Blue, Red, Green — There are many Progressive Press options on the market…
When you need ammo fast — lots of ammo, it’s hard to beat a progressive reloading press for output. We use progressive presses to load handgun ammo and .223 Rem cartridges for varmint safaris. With good dies, and proper press set-up, today’s progressive presses can produce surprisingly uniform and accurate ammo. No, you won’t see Benchrest Hall-of-Famers loading PPC cartridges on progressives. However, if you need 1000 rounds for your next prairie dog adventure, you should consider getting a progressive. Below you can see a Hornady Lock-N-Load AP configured to load .308 Winchester in bulk.
UltimateReloader.com has published helpful Tips to Optimize Progressive Rifle Loading. No matter whether you have a Red (Hornady), Green (RCBS), or Blue (Dillon) progressive, this article can help you load more efficiently and produce better results. Here are some highlights:
Proper Brass Prep
Just like a good paint job requires good prep work, great rifle ammo requires good brass prep. In order to make sure your rifle loading goes smoothly, make sure to perform the following brass prep steps:
Clean the brass (tumble, ultrasonic, etc.)
Inspect brass for cracks, deep dents, etc.
For military brass: de-prime, ream/swage primer pockets, size with small-base sizer die (small base usually optional).
Measure brass length — if too long, size and then trim.
Final inspection before loading.
Cleaning primer pockets may be something you’ll consider (I don’t clean primer pockets except for rare cases or match ammo).
Smooth and Steady Pace
Since you’re loading rifle ammunition on a progressive, you’re already saving a load of time, so there’s no need to rush things! Attention to detail is super-important for safety and for good results. Always keep an eye on powder level (goes down FAST) and what’s happening at each station.
The Right Press and Press Setup
Look for a heavy-duty, well-built press that will stand up to rifle loading. You’ll also want to make sure your powder measure will have the proper capacity (~25 grains for .223, ~50 grains for 308). If you are bulk reloading, ensure you have enough stations for sizing, charging, powder check, bullet feed, bullet seating, and (optional) bullet crimp. Compare the powder measuring systems, and give careful consideration to the priming process. You want case priming to be 100% reliable. This video reviews the differences between the Dillon XL-650 and the new XL-750 Progressive presses.
More Ultimate Reloader Resources for Users of Progressive Presses:
It’s 2020! Welcome the new year and a new decade. We know many of our readers will be spending the winter day indoors. If you need a break from the bowl games on TV, here are eight interesting and informative videos that are worth watching. The subject matter runs the gamut from benchrest gunsmithing to long-range varmint silhouette competition. There are also reviews of some of the best precision rifle options for PRS and NRL22 disciplines. Enjoy our New Year 2020 Video Fest.
Epic Reloading Hardware Test — 14 Single-Stage Presses. In this remarkable video, Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com reviews fourteen (14) single-stage reloading presses. This is the most comprehensive reloading press comparison test ever done by anyone, anywhere. The presses range from compact units to large-frame exotics from Europe. If you are in the market for a single-stage press in 2020 this is a MUST-watch video. Brands include Forster, Hornady, Lyman, MEC, RCBS, Redding, Turban (Prazipress).
2. Precision Riflesmith — Profile of Benchrest Smith Mike Bryant
Texas gunsmith Mike Bryant is a talented benchrest shooter and a highly respected builder of competition and hunting rifles. In this wide-ranging interview, Mike talks about benchrest competition, the key factors that contribute to rifle accuracy, and about his career as a gunsmith.
3. Erik Cortina — Mag-Feed Testing Borden Action with 6BR
Click the Speaker Icon (lower right) to HEAR AUDIO
Our friend Erik Cortina has built a new PRS/NRL rifle based on the new Borden Super Short 6 Action. This video show Erik’s first mag-feeding test with ten 6BR loaded rounds. You’ll see there is NO problem speed-feeding the short 6BR case. Erik tells us: “I removed the firing pin from bolt for safety. The magazine has not been modified in any way. I would say there is no need to do anything to it, she’s ready to run!” Impressive indeed.
