost of other ammunition due to more buyers chasing a smaller supply.
We recognize the devastating implications these sanctions would have on individual gun owners amidst a national ammunition shortage. We are currently exploring administrative, congressional, and legal avenues to respond to these new sanctions.”
Ammo Shortages Will Worsen Dean Weingarten cautions that the new ban will lead to more ammo shortages:
“This is the second round of sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States over the Aleksey Navalny incident. The first round of sanctions did not ban the importation of Russian ammunition or firearms.
It is unclear how long supplies in the pipeline will last. The announcement is likely to rekindle the ammunition bubble for calibers commonly imported from Russia, such as 7.62×54, 7.62×39, 5.45×39, 5.56×45, and even match grade .22 ammunition.”
Size Matters
Lee Hand Press Quick-Change Die Functionality
Hydro-Forming Procedure Step-by-Step:
Special Shell-Holder
