Hydro Press and Arbor Press from 21st Century Shooting
Gear Review by F-Class John
Inline dies, used with arbor presses, continue to dominate the world of precision reloading. While arbor presses have remained mostly unchanged, 21st Century Shooting offers the Hydro Bullet Seating Press, a radical departure from your average arbor press. If you are looking for improved “feel” and feedback on bullet seating pressure, you should definitely check out the Hydro Press. This design has been around for a while now but has remained unchallenged since its inception. The 21st Century Hydro Press still remains a category leader (and the choice of many top competitors) for good reason. It is offered for $300.00 or, with a variety of gauge options, for $367.00. You can add an extended base with loading block another $85.00. CLICK HERE for ordering options.
Arbor presses have traditionally worked by using a gear-driven ram operated with a rotating handle. This allows for a compact design but often lacks the tactile feel and smooth operation that many reloaders want. The 21st Century Hydro Bullet Seater works by using simple mechanical leverage coupled with a hydraulic pressure gauge to seat bullets in a smooth motion all while helping you keep track of seating pressures.
Editor: Many top shooters believe they can seat bullets with greater precision using the 21st Century Hydro Press. I personally get more consistent seating, which seems to improve accuracy and even help a bit with lowering ES. The Hydro Press gives you excellent feedback when seating bullets. That has helped me detect a case with too much neck tension, or a case that may have doughnut issues. When the gauge does something odd or spikes, you are alerted to a possible issue.
In this video, John Perkins of 21st Century Shooting Shows how the Hydro Seater functions.
You might be asking why or how simple a simple mechanical lever gives you an advantage over gear driven systems and the answer is simple, leverage. The Hydro Seater is equipped with a long arm that comes straight up and out from the front and uses a set of hinges that connect to the ram. This elongated arm provides lots of leverage allowing easy force modulation. This smoothly applies pressure to the seating die in one fluid motion. This transfer of power helps seat bullets smoothly in even the tightest of necks without any jerky or stuttering movements.
Working at the same time is a hydraulic pressure gauge using internal oil. I found this gauge was incredibly sensitive, accurate, and repeatable compared to spring-driven gauges. The Hydro gauge read-out really gives the user the chance to sort ammo by seating pressure should they choose. In my particular case I only use it to cull out noticeably high or low ones as “blow off” rounds and am perfectly happy if the rest fall within a given pressure range. The nice thing is that the press allows you to be as picky as you want.
Compact 21st Century Standard Arbor Press
Not to be outdone by its big brother, 21st Century offers a Standard Arbor Press as well, in both right-hand and left-hand versions. Affordably priced at $128.00, this small arbor press in made to the same exacting standards as the Hydro Seater and has some nice features of its own compared to other small arbors.
The large, knurled adjustment knob is one of my favorite features. It tightens securely, yet it allows for easy raising or lowering of the head unit without the need for hex wrenches. 21st Century’s basic arbor press also has a slightly canted lever arm which allows the user to apply pressure more easily and consistently compared to some other arbor presses. While this press is small enough to fit many range bags, it can be disassembled quickly with a single Allen wrench.
While I own the 21st Century Hydro Press for use at home, the Standard Arbor Press goes with me to out-of-town events, so I can adjust bullet seating depth at the match. I love using it for this purpose since the little press is so easy to transport, and then set up and use on the road. The seating action is smooth, and there is plenty of leverage.
Seating my bullets long before I travel gives me the ability to set them to adjust for any throat erosion that may occur. This also ensures my bullets are seated correctly, by eliminating any potential bullet weld or problems from the bullets accidentally bouncing in your luggage. I like the confidence of knowing that my bullets are properly seated before a big match, especially when it has been days or weeks since I loaded them.
New Generation Arbor Press from 21st Century
UPDATE: In addition to the Standard Arbor Press, 21st Century now offers a New Generation Arbor Press for $185. This features direct leverage action plus a light-weight return spring that provides enhanced “resistive feedback” when seating bullets. This Editor has used this New Generation Arbor Press and it does have improved seating “feel”. An extended base with loading block is available at extra cost.
21st Century explains: “Our New Generation Arbor Press is the perfect upgrade for shooters looking to get the most out of their hand dies. With many truly unique features… this press features a butter-smooth direct leverage action. The tight tolerances of this design and exclusion of friction-inducing gears ensures that the press exerts consistent pressure through its full range of motion with minimal effort. Leverage is increased through the incorporation of an extra-long press handle, reducing hand and arm fatigue. The return springs are strong enough to reset the press but do not diminish the operator’s ability to feel the resistive feedback generated by neck tension. Press head clearance is adjustable up to 9 inches.”