4. Shooting USA — Texas Varmint Benchrest Match
This episode of Shooting USA TV features long-range varmint silhouette competition in Texas. This discipline combine the pure accuracy of benchrest competition with the fun of knocking down critter targets. These are smaller than standard silhouettes, so it’s quite a challenge to hit them at 300 yards and beyond.
In this episode, host John Scoutten competes with his 6.5 Creedmoor PRS rifle. Most shooters use benchrest-grade rifles with premium front rests. NOTE: This video shows some top-flight benchrest rifles, and also covers the origins of benchrest varmint silhouette in Pennsylvania. There are even some AccurateShooter Forum members on screen.
5. Vickers Tactical — .308 Win Bolt Gun Vs. .308 Win Gas Gun
This interesting video from Vickers tactical compares and contrasts two tactical style rifles both chambered for the .308 Winchester. The test team compares functionality, accuracy, ergonomics, and versatility. Each platform has its advantages, as the video reveals.
6. Outdoor Life — The Best New Affordable Precision Rifles
This video showcases three modern tactical-style rifles suitable for the PRS Production (Factory) Class which is limited to $2000 for rifle alone, not counting optics (Rule 2.3.1). Outdoor Life Shooting Editor John Snow puts three capable rifles through their paces: Patriot Valley Arms John Hancock, BadRock Precision SouthFork, and Seekins Precision Havoc Bravo.
7. Aerial View of Deep Creek Shooting Range in Montana
The Deep Creek Range near Missoula, Montana, is one of the best 1000-yard ranges in the country. Many long-range benchrest records have been set in this scenic, tree-lined facility. Now, thanks to Forum member David Gosnell (aka “Zilla”), you can see Deep Creek from the air. David flew a camera drone over the Deep Creek Range, soaring from firing line to the target bay and back again. This video gives you a “birds-eye view” of one of America’s elite ranges.
8. Nat’l Rifle League — Intro to NRL22 Rimfire Tactical Matches
NRL22 is a great way to get into competition shooting with minimal expense. There are Five (5) classes: Open, Base, Ladies, Young Guns (8-16), and Air Rifle. Base Class is for the budget-minded shooter — the combined MSRP of Rifle and Optic may not exceed $1050.00 (so you could spend $550 on a rifle and $500 on a scope for example). That keeps the sport affordable. Open, Youth, and Ladies Classes have no price limits on Rifle and Optic. Visit NRL22.org to find an NRL22 match near you.
Tumblers and walnut/corncob media are old school. These days many shooters prefer processing brass rapidly with an ultrasonic cleaning machine. When used with the proper solution, a good ultrasonic cleaning machine can quickly remove remove dust, carbon, oil, and powder residue from your cartridge brass. The ultrasonic process will clean the inside of the cases, and even the primer pockets. Tumbling works well too, but for really dirty brass, ultrasonic cleaning may be a wise choice.
Our friend Gavin Gear recently put an RCBS Ultrasonic cleaning machine through its paces using RCBS Ultrasonic Case Cleaning Solution (RCBS #87058). To provide a real challenge, Gavin used some very dull and greasy milsurp brass: “I bought a huge lot of military once-fired 7.52x51mm brass (fired in a machine gun) that I’ve been slowly prepping for my DPMS LR-308B AR-10 style rifle. Some of this brass was fully prepped (sized/de-primed, trimmed, case mouths chamfered, primer pockets reamed) but it was gunked up with lube and looking dingy.”
UltimateReloader.com Case Cleaning Video (7.5 minutes):
Gavin describes the cleaning exercise step-by-step on UltimateReloader.com. Read Gavin’s Cartridge Cleaning Article to learn how he mixed the solution, activated the heater, and cycled the machine for 30 minutes. As you can see in the video above, the results were impressive. If you have never cleaned brass with ultrasound before, you should definitely watch Gavin’s 7.5-minute video — it provides many useful tips and shows the cleaning operation in progress from start to finish.
