Waste not, want not, we always say. Nowadays, with ammo flying off the shelves and prices skyrocketing, shooters are finding out resourcefulness pays dividends. While many shooters used to just leave their empty brass on the ground at the range, more and more are picking up the precious metals to handload more .45, 9mm and any other cartridge stores just can’t seem to keep in stock.

And your dad is probably one of them. If your father is frequently spending time in the workshop cleaning empty shells and measuring precise charges, maybe a good reloading gift is the way to go on Father’s Day. But don’t skimp out on the old man; he deserves only the best. To make your shopping a little easier, we’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite reloading products your dad is sure to enjoy.

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Cabela's Electronic Caliper

The Cabela's Electronic Caliper is an LCD-readout electronic caliper that performs inside, outside and depth measurements, measuring to 6 inches or 150mm. Includes a protective storage cases.

Price: $29.99

Cabela's Model 400 Vibratory Case Tumbler

The Cabela's Model 400 Vibratory Tumbler features a large 4-quart, 12-inch injection-molded bowl that holds up to 650 .38-caliber cases per cycle. The tumbler also has a quiet 110-volt motor with an inline on/off switch and a see-through plastic lid.

Price: $59.99

Frankford Arsenal Vibra Prime

Chances are, your dad doesn't have the time to sit there loading primer tubes one primer at a time. Luckily, the brand new Frankford Arsenal Vibra-Prime primer tube filler uses a motorized agitation system to load up to 100 primers into a tube in a matter of seconds; those filled tubes can then be easily transferred to your progressive press. The Vibra-Prime comes with a set of tube adapters and drop pin to ensure smooth transfers, and it runs on two AA batteries (not included).

Price: $74.99

Hodgdon 2013 Annual Manual

A great resource for reloaders favoring Hodgdon, IMR and Winchester powders, the Hodgdon 2013 Annual Manual includes 37 rifle cartridges with brand new bullet data, including more than a dozen loads for the .17 Hornet. The manual also includes 19 more cartridges for the best-selling CFE223. Pick it up at the InterMedia Outdoors Store.

Price: $10

Hornady Lock-N-Load Beam Scale

Nothing wrong with doing things the old-fashioned way. Hornady's Lock-N-Load beam scale is accurate to within 0.1 grain, with measurements laser-etched and easy to read.

Price: $82

Hornady Lock-N-Load Quick Trickle

Also new from Hornady is the Quick Trickle, which features a high-speed knob to dump powder fast, and a slow trickle knob to top off the charge. If your dad is way too obsessed with weighing powder charges, consider this the perfect gift for the old man.

Price: $116

Lyman 2200 Auto-Flo Case Tumbler

Lyman's brand new 2200 Auto-Flo case tumbler features a 1.5-gallon bowl—made from highly durable, extra thick material—that will hold up to 750 .38 Special cases. The 2200 is easy to use; when the cases are clean, just pull the plug and the tumbler will separate the cases from the polishing media.

Price: $165

RCBS Summit Single-Stage Press

Unlike most reloading presses, the RCBS Summit Single-Stage Reloading Press features bench-top operation; the case doesn’t move, and the reloading die comes down to the case. The Summit also features ambidextrous operation, full frontal access and accepts bushings for 1-inch die bodies.

Price: $270

Redding Master Hunter Die Sets

For hunter-reloaders looking to develop the ultimate hunting cartridge, Redding introduced its improved Master Hunter Die Sets. Inspired by the company's National Match Die Sets, the Master Hunter Die Sets includes Redding's Full Length Sizing Die along with its Competition Seating Die, and is available in a wide variety of calibers, including .223 Rem., .243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., .308 Win., .30-06 Springfield and many more.

Price: $194

Redding Micro-Adjustable Taper Crimp Die

To make the process of making precise adjustments simpler, Redding introduced its brand new Micro-Adjustable Taper Crimp Die. Top adjusting, the Micro-Adjustable Taper Crimp Die features a knurled micrometer-type barrel at the top, providing about ±.100-inch adjustment after setting up. The die also features an internal crimping sleeve, which can be reversed for two different cartridges that have similar body diameters. Available for .38 Super/9mm, .40 S&W/10mm Auto and .45 ACP/.45 GAP.

Price: $90

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10 Essential Reloading Products Your Dad Would Love

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New loading manuals from Berger, Hornady, Hodgdon, and Nosler are now available to handloaders. The author says the latest manuals are the most reliable sources for safe load data.

Reloading is not just for rocket scientists. And there’s nothing magical involved, either. If you have a modest measure of mechanical ability and a healthy dose of common sense, you’re an excellent candidate. However, the process details you need to know and follow to assure your continued good health and to make safe and reliable ammo are not inherently obvious. Thoroughly reviewing as many load manuals as you can before you try your hand at reloading is recommended.

There are several excellent ones to choose from, including the latest editions published by Barnes, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Nosler, Speer, Sierra and Swift. (There are four new-for-2013 manuals that I’ll get to in a moment.) These are what I refer to as “full-service” reloading manuals because they include detailed narrative (often with illustrations) describing each step in the process from A to Z. They also provide cartridge descriptions, dozens of tested recipes for each bullet or propellant product, and often bullet ballistic data.

You might think, “These manuals cost money, right? Why can’t I just get on the Internet and read about it?”

You’re correct. A manual may cost you $25, but it’s well worth it! Everything you need is in one place, and after perusing several chapters, the whole handloading mystery is revealed. In addition, you’d be ahead of the game if you ask around and find someone who reloads to give a simple tutorial and demonstration. They should have one or more of these manuals on hand that you might borrow. If they don’t have at least three of the latest editions, seriously reconsider their handloading acumen and, preferably, find another mentor.

