2018-11-01 STimes

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Happy 30th Birthday, 7mm STW
The 7mm Shooting Times West-
erner may have more competition
36 today than 30 years ago, but it

continues to hold its own with any
cartridge of its caliber.
NOVEMBER 2018 VOLUME 59, ISSUE 10 By Layne Simpson
Glock’s Best
Accurate, ergonomic, and tough
42 enough to pound railroad spikes,
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Glock’s new G19X may be the best
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Get the Most from Your .375 H&H

Handloading this cartridge king
Xtreme Plus
The newest version of
Beretta’s A400 autoloader
50 of versatility turns it into the most
capable hunting cartridge on the
planet.
employs all the latest By Joseph von Benedikt
in high-tech shotgun
evolution. .224 Valkyrie
By Steve Gash Mossberg is one of the first firms to
offer rifles chambered for the new
56 .224 Valkyrie cartridge, and we got

our hands on two preproduction
samples. Here’s how they performed.
By Steve Gash
Quick Shot
Ruger Single-Six .17 HMR
The single-action Ruger Single-Six
62 revolver is a classic, and this .17

HMR version is a high-quality hand-
gun in every way.
By Joel J. Hutchcroft
Quick Shot
Blackhawk Premium
Leather ISP Holster
Every serious shooter knows of
64 Blackhawk’s nylon tactical and

shooting gear, but not everyone
knows that the company now
makes leather holsters, too.
By Joel J. Hutchcroft
Quick Shot
Hornady Frontier
.223 & 5.56 Ammo
Hornady resurrected its Frontier
66 Cartridge line of ammunition this

year by offering 11 .223 Remington
and 5.56 NATO loads. Here are the
results of our shooting test.
By Jake Edmondson
2 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2018 VOLUME 59, ISSUE 10
®
SHOOTER’S UPDATE An Outdoor Sportsman Group® Publication
PUBLISHER
8 Readers Speak Out Mike Schoby
.22 Accuracy Tip and Thoughts on the ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Significance of Muzzle Energy Patrick Hogan
EDITORIAL
10 New Guns & Gear EDITOR IN CHIEF
Joel J. Hutchcroft
Lyman Brass Smith Reloading Kits, SIG
SAUER Component Brass, Hodgdon Triple- COPY EDITOR
Michael Brecklin
Seven FireStar Pellets, and Hornady Quick
Detach Universal Mounting Plate CONTRIBUTORS
Jake Edmondson
Steve Gash
12 Ask the Experts Allan Jones
Lane Pearce
What Chronographs the Shooting Times Layne Simpson
Writers Use and the Difference Between Bart Skelton
Joseph von Benedikt
.223 Remington and 5.56 NATO Terry Wieland
ART
ART DIRECTOR
SHOOTER’S GALLERY Stephan D. Ledeboer
GROUP ART DIRECTOR

14 The Shootist David A. Kleckner
Winchester Model 1894 NRA Centennial STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Michael Anschuetz
Musket
Joseph von Benedikt PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Terry Boyer
18 The Ballistician
Maintaining Critical-Need Reliability PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Jenny Kaeb
Allan Jones
ENDEMIC AD SALES
NATIONAL ENDEMIC SALES
24 The Reloader Jim McConville (440) 791-7017
Reloading the .224 Valkyrie ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER
Lane Pearce Mark Thiffault (800) 200-7885
WESTERN REGION
Hutch Looney — hutch@hlooney.com
SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE
EAST REGION
Pat Bentzel (717) 695-8095
68 Gunsmoke NATIONAL AD SALES

A Handloader’s Caliber ACCOUNT DIRECTOR—DETROIT OFFICE
Kevin Donley (248) 798-4458
Terry Wieland
NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE—CHICAGO OFFICE
Carl Benson (312) 955-0496
72 Hipshots
King of the Wildcats DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING/NON-ENDEMIC
Anthony Smyth (914) 693-8700
Joel J. Hutchcroft
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SHOOTER’S UPDATE
READERS SPEAK OUT NEW GUNS & GEAR ASK THE EXPERTS
Measuring the rim thickness of .22 LR ammo with a

gauge like Hornady’s Rimfire Thickness Gauge and
segregating the ammo by the same thickness is one
technique for obtaining the best accuracy.
Now we just enjoy being able to consis-

