RCBS has released a special, limited-edition red, white and blue version of its popular Summit press to celebrate 10 years of the unique, small-footprint Summit. We have used RCBS Summit presses extensively and they has performed great, both in the shop and at the range. One of our testers even adapted his green Summit press to fit to a trailer hitch (see end of article).
The Summit single-stage reloading press has a cast iron frame surrounding a polished steel ram for smooth operation. The Summit’s unique C-Frame design allows it to be mounted virtually anywhere on your bench while being easily manipulated by both right- and left-handed users. With a 4.5″ opening, you have great full frontal access to your cases as there is no frame to obstruct your hands. Plus the Summit can be placed anywhere on your bench as there is no linkage below the press. And the shell-holder is stationary on the base making visual confirmation of powder charge level easy.
The Summit Press works with standard 7/8″-14 threaded dies, or 1-1/4″-12 with the reducing bushing removed. The ambidextrous design allows easy use by both right and left-handed loaders and the zero fitting ensures you can keep the press lubricated with your favorite lubricant.
Only 1,000 units of the Summit single-stage press will be made in the special red, white and blue Freedom Camo finish, making this 10th-anniversary run of presses instantly identifiable. The 10th Anniversary Summit Press comes with the short handle and features a tri-color Freedom Camo die plate. “The Summit Press has been a staple in our assortment for a decade,” said Justin Smith, RCBS Product Manager. “We wanted to do something special to mark 10 years of the Summit Press, and we thought making a red, white and blue Freedom Camo version … would be a fun way to do it.”
Like its classic green older brother, the 10th Anniversary Summit press readily accepts standard 7/8″-14 threaded dies for a wide range of cartridges, as well as 1-1/4″-12 threaded dies with the reducing bushing removed. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Summit Press, including the special 10th Anniversary edition. Currently you can order direct from RCBS for $379.99, but we expect other vendors to offer this 10th Anniversary Summit for considerably less.
RCBS Summit Mounted on Trailer Hitch For Loading Anywhere — No Bench Required
SUMMARY: Powder can have a very long shelf life. You need to watch for changes in smell and color. A reddish tinge, almost like rust on the powder, is a bad sign, as is a foul odor, not to be confused with a normal chemical smell. Either of these signs indicate it is time to dispose of your powder by means other than shooting.
Ever wondered about the stability of the propellants in your reloading room? There are some important things you should know about powder storage, to ensure consistent powder performance and safety. Western Powders (which has been acquired by Hodgdon) published an informative Q & A series entitled Dear Labby: Questions for our Ballistics Lab . Here are some excerpts that pertain to powder storage and shelf life. Worried that your powder may be too old? Western’s experts explain how to check your propellants for warning signs.
Proper Powder Storage
Q: I live in southern Arizona where it is very hot. I am told powders will become unstable if stored in an area not air-conditioned. My wife says no powder or primers in the house. Can powder be stored in a refrigerator? What about using a fireproof safe? I would appreciate your ideas. — M.C.
Lab Answer: SAAMI guidelines are pretty clear on issues of storage. They recommend storing smokeless powder in containers that will not allow pressure to build if the powder is ignited — ruling out gun safes and refrigerators.
In their original containers, the lifespan of smokeless powders is quite long, even in hot, arid climates. In fact the lifespan is typically longer than the average handloader would need to store them. Stored safely in a garage or outbuilding, your powder should last years. If you see the powder developing a reddish tint, or giving off a foul odor, it is time to discard it.
Clumps in Powder Container
Q: I ordered some of your Accurate 1680 powder back about in December. I just now opened it … and it is full of clumps. My knowledge tells me that means moisture. Am I wrong? I just now broke the seal and it has been stored in a ammo can with desiccant packs around it and a dehumidifier running 14-16 hours a day. I can’t imagine this being my fault, if this does indicate moisture. I don’t know if the pink part on the label is suppose to be red or not, but it is definitely pink, so if it was red I am wondering if I was shipped an old container? I hope that this isn’t bad and I am stuck with it…
Lab Answer: All powder contains a certain amount of moisture. When the powder is stored or during shipping, it can go through temperature cycles. During the cycling, the moisture can be pulled to the surface and cause clumping. Clumping can also be caused by static electricity if too dry or the powder has limited graphite content. You can break up the clumps before metering and they shouldn’t be a problem. This will not affect the powder performance, so your product is fine. Accurate 1680 labels are designed in Pink. As a side note, specification for testing powder is at 70° F and 60% humidity.