Ultra Dry Necks After Ultrasonic Cleaning — Some Suggestions
The Ultrasonic cleaning process gets cartridge brass so “squeaky clean” that increased force may be required to seat your bullets, or they may “grab” as they go in the necks. To reduce bullet-seating effort, you may benefit from adding a little dry case lube inside the case-neck before loading (use a nylon brush). Another trick is adding a teaspoon of Ballistol lube to the cleaning solution. That provides a trace lubricant inside the necks, but does not interfere with powder ignition in any way.
The latest Gen2 RCBS ultrasonic cleaning machine has a large 6.3-quart capacity. That’s nearly 100 percent larger than the first generation machine in Gavin’s video. The Gen2 machine, $322.02 on Amazon, features a second ceramic heater and transducer to better clean brass cases and firearm parts. The LED is easily programmable, and the timer can be set for up to 30 minutes of cleaning. The original 3.2 quart capacity RCBS ultrasonic machine, as shown in Gavin’s video, is still available for $166.56 at Midsouth Shooters.
Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com recently tested Hawkeye Borescopes from Gradient Lens Corp., along with the impressive Hawkeye Video Slide System. Gavin observed: “When it comes to gunsmithing, gun inspection, and gun maintenance, a borescope can tell you things that nothing else can. And that’s why a borescope is an invaluable tool for gunsmiths, competition shooters, and gun enthusiasts.”
UltimateReloader.com MUST WATCH Video — See What Hawkeye Borescope Reveals:
A good borescope reveals the reality inside your barrel(s). There’s no more guesswork. All the issues associated with barrel will be revealed — carbon build-up, copper fouling, fire-cracking and more. Within a few seconds you can judge the state of your bore, and diagnose problems such as copper fouling and fire-cracking. Check out these two images. On the left is a brand new hand-lapped barrel. On the right is a barrel with heavy fire-cracking.
Gavin tested both 7″ and 17″ versions of the Hawkeye Borescope. He tested straight versions, and both long and short borescopes with a 90° eyepiece. For most tasks we prefer the 90° eyepiece. In addition to these systems, Gavin tested the the Hawkeye Video Slide and video image acquisition system, shown below.
The features are: 1. Video Slide support system; 2. Pistol barrel being inspected; 3. Borescope with quick-coupler equipped Sony camera; 4. Windows 10 PC Laptop running Hawkeye App with VIDEO Feed; 5. LED illumination for borescope.
“The Hawkeye Video Slide and video image acquisition system are not intended for consumers. They are primarily used by laboratories, gun OEMs, and other commercial customers,” Gavin notes. He used the Video Slide to provide the “next best thing” to viewing through the Hawkeye itself.
What You Can See with a Hawkeye Borescope
This Gradient Lens video shows how to correctly borescope your barrel:
A precision optical borescope is a pricey tool, but it performs critical tasks for gun-owners, and a Hawkeye’s rigid optic tube offers some important advantages over a cheap endoscope on a flexible cord. To learn how a Hawkeye borescope can help you diagnose barrel issues, you should read a Rifle Shooter magazine feature story, What the Eye Can See.
In this article, writer Terry Wieland shows how to inspect for defects in new barrels, how to recognize different kinds of fouling (in both barrels and brass), and how to spot throat erosion in its early stages. Terry uses a Gradient Lens HawkEye BoreScope. The current generation of HawkEyes can be attached to a still or video camera to record digital images. The most interesting part of the article is on the second page. There, author Wieland provides photos of various types of internal flaws that can appear in barrels. This will help you spot pitting, excessive land wear, rust damage, and damage from corrosive primers.
Wieland notes that BoreScopes aren’t just for barrels: “The borescope has other uses as well. It can be used to examine the interior of a cartridge case to look for the beginnings of a case separation or to examine the interior of a loading die that is giving you trouble. When you consider the number of tubular objects that play such an important role in rifle shooting, it is a wonder we were ever able to function without such a method of studying bores.”