SUMMARY — 21st Century Makes Great Bullet Seating Presses
Whether you need a premium bullet-seating Press such as the Hydro Bullet Seater or a basic, easy-to-transport Arbor Press, 21st Century Shooting has a excellent option for you. The Hydro Press offers outstanding bullet seating “feel” and consistency, with an ultra-smooth operation. The basic Arbor Press is well-made, compact, and also yields excellent results. Both these presses are built for a lifetime of use, using high-quality materials.
Share the post "21st Century Arbor Presses: Hydro, Standard, New Generation"
Are you tired of struggling to fill your rear sandbags and other sand-filled shooting supports? With a conventional plastic funnel it can be difficult to get the bags filled to full capacity. It’s also time-consuming and awkward to keep pouring sand into a small funnel top.
21st Century Shooting has a solution — a tool that makes it WAY easier to fill all types of sandbags and sand-filled shooting rests, including PRS bags, Bulls Bags, and X-Bags. The 21st Century Sand Bag Filler has a large transparent bottle that holds a lot of sand. This attaches to a nicely-machined threaded grip section that feeds the sand into a small-diameter insert tube. This smaller tube easily fits in the small fill-ports of sandbags. The small tube also allows you to steer the sand flow to the corners of your bags to get a more even, uniform fill.
This video from F-Class John shows how to use the 21st Century Sand Bag Filler. John explains how to fill the sand bottle, than shows how to efficiently fill an Edgewood Dead-bottom bag with sand. John was impressed. At the 2:26 mark John notes: “This is pretty ‘kick ass’ … It is just sucking up the sand into this bag… that is fast”. John is sold on this tool: “I’ve got some giant SEB and Protektor bags. Before I had this tool, I’ve used any number of methods in the past and it’s probably taken me a good hour to pack a bag properly.” Now John says he can fill a big bag in a fraction of the time.
Along with benchrest rear bags, such as the new SEB Premium Bigfoot shown above, there are many other sand-filled support bags. Shown below are some popular bags. The Uncle Bud Bulls Bag has long been a favorite of varmint shooters. It’s very stable but does require a LOT of sand. The 21st Century tool will dramatically shorten filling time for a big Bulls Bag or X-Bag.
Share the post "Cool Tool — 21st Century Shooting Sand Bag Filler"
Tomorrow is Black Friday, the biggest SALE DAY of the year. We’ve scoured the internet to find great promotions and discount offers. You’ll find super deals on firearms, reloading tools, optics, shooting accessories, ammo and more. Check out these deals. Many of the offers commenced on Thanksgiving Day. Some of these special offers are for Friday only, November 29, 2019. Other promotions extend all weekend, all the way through Cyber-Monday, December 2, 2019.
Midsouth Shooters — Black Friday Extravaganza
Midsouth Shooters has discounted some of the most popular products for its big Black Friday Extravaganza. There are big savings on RCBS, Lyman, and Hornady reloading hardware. You’ll also find great deals on scopes, ammo, and even the advanced LabRadar chronograph. These deals commence at 6:00 pm on Thursday November 28 (Thanksgiving) at 6:00 pm ET.
Precision Reloading — 10% Off All Products
Precision Reloading is running a compelling Black Friday Promo through Sunday 11/31/2019 at 11:59 PM. Here’s the deal — starting today you can save 10% on ALL orders, including sale/clearance items. That means effectively that everything Precision Reloading sells is 10% off. Yes that includes powder, bullets, dies, reloading tools and more. Get your 10% savings by using CODE “BLACK19″ during check-out.
Whidden Gunworks — Week of Deals
Whidden Gunworks makes outstanding reloading equipment and also does great gunsmithing work. Whidden Gunworks products rarely go on sale, but right now you can save 10% on purchases of $50 or more (CODE WGWBLACK10) or save 15% on $250+ purchases (CODE WGWBLACK15). You can also save $100 on gunsmithing services with the purchase of any Whidden die set — use CODE WGWBLACKRIFLE.
Powder Valley — Free HazMat Starting 11/29/19 — All Brands
Need powder and/or primers? Then head over to Powder Valley. Starting November 29, 2019 (this coming Friday), you can get FREE HazMat for all brands of reloading powders and primers with orders over $179.00. And yes you can combine powder and primers in the same shipment. This great FREE HazMat offer runs through December 2, 2019. Go to PowderValleyInc.com and select FREE HazMat during checkout, starting Friday November 29th.
EuroOptic — 15% OFF Nightforce NXS and SHV Scopes
Nightforce Optics makes great scopes for all disciplines. You’ll see Nightforces on the rifles of top benchrest, F-Class, and PRS/NRL competitors. Right now EuroOptic is running a big Nightforce promo. Save 15% on Nightforce NXS or SHV scopes. No rebate forms needed — the 15% savings is processed when you buy.