Shelf Life and Packaging Dates
Q: Does powder ever get to old to use and what identifying marks does your company put on the canister for when it is made, You have helped me out a while ago when I asked about keeping my cowboy shooting under 950 fps and it works great less stress on the hand and the recoil is very minimum. — R.B.
Lab Answer: On one pound bottles, the number is on the corner in a silver box. If the powder was poured today, it would read 012815 followed by a lot number. The whole number would look something like 012815749. Eight pound bottles have a sticker on the bottom with an obvious date code. The lot number appears above the date.
For many years, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) regularly published reloading “how-to” articles on the USAMU Facebook page. In this article, the USAMU’s reloading gurus address a question frequently asked by prospective handloaders: “Should I buy a single-stage press, or a progressive?” The USAMU says the best answer is Solomon-esque in both its wisdom and simplicity: “Get BOTH!” However, there is definitely more to the issue, as the USAMU explains below.
Progressive Press Safety Considerations
by USAMU Staff
Many are the beginning handloaders who have asked a friend about their “setting up” a progressive press for them. The idea is that the newbie could then just feed in components and crank out buckets of practice ammo without needing to really learn much about handloading. Tempting though this might be, that’s simply not how it works. Such an approach might be ok if there were never a malfunction with either press or operator, but that’s unrealistic. Our hypothetical newbie would then lack the knowledge to problem-solve most situations.
Worse yet, several different handloading operations would be occurring at different stations on the progressive press at the same time. It takes an experienced operator to keep track of, and truly understand the significance of, all those potential mini-problems. Loading without this experience is a recipe for potential disaster – such as a double powder charge (especially with pistol cartridges) dropped while the loader was attending to some other function, etc. Progressives are an animal unto themselves, and while they offer many benefits, they do take some getting used to – even by experienced handloaders!
ILLUSTRATIVE HORROR STORY
Here, enter a 40-year veteran handloader who decided to jump onto the progressive bandwagon late in his career, having used only single-stage presses all his life. A High Master NRA High Power Rifle competitor, he had no background in competitive pistol shooting, where historically most progressive presses are found.
Experienced Action Pistol shooters have typically encountered multiple episodes in which shooters “skipped” a powder charge for some reason, leading to a squib round and a bullet possibly lodged in the bore. Thus, at matches, it’s reflexive for them to yell “STOP!” in unison if they see a shooter get a “click” vs. a “bang”, and rack the slide to keep firing. This writer has personally seen several pistols saved in just such scenarios over the years.
Click No Bang — What NOT to Do
Our High Master set up a popular progressive press and began turning out .223 Rem 100-yard practice ammo with abandon. He was using a moly-coated 52gr match bullet and an economical, fast-burning surplus powder that gave great accuracy. Once on the range, he began practicing strings of rapid-fire. All was well, until he heard “Click!” rather than “Boom”.
Lacking the above experience or onlookers to halt him, he reflexively operated the charging handle on his expensive, custom NM AR15 Service Rifle, and the next trigger squeeze reportedly registered on seismographs over at least a three-state radius. He sat, uninjured but bewildered, until the hail of expensive bits and pieces quit raining down around him.
When the smoke cleared, he immediately cursed the horrid, evil, demonically-possessed progressive press for this, his first-ever reloading mishap. His $1400 NM upper was ruined, but thankfully, his $800 pre-ban lower… and he had escaped injury.