You have to be wary of load data shared on the Web, especially from individuals. I’m an engineer; have reloaded for 40+ years; and have all my fingers, both eyes, and can still hear pretty well. I load for 85 cartridges, including several wildcat rounds. I have the latest editions plus dozens of old loading manuals that I refer to constantly.

I’ve either read about or experienced most of the pitfalls handloaders are likely to encounter, but I’ve also learned that it’s prudent to verify every load recipe by researching and comparing data from several reliable sources. The emphasis is on the word “reliable.” These include the companies mentioned above and the Accurate, Alliant, Ramshot and Vihtavuori reloading data booklets. They’re all fully engaged in 21st-century media technology, including comprehensive websites.

Unlike the way it was when I started reloading, almost all of these companies have fully equipped and staffed ballistic labs. They test-fire tens of thousands of rounds each year to develop new load data and also to revalidate previously published data.

That’s not necessarily so on Web threads. I look at a few sites occasionally just to see what topics seem to be of interest. When I see someone asking for load data for a common, everyday cartridge, I cringe. Often there are several responses that usually include why this or that “favorite” load is the best. Remember, these data are coming from complete strangers. So why would any sane person assemble ammo using an unsubstantiated recommendation, chamber a highly energetic .44 Magnum or .30-06 cartridge in their favorite revolver or rifle, grasp the grip or press their face against the stock firmly, and then squeeze the trigger?

Just remember, the latest edition reloading manuals are the most reliable sources for safe load data.

The .264 Winchester Magnum is like a beautiful, unloved stepchild. It shoots faster and flatter than any standard-length magnum other than the .257 Weatherby, it hits with undeniable authority at extended ranges courtesy of the extraordinary aerodynamics of its 6.5mm-diameter projectiles, and it recoils with unexpected politeness for such a high performer. Yet—aside from a small group of followers of cult-like loyalty—it has never gained the affection of the American hunter.

Introduced in 1959, the .264 Winchester Magnum (center) outperforms the ever-popular .270 Winchester (left) with ease, but it was overshadowed by the 7mm Remington Magnum (right) that was introduced three years later.

Introduced in 1959, the .264 Win. Mag. was an extraordinary cartridge. Heck, it still is, especially when handloaded to its full potential. Initially chambered in Winchester’s “Westerner” Model 70, it was meant to fill the needs of far-shooting mule deer and elk hunters. When pushed right to its maximum pressure of 64,000 psi (as established by SAAMI), it will hurl a long, slender 140-grain bullet at more than 3,100 fps from a 26-inch barrel. That’s faster than a 130-grain projectile out of the .270 Winchester, giving .264 Win. Mag. owners the advantages of increased velocity and the dramatically better ballistic coefficients gained by a heavier projectile of smaller diameter. The average 130-grain .277-diameter bullet struggles to achieve a BC of much more than 0.450, while even a moderately aerodynamic 140-grain .264 bullet approaches 0.500, and a streamlined one, such as Berger’s 140-grain Hunting VLD, offers an astonishing 0.612. Note that the .264 Win. Mag. typically must be handloaded to achieve the above velocity figures.

Hard on barrels? Yes—historically. With today’s improved barrel steels, slower-burning propellants, and improved cleaning solvents, it is not the throat-toaster it was reputed to be. Still, reasonable maximum-accuracy life expectancy is around 700 to 1,000 rounds.

Alas, Remington and its new-in-1962 7mm Remington Magnum dealt a resounding deathblow to the .264 Win. Mag. Offering heavier bullets, greater terminal energy, more frontal diameter, and a vast selection of projectiles suitable for handloading courtesy of its 7mm military cartridge predecessors, all at a price of only a bit more recoil and a little lost velocity, the “Seven Mag” became a cartridge in every American hunter’s vocabulary, while the excellent .264 Win. Mag. slipped quietly into near-obsoletion.

Today, the 7mm Rem. Mag. is still the more versatile cartridge; however, it is, and always has been, a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none kind of round, while the .264 Win. Mag. is a legitimate niche cartridge that does what it does better than any other American cartridge. With deer-size game on the menu, there is absolutely nothing flatter shooting or with more carrying ability.

As far as I’m aware, only Winchester Repeating Arms and Shaw Precision Guns (a division of E.R. Shaw barrels) currently produce factory rifles chambered in .264 Win. Mag., though Remington did feature the cartridge in the Model 700 Classic at one point (and those rifles are reputed to shoot very well). Of course, any custom riflesmith worth his salt can build a rifle in .264. Win. Mag.

Barrel length is important to the .264 Win. Mag; it really needs 26 inches to achieve full velocity potential. Winchester’s current Model 70s feature 26-inch tubes, Shaw rifles are available with whatever length the purchaser wants, and the Remington 700 Classic had a 24-inch barrel.

As far as ammo goes, both Winchester and Remington still produce .264 Win. Mag. factory ammunition (though only one load each, in basic, nonpremium lines), Nosler offers a premium load in its Trophy Grade line, and ProGrade lists a whopping three loads in its Hunting Grade line.

My choice of the “economy” loads (both the Winchester and Remington loads are priced $47 per box at the local Cabela’s) is Remington’s 140-grain Core-Lokt round. The 140-grain projectile is fairly streamlined, providing acceptable aerodynamics, and it has a protected tip (meaning only a bit of exposed lead, a tiny flat meplat where the bullet initiates negotiations with its target). While this does protect the bullet from deformation during recoil and during travel up the feedramp and into the chamber, its more important function is to limit potentially explosive expansion (as a result of high velocity) upon impact. The bullet holds together well, and though I’ve never shot truly big game, such as a mature bull elk or moose, with it, I’ve heard that it performs well.