Many of the best videos on reloading products and methods have been produced by Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com. Over the last 12 years, Gavin has released 465 videos showcasing reloading products, gunsmithing techniques, and gun testing. Thanks to Gavin’s movie-making skills and hard work, his GavinToobe YouTube Channel recently achieved the 100,000 subscriber milestone. Over the years Gavin’s videos have received over 17.7 million views. Gavin’s videos have benefited shooting enthusiasts and hand-loaders around the globe, and we congratulate Gavin and UltimateReloader.com!
Gavin posted: “Twelve years ago I started my YouTube channel. Shortly thereafter I started publishing ammunition, reloading and shooting sports content. In 2017 I quit Microsoft to work on Ultimate Reloader full time, and on 11/26/2019 I surpassed the 100,000 subscriber mark. WOW, it’s been sooooo much work, but sooooo much fun. Special thanks to my family for putting up with all of the times I’ve worked on this project ‘after hours’. I feel totally blessed. Very much appreciate my community, and also Jonathan Patton for helping me to understand online communities better. I also really appreciate Hornady for their help in getting me started (my first partner). Neil Davies — that’s you. Thanks everyone!”
To mark this major milestone, we’re featuring five of Gavin’s popular videos. The first is his 2019 Black Friday video covering bargains from Midsouth, Starline, KMS Squared, and Inline Fabrication.
Black Friday 2019 Special Bargains
Epic Reloading Hardware Test — 14 Single-Stage Presses
In this remarkable video, Gavin review fourteen (14) single-stage reloading presses. This is the most comprehensive reloading press comparison test ever done by anyone:
Most Popular Video — .223 Rem vs. 5.56×45
This is Gavin’s #1 Video of all time. His .223 Rem vs. 5.56×45 video has been viewed over 1.9 million times. It provides key facts about the similarities (and a few differences) between the .223 Remington cartridge and the 5.56x45mm NATO round.
1000 Yards with .224 Valkyrie
With 50,000+ views, this is one of Gavin’s most popular field shooting videos. Shooting on his scenic “home range” in the Washington mountains, Gavin developed a tack-driving load using Berger 80.5 gr bullets. See 100-yard results and Gavin’s remarkable first-round hit on steel at 1000 yards!
Buck Fever — Right in the Back Yard!
In this video, Gavin uses his new 300 PRC rifle to bag an impressive buck just 100 yards from his shop. For those of you who have hiked miles on a hunt, only to return home empty-handed, this will seem amazing. And yes, Gavin’s 300 PRC cartridge dropped the animal like a stone.
ARs in PRS? Yes PRS has a “Gas Gun” division. And frankly, shooting a PRS match is one of the most fun and challenging things you can do with your Black Rifle (Beto O’Rourke notwithstanding). Since the early days of the PRS, Gas Gun shooters have wanted to play. Recognizing the interest among semi-auto shooters, the PRS now offers a Gas Gun Series for semi-auto rifles such as AR15s and AR10s. The Gas Gun Series started in 2017, and has quickly become quite popular.
Photo Credit Michael Cage.
Gas Guns to 800 yards — Yes there are targets down there somewhere.
PRS Gas Gun Series Rules
For the new PRS “Gasser” Competition, the PRS developed rules on gun types, scoring, match timing, penalties, safety and other key topics. CLICK HERE for Full PRS Gas Gun Series Rules.