This tale is told not to discourage the use of progressive presses, but to emphasize the need to EASILY and IMMEDIATELY KNOW what is happening with the press at each station, every time the handle is cranked. Not to do so is, as they say, “bad ju-ju.”
It illustrates why we at the USAMU Handloading Shop agree in recommending that new handloaders should begin with a single-stage press. Once one thoroughly learns the steps in each phase of handloading by repeated experience, then one will be qualified to move on to a progressive press.
The single-stage press will REMAIN virtually indispensable for one’s entire handloading career, even after having purchased a progressive press (or two). There are endless small projects that are best handled on a single-stage press, and a poll of USAMU’s Handloading staff reveals that not one would willingly be without his single-stage press, despite owning at least one progressive.
Here is a great winter project for readers with some wood-working skills. This is a wood rack that can hold a huge collection of sizing and seating dies. This was created by our old friend John Adams, one of our Forum’s very first members. Sadly, John passed away a decade ago. But we know he’d be pleased to see folks create a die rack like this.
John, a founder of IHMSA and a former owner of SAECO Tool Company, had a vast collection of dies and reloading tools. He had rifles of many different calibers so he needed a large selection of dies. While visiting John’s workshop, we were impressed with the wooden die rack he has constructed above his main reloading bench. This would be a great do-it-yourself project for your reloading room.
John’s Loading Die Rack is a simple flat plank of wood, about 3/4″ thick. It is mounted with wood side brackets to stand at eye-level above a tool chest. The Rack is set at about a 45° angle from vertical. This holds the dies securely, but they are still easy to move in and out of the rack. At the top rear is a flat section with a single row of dies mounted upright.
You can see that all the dies for a particular cartridge are arranged in a column, one above the other. The die sets’ respective cartridge types (e.g. 6 PPC, 6×47 Lapua, and 6XC) are marked with highly visible labels made with a label-printing machine. John also placed labels on many of the dies themselves.
Vintage RCBS Die Rack
Below is an older, metal die rack. These were once manufactured by RCBS, but they are no longer sold. John Adams managed to snag a couple from RCBS years ago. The design is handy, but you can achieve the same results with a home-made wood block (perhaps that’s why RCBS discontinued its metal rack).
Quick Access vs. the Rust Factor
WARNING: While it is handy to keep your dies in a rack, this leaves them exposed to the elements. If you reload in a basement or garage where it gets cold and damp, your dies will rust much more quickly out in the air than if they are kept enclosed in their original boxes, with a small desiccant pack. Always keep a thin layer of oil or corrosion blocker on your dies. We recommend Eezox or Corrosion-X for that task.
Thousands of new products will be on display at SHOT Show 2024, the major gun industry trade show held each January in Las Vegas. The official SHOT Show Product Planner offers a “sneak peak” at 255 new-for-2024 products for hunters and shooters. More will come in the weeks ahead. Here are eight interesting new products for gun owners and reloaders. Since these are all recently-released items, we haven’t been able to test them yet. Product profiles are based on descriptions provided by the manufacturers. We will run a separate feature on new pistols and rifles that will debut in 2024.
For the gun owner with multiple firearms, the Sportsman’s Range Box is the gun cleaning kit that has it all — and more. This universal gun cleaning kit provides all the necessary equipment for proper Breech-to-Muzzle® cleaning. It cleans all rifles, pistols, shotguns and inline muzzleloaders. This cleaning kit also features the B.O.N.E.® Tool which makes cleaning the bolt carrier assembly of MSR/AR style rifles a breeze, and Shooter’s Choice chemicals (0.5 oz and 4 oz bottle of FP-10 Lubricant Elite®, plus 10cc grease). Inside the Range Box are over 60 components including support brackets so the box can serve as a gun vise to hold your long guns while cleaning.
