Handloader Magazine 1

.* Number 5 .

L Jan.-Feb., I967 ' I

' > . . i

2" .

r .

Nonte on -Accessories'

New look at Gyrojet / -*de' Loading the .410 ' ,

Those 'Magnum' Cases

Pet loads for .243 ,nl\

Dave Wolfe

Bob Hinman

Edward M. Yard

Homer Powley

John T. Amber

Editor and Publisher

Associate Editor

Technical Editor

Ballistics Adviser

Editorial Adviser EDITOR, GUN DIGEST & HANDLOADER'S DIGEST

Lamy Koller Gun Test Editor

SUPERVISING EDITOR OF GUNS AND HUNTING

Frank G. McGuire

Parker 0. Ackley D.C. Correspondent

Wildcats & Gunsmithing GUNSMITH COLUMNIST GUNS l!i AMMO MAGAZINE

Les Bowman Rifle Loads

Harvey A. Donaldson Historical Adviser

Ken Waters "Pet Loads"

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GUN DIGEST

Ted Smith

Bob Hagel

A. Robert Matt

Bullet Swaging

Hunting Adviser

On Gun Laws EXECUTIVE SECRETARY NATL. RELOADING MFG. ASSN.

John Buhmiller African Cartridges

Bob Wallack Field Editor

Barbara Killough Advertising Director

Deanna Cheak Circulation Manager

Otto Schofield Production Manager

Walter Schwarz Photo & Art Director

6

The

Handloader Mugurine

Jan.-Feb.. 1967 Vol. 2-No. 1 1217 W. Glen Ave., Peoria, Ill. 61614

Features: Loading the Magnums ........................................................... Bob Hagel Reloading Small Cases .................................................... Edward Yard Versatile .44 Special ................................................................. Bob Hagel Basic Handloading-Accessories .................... Maj. George Nonte Mathematics of Marksmanship ................................................... Don Zutz New Look at the Gyrojet ............... frank McGuire John Buhmiller: "Extraordinary" ...................... .Col. Charles Askins Pet Loads for the .243 ............................................................ Ken Waters Handloading the .410 .............................................................. Don Zutz Handloading the .410 .................................................... R. A. Steindler Bonanza's New Co-Ax Press .............................................. ~Dave Wolfe

12 15 20 22 25 28 32 34 36 40 58

Deparfmenfs: Editorial ........................................ 4 Answers Please ........................ 54 Law MATTers ......................... 7 Book Reviews .......................... 57 Bench Tips ........................... 10 ProducTests ......................... 61 Reader By-Lines ....................... 8 Donaldson ................................ 66

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The HANDLOADER, Copyright 1967, i s published bimonthly by the Dave Wolfe Publishing Company, 1217 W. Glen Ave., Box 3482, Peoria, II- linois 61614. Telephone (309) 685-4237. Second Class Postage paid at Peoria, Illinois, and additional mailing offices. Single copy price of cur- rent issue-75c [back issues priced at $1.00 from publisher). Subscription price: six issues $4.00; 12 issues f7.M); 18 issues $9.50. (Outside U.S. possessions ,and Canada $5.00, $9.00 and $12.50). Advertising rates fur- nished on request.

Publisher of The HANDLOADER i s not responsible for mishaps of any nature which might occur from use of published loading data, or from recommendations by any member of The Staff. No part of this pub- lication may be reproduced without written permission from the editor. Manuscripts from free-lance writers must be accompanied by stamped, self-addressed envelope, and the publisher cannot accept responsibility for lost or mutilated manuscripts.

Change of address: Please give one month's notice. Send both old and new address, plus mailing label i f possible, to Circulation Dept., The HANDLOADER Magazine, 1217 W. Glen Ave., Box 3482. Peoria, Illinois 61614.

Your January-February Cover

Of all the components necessary fo r reloading, the packages o f primers are per- haps the most colorful. Staff photographer Wal ter Schwarz emphasizes this color in a dra- matic fashion against a solid black background. W e owe sincere apologies to the Federal Cartr idge Corp. and Sullivan Arms Corp. fo r the omission of their primers in the transparency -the package of Federal primers was simply overlooked a t the photo studio. And the SAC-Fire shipment arrived past our deadline.

