Story by Boyd Allen
While many top competitive shooters trickle their stick powder charges to a kernel or two, that would be impractical when loading charges for giant naval guns. You may be surprised, but the shells fired by the U.S. Navy’s massive 14″ and 16″ naval guns were also propelled by stick-type extruded powders. You couldn’t trickle these ‘kernels’ though — a single stick or ‘grain’ can be over 2″ long.
The U.S.S. Iowa fires her massive 16″ main battery. The U.S. Navy’s Iowa-class battleships carried nine huge 16-inch Mark 7 cannons in three turrets. The big naval guns were 50 calibers long, i.e. 50 times bore diameter, making the barrels 66.7 feet long from chamber to muzzle.
In connection with a Benchrest Central discussion that drifted to the subject of powders used in large naval guns, I heard from Joe McNeil, whose father was involved in manufacturing those very propellants as a DuPont employee. Joe writes:
“My Dad worked for the DuPont company for over 40 years. Every time the nation went to war he was assigned to the gun powder plants which DuPont ran for the government for $1.00 per year! His last assignment was at the Indiana Ordnance Plant in Jefferson, Indiana from 1952 through 1958. He had a display case made of all of the different powders made at the plant and left it to me. That’s why I have a grain of 16″ gun powder. He took me out to the Jefferson proving grounds once when they tested the powder in a 16″ gun. We watched from a half-mile away but it left a lasting impression when they fired that gun. They actually had a set of rings they fired through to test the performance of the powder and shell. This was a truly fond memory of my Dad and his work.”
Here are some pictures of the gun powder “grains” made during the Korean War at the Indiana Ordnance Works where Joe McNeil’s father worked.
Above is the display case with the different powders manufactured at the DuPont plant. They include: 37 MM/AA, 75MM Pack Howitzer, 50 Cal. 5010, 20 MM 4831, 30 Cal. 4895, 76 MM, 3″, 5″, 90 MM, 4.7″, 240MM, 8″, 280 MM, 175 MM, 155 MM Howitzer, 155 MM Gun M.P., 8″ Gun M.P., 12″, 14, 16″. There are different-sized ‘grains’ for specific rounds.
16-inch/50-caliber gun projectile plus six propellant bags. Display mockup aboard U.S.S. Iowa (BB-61) in San Pedro, CA. Photo by James Madison per Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-4.0 license.
Here’s an inexpensive procedure that can help you load straighter ammo, with slightly better measured concentricity (i.e. less run-out) on the case necks and bullets. Simply use a Rubber O-Ring on the underside of the die locking ring. This allows the die to self-align itself (slightly) to the case that is being sized. Without the O-Ring, if the flat surface on the top of your press is not perfectly square with the thread axis, your die can end up slightly off-angle. This happens when the bottom of the locking ring butts up tight against the top of the press. The O-Ring allows the die to float slightly, and that may, in turn, reduce the amount of run-out induced during case sizing.
Top prone shooter GSArizona, who sadly passed in 2022, tried this trick and said it works: “Go to your local hardware store and get a #17 O-Ring (that’s the designation at Ace Hardware, don’t know if its universal). Slip the O-Ring on the die and re-adjust the lock ring so that the O-Ring is slightly compressed when the die is at the correct height. Size and measure a few more cases. You will probably see a slight improvement in neck concentricity as the die can now float a bit as the case enters and leaves it. This isn’t going to be a dramatic improvement, but it’s a positive one.”
We want to stress that adding O-Rings to sizing dies may help some reloaders, but we don’t offer this as a panacea. Try it — if using the O-Ring reduces measured runout that’s great. If it doesn’t, you’ve only spent a few pennies to experiment.
Lee Precision makes die lock rings with built-in O-Rings. Lee’s distinctive lock ring design allows the same kind of self-alignment, which is good. However, Lee lock rings don’t clamp in place on the die threads, so they can move when you insert or remove the dies — and that can throw off your die setting slightly. By using an O-Ring under a conventional die lock ring (that can be locked in place), you get the advantages of the Lee design, without the risk of the lock ring moving.