AMP Annealing– AMP MK II Annealer $200 OFF Plus Free Pilots
AMP Annealing is running its first-ever sale in the USA, and it’s a good one. Save two hundred bucks! Buy now and get the Mark II annealer for $200 off PLUS three FREE pilots. YOu even get FREE SHIPPING. That’s a combined savings of nearly $300 on what is regarded as the best annealer made.
Grafs.com — Extended Black Friday Sale through 12/31/2019
Grafs.com is running an extended Black Friday sale for an entire month. Starting on Thanksgiving Day (11/27/19), you’ll find dozens of great deals, with the bargains lasting through 12/31/2019. Above are some of the best bargains. CLICK HERE for more great products on sale now through the end of 2019.
21st Century Shooting — 15% OFF Entire Online Order
Whether it’s neck-turning equipment, custom dies, presses, expander mandrels or other reloading gear 21st Century Shooting has top-of-the-line products to offer. Spend at least $50 to enjoy 15% savings on ALL the great 21st Century equipment. Essentially everything in stock is on sale now through Monday 12/2/2019 at 11:59 pm. NOTE: To get the discount enter THANKYOU in the Redeem Coupon Box.
Brownells — Black Friday Sale on Guns, Ammo, Accessories
Brownells is running a HUGE Black Friday Sale with a vast collection of items deeply discounted. You’ll find big savings on AR receivers, AR parts, Federal ammo, Howa barreled actions, gunsights, triggers, magazines and more. There’s really something for everyone. Plus get free ground shipping on Ammo if you sign up for Brownells Edge program.
LongShot Cameras (TargetVision) — CyberSale Save Up to $100
Longshot (TargetVision) is running a big CyberSale right now. Right now you can save on ALL LongShot Camera products. The superb LongShot LR-3 2-mile UHD (Ultra-High-Definition) is now just $699.00 on sale, while the 300-yard UHD Marksman is on sale for $349.00. The new Hawk Spotting Scope camera is a steal at $249.00, marked down from $299.00. Act soon — these deals expire 12/2/2019.
Palmetto Armory — Major Black Friday Sale on Guns and Ammo
Palmetto State Armory (PSA) has some amazing deals right now on rifles, pistols, gun parts, and ammunition. You’ll find AR uppers, lowers, build kits, parts, ammunition, and more at the lowest prices of the year. Palmetto is one of the leaders in AR builds so if you’ve been holding out to get your hands on a nice AR now is your chance to get one. Right now a PSA complete AR lower is just $129.00!
MidwayUSA — Huge Black Friday Sale and Free Shipping $49+
If you’re shopping for optics, tools, reloading gear and more, check out MidwayUSA’s Black Friday Sale. Select products from top brands such as Vortex, Leupold, Remington, and Hornady are on sale for up to 50% off. You can also get FREE Shipping on all orders over $49 with CODE GREATDEAL49.
AREA 419 — Black Nitride Friday Sale
Area 419 makes some of the finest aftermarket accessories on the market. Right now Area 419 is running a Black Nitride Friday Sale with a selection of black nitrided products. These include muzzle brakes, suppressor mounts, thread caps, and Defiance nitrided actions. You can even order a complete custom rifle with Defiance action and other black components. Prices are very attractive.
PMA Tool — 10% Off Orders Over $150
PMA Tool carries a wide variety of very high-quality products for precision shooters — Lenzi rear bags, micro click-adjusters for dies, cleaning cradles, neck-turners, action wrenches, just to name a few. Right now, during PMA’s Black Friday Sale, you can save on PMA’s full selection of items. Get Free Shipping with a $100 order, or save 10% with orders over $150.00. These promos apply through 1/2/2020.
Bullet Central — Secret Reward Code Giveaway
This year, Bullet Central has a secret reward program. If you place an order during this Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend you have a chance to win one of 250 Secret Reward Codes. Each Reward Code is worth at least 5% off a Bix’n Andy TacSport trigger, and the Code MIGHT be worth much more. There will also be at least Reward Code good for a FREE Bix’n Andy TacSport trigger.
Share the post "Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals and Promotions"
Hydro Press and Arbor Press from 21st Century Shooting
Gear Review by F-Class John
Inline dies, used with arbor presses, continue to dominate the world of precision reloading. While arbor presses have remained mostly unchanged, 21st Century Shooting offers the Hydro Bullet Seating Press, a radical departure from your average arbor press. If you are looking for improved “feel” and feedback on bullet seating pressure, you should definitely check out the Hydro Press. This design has been around for a while now but has remained unchallenged since its inception. The 21st Century Hydro Press still remains a category leader (and the choice of many top competitors) for good reason.