It’s not loaded particularly hot; factory figures suggest a muzzle velocity of 3,030 fps from a 24-inch barrel. That results in a 500-yard drop of 42.3 inches when zeroed at 200 yards. Maintained energy at 500 yards is 1,139 foot-pounds. My Winchester Model 70 Sporter pushes it to 3,021 fps from a 26-inch tube (I chronographed it in 20-degree temps, and it would have been higher on a warmer day). Average accuracy is an acceptable 1.54 inches.

For handloading, slow-burning propellants like IMR-7828, IMR-4831, Reloder 22, and H1000 are necessary to achieve the highest velocities.

The Winchester 140-grain factory load is also pretty good. Though not quite as aerodynamic in shape, and sporting a good bit of exposed lead at the nose, impact result on deer-size game is typically spectacular. Advertised muzzle velocity is the same as the Remington load: 3,030 fps (my rifle gives 3,010 fps). The suggested 500-yard drop is 42.2 inches when zeroed at 200, and maintained 500-yard energy is the same as the Remington load: 1,139 ft-lbs.

For pure downrange performance, Nosler’s 130-grain AccuBond load banishes both of the above in disgrace. (Of course, it costs more, too.) Due to enhanced muzzle velocity (3,100 fps according to the factory and 3,108 through my rifle) and greatly increased aerodynamics, it drops only 34.7 inches at 500 yards, and though it is a lighter bullet, its maintained velocity provides 1,389 ft-lbs of 500-yard impact energy.

I haven’t been able to get my hands on any of the ProGrade ammunition yet, but all three options (120-grain Barnes TTSX; 125-grain Nosler Partition, and 140-grain Nosler AccuBond) look good, especially if the company pushes them to the .264’s full velocity potential.

Today, many outstanding component bullets and suitable propellants are available for loading the .264 Win. Mag., and it really comes into its own with carefully developed high-performance handloads. See the handy tear-out on page 54 for more details.

What It Can Really Do
Too many statistics make my head hurt, and they surely can be used to misrepresent facts, but let me try and simplify this and compare one good, aerodynamic .264 Win. Mag. handload with a couple of quality factory loads in its nearest cousins: the .270 Winchester and the 7mm Rem. Mag.

• .264 Win. Mag. Handload: 130-grain Swift Scirocco II (BC: 0.571) at 3,200 fps
• .270 Win. Federal Factory Load: 130-grain Nosler AccuBond (BC: 0.432) at 3,060 fps
• 7mm Rem. Mag. Federal Factory Load: 150-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip (BC: 0.495) at 3,025 fps

At my home elevation of 5,000 feet, calculated with a temperature of 50 degrees and 50 percent humidity, with all loads zeroed at 200 yards, we get the following ballistic projections:

The .264 Win. Mag. load drops only 29 inches at 500 yards and 109 inches at 800. A 90-degree, 10-mph crosswind causes it to drift 11 inches at 500 yards and 29 inches at 800. Maintained energy at each range is 1,813 ft-lbs and 1,319 ft-lbs respectively.

The .270 Win. load drops 35 inches at 500 yards and 137 at 800, and the 10-mph wind causes it to drift 16 inches at 500 yards and 45 inches at 800. Maintained energy is 1,383 ft-lbs at 500 yards and 880 ft-lbs at 800.

The 7mm Rem. Mag. load drops 35 inches at 500 yards and 132 at 800. The 10-mph wind causes it to drift 14 inches at 500 yards and 39 inches at 800. Maintained energy is 1,703 ft-lbs at 500 yards and 1,156 at 800.

A very good selection of .264 (6.5mm) component bullets is available to the handloader. The author prefers bullets in the 129- to 140-grain range. From left to right: Swift 120-Gr. A-Frame; Sierra 120-Gr. Pro Hunter; Hornady 120-Gr. GMX; Sierra 130-Gr. GameKing HPBT; Hornady 129-Gr. InterBond; Swift 130-Gr. Scirocco II; Swift 140-Gr. A-Frame; Nosler 140-Gr. Partition; Hornady 140-Gr. A-Max; Berger 140-Gr. Hunting VLD; and Sierra 142-Gr. MatchKing.

Surprisingly, the .264 Win. Mag. handload betters even the 7mm Rem. Mag. factory load in every category. It has less drop, less wind drift, and more maintained energy. Of course, a good handload in the 7mm would close the gap and certainly surpass the 6.5mm projectile in energy, but the comparison shows just how good the .264 is.

Practical Application
Though it’s more than a half-century old, the .264 Winchester Magnum is one of the few niche cartridges that is as yet unsurpassed by the motley assortment of modern magnums. It is still the fastest, flattest light medium bore available.

As such it has a legitimate but rather overlooked place in the modern hunting realm. With proper loading, it can outperform the .270 Win., 7mm Rem. Mag., .30-06, and its other sibling cartridges, and it does so with less recoil. Combining history, high performance, and excellent manners, it is a true aristocrat among rifle cartridges.

All right, so you fancy yourself a gun guy? You can watch a movie and point out every Smith, Colt or Glock that flashes across the screen, you say? Big deal. Let’s see how you handle a real challenge.

We’re looking for someone who can identify the make, model and caliber of this caplock with just three hints:

• It has a 36-inch octagon barrel.
• Features brass and silver furniture.
• Made in the U.S.