Rimfire .22 LR pistols are great training guns for both novice and seasoned shooters. The minimal recoil and reduced muzzle rise of .22 LR pistols makes them easy to handle, and fast to get back on target. This allows novices to build their basic pistol skills, and helps seasoned competitors upgrade their performance. Even experienced centerfire handgun shooters can improve their skills by cross-training with .22 LR pistols. We feature seven semi-auto pistol videos, with a bonus wheelgun video featuring the Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR Revolver.
Today’s Saturday Showcase features 7 videos covering a large selection of rimfire pistols. Along with these video reviews, serious shoppers should read some articles on the web. Pew Pew Tactical has a good online article that’s definitely worth reading: 9 Best .22 LR Handguns. As the author notes: “Every gun owner should own at least one .22 LR firearm. The ammo is ubiquitous, and affordable at around 5 cents a round.” And BackFire TV has published another good article covering eight popular .22 LR handguns.
Smith & Wesson Model 41 .22 LR Pistol Review
The S&W Model 41 is a classic American rimfire target pistol. Beautifully crafted, the Model 41 boasts a superb trigger, comfortable grip, and excellent accuracy. New or used, a Model 41 would be a fine addition to any firearms collection.
Browning Buck Mark Pistol Review
Taurus TX 22 Competition — Optics-Ready
The TaurusTX™ 22 Competition model is built on the same full-size polymer receiver as the Taurus TX 22 but has a newly engineered slide and barrel assembly designed to work with red dot optics. The Taurus TX 22 Competition features a “skeletonized” slide with a cutout between the ejection port to just behind the front sight. The mounting system allows the use of the following (but not limited to) sight models: Trijicon RMR, C-More STS 2, Vortex Venom, Doctor Noblex, Burris Fast Fire, Sightmark Mini, Holosun HS507C, Leupold Delta Point Pro.
Eight Popular .22 LR Pistols Reviewed
When initially shopping for a pistol, it’s wise to try a variety of guns from multiple manufacturers. You’ll want to try polymer vs. metal frame, iron sights vs. optics. And try to test-fire the pistols on the type of targets you’ll be using for competition and/or fun shooting. This helpful review video features eight (8) popular .22 LR pistols. In order of appearance these eight rimfire handguns are:
1. Browning Buck Mark Hunter (0:28)
2. Ruger SR22 (1:30)
3. Sig P322 (2:21)
4. Walther WMP (3:30)
5. Taurus TX22 Compact (4:36)
6. Smith & Wesson SW-22 Victory (5:48)
7. KelTec CP33 (6:56)
8. Ruger Mark IV (7:54)
Among the most popular .22 LR pistols are the Browning Buck Mark series. Buck Marks are very accurate and very reliable. This rimfire pistol is available in a variety of models starting at under $350.00. Reliable, accurate, and well-crafted, a good Buck Mark will serve you for a lifetime. The tester for the Sootch00 Channel says the “Browning Buck Mark UDX 22 [is] one of the highest quality production .22 LR pistols on the market.” This in-depth, 19-minute Sootch00 Channel review has been viewed over 560,000 times.
SIG P322 Comp Review by 22Plinkster
If you are looking for a well-crafted, .22 LR pistol for action pistol competitions, the SIG Sauer P322 Comp is an option you should definitely consider. The new .22 LR rimfire P322 Comp offers excellent ergonomics and 20+1 capacity, making it good for cross-training and fun rimfire shooting. Note how fast 22Plinkster can hit multiple targets with this new brake-equipped pistol. He observed: “The trigger is really nice and you just want to run it fast”. No question this rimfire pistol would be fun to shoot on steel targets.
Though it may look like a striker-fired pistol, the SIG P322 is a hammer-fired, single-action-only design (the hammer is enclosed by the rear of the slide). The P322 is blow-back operated with a fixed (non-tilting) 4″ barrel. This helps contribute to excellent accuracy and reliability.
S&W Victory Vs. Ruger Mark IV Pistol Shoot-Off
In this video, popular YouTube host 22Plinkster tests two rimfire pistols — the Smith & Wesson Victory and Ruger Mark IV. He favored the grips on the Ruger while preferring the S&W’s trigger. He felt the Ruger’s iron sights were best for precision work, but he noted that the green dot fiber optic sights on the S&W Victory worked better for speed work.