Arbor presses have traditionally worked by using a gear-driven ram operated with a rotating handle. This allows for a compact design but often lacks the tactile feel and smooth operation that many reloaders want. The 21st Century Hydro Bullet Seater works by using simple mechanical leverage coupled with a hydraulic pressure gauge to seat bullets in a smooth motion all while helping you keep track of seating pressures.
Editor: Many top shooters believe they can seat bullets with greater precision using the 21st Century Hydro Press. I personally get more consistent seating, which seems to improve accuracy and even help a bit with lowering ES. The Hydro Press gives you excellent feedback when seating bullets. That has helped me detect a case with too much neck tension, or a case that may have doughnut issues. When the gauge does something odd or spikes, you are alerted to a possible issue.
In this video, John Perkins of 21st Century Shooting Shows how the Hydro Seater functions.
You might be asking why or how simple a simple mechanical lever gives you an advantage over gear driven systems and the answer is simple, leverage. The Hydro Seater is equipped with a long arm that comes straight up and out from the front and uses a set of hinges that connect to the ram. This elongated arm provides lots of leverage allowing easy force modulation. This smoothly applies pressure to the seating die in one fluid motion. This transfer of power helps seat bullets smoothly in even the tightest of necks without any jerky or stuttering movements.
Working at the same time is a hydraulic pressure gauge using internal oil. I found this gauge was incredibly sensitive, accurate, and repeatable compared to spring-driven gauges. The Hydro gauge read-out really gives the user the chance to sort ammo by seating pressure should they choose. In my particular case I only use it to cull out noticeably high or low ones as “blow off” rounds and am perfectly happy if the rest fall within a given pressure range. The nice thing is that the press allows you to be as picky as you want.
Compact 21st Century Standard Arbor Press
Not to be outdone by its big brother, 21st Century offers a Standard Arbor Press as well, in both right-hand and left-hand versions. Affordably priced at $108.99, this small arbor press in made to the same exacting standards as the Hydro Seater and has some nice features of its own compared to other small arbors.
The large, knurled adjustment knob is one of my favorite features. It tightens securely, yet it allows for easy raising or lowering of the head unit without the need for hex wrenches. 21st Century’s basic arbor press also has a slightly canted lever arm which allows the user to apply pressure more easily and consistently compared to some other arbor presses. While this press is small enough to fit many range bags, it can be disassembled quickly with a single Allen wrench.
While I own the 21st Century Hydro Press for use at home, the Standard Arbor Press goes with me to out-of-town events, so I can adjust bullet seating depth at the match. I love using it for this purpose since the little press is so easy to transport, and then set up and use on the road. The seating action is smooth, and there is plenty of leverage.
Seating my bullets long before I travel gives me the ability to set them to adjust for any throat erosion that may occur. This also ensures my bullets are seated correctly, by eliminating any potential bullet weld or problems from the bullets accidentally bouncing in your luggage. I like the confidence of knowing that my bullets are properly seated before a big match, especially when it has been days or weeks since I loaded them.
SUMMARY — 21st Century Makes Great Bullet Seating Presses
Whether you need a premium bullet-seating Press such as the Hydro Bullet Seater or a basic, easy-to-transport Arbor Press, 21st Century Shooting has a excellent option for you. The Hydro Press offers outstanding bullet seating “feel” and consistency, with an ultra-smooth operation. The basic Arbor Press is well-made, compact, and also yields excellent results. Both these presses are built for a lifetime of use, using high-quality materials.
Share the post "21st Century Hydro Press and Arbor Press Review with Videos"
You can benefit from these precision mandrels, trust us…
Controlling cartridge neck tension is a critical aspect of accurate reloading. A very small change in the amount of grip on the bullet can actually have a noticeable effect on accuracy (and group size). You can tune neck tension with different size bushings used with FL-sizing or neck-sizing dies. You can also adjust neck “grip” by annealing your brass, or turning your necks for reduced neck-wall thickness.
But perhaps the most precise way to tune neck grip on the bullet is to use Precision Expander Mandrels. Many top shooters size their case necks down pretty far with a full-length sizing die then use a precision neck mandrel as a final step. This expands the neck back to the precisely-desired neck diameter. Because you are working from the “inside out”, variances in neck-wall thickness become less important. This also ensures you have a perfectly-round internal neck geometry for seating your bullet. (Yes, unfortunately some neck bushings are not perfectly round inside.)
For guys who want ultra-precise control over neck tension (and “grip” on the bullet), 21st Century Shooting now offers Precision Expander Mandrels in .0005 (one-half thousandth) increments. These will be available for most popular match calibers including: .224, 6mm, .25, 6.5mm, .270, 7mm, .308, and .338 calibers. These mandrels cost $17.99 each, or you can get a complete set of nine mandrels in .0005 increments (for one caliber) for $144.99. Listed below are the nine 6mm mandrels:
John Perkins, owner of 21st Century tells us: “Finally! We have our expander mandrels up and ready to order on our website here: http://www.xxicsi.com/expander-mandrels.html.” This is a big deal. James Crofts, past National F-TR Champion, says “WooHoo — great news!”