Whoever can guess all three criteria will win a brand new 34th Edition Blue Book of Gun Values by S.P. Fjestad, a $45 value. Leave your guess in the comments section below. Best of luck!

Optimal 9mm Luger function comes with choosing bullet shapes that can trace their design to the NATO bullet profile (far left).

I had a ringside seat to a revolution—the 9mm Luger Revolution. Considering how long that cartridge had been around, the path to American acceptance was not as smooth as you’d suspect. In 1989 the 9mm Luger surpassed the .38 Special in ammo sales volume when many North American law enforcement agencies transitioned to semi-auto pistols.

The change was not painless, especially for the shooting sports industry. There were few 9mm Luger handguns built in the U.S. prior to that period. S&W had the Model 39 and its evolutionary spin-offs, and Colt offered its Government Model and Commander pistols in 9mm. That limited selection made it easy for ammomakers to create a limited line of 9mm ammo that worked. The fact that military-surplus 9mm pistols were finicky with U.S. ammo was usually written off to, “They’re not built to commercial specs.” However, law enforcement went with high-grade European pistols based on military designs, and that led to a lot of research to make the 9mm Luger the cartridge it is today.

Function
Before the Revolution, a lot of U.S. 9mm Luger ammo was loaded on the “light” side. Winchester and CCI-Speer loaded 115-grain FMJ bullets, and Remington and Federal loaded 123- and 124-grain bullets but with the velocity reduced to accommodate the extra payload. A typical 115-grain load would make the nominal velocity of about 1,125 to 1,150 fps at well under the 9mm’s maximum average pressure (MAP) of 35,000 psi; it was common for those loads to run about 26,000 psi. The 124-grain pressures ran a little higher, but seldom more than 30,000 psi.

Adding to the problem was the selection of noncanister propellants. When the 9mm Luger cartridge was a low-volume (and expensive) product, it was not economically feasible for many factories to inventory special propellants for it. Most 9mm Luger ammo was loaded with propellants that also worked well in the .38 Special.

In Europe, where the 9mm Luger cartridge has been refined over decades of military and police use, propellants were slower burning, and the 124-grain (8-gram) bullet was standard. The SIG, Beretta, and Glock pistols that made up the majority of U.S. police choices during the Revolution were developed around very different ammo than American factories were producing.

As 115-grain FMJ ammo was usually cheaper than the 124-grain domestic brews, many agencies used it for training ammo. In 1989 a big state police organization bought SIGs and ordered 115-grain practice ammo from CCI. Not long afterward I got a call from their training manager. The cartridge cases were trickling out of the SIGs and sometimes not completely ejecting. As I was investigating the detailed load records at our end, the manager called back with more news: His pistols would not work with any 115-grain ammo of U.S. make.

I had an option; we had developed a special 124-grain 9mm load for a European customer. We swapped out all the 115-grain stuff for the heavier bullet, and function returned to 100 percent.

The ammomakers here ramped up research into the new pistols. That meant buying a lot of test pistols for final acceptance function testing. It also meant developing propellants that better duplicated what the European pistols were accustomed to eating and working with bullet shape, cartridge overall length (COL), and profiles.

COL research helped a lot. The S&W and Colt 9mm pistols to which most pre-Revolution U.S. ammo was mated could deal with COLs well under the industry max COL of 1.169 inches. It was common to see COLs of 1.110 to 1.125 inches for FMJ-RN loads. Seating FMJs to the vicinity of 1.135 to 1.150 inches made for better feeding in the Euro pistols without causing issues with U.S.-built pistols.

Bullet COL and profile issues with expanding bullets could fill its own book, so I’ll not cover that here. Suffice it to say that the very short 90- to 100-grain bullets whose profiles were optimized for the .380 Auto cartridge were miserable performers in Euro pistols because they loaded to about 1.005 to 1.050 inches. We dropped all 9mm Luger recommendations for 90- and 100-grain bullets from later Speer reloading manuals after the Revolution.

Accuracy
When I proposed a 9mm Luger 132-grain (8.5-gram) SWC-TMJ Match cartridge as a new Speer product, one of the engineering managers said that “9mm Luger Match” was an oxymoron. Indeed, for years this cartridge and its early pistols had never set any records for tiny groups. However, as we refined the TMJ to its final incarnations, we started seeing that some pistols could be very accurate.

The issue turned out to be a combination of bullet diameter specs and gun barrel diameter. I first encountered it when trying to load 0.355-inch cast bullets for my Browning Hi-Power. Even though cast from hard linotype, they were stripped of their rifling marks in-bore, leaving the bore heavily fouled. Keyholes were the rule. After digging all the lead out of the barrel, I measured the groove diameter at 0.357 inch. Switching the sizing diameter to 0.357 inch fixed that.

Barrels with groove diameters close to 0.355 inch can be very accurate. The author’s Colt Government Model will put most 9mm bullets into an inch at 25 yards.

The U.S. spec for maximum 9mm Luger bullet diameter is 0.3555 inch. The barrel groove diameter spec is 0.355+0.004—pretty loose. Fortunately, I’ve never found a barrel in a quality 9mm Luger pistol larger than 0.357 inch. The closer the bore diameter to 0.355 inch, the better accuracy you can expect. My custom Government Model 9mm has a box-stock Colt barrel with no special fitting. It can hold its own with most match-grade semi-autos. Its groove diameter is just under 0.3550 inch. My favorite load for it is the Speer 124-grain Gold Dot +P load. In the Colt’s 5-inch barrel, it nearly equals the .357 Sig cartridge in velocity and muzzle energy.