Open Division: Open Division rifles will not exceed a caliber of .30 or a velocity of 3,200fps. A match DQ will result any rounds over the speed limit of 3,200 fps (+/- 32 fps for environmental factors and equipment discrepancies). Match Officials may request at any point during a match that a competitor fire their rifle through chronograph. If the bullet exceeds the 3,200 fps speed limit, the shooter will receive an automatic match DQ. [“For Ammo in Open Class, 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor are popular.” — John Parker, SSUSA]
Tactical Division: Tactical Division: Intended to allow competitors the opportunity tocompete using traditional military and law enforcement caliber. This promotesActive Duty military and law enforcement competitors use of their Service and Department issued rifles. Tactical Light Division rifles are restricted to 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington and 7.62 NATO/.308 Winchester calibers only. .223 Bullet weight cannot exceed 77 grains and muzzle velocity cannot exceed 3,000 fps, .308 bullet weight cannot exceed 178 grains and muzzle velocity cannot exceed 2,800 fps. No modified wildcat rounds permitted to shoot in the Tactical Divisions. Tactical Division shooters will shoot the exact same COF as Open Division shooters. [NOTE: This division now replaces the previous Tactical Light and Tactical Heavy divisions.]
Scoring and Penalties
The Gas Gun Series utilizes a time plus penalty based scoring system for all match scoring. This means your score is your total combined time on all stages plus any penalties you may have accrued.
Stage Course of Fire and Targets
No more than 50% of the stages at a match can utilize an unlimited round count. At least 25% of the targets in Gas Gun Series match must be 2 MOA or smaller. Maximum distance is 800 yards.
The preferred rifle color choice at the first PRS “Gasser” Match was definitely black…
Gas Gun Match Loads — Short Range vs. Long Range
“The .223/5.56 [Tactical Light] guns had some lag time waiting on shot impacts. I believe the long-term solution may be to find a light and fast load for closer stages for near-instant reaction time and use a heavy load for the long shots to see splash and get the target to move a little more.” — Sean Murphy, Nightforce
Gear Options for PRS Gas Guns
There are many buttstock options for ARs. For the PRS game, we like the Magpul PRS stock. This features a quick-adjustable cheek-piece and butt-plate — allowing you to easily adapt head position and LOP for your discipline of the day. (You may want a different LOP for prone shooting vs. bench shooting). The Magpul stock works well in a rear bag.
We recommend something like the Blackhawk grip which is more comfortable than the typical grips supplied by most black rifle makers. Up front, you’ll want a handguard with adaptability. Shown is a handguard with Picatinny rails on top and on both sides, affording lots of options. We might move one of the rails to the bottom, however, so it could be used for a bipod mount.
Add Your Favorite Premium Barrel:
PRS with a Gas Gun — Gavin Gear’s Experience
Thinking of trying out the Precision Rifle Series, starting off with a gas gun? Well Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com did just that, competing in his first-ever PRS match up in Washington State. With its timed stages (some just 90 seconds long), Gavin learned that PRS is about speed as well as accuracy. As a PRS newbie, Gavin found the competition fun but challenging. Gavin’s account of his experiences, set forth in two articles with accompanying videos, will help other novice PRS competitors prepare for PRS-type matches and assemble the right equipment.
This video has cool Aerial Drone footage, and in-depth explanation of stages:
Gavin enjoyed his first match: “Overall, the match was more fun and more laid back than I thought it would be. The guys in our squad were all really helpful, and even loaned me gear to try out when they noticed my gear wasn’t right for a particular shooting activity. One such case was when Ken Gustafson (of KYL Gear) offered to loan me one of the bags he had made. Below you can see me shooting off the infamous unstable tippy tank trap with a KYL Gear bag, and I’ll have to say [the bag] was amazing. It helped me lock down my rifle and get on target. What a great feeling!”
Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com has been testing the AutoTrickler V3, a microprocessor-controlled powder-dispensing system that works with super-precise force restoration scales. Combining an automated powder measure with a motorized trickler, the AutoTrickler can deliver a full powder charge, with single-kernel precision, in a few seconds.
AutoTrickler inventor Adam MacDonald has developed numerous enhancements to his powder-dispensing system, which will be incorporated into the latest AutoTrickler V3 production version. Gavin Gear reviews all these important new features in a new video released on October 6, 2019. Check it out:
Key Enhancements for AutoTrickler V3 Production Version:
1. Improved, Larger-Capacity Clear Powder Hopper
The new clear plastic powder hopper is much larger than the old Lee red-colored hopper it replaces. That’s good news for folks loading large magnum cartridges.