To get best results with these precision mandrels, John recommends using the 21st Century Expander Die Body, part #904. Watch video for set-up tips:
John adds: “We are still in the midst of turning all of these so some calibers will ship when they are completed. Should have them all done by end of next week or so! Thanks for your patience while we got these set up and in process!”
Share the post "Precision Expander Mandrels from 21st Century Shooting"
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every 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.
How would you like to get a proper hunting rifle for $209.99? That’s not a misprint. Right now Kentucky Gun Company is selling Thompson Center (T/C) Compass rifles for $259.99 in seven popular chamberings: .204 Ruger, .223 Remington, .22-250, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08, .308 Winchester, and .30-06 Springfield. But it gets even better — these rifles qualify for a $50.00 T/C factory rebate. That lowers your net cost for the T/C Compass to $209.99 — less than you might pay for a barrel alone. This rifle is perfectly capable of harvesting game, and carries a strong factory warranty backed by Smith & Wesson. Put the dollars you save into optics and ammo.
The 6mm Dasher was originally a wildcat cartridge. To make Dasher brass you had to fire-form (or hydro-form) 6mmBR brass. That all changed a couple years ago when Shiraz Balolia (of Grizzly.com) signed a deal with Norma to produce rifle-ready 6mm Dasher brass. Norma’s Dasher brass features a longer neck offering more seating flexibility (and slightly more capacity). The latest Dasher brass is very good — capable of winning benchrest matches. If you have an older Dasher chamber, just trim the necks. Thanks to Lester Bruno, Norma Dasher brass is now available again. This is premium GEN 2 Dasher brass with the standard rim thickness. We believe Bruno’s is now the exclusive supplier of Norma Dasher brass. The brass is in the USA and will ship soon. Get this Norma-made 6mm Dasher Brass while you can. Price is $114.95 per 100 pieces. Factor in the savings (in bullets, powder, and time) by avoiding fire-forming, and you see why this brass is very popular.
If you’ve been wanting to get a LabRadar Chronograph, here’s your chance. Starting Thursday 11/15/2018, you can save $60 on this very advanced piece of technology — probably the most sophisticated chronograph system ever offered to the general public. That’s notable because you almost never see this discounted below the $559.95 MAP price. Get the LabRadar for $499.95 with this Special Sale which starts on November 15 and extends through December 9, 2018. NOTE: you may be able to get the same deal from other vendors such as Creedmoor Sports, Bruno Shooters Supply, and Midsouth Shooters Supply, but you need to check. Right now we can only confirm the deal through TCK LLC on BuyMyLabradar.com. Check with other vendors on 11/15/18.
4. 21st Century Shooting — 10% Off with Code FALLNOV10
21st Century Shooting offers some of the best precision loading tools on the market. Our editors own and use many 21st Century products, including neck-turning lathe, concentricity gauge, hydro bullet seater (arbor press), and priming tool. You’ll also see these tools in the reloading rooms of National and World Champion shooters. Now you can get this world-class 21st Century gear at a significant discount. Through the end of November, save 10% off many 21st Century products with CODE FALLNOV10. Use that code at check-out. When you’ve filled out your order, type the code in the Coupon Field, then click the button labeled “Redeem Coupon”. That will confirm “10% off all online orders”.
5. Field Supply — Nikon Refurbished Scopes up to 65% Off
You won’t find a better deal on Nikons anywhere. These are Nikon-certified, factory-refurbished scopes. This is a good choice if you’re looking for big-name quality at rock-bottom prices. Good option for a hunting or varmint rifle. The savings on Nikon optics are up to 65% off retail. NOTE: all these Nikon refurbs have been refurbished to Nikon Factory specifications by Nikon, Inc. and are covered by a 90-day limited warranty. Sale refurb optics start at under $80.00.
Right now you can get Lyman’s new All-American 8-station turret press for just $159.99. That’s a great price. This high-capacity turret press sells elsewhere for up to $229.99. The Lyman offers more die stations than the 6-station RCBS Turret and the 7-station Redding T-7. It also has a strong rear support that minimizes head flex. NOTE: Priming on the Lyman turret is done in the front; the image above shows the priming station but not the vertical tube which holds stacked primers.