Getting the 9mm Luger loaded with a wide variety of bullet weights and shapes to work in a disparate mix of firearms makes and models required unprecedented cooperation between the gunmakers and the ammo factories. It was worth it, because today this cartridge is far and away a superior product to what was made before about 1987.

Alas, we’re not millionaires—well, we don’t know about you anyway—so our only option is to sit and let our minds drift to that phrase we’ve uttered far too often: “If only.” You may have real-world responsibilities to take care of, but while we can still dream, here are some incredible custom rifles you only wish you could own.

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Dakota Arms Model 76 Traveler

We aren’t as lucky as sportsmen of old; they used to dismount with style from a train, carrying their takedown gun case under their arm, cigar clamped firmly in the corner of their mouth. We get free caressing by trained TSA masseuses, and have to visit a worn rubber conveyor belt to pick up our bulky, cumbersome airline-approved rifle cases. Or do we? Dakota Arms’ extraordinarily talented gunsmiths build startlingly beautiful takedown bolt-actions—like the Dakota Arms Model 76 Traveler—that fit in a box the size of an oversize briefcase. Better yet, you can have two barrels fit to your action. How about a .300 H&H barrel paired with a .375 H&H, anyone? Order yours with exhibition-grade Bastogne walnut, case hardening, and just a touch of fine engraving—after all, these are dream guns, right? Prices range from $4,500 up—way up, if you’re a gentleman of old-world taste and means.

Dakota Arms Model 10 Deluxe

Yes, Dakota gets two spots in this to-die-for gathering of fine rifles. Believe me, with the Model 10, it’s well deserved. If you’re a fan of sleek, sexy single-shots, bluing so deep you could swim in it, and fine walnut checkered with unparalleled skill, the Dakota Model 10 is your poison. The Deluxe version adds exhibition grade walnut, case coloring, an inletted rear sling swivel and barrel-band front swivel, inletted gold oval, and other niceties to the aesthetic side, but don’t be deceived—it will get the job done under the most grueling hunting conditions imaginable. Choose your caliber, from .17 HMR to .404 Dakota. Price: Somewhere north of $6,000.

Herschel House Flintlock Longrifle

Considered a master of contemporary, historically accurate blackpowder rifles, Herschel House builds longrifles without par. Word on the streets is that although he’s built rifles for several major Hollywood pictures, he’d just as soon build a rifle for a hunter or fellow blackpowder competitor with an appreciation of history. An accomplished blacksmith, House forges most of the iron hardware he uses on his rifles, and prefers to fit each rifle to its individual owner. Significantly, though aesthetic quality is superb, each and every rifle is built to shoot very accurately, and built with the durability to last a couple of centuries, just as the historic rifles that inspire House.

Average build time? About a month per rifle. How do you get one? You might get really lucky and find one for sale at a high-end online auction. More likely you’ll have to join the Contemporary Longrifle Association, attend the annual meeting in Lexington, Ky., meet the man himself, and in person convince him to build you a rifle. You’ll never regret it.

Hill Country Rifles Custom .338 Lapua

Once an experienced long-range military shooter said that the .338 Lapua should replace the .50 BMG for all shoulder-fired rifles. When asked why, he said something to the effect that it’s just as capable and would cause a lot less dislocated shoulders, blown eardrums, and detached retinas. If you want to ring steel at 1,600 yards or pick off poor destructive unsuspecting prairie dogs at 800 yards—but value your retinas—this guaranteed 3/8-M.O.A accurate rifle from Hill Country Rifles is you ticket to long-range happiness. Built on a Defiance Machine stainless action, Schnieder match barrel, and McMillan stock, this rifle is actually easy to carry at 12 pounds but won’t hammer you to death with recoil, courtesy of a Badger Ordnance Thruster muzzle brake. As with most custom rifles, you’ll have to order one, and wait time is some six to 12 months. Price: $5,000 to $6,000, depending on options.

Holland & Holland Royal Deluxe .577 Nitro Express

If you haven’t dreamed about owning a British double rifle and Hemingwaying a path across the Dark Continent, you’re a gun guy without taste. Pardon my abruptness, but there it is. One of the da Vinci’s of work-of-art firearm makers, Holland & Holland produces scandalously beautiful rifles at truly obscene prices. This Royal Deluxe .577 Nitro Express is more beautiful than Kiera Knightley and more capable than Chuck Walker, and you could purchase a nice house for less than the 170,000 English pounds it will bring. But hey, think of the plus side: It will only increase in value, and you could actually own something more beautiful than Kiera Knightley and more capable than Chuck Walker. That should convince your wife to let you take out the necessary loan.

Les Baer AR .223 Super Match

I once shot five clay pigeons in a row, missed one, and hit another—for six out of seven—at 600 yards with a Les Baer AR .223 Super Match. Believe it or not—I hardly could at the time—all shots were fired from a simple prone-with-a-bipod position. Les Baer guarantees ½ M.O.A groups out of his rifles, but I’ve never fired one that wasn’t closer to ¼ M.O.A—truly obscene accuracy indeed. LBC match-grade parts (with the exception of a Geissele trigger) are housed in precision machined upper and lowers. Barrels are cut-rifled one groove at a time by LBC, and frankly, I haven’t seen another AR barrel yet that touches them for accuracy. Myriad options exist, including your choice of rifling twist. Price: $2,390.

Rifles Inc. Titanium Strata

Arguably the Dean of lightweight rifle makers, Lex Webernick personally hand-builds each super-accurate, uber-light rifle that emerges from his shop. At 4 ½ pounds, the Rifles Inc. Titanium Strata is the bee’s knees of Lex’s line. Built on discontinued Remington Titanium actions, every receiver is skeletonized, blueprinted, trued, lapped, and mounted with an honest match-grade barrel. The stock is of unique, proprietary design, constructed of hand-laminated graphite, and the action is pillar bedded. A “Quiet Slimbrake II” takes the bite out of recoil, even with magnum calibers. Even though these make our list of the most desirable custom rifles ownable, they are actually rather affordable at $3,500 plus customer-supplied action.