Handloader-January-February, 1967

Can

afford to miss .

a single copy of The HANDLOADER? Why take chances on the current issue being sold out - remember, back issues will cost $1.00. Subscribe today and let us send each issue right to your door. You won't miss . . . and you'll save money, too! One year (6 issues) for $4.00; two years (12 issues) $7.00; or three years (18 issues) at $9.50. A s a subscriber you'll be assured of a complete set of The HANDLOADER.

I

Have you missed an issue? Limitid quantity of the first issue is mail- able at $1.00 each. Check with your local gun dealer. If he's out, send $1.00 to The HANDLOADER. ~

I

I Yes. add me to your srrb.criBsr .aOat&

BONUS!! If check

THIS IS A PRIMER!

ACCI No.200 Large Rifle Primer

to be more specific I it consists of + - CUP ’ - P:to:mercuric, non- corrosive) + - FOILING DISC

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It’s the technical “know-how”

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To learn more about them . . . write Dept. A8 for our free bro-

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4

Remington and Reloading Guest €diforial

By Ted McCawley

Manager, Public. Relations Remington Arms Cornpanu. Inc.

VER SINCE THE development of the first centerfire E breech-loading firearms, handloading has been a part of the shooting sports. In the case of rifle and pistol cartridges, the reasons have ranged from cost to the challenge of devel- oping a new and different load. “Wildcatting” has, of course, been part and parcel of this.

In the case of shotgun shells, handloading has had its ups and downs. In the early days of centerfire, breech-load- ing scatterguns, hulls were always sold primed and empty and shooters added their own powder, wads and shot. The Union Metallic Cartridge Company, the predecessor of Rem- ington Arms in the ammunition business, was the first com- pany to offer factory-loaded shotgun shells. They were an im- mediate success but there were still some people who liked to “roll their own.”

The advent of smokeless powder changed the ground rules, however. These new propellants required more techni- cal skill to handle than did black powder, and the practice of handloading shotgun shells gradually died down.

Rifle and pistol reloading did continue, probably because those interested in it had a fair degree of technical com- petence. Too, the brass cases lent themselves to re-use a num- ber of times far more readily than did paper and brass shot- gun shells.

It’s no secret to anyone that the years following World War I1 saw a great increase in “do it yourself” projects of every kind. Male Americans, even those who have difficulty driving a nail, have always liked to think of themselves as “jacks of all trades.” New, easy-to-use power tools, the rush to suburban living, and more leisure time all encouraged this phenomenon.

The shooting sports shared in the trend. For the cas- ual hunter who goes afield only once or twice a year, there is little point to handloading. But for the serious hobbyist who does a lot of target shooting-whether with rifle, pistol or shotgun-it’s a different story. Many of these people have de- cided that it’s both fun and economical to load their own ammunition.

When this surge of interest in reloading first began to manifest itself, there were some people who thought it might have an adverse effect on the sale of loaded ammunition. This was particularly true in the case of shotgun shells. Ex- perience, howeGr, has proven the reverse to be true. Ob- viously, shooters who handload have to buy new ammunition from time to time. More important, perhaps, is the fact that shooters who reload seem to shoot a great deal more than their non-handloading friends. They also have to buy com-

Handloader-Jmwry-February, 1967

ponents-primers, powder, wads, shot and bullets-and these are made by the industry. The result, then, has been an increase in the sale of both loaded ammunition and components.

Evidence of the industry’s cur- rent interest in handloading is the effort that has been exerted to make products designed to ap- peal to reloaders. In the case of Remington and Peters, we brought out a line of highly accurate bul- lets-“Power-Lokt” we call them -designed to appeal to the bench- rest clan. Our plastic target load shotgun shells were designed with the handloader in mind from the skived mouth for easy crimping, to the “Power Piston” one-piece plastic wad column, to the new 97* primer.