FN 502 .22 LR Tactical Pistol Review
The FN 502 is a modern, hammer-fired design with an optics-ready slide. The barrel is threaded for a suppressor. In this video, popular YouTube gun reviewer Colion Noir tests a FN 502 with suppressor. He was impressed, stating: “This is the best tactical .22 LR handgun I’ve ever shot.”
BONUS Wheelgun — Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR Revolver
In 2022 Colt introduced an impressive new rimfire revolver — the King Cobra Target 22 LR. Colt states: “From competition to plinking and small game hunting, this baby Cobra does it all and packs 10-rounds of .22 LR in its cylinder”. The King Cobra Target .22 LR is available with 4.25-inch and 6-inch barrel lengths, both with 1:16″ RH twist. Like the respected S&W Model 617, this Colt .22 LR wheelgun offers minimal recoil, great reliability, and a nice sight radius. In addition, if you shoot single-action slow-fire, the trigger pull is light and crisp — better than the vast majority of semi-auto pistols.
A while back, Cal Zant at PrecisionRifleBlog.com did a big muzzle brake comparison test. Along with measuring recoil reduction, Cal’s team recorded sound levels in PRB’s exhaustive muzzle brake field tests. In the PRB archives you’ll find comprehensive muzzle brake sound test results, with hard data on 20 different muzzle brakes.
Sound can be a tricky subject, but Cal Zant, the editor of PrecisionRifleBlog.com, presents everything an informed shooter should know about muzzle brake noise in a straightforward and practical way. Most sound tests are measured from the side of the muzzle, in accordance with mil-spec standards, and Cal did that. But he also measured the sound level of each brake from behind the rifle, closer to the shooter’s position. This provides a more accurate indicator of the actual sound levels gun owners encounter while shooting.
Muzzle brakes ARE really loud — that’s something most active shooters have observed. But this study finally gives us some hard data and makes objective comparisons. The difference between brakes was quite significant. Some brakes were ear-splitting — more than twice as loud as other brakes tested.
As a bonus, Cal also provides data on how the Ultra series suppressors from Thunder Beast Arms Corp (TBAC) compare in terms of sound level behind the rifle.
In 2024 the MidwayUSA Foundation paid over $6.8 million to youth shooting sports teams and organizations. This record-breaking 2024 grant cycle provided over $5 million to 952 youth shooting teams and over $1.7 million to nearly 40 organizations that work with youth shooting programs. Established in 2008, the MidwayUSA Foundation has paid nearly $73 million in cash grants to support youth shooting sports over the years. Foundation grants assist with costs for ammunition, targets, entry fees, and travel. Grants also help cover certification costs for coaches.
This grant cycle’s average payout per team totaled $5,302. Community members can donate directly to the youth shooting team of their choice, which MidwayUSA Foundation will match, to grow the team’s annual cash grant. In addition to youth shooting teams, MidwayUSA Foundation provides funds to key state, regional, and national organizations that support youth shooting sports. Each shooting program’s grant is 5% of its MidwayUSA Foundation endowment balance and thanks to the endowment model this funding is available in perpetuity.
Rachel Augustine of Missouri 4-H Foundation stated: “The grants we receive from the MidwayUSA Foundation play a crucial role in the success of Missouri 4-H shooting sports. They help us provide essential funding for equipment, volunteer training, and state and national contests, as well as events. Through 4-H shooting sports, youth gain confidence, leadership, and responsibility, while developing a lifelong appreciation for shooting, hunting, and the outdoors.”
Donations Are Tax-Deductible
Donations made to MidwayUSA Foundation are tax-deductible and 100% of the donation goes to the endowment of the donor’s choice — nothing is removed for operations.
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow youth shooting sports by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. For more information please visit MidwayUSAFoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.
More and more folks are using Burris Signature Rings these days. These unique rings feature polymer inserts. That allows you to pre-load some elevation in your scope set-up, or you can center-up the windage. Additionally, the polymer inserts hold your scope securely without leaving marks on the tube. Lastly, some folks believe that Signature rings may offer advantages for benchrest competition. Rodney Wagner shot a world-record 600-yard group using Burris Signature Zee Rings (“Zee” denotes the Weaver-rail model). James O’Hara set multiple IBS 1000-yard records using Burris Signature Zee Rings. James will tell you he thinks “all his guns seem to shoot best with these rings”.