Shiloh 1874 Sharps Buffalo Rifle Quigley

Own this rifle, and you’re guaranteed adventures in far-off lands, the ability to shoot wooden buckets at shocking distances, and most importantly, a girl like Crazy Cora. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, hang your head in shame on the way to the video store to rent Quigley Down Under. Built in Big Timber, Mont., these current versions of the classic buffalo rifle from Shiloh Rifles (I can’t call them reproductions—the quality is just too good) have panache beyond compare, accuracy to spare, and will take down anything you shoot at. Of single-shot operation, this rifle chambers the tremendously powerful .45-110 (.45 caliber, 110 grains of blackpowder); has a 34-inch heavy octagon barrel, pewter fore-end cap, case-colored receiver and hardware, and comes fitted with a Vernier tang sight. Price: $3,396.

Turnbull USRAC/Winchester Model 1886

Doug Turnbull, undoubtedly the master of vintage Winchester restoration, is turning his talents to modifying newly manufactured Model 1886 rifles by Winchester Repeating Arms. Extraordinary wood, spectacular color case hardening, and unique configurations are all part and parcel. This particular rifle sports a 22-inch half-octagonal barrel in .50 Alaskan caliber, with a ¾-length magazine. It’s been restocked with XXX-grade fancy walnut in a pre-90,000 (serial number) style with ebony wedge; hand-checkered at 22 lines per inch.

Best of all to aficionados with a distinct opinion of how traditional Winchesters should look, the top tang has had the tang safety removed and filled; the hammer has been altered to have a traditional half cock. Stocks are finished with Winchester’s original formula. The receiver, lever, fore-end cap and swivel studs have been case colored; the barrel and magazine tube have been rust blued, and the remaining parts have been charcoal blued. Price is $7,500, and worth every penny.

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You Wish You Could Own These Custom Rifles

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The new round (center) has more than two times the downrange energy of the .17 HMR (left) and the .22 WMR (right).

Winchester has just unveiled what the company is calling “the most revolutionary rimfire cartridge in the company’s history.” The new round is touted as being the fastest rimfire in the world. According to the company, the .17 Winchester Super Magnum offers the downrange performance of a centerfire cartridge and “pinpoint accuracy and devastating performance at ranges well past 200 yards.”

The new cartridge has been in development for about three years, and it is based on a .27-caliber construction cartridge, the kind that powers nail guns and such, that has been necked down to .17 caliber. It achieves velocities about 600 fps faster than the .17 HMR rimfire with equal bullet weights, and it has more than two times the downrange energy of the .17 HMR and the .22 WMR. Its trajectory is said to be 50 percent flatter than the .17 HMR, and it has less wind drift than both the .17 HMR and the .22 WMR. Trajectory and wind drift are similar to that of the centerfire .22 Hornet.

Click to enlarge.

With muzzle velocities of 2,600 and 3,000 fps, the .17 Win. Super Mag. is being offered with three bullet types: a 20-grain jacketed hollowpoint, a 20-grain polymer tip, and a 25-grain polymer tip. The factory ballistics are shown in the accompanying chart and graphs.

Each loading comes in 50-round boxes and 500-round cases, and according to Winchester it will be on dealers’ shelves this month at a retail price that won’t break the bank.

Savage Arms has already announced that it will be chambering rifles for the new round, and another as-yet-unnamed riflemaker will be joining the party soon. Rest assured, as shooting samples become available, Shooting Times will be putting the new .17 Win. Super Mag. and the new rifles to the test.

Check out this video of Petersen’s Hunting Editor Mike Schoby at the range with the brand new .17 Win. Super Mag.

In Revelation 16:14-16, the term “Armageddon” is used to describe the site of an epic battle, the climactic and decisive confrontation between the forces of good and evil. In contemporary culture, the term has evolved to represent the “end of days,” in various contexts.

In a very clever word play, the folks at Nosler have coined the term, “Varmageddon,” to encompass the concept of a varmint’s “end of days.” Actually, the origin of the word “Varmageddon” is quite interesting. Nosler had a contest open to all employees, who proposed names for the new line. And, believe it or not, two employees independently came up with the name Varmageddon; both were awarded nice prizes from the company.

Nolser didn’t stop short when developing the products, either. The Varmageddon line includes all of the items needed to ensure success. In addition to a tricked-out “modern sporting rifle,” factory ammo and component bullets are offered so that budding combatants are aptly armed against any “evil” varmints they might encounter. And there’s also a Leupold Varmageddon riflescope to complete the package. The whole shebang provides the varmint shooter with an efficient and effective shooting synergy.

Here’s the low down on how this system performs in the field and on the range.

The Rifle
Nosler teamed up with noted AR builder Noveske Rifleworks to produce a highly specialized and effective tool for the “varmint wars” that is meant to be at home in vast prairie dog towns or when calling up coyotes. At its base is a forged lower with a mil-spec receiver extension, a Geissele SD-E trigger, a Magpul MOE grip and a Magpul PRS stock that’s adjustable for both length of pull and comb height.