True, right now we are hav- ing difficulty filling all the orders for our components, but this is due to the unprecedented demand for them and for loaded ammu- nition. Our production of sporting ammunition in 1966 set new rec- ords, but still we had trouble keeping up. We hope to be in better shape in 1967, barring un- foreseen events.

In summary, those of us at Remington Arms recognize the importance of reloading to our business. It’s here to stay and we are doing all we can to insure that our products meet the needs of the “roll your own” fraternity.

0

tion will start wit ing edition. Back they last, are av

H I G H COMB, ROLLOV€R STYLE Correctly proportioned stocks of Superior Grade American Black Walnut. Custom extra features not available on factory models. Plenty of wood to add your own distinctive touches! All the hard work’s done! (Also available completely finished .._.....____...____ $39.95)

iVAI LA iddysto infield. U:S. M1917 Russian 7.62 aP 7.7 Armaka (31 Cd.1 [rag. U.S. MI898 30140 daurer. M 9 8 / k . rec. r l n l SPringfield. U.S. M1903A3 versaw Catalog! lauser, FN Winchester M1917 lauser. FN 400 Series lemington. M1903 ”PreWar”.“PortWar” Em Cm BISHOP & SON, INC. lemington. M1903A3 lemington. M1917

Smith-Corona Sorinsfield Sprinsfield. U.S. M1903

Winchester: M 70 (State

Post “Featherweight” 1964 on order.) or

Throurh your gunsmith. h a h a m or rPortins soods dealer or order direct. Ask for Your FREE COPY of BISHOP‘S 48th Anni-

Post Office BOX 7, Warsaw, Mo. 65355 Oept. H32A

NO SHELL HANDLING! from empty hull to finished reload

Here’s what happens. First i; stroke, you deprime, re- size and reprime. Second stroke; drop the powder.

drop shot. And the fourth makes a perfect star crimp md extracts the shell. All

I’hird; pressurize wads and I

I -with no shell handling, in just 4 strokes. No wasted motion. Easy to >perate. The Savage 630 Shotshell Press saves you work, time and money as you make perfect paper or new plastic reloads. In 12, 16, 20 or 28 gauge, only $49.75. With .410 gauge dies, only $53.25. Sold only by sporting arms dealers.

With the Savage630 Shotshell Reloading Press, the shell re- mains in a fixed position in the ram. No need to shift the shell from station to station as with ordinary reloaders. Once you put the empty hull in a Savage 630. vou don’t touch it

ain until it’s

REE 40-page catalog of Savage rearms and accessories. Write

SAVAGE ARMS, WESTFIELD 1 ASSACHUSETTS 01085

( D i v i s i o n of Ernhnrt Co~poration) Perfect reloads every time Plastic or paper, the Savage 630 makes reloads you’ll brag about. (Pre-crimp die

I for plastic . shells $3.50.)

Savage and the Indian head Reg U. S Pat 011 Pr ices subject tochange . S l i g h t l y h i g h e r in Canada.

5 Handloader-lomuary-~ebruary, 1967

easy as pie! Years ago, it was unheard of for women to be handloaders.

Today a lot of wives and daughters have joined their hus-

bands and brothers at the reloading bench . . . . . . . . . . . It’s EASY AS PIE . . . . . and economical too!

FREE! girlfriend to write today for our new pamphlet,

Economy & Fun in Reloading.

If you don’t have time, ask your wife, daughter, or

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Look For This Symbol: It’s your assurance of the highnt standards horn manufacturers of reloading components and eguipmnt

For Shotgun Shooting

With Economy Kick-

By Don Zutz

LTHOUGH RELOADING has A cut the cost of shooting tremen- dously, the ultimate in inexpensive watter-gunning i \ not reached until one rolls his own ,410 shells. Indeed, even at today’s prices, one can still turn out a box of 2X-inch .410 shells for little more than seventy-five cents! And when that is compared with the $2.50 retail price of the same shells-or even with the $1.00 to $1.25 involved in a box of 12 gauge trap or skeet loads - the sav- ing becomes quite substantial.

events have become more important, and clay target buffs have been prac- ticing regularly with the little gun. Likewise, inserts which convert single- shot and double barrel 12, 16, and 20 gauge shotguns to .410 bore - such as the Savage “Four-Tenner” - have al- lowed hunters to work out their field guns without having to use expensive, heavy-recoiling loads for their larger gauges.

