Bullseye demands an extremely high degree of consistency. On the firing line, we use a “shot plan” to do that, shot after shot. And when reloading, I follow a written reload procedure (click here to view [and print]) to build the needed consistency into my ammunition. Here are some tips and a summary of some […]

I’m not an expert but I have learned a couple of useful things. In no particular order, here they are. Leftover dust from walnut shell cleaner does not seem to be a problem (other than in the primer tube). After tumbling to separate brass from walnut shell cleaner, I do nothing else to the brass. […]

This is the last of a five part series on tolerances in reloading. In previous sections we’ve looked at tolerances in the weighing of the miniscule amounts of propellant we use in handgun ammunition, the COL and crimp measurements we check frequently during reloading, and in the critical nature of bullet weight. In this the […]

This is the fourth of a five part series on tolerances in ammunition reloading. In this part we look at bullet weight tolerance and, in particular, what is common practice among Bullseye shooters for this most critical item. In this area, you may hear considerable discussion of what precision is needed. I will have to […]

This is the third of a five part series. In this part we look at Cartridge Overall Length (COL) and crimp to discover what tolerance is recommended and whether or not we can get accurate measurements with the available instruments. For the COL, or Cartridge Overall Length, and crimp measurements, digital calipers commonly read to […]

This is the second of a five part series on tolerance in reloading. In this part we look at the powder “throw” or drop and try to answer the question, “How accurate does it need to be?” My load for 45 ACP “wad” ammunition is 4.0±0.1 grains of Clays. That ±0.1 grain powder tolerance allows […]

This is the first of a five part series: Tolerance in Reloading (Introduction), Tolerance in Powder Throw, Tolerance in COL and Crimp, Tolerance in Bullet Weight, and Tolerance in Brass. Introduction The difference between practical engineering and pure science is tolerance. E = mc2 is pure science. It’s exact. You take this many kilograms of […]