The Vltor MUR upper features an antirotation interface in the free-floated, 13.5-inch handguard, which has the NSR KeyMod system. This lightweight handguard is less than 1.5 inches wide and has M-1913 slots along its top for the addition of lasers, lights, and whatnot. An intermediate gas system is attached to a low-profile gas block that is pinned to the barrel, and a full-length rail rests atop the 13.5-inch handguard so that mounting short- or long-eye relief scopes is no problem. The rifle comes with top-notch Back Up Iron Sights from Troy Industries, and a BCMGUNFIGHTER charging handle makes operation easier.

The heart of the rifle is an 18-inch, stainless-steel barrel with 1:8 twist, allowing it to handle bullets as heavy as 80 grains with no loss in accuracy, which my range tests confirmed. The chamber is pure 5.56mm and has an extended feedramp. The muzzle is threaded ½-28 in case you want to add a compensator, flashhider, or suppressor. A thread-protecting cap is provided. Finally, a Harris bipod and 20- and 30-round Magpul magazines (one each) are included. All that is packed in a handsome soft case.

The Scope
The rifle is available separately or as a package with a specially designed Leupold VX-3 4.5-14X 50mm scope. The elevation turret has Leupold’s CDS (Custom Dial System) calibrated to match Nosler’s Varmageddon .223 Remington ammo with 55-grain bullet at a nominal 2,900 fps. The scope is affixed by a Leupold Mark 2 IMS (Integral Mounting System) mount that solves two typical mounting problems at once. It attaches easily anywhere along the flat-top receiver and allows considerable adjustment for eye relief. It also positions the scope high enough for a proper cheekweld with the straight AR stock.

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The special Varmageddon scope features a 30mm tube and Leupold’s custom dial turret system that is calibrated to match Nosler’s Varmageddon .223 55-grain ammunition.

The new Varmageddon component bullets are offered in .17, .20, .22, and 6mm calibers.

Nosler Varmageddon bullets are loaded in factory ammo in .204 Ruger, .222 Rem., .223 Rem., .22-250 Rem., and .243 Win. chamberings.

The Varmegeddon bullets proved to be quite accurate in the author’s handloads (top) and the factory-loaded ammo (bottom).

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Nosler Varmageddon Review

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The Component Bullets
The Varmageddon component bullets are pretty snazzy, too, and were developed to meet specific objectives. They had to be accurate, but they also had to instantly disintegrate on a prairie dog or rocky hillside. Plus, they had to withstand the terrific RPMs generated by the combination of a fast twist and high velocity.

The new bullets passed muster and are available now in .17, .20, .22, and 6mm calibers. They are basically a cup-and-core design, and they feature a 2.5 percent antimony-lead alloy core and a gilding metal jacket that’s ultrathin at the nose but which tapers ever so slightly toward the base. Significantly, they are very flatbased, which in my opinion enhances accuracy.

Two point styles are offered. The hollowpoint looks for all the world like a custom-made benchrest bullet. The polymer-tipped design has what Nosler calls a “Metallic Black Tip.” The “metallic flecks” in the tip are actually just bits of colored polymer, but they look cool. Both point styles have a fairly large nose cavity that initiates expansion.

Last July I attended the first annual Varmageddon prairie dog shoot in Montana and subsequently received the rifle that I used in the field for more testing at home. I also received several representative calibers and weights of Varmageddon bullets that I loaded in typical varmint calibers. The results are listed in the accompanying chart. All shot pretty darn well in the sampling of rifles I had on hand. In fact, no load averaged over an inch. Note that these loads were just plucked almost at random from my load data books and are not “worked up” in the traditional sense.

For the Nosler/Noveske AR, I paired the 55-grain MBT and HP bullets in Nosler Custom cases with Hodgdon’s CFE 223 powder. Velocities easily broke 2,900 fps and were neck and neck in terms of accuracy at 0.57 and 0.59 inches, respectively. Significantly heavier bullets (from 65 to 80 grains) shot equally as well as the standard 55-grainers due to the fast-twist barrel.

The .204 Ruger is another favorite of varmint shooters, and my Weatherby Vanguard doted on the tiny but effective 20-grain bullets. It really didn’t care which style it was fed. Both clocked over 4,000 fps. As expected, the .222 and .22-250 Remingtons digested the sample loads with great precision.

Some may question the utility of a 55-grain bullet in the .243 since it is pretty much the standard weight in the .223, but there are probably at least a dozen people who don’t have a .223 and do have a .243. For these few but proud folks, this pill is for you. Loaded atop 46.0 grains of BL-C(2), it screamed out of my Browning A-Bolt at 3,717 fps and plunked into tidy 0.58-inch groups. Mission accomplished.

Just as I was wrapping up this report, I received a brand-new, hot-off-the-line Ruger Model 77/17 in the new .17 Hornet, so I scurried off to the loading room and loaded two combinations with the BMT and HP bullets. It was a trifle windy on that range day, which spread the groups laterally a bit (the benchresters call such groups “a weather report”). Nevertheless, all loads but one registered over 3,500 fps over my Oehler M-35P chronograph and punched small (if horizontal) groups well under an inch. Further testing is definitely in order.

Also available are Nosler Custom cartridge cases in several chamberings that are about as ready to load as you can get. These cases are weight-sorted, full-length sized, and have the mouths chamfered and the flash holes deburred.

The Factory Ammo
For those who don’t handload, Varmageddon bullets are also available in factory loads, five of which I shot in my test guns. The velocities of these factory loads were typical for the test guns, and accuracy made this dedicated handloader jealous.

The Varmageddon .223 ammo was loaded with the 55-grain MBT bullet, and it registered 2,802 fps and averaged about 0.5 inch. In addition to the .223, I shot the other factory loads in .204, .222, .22-250, and .243, and all produced good groups at respectable velocities. All of the Varmageddon factory loads registered a little less than the listed velocities except the grand, old .222 Remington. It was also the most accurate load tested, averaging 0.30 inch.