7. RCBS — Save 25% on Select Dispenser/Scales, Progressive Presses, Prep Centers, and Ultrasonic Machines
RCBS wants you to “buy green” in November. Now through November 30, 2018 you can get 25% Instant Savings on a variety of RCBS’s most popular products, including the ChargeMaster Lite, ProChucker Progressive Presses, and both the Trim Mate and Universal Case Prep Centers. Ultrasonic cleaning machines are also discounted. This is easy-peasy — no forms to fill out and no waiting on rebates. Just shop at your favorite retailer, and you’ll find qualifying products 25% cheaper than last month.
Credit EdLongrange for finding this deal.
8. Midsouth — Tipton 13-Piece Jag set, $11.99
Here’s a great, budget-priced Jag Kit ideal for someone who shots many different calibers. This kit will cover just about any rifle or pistol bore size. Get 13 jags in a handy, clear-top fitted caddy for just $11.99. The kit covers everything from 17 caliber up to .45 caliber, with 17, 20, 22, 243/6mm, 25/6.5mm, 270/7mm, 30/32, 338/8mm, 35/9mm, 375, 40, 44, and 45 jags. The storage box features marked cavities for each caliber. The small .17 cal and .20 cal jags have a 5-40 threads, while all the remaining 11 larger jags have the standard 8-32 thread size.
A strong argument can be made that the best home defense firearm is a 12 gauge shotgun. This Mossberg 500 is a reliable 12ga pump-gun with useful upgrades including ghost-ring sights and barrel heat-shield. This Model 500 Tactical boasts an 8-shell capacity and weighs 7 pounds unloaded. Order now from GunBuyer.com for $299.00. Owners love this serious-looking shotgun: “This unit… fires smooth, and operates perfectly out of the box. There’s an odd beauty to the tactical pump that is hard to describe. The action is smooth and repeatable.”
Share the post "Bargain Finder 164: AccurateShooter’s Deals of the Week"
Posting on Facebook, Michael W. said: “Maybe it’s just me but I LOVE coming home to packages from the UPS driver sitting on my deck! Now I can get serious about creating some Match Grade ammunition!” Michael showed off some very impressive reloading hardware, including a 21st Century Shooting “Mini-Lathe” Neck-Turning system, 21st Century Concentricity Gauge, Shars Tube Micrometer, and the A&D FZ-120i Precision Balance. Cool Tools indeed!
21st Century Neck-Turning Lathe — A Gem
The 21st Century Neck-Turning Lathe works great — this is what we use to turn necks. It floats at both ends, so it runs very smoothly. You can use it manually or with power. It gives you very precise, clean cuts with a minimum of case lube. The cutting tool is hard and sharp so you can do large quantities of brass without having to adjust the cutter position for wear. We’ve used a half-dozen neck turners and this 21st Century Unit is our favorite.
21st Century Concentricity Gauge — Smart, Efficient Design
The beautifully-crafted 21st Century Concentricity Gauge is fast and easy to use yet very precise. The twin, roller-equipped case supports slide back and forth on rails so you can measure any size case, from a 17 Fireball up to a 50 BMG. The horizontal dial indicator also slides on parallel rails so you can easily measure any spot on a case or loaded round — from bullet tip (or case mouth on empty case) down to the mid-body. We like to measure run-out on our sized, empty brass on the necks and then measure again on the bullet ogive with loaded rounds. The large-diameter wheel allows bump-free, “no wobble” case rotation, delivering better results than spinning cases with your fingers.
Concentricity gauge uses stainless turning rollers for less friction and more consistent read-outs.
A&D Precision Balance — Ultra-Precise with No Drift
The A&D FX and FZ-series scales are magnetic force restoration balances with 0.001 gram sensitivity so they are accurate to the kernel. This balance will not drift like less advanced, load cell-based digital scales. The scale’s high sensitivity and extreme stability allow you to weigh charges and sort brass, primers, and bullets with much higher precision.
What Gadget Would YOU Like To Have Delivered?
Here’s a question for our readers… What are YOUR favorite reloading tools on currently on your bench? And if you could have the UPS driver deliver a new tool tomorrow, what would you like him to bring? A 21st Century Hydro Bullet Seater (awesome Arbor Press)? Maybe a Whidden Micro-Adjustable Sizing Die? How about the amazing Auto Trickler and Auto-Throw system from Canada? That combines a A&D FX/FZ scale with a powder thrower and microprocessor-controlled trickler. With the push of a button you get a charge dispensed and weighed to single-kernel accuracy.
Share the post "Cool Tools for the Reloading Room — Look What UPS Brought"
Forum member Keith W. (aka “Cigarcop”) is a talented riflesmith whose projects display outstanding finish work and attention to detail. Keith does some of the best bedding work we’ve ever seen. Recently Keith completed a rifle for tool-maker John Perkins, owner of 21st Century Shooting. John, who recently competed at the F-Class Nationals in Lodi, WI, wanted a new F-Open rifle with top-of-the-line hardware and a sweet-tracking stock. We think John will be impressed with this gun — and we bet it proves to be an tack-driving “hammer”. John will use the 21.5-lb rifle for F-Open competition and some mid-range and long-range benchrest competition in HG class.