The advent of improved reloading equipment has also given impetus to .410 reloading, as the newer attach- ments and designs have made it easier

l y not made for slipping tiny wads in- to the diminutive, cigarette-like .410 cases, and filled shells had to be finish- ed with an additional operation on a hand-cranked roll crimping tool. Furth- ermore, the old style paper cases became pinholed on the second shot and were generally burned out after the third re- load, which resulted in a constant hunt for empties.

But recent innovations have solved all those problems. Reloading tools such as the MEC 600 Jr., Texan “Load- master,” Pacific DL-150, and Savage 630 have provided shooters with easily

But while economy has played the for fat-fingered- Freddie5 to turn out used wad guides and modern star crimp- major role in luring shooters into .410 perfect .410 fodder with speed and ing attachments. Also, Remington has reloading, other factors have also help- grace. Years ago, reloading .410 shells introduced .410 plastic cases that give ed popularize the pee-wee gun in re- was a dreaded chore; the clumsy gnarl- much longer case life than the older cent years. First of all, .410 bore skeet ed fingers of most shooters were simp- paper tubes, and this helps relieve the 36 Handloader-January-February, 1967

Right, wad guide attachments and star crimping die.s ,of modern reloadihg tools have made it‘ easy for even the clumsiesi reloader to turn out perfect .410 fodder.

shooter of his “scrounging” forays for empties.

Those who would like to reload the .410 and get in on the “economy kick,” however, would do well to give careful consideration to their choice of equip- ment before ordering. Like the larger gauges, manufacturers offer a variety of .410 reloading combinations and com- ponents. Resizing and crimping dies, for example, are available in both 2%- inch and 3 inch sizes, and the reloader must specify the length he desires. Re- loading tools and conversion die sets are made up for one length only.

Care must also be taken in selecting the powder and shot settings, as there are currently five different load recom- mendations for the pee-wee gun. Bas- ically, these five combinations break down to three loadings for the 2s- inch shell and two for the 3-inch hull.

The accompanying chart shows the five accepted combinations for .410 re- loading, including standard wad col- umn heights which will apply for first-

Dwarfed bv the three-inch 12-qauge mag- _ _ num shell, ;he .410’s main virtue-is &onom;.

-- - -

One reason for the .410’s increased popu- larity during recent years i s the growing importance of the .410 event among com- petitve skeet shooters.

or once-fired paper cases and, in most instances, for the life of the new plas- tics. But with paper cases being re- loaded for the second or third time, the columns will have to be increased slightly because the wear in the inside of a .410 shell becomes critical after several Firings. Normally, an addition- al .070 nitro card or an over-shot wad, commonly called a “B” wad, can make up the difference.

In general, the wad columns listed are built by using a combination of ,135 and .070 nitro card wads (which figure out to roughly %’’ and 1/16” respectively) in connection with ‘/4” filler wads. In passing, however, it must be noted that there are at least

three different kinds of ‘A” filler wads available for the .410 - felt, waxed fiber, and unwaxed fiber - and wad column heights may vary slightly as one sn.itchcs from type to type or brand to brand. It has been my experience that when one uses the unwaxed fiber filler wads in a .410, he must use an additional ,070 or “B” card wad to heighten the wad column, since the un- waxed filler is easily compressed.

Unlike the larger gauges which now all take one size of primer, the .410 cas- es are still made in two primer pocket sizes. Remington and Peters cases, in- cluding the new plastics, both take Number 57 primers, while Federal and Winchester-Western hulls use the larg- er number 209‘s. Remington, in fact, has long advocated a less potent primer for .410 and 28 gauge shells, believing

Case Shot Powder Wad Wad Length Charge Type Grains Columns Pressure 2 1/2“ 3/8 OZ. AI-8 12 5 /8” 75 lbs. 2 1/2” 1/2 oz. 2400 15 7 / 1 6 50 Ibs. 2 1/2“ 1/2 oz. IMR4227 18.2 5/16” 50 lbs. 3” 5/8 02. 2400 15.5 7/8“ 50 Ibs. 3” 3/4 oz. 2400 16 7 / 1 6 50 lbs.