The Grippy Universal Cheekrest is a lightweight, adjustable cheekrest system that allows up to four levels of height adjustment from 0.35″ to 1.25″. The Grippy Universal Cheekrest comes with two stackable spacers which fit most scope setups but you can use up to four spacers to get the exact height you need. The product includes two plugs to cover up 2x screw heads on top of Grippy Cheekrest cap. If your stock is 1.45″ wide or less, this should fit your stock. This product is designed to fit many stock types: TITAN22 1022 Stock, Hogue 10-22 Overmolded Stock , Boyd’s Tacticool/Varmint Stocks, Bell & Carlson 10/22 Stock, Savage MkII OEM Stock, Savage B22 Stock, Tikka T3X OEM Stock, Manners CZ455 Stock, Winchester OEM Stocks, HS Precision Rimfire, Remington 870 / 1100 Sporter Stocks and many more.
The idea and SKILI Gear’s new Ghost and Phantom pack designs came from Navy SEAL operators with real world experiences. There was a need to efficiently carry a sniper rifle plus gear in a multi-purpose backpack. Developed through six years of collaboration and multiple design improvements, this system has grown from an effective “bare bones” sniper bag to a completely customizable pack. Hunters and outdoorsmen can used these customizable bags for hunting, fishing, or EDC. Whatever lifestyle you are pursuing, the Ghost or Phantom pack can adapt to your needs.
The Prime Vibe is an electric vibratory bowl primer tube filler. This patent-pending device handles both small and large primers. The system permits you to fill primer tubes faster and more reliably. A controller unit allows you to set the frequency and run time for perfect results with any primer brand. There is a set-and-forget feature with an adjustable auto-shutoff timer. The product includes Small and large primer conversions and tubes included, plus a quick-release Safety Shield. The Prime Vibe machine is compatible with other brand primer tubes. Price: $219.00
Magna Lens eyewear features a patented magnetic connection that secures your eye protection directly to your earmuffs. This eiminates discomfort associated with traditional gear which press eyewear frames against the head. The design also preserves the NRR of your earmuffs by 2 to 10 dB compared to users who wear eyewear under earmuff pads. The high-performance 2.9mm thick lenses provide exceptional optical performance and blast resistance. Magna Lens eyewear can be used with almost any brand of earmuffs. The patented magnetic design literally gives you THE most comfortable way to wear earmuffs with eye protection. This system should prove to be a game-changer for shooters with increase comfort. Price: $150.00
The Live Stream Pro Camera is a new trail cam with variable resolution and live streaming capability. Key camera features are:
•32MP/24MP/16MP/8MP/5MP Image Resolution
•1440P/1080P/720P/WVGA Video
•Fast video triggering＜0.6s
•4G LTE High Speed; Live video monitoring/surveillance
•Live stream monitoring
•PIR Detection + Smart motion tracking
•H.264 compressor, greatly reduce the video size
•Cloud Platform with Free APP (Android & iOS)
•2.4″ Color LCD
•SD Card support 2GB-128GB
The GPS shotgun buttstock with patented recoil system was invented by Sai Chiang through years of being a competitive shotgun shooter, and most importantly, listening closely to what shooters want of their shotgun stocks. Through years of development, we created an innovative shotgun stock that can custom fit 99.9% of shooters requirements. Also, the custom hand molded grip design increases the comfort and ergonomic control during target acquisition and firing of the shotgun. This stock offers pneumatic recoil reduction technology, delivering softer and faster recoil reduction without compromising power or performance. The system boasts the world’s largest air chamber, effectively reducing recoil. Six available grip sizes ensure optimal comfort and fit.
Simplify your inventory and reduce costs with the Paradigm Universal Holster by G-Code. Designed using cutting-edge overlay technology, this versatile holster fits almost any weapon and is truly top of its class. The Paradigm holster is durable, ambidextrous, and can be worn in or outside the waistband. Priced at just $29.95 MSRP, it’s a smart, cost-effective choice for concealed or regular carry. The benefit for owners is being able to have a single holster that fits multiple handguns and can be worn in multiple ways.
Make Your Own Length-to-Lands Gauge to Check Bullet Position
Here’s a tip we feature every year or so, because it is something that costs nothing, yet can be very useful in the reloading process. With a simple, easy modification to a fired case, you can determine the length to lands in your rifle barrel. As long as you set the tension right, the measurements should be repeatable, and you’ve just saved yourself $43.93 — the combined cost of a Hornady C-1000 commercial OAL gauge ($37.99) and Modified Case ($5.94).