IBS World Record Set with Signature Zee Rings
Are Signature Zees good enough for competition? Absolutely. Some folks scoff at these Burris rings, given their modest price. A set of 1″-diameter Sig Zees cost $40.89 at Midsouth. But consider this, in 2013 Rodney Wagner shot the then-smallest 600-yard group in history, a 0.336″ 5-shot stunner, using Signature Zee Rings on his IBS Light Gun. It took five years for a smaller 600-yard group to be shot, a 0.311″ by bullet-maker Bart Sauter, using his IBS Heavy Gun. (See IBS 600-yard Records.) Here’s Rodney with his record-setting rifle, fitted with affordable Signature Zee 30mm rings.
Vendors Have Burris Signature Rings in Stock Now
Various models of Burris Signature Rings are available from many online vendors. NOTE: You may have to check with more than one seller to get the exact size, height, and model you prefer. But right now these vendors have pretty good selections of Signature Zees in stock now, including the popular 30mm High and 30mm Extra High models (each currently $56.36 at Midsouth). If you check all three sellers, you’ll probably find what you need.
The IWA Outdoor Classics, aka “Euro Shot Show”, is Europe’s leading outdoor, hunting, and target shooting trade show. The event opened today February 27th, and runs through Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany. For the next four days, the Nuremberg metropolitan region will once again focus on hunting, target shooting, and the outdoor adventure market. The IWA Outdoor Classics is a huge event, drawing over 1,080 exhibitors from 53 countries. CLICK HERE for descriptions/images of over 500 products on display at the IWA show this year.
For more than 50 years, outdoor and shooting industry companies have come together in Nuremberg to present the latest products and services for hunting and shooting sports. For 2025, Europe’s leading outdoor trade show will host more than 1,080 German and international exhibitors in nine exhibition halls. In addition, there will be a wide variety of seminars, meetings, and interactive demonstrations.
Manufacturers and vendors from the hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor segments offer a vast range of products this year. From hunting, sport shooting, and airsoft firearms to optics and technologies, ammunition, knives, hunting accessories, clothing and outdoor equipment, there is plenty to discover in the nine halls at IWA Outdoor Classics 2025. IWA Outdoor Classics allows buyers and retailers from around the world to see thousands of new products from international manufacturers all in one convenient setting.
Rifles — Centerfire and Rimfire
Wheelgun Showcase at Korth Arms
Modern Scopes and Optics on Display
Suppressors and Ammunition
Along with the firearms, optics, stocks, and reloading products, there were many booths featuring outdoor clothing, hunting gear, and shooting accessories.
Official INTRO Video for IWA Outdoor Classics 2025
Headed to the 2025 IWA Outdoor Classics? Here’s an interactive map of Nuremburg, site of the event.
Here are some really smart tips for hand-loaders compiled by Sierra Bullets. These suggestions were submitted by Sierra’s Facebook fans — and some are very valuable indeed. Some of these tips will help you load more accurate ammo. Other selections will help you stay SAFE — which should always be your #1 priority. For example, we concur with the advice to “Check and Double Check. Everything. Every Time”. Also definitely keep “One powder on the bench at a time” — that could be a life-saver. You may want to print these “words of wisdom” and place them on a wall in your loading room.