38

that a slightly weaker primer is better suited to produce correct ballistics with smaller powder charges.

Technically, Remington designates its .410 primers as the Number 69, but these are seldom stocked by dealers. Consequently, the readily available Number 57 primer is used for Reming- ton and Peters .410 reloads, and it is doubtful that using the Number 57 with light powder charges has an adverse ef- fect upon a ,410’s external ballistics. Both Federal and Winchester-Western use their regular “hot” primers for .410 loads without sacrificing performance.

With modern reloading tools, there is no reason why anything but a star crimp should be put on Finished shells. With paper cases, this method presents no problems. A few trials to determine the proper depth setting For the crimp- ing die is all that is needed. If, how- ever, crimps continue to bulge open, or if the case bulges just above the brass, it is a good sign that wad column needs to be reduced.

When crimping the new plastic cas- es, there is one other Factor to be aware of. The crimps of plastic reloads tend to open unless they are angled down- ward, and it is often wise to set the crimping die slightly deeper, or cut the wad column by 1/16” when working

Handloader-lomuary-February, 1967

The old reliable Model 42 Winchester in .4 10 bore har , proved to be a fhvorite among rabbit ’hunters.

with relatively new plastics.

Of the five powder and shot combi- nations listed in the chart, the most popular today are those calling for y2 ounce of shot and 15 grains of 2400 rifle powder in the 2%” case, while thc 3/j-ouncc shot load pushed by 16 grains of 2400 rifle powder gets the call for 3-inch hulls. Basically, their popular- ity stems from three factors: ( I ) Hercu- les 2400 rifle powder has been proved succcssful for .410 reloading over the years; (2) they duplicate the commer- cial loads now available; and (3) they are t h r shot weights used by competi- tive skeet shooters.

The +$-ounce load is probably the most useless of them all. What one saves on the cozt of shot is often spent in the frustrations of missing because ing, it is best to stick to 7y2’s, 8’s, and of a spotty pattern. The 5/8-ounce load 9‘s. At the normal upland game rang- might he interesting for starling shoot- es ol thirty yards or less, a full choke ing or cottontail rabbit hunting, but it .410 throwing 7 % ’ ~ or 8’s can still de- would be illenal for sub-small bore liver a fairly rrood Dattern. dense shot.

reason for the discrepancy, of course, is that there is more space wasted among the larger pellets and, therefore, there is not enough room for a Full measure of

skeet.

During recent years, I have warmed up to the Y2-ounce load that uses 18.2 grains of IMK 4227. This load has a lot of snap, and my Remington 1100 twenty gauge that has been converted to ,410 by Simmons functions perfect- ly with it. Actually, ejection seems to be sharper with the IMR 4227 than with 15 grains of Hercules 2400. Besid- es that, the 4227 did a good, clean job of killing about fifty starlings for me this summer.

In selecting shot sizes for ,410 reload-

, L ,

enough to stop lightly feathered birds or bouncing cottontails. But the coarse number 2’s, 415, 53, and 6‘s produce patterns that are spotty and inclined to cripple rather than kill cleanly.

When coarse shot is used for reload- ing .410’s, the charge being thrown by any given bushing or scooper should al- ways be checked on a scale; it is an ac- cepted rule of thumb that bushings throw their charges on the light side when shot sizes coarser than 7 % ’ ~ are used. On the other hand, the same bushings throw slightly heavier charg- es with pellets finer than 7%’~. The

Because the .410’s shot and powder requirements are 50 meager, it is ex- tremely important that bushings and powder meawres throw their charges accurately for these pee-wee reloads. For that reason, anyone who begins rolling his own .410 shells should sup- ply himself with a reliable scale and check his shot and powder charges often.

And getting a good scale shouldn’t strain the budget of any .410 reloader, as his lower lead and powder costs will make up for the scale’s price in no time.

0

Handloader-lanuary-February, 1967 39