To achieve best accuracy with a rifle, you must control bullet seating depth very precisely, so all bullets end up in the same place relative to the entrance of the lands, every time. There may be multiple cartridge OALs which prove accurate. However, with each, you first need to determine a “zero” point — a reliable, and repeatable OAL where the bullet is “just touching” the lands.
There are tools, such as the Hornady (formerly Stoney Point) OAL Gauge, that will help you find a seating OAL just touching the lands. However, the tool requires that you use a special modified case for each cartridge you shoot. And, while we find that the Hornady OAL Gauge is repeatable, it does take some practice to get in right.
Make Your Own Length-to-Lands Gauge with a Dremel
Here’s an inexpensive alternative to the Hornady OAL tool — a slotted case. Forum member Andris Silins explais how to create a slotted case to measure length to the lands in your rifle:
“Here’s what I did to find length to lands for seating my bullets. I made four cuts into the neck of fire-formed brass. Then I pressed the bullet in lightly and chambered the entire gauge. As the cartridge chambers, the bullet slides back into the case to give you length to lands. It took less than five minutes to get it cut and working. A little light oil in the barrel just past the chamber helps ensure the bullet does not get stuck in the lands. It works great and is very accurate.
How to Adjust Tension — Length and Number of Neck Cuts
I made the cuts using a Dremel with a cut-off wheel. You can adjust tension two ways. First, you can make the cuts longer or shorter. Longer cuts = less tension. If you used only three cuts instead of four you would get more tension. The trick is to be gentle when you open and close the bolt. If you ram the bolt closed you may wedge the bullet into the lands. When you open the bolt it helps to keep a finger or two near by to guide the case out straight because the ejector wants to push it sideways.”
Want to upgrade your reloading equipment with significantly discounted presses and tools? Or maybe you need a last-minute Xmas gift for a shooting buddy. We found some cool bargains on equipment and accessories plus a great .22 LR ammo deal. Typically there are 14-30% savings on these gift selections, but some are discounted much more. That will help your holiday dollars stretch farther this year.
10 GREAT HOLIDAY Season Bargains for Shooters and Reloaders
CLICK each photo to access product sale page.
BONUS — More Gift Ideas for Gun Aficionados
If you want more suggestions for affordable gifts for your shooting buddies or family members who enjoy hunting and target shooting, here is a video that can provide some inspiration for the holidays:
Forum member Erik Cortina has produced a series of YouTube videos about reloading hardware and precision hand-loading. Here we feature Erik’s video review of the Forster Co-Ax® reloading press. The red-framed Co-Ax is unique in both design and operation. It boasts dual guide rods and a central handle. You don’t screw in dies — you slide the die lock ring into a slot. This allows dies to float during operation.
Erik does a good job of demonstrating the Co-Ax’s unique features. At 1:00 he shows how to slide the dies into the press. It’s slick and easy. At the two-minute mark, Erik shows how sliding jaws clasp the case rim (rather than a conventional shell-holder). The jaws close as the ram is raised, then open as it is lowered. This makes it easy to place and remove your cases.
At the 5:20 mark, Erik shows how spent primers run straight down into a capture cup. This smart system helps keep your press and bench area clean of primer debris and residues.
While many Co-Ax users prime their cases by hand, the Co-Ax can prime cases very reliably. The priming station is on top of the press. Erik demonstrates the priming operation starting at 4:20.
Smart Accessories for the Co-Ax from Inline Fabrications
Forum member Kevin Thomas also owns a Co-Ax press, which he has hot-rodded with accessories from Inline Fabrication. Kevin tells us: “Check out the add-ons available from Inline Fabrication for the Co-Ax. I recently picked up a riser mount and a set of linkages for mine and love the results. The linkages are curved. When you replace the original straight links with these, the work area opens up substantially and the the press becomes much easier to feed.” CLICK HERE for Co-Ax Accessories.