Final Impressions
All in all, I fired 10 .223 factory loads in the Varmageddon rifle with bullets ranging from 35 to 69 grains, all at a measured 100 yards. All averaged under an inch. The heaviest .223 factory load tested was Federal’s match load with the 69-grain Sierra, and the rifle’s 1:8-twist barrel punched tiny, ragged holes that averaged 0.35 inch. And there was not a single hiccup in the course of firing hundreds of test rounds.

Since I don’t relish gun cleaning any more than the next guy, I am delighted to report that the Noveske barrel was as accurate dirty as it was clean, and it took a minimum of solvent and patches to get it squeaky clean.

My experience in the field and on the range with the Varmageddon rifle, scope, ammo, and bullets was pretty impressive. It’s a goal-oriented system that offers a lot of solutions in a convenient package to the dedicated varmint shooter.

The Nosler/Noveske Varmageddon rifle comes with an 18-inch stainless-steel barrel, a Geissele SD-E trigger, a BCMGUNFIGHTER charging handle, Noveske Signature Back Up Iron Sights from Troy Industries, the NSR 13.5-inch handguard, a Magpul PRS stock, and Magpul magazines. A soft case, a Harris bipod, a Leupold IMS mount, and the Leupold VX-3 4.5-15X 50mm scope round out the package.

My oldest recollections of Mossberg are centered around my dad’s old Model 183 D-B .410 bolt-action shotgun. It had a pistol-grip buttstock, and part of the trigger guard extended down the grip to give it something sort of like finger grooves. It also had an internal three-round magazine and a screw-on (not screw-in) Full choke. When I was a kid, before I had my own gun, he would let me take it hunting, and I always thought it was kind of funny looking. But I sure liked the way it worked on the Bobwhite quail, rabbits, and squirrels that ran amok on my grandparents’ farm and in the surrounding timber. I like the looks of Mossberg’s new Silver Reserve II over-under shotgun a whole lot more, and it’s just as good of a performer as that old Model 183—undoubtedly even better.

Features
The Silver Reserve II is a boxlock over-under (there is also a Silver Reserve II side-by-side shotgun, but we’re not covering that one here). The over-under has a single trigger, a tang-mounted safety/barrel selector, a fine-line-checkered black walnut forearm, and a black walnut buttstock with rubber recoil pad. It’s made in Turkey, and it’s being offered in 12, 20, 28 gauges, and .410 Bore. Available barrel lengths include 32, 30, 28, and 26 inches. Receiver finish is polished silver with scroll engraving; barrels are blued and come with ventilated ribs and front bead sights. Chambers and bores are chrome plated. All versions come with a set of five screw-in choke tubes.

Shooting Times got a hold of a 12-gauge Sporting configuration gun for this report, but there’s also a Field model. The main differences between the Sporting and the Field configurations are the ribs (widths and heights) and the choke tube constrictions. The 12, 20, and 28-gauge Field guns come with flush choke tubes in Cylinder (C), Improved Cylinder (I-C), Modified (M), Improved-Modified (I-M), and Full (F). The .410 Field has fixed M and F chokes. There are also two-gauge Field Combo versions in 12/20 gauge and 20/28 gauge with 26-inch barrels. Suggested retail prices range from $693 to $1,042.

The Sporting O/U is available in 12 gauge and features 28-, 30-, or 32-inch trap-style ported barrels with vent rib and dual bead sights (fiber-optic front bead). The extended choke tubes have silver finishes and knurled grips in Skeet, I-C, M, I-M, and F. There’s an optional adjustable-comb buttstock. Suggested retail prices range from $851 to $1,145.

The Sporting versions of the new Silver Reserve II O/U come with ported 28-, 30-, or 32-inch barrels and a set of five extended choke tubes in Skeet, I-C, M, I-M and F. An adjustable-comb buttstock is optional. Field guns and two-barrel combo sets are also available.

Performance
Our in-house professional photographer, Mike Anschuetz (shown in the accompanying photo), is a budding wingshooter. He has some real potential there, too, because he beat all the InterMedia Outdoors editors and contributors in an informal shotgun match at a recent editorial roundtable. The prize was a Mossberg shotgun, and Anschuetz picked the 12-gauge Silver Reserve II Sporting version with 28-inch barrels and raised-comb buttstock. It’s the one shown in our photographs.

I pulled him in on this report because he’s been hitting the skeet range way more often than I have these days, and I wanted to get his thoughts on how the new O/U performs. He says he shot as good with it the first time out as he does with his regular gun—a semi-automatic Browning. He thinks the Silver Reserve II is easy to get comfortable with, and he especially likes the selector lever. The gun just has a good heavy feel, and he likes the extended chokes. The barrel ports seem to help manage recoil.

His only complaints are with the trigger and the metal finish. He calls it “price-point” finish and wishes that it was more polished. He says the trigger is too heavy for his tastes, but all in all, he likes the gun and thinks it’s more of an intermediate-level gun rather than an entry-level one.

I like the Silver Reserve II as is. It has many features that my personal favorite O/U has, including a single trigger, vent rib with dual bead sights, and walnut stock. I’ve come to know—through far too many missed shots on upland birds—that I shoot a lightweight 28-gauge gun way better than a 12 or even a 20. So even though I like this 12-gauge Sporting version, I’ll hold off buying a Silver Reserve II until I can get my hands on a small-gauge gun. Maybe I’ll go for the .410 version in honor of that old bolt-action Mossberg I used when I was a kid.