This stock sports 12 coats of Urethane, wet-sanded between each coat.
This competition rifle features a melonited BAT “M” action (with Bix’N Andy trigger), a pair of 7mm Brux barrels chambered in .284 Win, and a Precision Rifle & Tool (PRT) Low-Boy stock. As you can see from these photos Keith posted in our Shooters’ Forum, this is a beautifully-finished rifle. If you have questions about this project, direct them to Cigarcop in this FORUM Thread.
Build Details for a Beautiful F-Open Rig
Keith reports: “The rifle is built on a PRT Laminated Low-Boy F-Class Stock with a Bat M Melonited Action, +20 MOA rail, Pillar bedded in Devcon 10110. After bedding and inletting I clear-coated the stock with 12 Coats of a 3-part Urethane finish which was wet-sanded between each coat and sanded out to 2000 before final polishing. John Perkins provided two Brux 1:9″-twist, 1.250″-contour barrels. They are both finished at 31″ and chambered in straight .284 Win with .313″ neck and .213″ freebore to shoot the 180gr Berger Hybrids.
Cigarcop does superb bedding work, as you can see…
John chose the Bix’N Andy trigger after sampling one of Erik Cortina’s rifles at the Berger SW Nationals. “I tried the BNA trigger on Erik’s gun and I was so impressed. It is very light but 100% consistent. After an injury I’ve lost some feel in my trigger finger and the BNA helps because it is so smooth. I would never go back to anything else.”
New Seating Die from 21st Century
While talking about his new rifle, John Perkins revealed that he has developed a very sophisticated new micrometer seating die: “This is something very new, and unlike anything else on the market. Each die is tailored to the dimensions and ogive curve of your particular bullet which we measure with an optical comparator. The customer provides fired, sized brass and sample bullets and we can produce a perfect match.”
John says his new seating dies produce ultra-consistent base-to-ogive load lengths along with exceptionally low run-out. “This new die produces incredibly straight ammo — there are some special features inside the die that help straighten the bullet during the seating process”. That delivers “truly superior concentricity” according to John. 21st Century Shooting will be taking orders soon for the new seating die. Call (260) 273-9909 for more information.
Share the post "Toolmaker’s New Hammer — .284 Win F-Open Rig by Cigarcop"
21st Century Shooting produces a high quality powder funnel, that is very “user-friendly”. The top section is precision ground and polished for a smooth flow. The center has a see-through tube so you can watch the progress of your powder dropping into the case. At the bottom of each funnel is a black case adapter that seats securely yet won’t get stuck on the case. There are five different adapter sizes — the smallest fits .17 Rem to .223 Rem, while the largest fits big magnum calibers. We use the mid-sized, #3 adapter most often. This fits 6mmBR, 6.5×47 Lapua, and .308 Win family of cases (.243 Win, .260 Rem, 7mm-08, .308 Win). Additional adapters are $5.99 each. There are three tube lengths available: 3″, 6″, and 10″. So, if you need an extra-long drop tube (to help fill PPC and other small cases), 21st Century has you covered.
The 21st Century funnels are priced by size. The 3″-long model is $29.99, the 6″-long model is $31.99, and the big 10″-long model is $34.99. Prices include one (1) adapter. These high-grade funnels will help you load faster and easier, with fewer spilled kernels. We use these funnels and they do work well. The appropriate collars fit your .223 Rem, 6PPC, 6mmBR, Dasher, 6XC, .260 Rem, .284 Win, and .308 case necks just right — not too loose, not too tight. Kernels flow smoothly through the tube without sticking to the sides. The aluminum top section does not seem to attract a static charge so you don’t have to waste time brushing kernels off the funnel after use. We like this product. For high-volume precision reloaders, these funnels are worth the money.
Share the post "High-Quality Powder Funnels from 21st Century Shooting"
It’s important to use a good-fitting bore-guide whenever you clean your barrel. A good bore-guide will keep solvents out of your action and help your cleaning rods run straight and true.
Not all bore guides are created equal. Some offer a sloppy fit and/or fail to seal your chamber effectively. 21st Century Shooting has changed all that with a new generation of chamber-specific Bore Guides. These have a close fit (with O-rings) to seal your chamber completely. The design is intelligent — these bore guides are long enough to extend well past the end of your scope, while the minimal rod diameter provides sufficient clearance for most combs. Priced at $49.99, these high-tech guide rods are custom crafted to fit many popular chamberings: 220 Swift, 223 Rem, 22-250, 6PPC, 6mmBR, 6 Dasher, 6×47, 6-284, 6mm Shehane, 243 WSM, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5-284, 6.5 Shehane, 6.5 WSM, 25-06, 270 WSM, .284 Win, 7mm Shehane, 7mm WSM, 30 BR, 308 Win, 30-06, 300 WSM.