Inline Fabrications Forster Co-Ax Accessories
Forster Co-Ax Curved Side Linkage (For Better Access)
The Cartridge Comparison Guide is a remarkably comprehensive 340-page, spiral-bound book. Covering over 250 cartridges, the Second Edition of the Cartridge Comparison Guide is the product of many years of labor by Andrew Chamberlain, a Utah-based hunter. Andrew says his Guide “compares every factory available cartridge from the 17 calibers up to the 50 caliber cartridges”. (Sorry, most wildcat cartridges are not covered.) Chamberlain’s Guide also compiles cartridge data from major ammunition manufacturers such as Barnes, Federal, Hornady, Norma, Nosler, Remington, Sierra, Swift, Weatherby, and Winchester. It shows the optimal velocity achieved for each bullet weight and calculates bullet energy, recoil, and powder efficiency. Large color photos illustrate handgun and rifle cartridges.
The Cartridge Comparison Guide provides data for thousands of cartridge/bullet/velocity combos. Quick reference sheets and ballistics charts cover Trajectory, Velocity, and Energy out to 500 yards. The Cartridge Comparison Guide also offers a firearms lexicon, plus Appendices covering Cartridge Selection for Game Animals, Bullet Selection/Design, Bullet Expansion, and Wound Channel Characteristics.
New Content in Second Edition of Cartridge Comparison Guide
The Cartridge Comparison Guide (Second Edition) costs $39.99 plus shipping and tax. CLICK HERE to visit the Online Store where you can order the 340-page book. Here’s what’s new in the Second Edition:
Addition of Shotgun Ammunition (Both Slug and Shot loads).
Momentum Calculation for all Rifle, Shotgun and Handgun loads.
Integration of Shotgun Slug Ammunition with Center Fire Rifle Data Tables.
Factory Load Summary Added (Shows manufacturers and loads produced).
One factory load and one hand load for every bullet weight available in each cartridge.
Over 90 pages of additional ballistics content (roughly 35% more than in First Edition).
Great Resource for Hunters
One of Chamberlain’s main goals in creating the Cartridge Comparison Guide was to help hunters select the right cartridge for the job: “This started as a personal project to gather information on the more popular cartridges commonly used for hunting. I wanted to find the best all-around performing cartridge and rifle that a guy on a budget could shoot. I began comparing cartridge performance, versatility, bullet selection, powder efficiency, recoil generation vs. energy produced, standing ballistic data for different environments….”
Giant Cartridge Poster for Computer Wallpaper (1665×1080 pixels)
Here’s a great illustration of hundreds of cartridges and shotshell types. For dedicated reloaders, this would work great as desktop “wallpaper” for your computer. CLICK HERE for full-size image.
Bryan Litz and The Science of Accuracy Academy has done a Podcast with vital information for all handloaders. This Podcast examines the effects of humidity variances on powder. Bryan notes: “If you want to know how much this can matter, we’re talking up to 200 fps difference for the same load of H4350 in 6.5 Creedmoor” at opposite extremes of humidity.
Bryan adds that “Most shooters don’t realize what a big deal this can be — it overshadows many of our efforts to make consistent velocity and hit targets. This can happen in loaded rounds not just for hand loading where you expose powder to ambient humidity. This is especially important for hunters considering the range of environments hunting ammo goes through.”
$20 OFF The Science of Accuracy Academy Products
As a Holiday Season promotion, The Science of Accuracy Academy Store is offering $20 Off orders $100 or more, now through the end of 2023. Save on Bryan Litz’s six impressive books about Ballistics, Bullet Performance, and Long Range Shooting. The Berger Bullets Reloading Manual is also discounted. And there are Berger Bullets and reloading items on sale. Use Discount Code JOLLY23 for the $20 savings.
In addition you can get your own subscription to the Academy, allowing you to access all podcasts, exclusive videos, learning resources, and bullet data sheets.
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