Reloading Safety Tips — Sound Advice
ALWAYS START LOW: “Just because a load manual says X grains of X powder with X bullet is max, your rifle could reach max pressure a grain or two before what the book says. Start low and work up.” — Walter Coats
BE SAFE and CAREFUL: “Check and double check. Everything. Every time. Only one type of powder on the bench at a time.” — Glen Lundgren
DON’T RUSH: “Be patient, don’t be in a hurry, have fun and find your rhythm. Just tell your family you’re putting yourself in ‘time-out’. They will understand.” — Erik Dyal
POWDER RULE #1: “One powder on the bench at one time, it might save your life.” — James A. Kimery
STAY FOCUSED: “Relaxed but concentrated attention. Have fun enjoying a great hobby and pastime but stay focused.” — Jim Caldwell
POLICE LOADING AREA: “Keep your reloading bench area clean and put items away ASAP.” — Eric J. Ford
BE PATIENT: “Focus, Focus, Focus — be patient — it AIN’T a race.” — William Stanley
RECORD YOUR LOADS: “Write down on a small card what you’re loading – bullet weight, powder weight, type of powder, and primer. And put it in the powder hopper. I am unloading .45 FMJ because I forgot what type powder was in the hopper.” — Michael Conniff
HAVE a PROCEDURE for INTERRUPTIONS: “If, for any reason, you have to leave the bench while in the process of dropping powder charges, turn the next case to be charged upside down in the loading block so you know where you left off.” — Bill Tinsley
LABEL EVERYTHING: “OCD is a good habit to have with your loading bench. CLEARLY label everything!” — Andy Pynckel
HAVE a GOAL: “Never start reloading or developing a load without a specific goal in mind. Second keep meticulous records.” — Peter Eick
RESEARCH THE JOB: “Read all you can about it before you start!” — Keith Shively
KEEP TRACK of the Brass: “I put all my primed brass upside down (primer up) and as I charge the casing, I (of course) flip it primer down.” — Mark Ewing
Forum member Jacob spotted this simple, but effective set of scope ring inserts on the Brownells Website. With these inserts, you can use a scope with 1″-diameter main tube in 30mm rings. Non-marring, matte black Delrin sleeves surround the scope tube so it can fit larger-diameter rings. Each sleeve comes in two parts for easy installation around your scope tube. This way you can use the same 30mm rings for all your scopes.
Ring Reducers are sold as front/rear kits. Cost is $16.99 for the Delrin 30mm to 1″ converters, item 084-000-091WB. There are also sets that reduce 30mm rings to 26mm, and 1″ rings to 3/4″ or 7/8″.
Note: These Brownells units simply function as plastic bushings. Unlike Burris Signature Ring inserts, they do not allow you to “pre-load” windage or elevation. If your rings are misaligned, the Brownells Ring Reducers won’t correct that problem.
Big news — Kash Patel has been appointed by President Trump as the Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In addition to serving as Acting ATF Director, Patel was recently sworn in as the Senate-confirmed Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“President Trump nominated Kash Patel as FBI Director for his unswerving dedication to protecting the Constitution and the adherence to the rule of law. Those same traits serve him well as he carries out President Trump’s plan to reform ATF”, said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “Like the FBI, the ATF was weaponized by the previous administration. In the case of ATF, it was to carry out a radical gun control agenda. President Trump’s appointment of Acting Director Patel to lead the ATF will return the bureau to its proper role as a law enforcement agency laser focused on combatting violent crime and illegal firearms trafficking, and to act as a non-partisan regulator of the firearm industry.”
Analysis by Washington Gun Law Director of Kash Patel ATF Appointment:
The firearm industry hopes Acting Director Patel will move quickly, in consultation with Attorney General Pam Bondi, to carry out President Trump’s Protecting Second Amendment Executive Order. Thirty U.S. senators, led by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), sent a letter to Deputy Assistant Director Marvin G. Richardson last week imploring him to swiftly roll back the punitive and unconstitutional policies and final rules the Biden administration used to target the lawful firearm industry and gun owners. NSSF strongly supports … swift action to refocus ATF to its Congressionally mandated role of combatting violent crime.
Before taking over as acting ATF Director, Cash Patel was confirmed as the new FBI Director.
More and more folks are using Burris Signature Rings these days. These unique rings feature polymer inserts. That allows you to pre-load some elevation in your scope set-up, or you can center-up the windage. Additionally, the polymer inserts hold your scope securely without leaving marks on the tube. Lastly, some folks believe that Signature rings may offer advantages for benchrest competition. Rodney Wagner shot a world-record 600-yard group using Burris Signature Zee Rings (“Zee” denotes the Weaver-rail model). James O’Hara set multiple IBS 1000-yard records using Burris Signature Zee Rings. James will tell you he thinks “all his guns seem to shoot best with these rings”.