Email John [at] 21stcenturyshooting.com to ask about your application. These chamber-specific guide rods are designed fit actions with BAT bolts or Rem 700-style bolts (Borden, Kelblys, Ruger, Savage).
In addition to the new chamber-specific Guide Rods, 21st Century just released a clever new product for shooters who regularly swap barrels (or who need to clean dismounted barrels). If you have a switch-barrel rig, check out 21st Century’s new Barrel Off Bore Guides. Like the full-length 21st Century bore guides, these are manufactured specifically for your chamber, for a perfect fit. These chamber-specific “Barrel Off” bore guides cost $19.99.
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Share the post "New Bore Guide Products from 21st Century Shooting"
When you’re shooting an F-Class match, the last thing you want is for your fancy front rest to sink into soft ground, hop on hard ground, or otherwise move around from shot to shot. And with more F-Open shooters shooting heavy (180gr+) bullets these days, F-Class front rests have to cope with more torque and recoil than ever before. Well, our buddy John Perkins from 21st Century Shooting has a solution. The new 21st Century Phoenix Foot features unique, bell-style geometry. This allows your rest to sit securely in turf and the feet are very stable even on loose soil or gravel. The Phoenix Foot, shown here with 21st Century’s Front Rest, is compatible with a variety of front pedestal rests with 1/2″-diameter adjustment legs. The bell-shaped foot design (narrow at the bottom and flaring at the top) makes it easy to level the rest front-to-back and side-to-side. Price for a set of three (3) Phoenix feet is $99.00.
21st Century’s Impressive Crank-Windage Front Rest
Also shown in the photo is 21st Century’s impressive new Front Rest, proudly CNC-machined in the USA from aircraft aluminum and stainless steel billet barstock. This big boy, which retails for $1095.00, features a super-large-diameter mariner’s wheel for elevation adjustment, and an ultra-smooth crank adjustment for windage (horizontal). Finish and function are impressive. Elevation and windage can be easily adjusted with fingertips (this is made possible by the ball screw design). This “Rolls Royce of rests” is made to last — all aluminum parts are anodized and the base is machined from 1″-thick 6061 T6 aircraft billet aluminum. If you’re interested, call 21st Century at (260) 273-9909. When production permits, rests usually ship out 3-6 weeks after an order is placed.
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Share the post "New Phoenix Rest Feet for F-Class from 21st Century Shooting"
We are proud to announce that AccurateShooter.com has achieved a major milestone. We now have over 20,000 registered members in our Shooter’s FORUM! This represents a big step forward for the site, which started in September 2004, nearly eight-and-a-half years ago. We witnessed major site growth in 2012, with Forum traffic rising nearly 40% and the member ranks growing significantly.
We wish to thank all our Forum members for making our Shooter’s Forum the “go-to” place for information on precision shooting and reloading. Those members are also to be credited for the “good fellowship” one finds in our Forum. We are proud to have hit the 20,000-member mark, and we hope to reach an even greater audience of avid shooters in the months and years ahead!
20,000th Forum Member Wins Prize Package
Our 20,000th member registered last night. This lucky fellow, whom we’ll call “Mr. 20K”, is an avid shooter from Pennsylvania. As a reward for becoming our 20,000th Forum member, he will receive a great collection of prizes. First, he will receive a beautiful, all-stainless Primer Seating Tool from 21st Century Shooting (or $120 credit for other 21st Century products). Second, “Mr. 20K” will get a $50 credit on a purchase of $200.00 or more with Eurooptic.com. This can be used on Lapua brass and bullets as Eurooptic.com is now a Lapua vendor.
The prize package also includes TWO autographed books from top authors in the shooting world: Bryan Litz and Julie Golob. First, Julie Golob, Captain of Team S&W, has donated a signed copy of “SHOOT”, her hot-selling guide to action shooting. Bryan, founder of Applied Ballistics LLC, will provide a signed copy of his latest book, Accuracy and Precision for Long Range Shooting.
Share the post "AccurateShooter.com Forum Tops 20,000 Registered Members"
Compact 21st Century Standard Arbor Press
A&D Precision Balance — Ultra-Precise with No Drift
We are proud to announce that AccurateShooter.com has achieved a major milestone. We now have over 20,000 registered members in our Shooter’s FORUM! This represents a big step forward for the site, which started in September 2004, nearly eight-and-a-half years ago. We witnessed major site growth in 2012, with Forum traffic rising nearly 40% and the member ranks growing significantly.