2. Taller Glass Powder Cup and Improved Diffuser
When the main powder charge comes down from the hopper, it passes through a plastic “diffuser” into a glass cup. Both these products have been enhanced.
3. New Simple V-Shaped Stop for Powder Cup
With the V3, it is easier to center the powder cup on the scale unit. Gavin explains: “Instead of a ramp and ‘landing pad’, the cup stop is now a super-simple angled back stop. If you push the cup back towards the center of the pan, it will guide itself into the centered position every time.”
Here is the original AutoTrickler V3 Video Report from UltimateReloader.com:
RCBS has introduced a new series of MatchMaster Competition Dies. These are available in Full-Length Sizing, Neck Sizing, and Seating configurations. These new MatchMaster dies are notable for four features:
1. The Competition Seating Die has a “view-port” for the bullet.
2. The Competition Seating Die features a free-floating, self-centering bullet-seating stem.
3. Expanders are titanium-nitride coated for reduced friction. Both the Neck-Sizing and FL-Sizing dies come with TiN expanders for smoother case extraction and reduced brass build-up on the expander.
4. RCBS is offering its own precision-machined Neck Bushings.
No More Mashed Fingers When Seating Bullets
RCBS notes: “Reloaders will love that they can end smashed fingers and misaligned bullets with the specially-designed bullet window [on the Seating Die]. And users can fine-tune any load … with the micrometer-adjustable, free-floating, self-centering bullet seating stem.”
RCBS Product Manager Will Hemeyer explained that the new Competition Seater is a game-changer. “What sets the MatchMaster Seating Die apart from the competition is a bullet-seating window with bullet-retaining system. Simply place the bullet in the window and raise the case into the die to seat the bullet. Couple this with a micrometer-adjustable, free-floating, self-centering bullet-seating stem and the MatchMaster Seating Die is easily the most accurate bullet seating die on the market.”
Why Use Expander with Bushing Dies?
Some viewers of Gavin’s video asked if an expander is superfluous when using neck-bushing dies. The answer is “it depends”. The bushings reduce neck diameter from the OUTSIDE. The expander should make the INSIDE of the neck perfectly round. Some hand-loaders prefer to take the necks down a couple thousandths below final loading diameter, then finish the job with an expander. That ensures the INSIDE of the case neck is perfectly concentric. This can be particularly useful for brass that has somewhat inconsistent neck-wall thickness. Bottom line, you can run these dies without expanders if you want, but that option is available. The expander is also removable so the assembly can be used for de-capping only.
MactchMaster Neck-Sizing Only Die
The MatchMaster Neck Sizing Die Set also uses RCBS neck bushings to control neck tension while not changing the body dimensions of fired cases. Frankly we strongly recommend that you full-length size your rifle rounds, but we acknowledge that some hand-loaders prefer to neck size for some applications. The MatchMaster Neck Sizing Dies do include a titanium-nitride coated expander, just like the FL-sizing MatchMaster dies.
Imagine if a man was asked to leave a restaurant for wearing a Gay Pride shirt. Or if a women was refused service because she was wearing a headband with a #MeToo message. The mainstream media would be in a frenzy. The incident would make national news. Liberal politicians would be holding angry press conferences, and CNN talking heads would be loudly demanding new legislation.
But guess what, there is another kind of discrimination in our society, a form of intolerance that the mainstream media actually emboldens — hatred towards gun owners. Intolerance towards those who support the Second Amendment — even those who have served their country in uniform.
Recently in Maui, HI, a restaurant manager demanded that disabled Vietnam veteran Jimmy Barber and his wife leave the establishment solely because Jimmy was wearing a shirt that said “Ultimate Reloader” and included a logo with the outline of a cartridge between the letters U and R.
Jimmy Barber served in Vietnam as a Navy Seabee “in-country” from 1970-71. He now suffers from heart disease because of exposure to agent orange. And the Maui eatery demanded that he (and his wife) leave the premises simply because his shirt said “Ultimate Reloader”. That’s despicable.
Isn’t it ironic that this intolerance occurred in Hawaii? Were it not for the sacrifice of American service men and women in the Pacific during WWII there is a good chance that the Hawaiian islands would no longer be part of the United States.
In a letter to Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com, Jimmy revealed: “My wife and I are in Maui. We were asked to leave a restaurant because I was wearing one of your t-shirts. I did not make a scene and I was very proud to leave.” Jimmy, by the way, is a dedicated pistol and rifle shooter who reloads a dozen cartridge types.
After learning of this incident, Gavin Gear contacted Starline Brass. Starline has decided to send Jimmy 250 new brass cases — just a way of saying “thanks” to Jimmy for his service to his country.
How to Stand Up for Your Rights
We all need to do our part to preserve our gun rights. Gavin Gear has collaborated with The Gun Collective on YouTube to explain what we can do to preserve our gun rights. Gavin states: “I do appreciate everyone out there in the gun community that is fighting for our rights. We need to stand together! And thanks Jimmy for ‘representing’ Ultimate Reloader!”
The NEW AutoTrickler V3 features an all-new motorized powder dispenser, an updated AutoTrickler base, and mobile APP control via Bluetooth.
If you want to throw powder with single-kernel precision, the AutoTrickler is perhaps the most advanced and efficient system you can buy. And now Adam MacDonald’s AutoTrickler is better than ever, with the release of the third generation AutoTrickler V3. This new AutoTrickler V3 has many major hardware enhancements, plus integrated software that lets you control all operations with your mobile device.
How fast does it work? CLICK HERE to visit the AutoTrickler website and watch the embedded video. You can see a 47.50 grain charge thrown and weighed in under 16 seconds.
Once you place the empty cup on the scale, the AutoThrow will automatically cycle to drop the bulk charge, and then the AutoTrickler ramps down to finish precisely within +/- 0.02 grains (about one kernel) of your target weight. The device’s inventor says: “With a little practice and fine tuning, you can expect to charge 50 cases to the kernel in less than 15 minutes.”
New Powder Thrower Increases Speed and Uniformity
The big hardware upgrade with the AutoTrickler V3 is the motorized powder dispenser. The V3 AutoThrow has been completely re-engineered with motorized operation in mind. Instead of modifying an off-the-shelf powder measure, the AutoTrickler V3 employs an original CNC-machined motorized thrower that cycles smoothly with a wider variety of powders.
Ball bearings hold the rotating aluminum drum against a nylon and rubber seal which ensures that fine powders like CFE223 will not leak internally and no manual adjustments are needed. The V3 AutoThrow will reliably providing a bulk starting charge within 0.1 grains for the AutoTrickler to finish to the kernel.
Software Functionality — APP Control via BlueTooth
With any smartphone or tablet supporting Bluetooth 4.0, you can set your target charge weight, increment the target on the fly, or manually operate the motors for easier setup and cleaning. The FREE AutoTrickler V3 APPS for iOS and Android will soon be available on the Apple App store and Google Play store.
This episode of Shooting USA TV features long-range varmint silhouette competition in Texas. This discipline combine the pure accuracy of benchrest competition with the fun of knocking down critter targets. These are smaller than standard silhouettes, so it’s quite a challenge to hit them at 300 yards and beyond.
Gavin tested both 7″ and 17″ versions of the Hawkeye Borescope. He tested straight versions, and both long and short borescopes with a 90° eyepiece. For most tasks we prefer the 90° eyepiece. In addition to these systems, Gavin tested the the Hawkeye Video Slide and video image acquisition system, shown below.
A precision optical borescope is a pricey tool, but it performs critical tasks for gun-owners, and a Hawkeye’s rigid optic tube offers some important advantages over a cheap endoscope on a flexible cord. To learn how a Hawkeye borescope can help you diagnose barrel issues, you should read a 