tently hit our desired targets when we plink,
as we did when we were kids. There are
some old guys that can shoot really well!
Please keep up the good articles and
remember that most of us started with .22s
because it was the cheapest to shoot. It still
is, just nowhere as cheap as it used to be!
Jeffrey Taylor
Greer, SC
NOT SO FAST
To Greg Lee of California who said in the
.22 LR Accuracy Tip July edition that Shooting Times should pub-
lish muzzle energy (ME) when comparing
various cartridges because ME is the “one
I ENJOYED LAYNE SIMPSON’S ARTICLE ON .22 LR ACCURACY IN THE JULY characteristic that defines a cartridge’s true
issue. When I was around eight years old, my father taught me how to shoot power more than any other”: not so fast!
with an old bolt-action, tube-magazine .22 rifle. I don’t remember the brand First, if you have muzzle velocity (MV),
of the rifle, but my brother and I put countless rounds through it growing then you also have ME. Simply square the
up. Here I am almost 75 and still shooting .22s and loving it. MV, divide the product by 450,400 then mul-
For many years my brother and I have measured rimfire case thickness tiply by the bullet weight in grains.
before shooting. We use the Hornady Rimfire Thickness Gauge and a digital As for the significance of ME, remember
micrometer to measure the thickness of the primer pocket of each round. that lighter bullets slow down faster than
There is always a significant variation in the measurements within most boxes heavier ones, and heavier bullets of the same
of ammo because of the packaging methods of the ammunition. Multiple shape have better ballistic coefficients.
machines feed into the package-filling area, so the production variations For example, a .30-caliber 150-grain poly-
between machines is reflected in the rounds in the boxes. mer-tipped bullet leaves the muzzle with
Why do we measure the rim thickness? Well, it has shown us that group- 3,627 ft-lbs of energy, while the same bullet
ing rounds by rim thickness has significantly decreased the flyers in our weighing 200 grains has an ME of 3,478
groups. Some of what we thought might be wind variation turned out to ft-lbs. But at 100 yards, they are essentially
be ammo related. I use small paper cups with the thickness measurement even (3,117 ft-lbs for the 150-grain bullet
written on them. When I gauge a round, I drop it into that cup. It actually and 3,100 ft-lbs for the 200-grainer), and at
goes pretty quickly. After sorting them I place them into MTM plastic cases 200 yards, the 200-grain bullet has pulled
so that same-sized rounds are grouped for easy shooting. ahead with 2,765 ft-lbs to the 150-grain’s
I use several .22s for the shooting, including a customized heavy-barrel 2,681 ft-lbs.
Ruger 10/22, a standard 10/22, and a new Ruger Mark IV Hunter pistol Granted, there is not a world of difference,
with a bull barrel. I have found that the brand of ammo has become less but it is not a good idea to judge on ME
critical when the rounds are grouped by rim-thickness measurement. Some alone. The heavier 200-grain bullet would
brands, such as Eley and Lapua, have much smaller variations in measure- be a more powerful downrange choice for
ment, which may partially account for their better accuracy. My older brother big game, but you would never know it by
began measuring his .22 LR competition ammo in college ROTC, and he simply comparing ME.
has competed in iron sight matches at various meets up to and including John Fuquay
Camp Perry using an Anschutz rifle. Cary, NC

SHOOTER’S UPDATE
Hodgdon TripleSeven FireStar Pellets

Hodgdon has a new form for its Triple-
Seven blackpowder substitute propellant.
This new star-shaped pellet is designed
for modern, .50-caliber inline muzzleload-
ers used with 209 primers. The geometric
Reloading Kits design features longitudinal grooves that

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outcome is a pellet that is cleaner burning,
LYMAN HAS THREE NEW RELOADING KITS THAT INCLUDE ALL THE ACCES- resulting in the suppression of “crud ring”
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a Powder Dribbler, and a Primer Tray. The All-American 8 Kit comes with a
Universal Trimmer and Pilot Multi-Pack and an E-ZEE Primer Tray.
MSRP: $249.95 (Ideal Reloading Kit), $354.95 (Victory Reloading Kit),
$499.95 (All-American 8 Reloading Kit)
lymanproducts.com
SIG SAUER Component Brass

SIG SAUER is now offering
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handloaders. The cases are pro- Hornady Quick Detach Universal
duced at SIG’s state-of-the-art Mounting Plate
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Pistol cases come in bags of 100 in .380 Auto, 9mm Luger, .357 Sig, .38 configurations fit a variety of presses and
Special, .357 Magnum, .40 S&W, 10mm Auto, and .45 Auto. Rifle cases come reloading tools, and extra mounting plates
in bags of 50 in .223 Remington, .22-250, .243 Winchester, .300 BLK, .300 are sold separately. The system measures
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SHOOTER’S UPDATE
What Chronographs look almost identical, and their maximum

cartridge overall lengths are the same (2.260
Do You Guys Use?

inches). However, their ballistics and cham-
ber specs diverge somewhat.
The .223 Remington specifications are
controlled by SAAMI, a civilian organiza-
Q: Shooting Times puts a lot of emphasis on velocities (averages, extreme

spreads, and standard deviations) and seems to always include that
information in the shooting results charts. But most of the time, you don’t
tion of industry members representing the
major firearms and ammunition manufac-
turers. An international government body
tell readers which chronograph you use. So what chronographs do the representing the various member countries’
writers use? military agencies controls the 5.56 NATO
Russell Day requirements.
Via email The .223 Rem. is typically loaded with bul-
lets ranging in weight between 35 and 60
A: That’s a great question. The Shooting Times writers use a variety of

chronographs. For instance, Jake Edmondson uses a Competition
Electronics ProChrono Digital, and so do I. I use the company’s indoor
grains. The twist rate of commercial rifles
chambered in .223 Rem. will typically be 1:9
to 1:12. In comparison, 5.56 NATO ammo is
light setup and almost never have an error when using that external light usually loaded with longer 62- to 80-grain
source. Steve Gash uses an Oehler Model 35P chronograph. Layne Simp- bullets, and rifles chambered in 5.56 will
son uses an Oehler Model 33 chronograph. Lane Pearce uses an Oehler typically have a tighter barrel twist rate (1:7
Model 35P. Joseph von Benedikt uses either a Shooting Chrony or an to 1:9).
Oehler Model 35P or a LabRadar, which technically is not a chronograph The most significant differences between
but is a personal radar device designed for measuring projectile velocities. the two rounds are the chamber throat and
D. Faubion uses a LabRadar. Brad Miller uses a Shooting Chrony. Terry leade dimensions. The .223 Rem. chamber
Wieland uses a Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital and a Com- features a very short throat forward of the
petitive Edge Dynamics M2 chronograph. neck and a relatively steep leade angle. To
A lot of us place whichever chronograph we use 12 or 15 feet from the accommodate the heavier bullet weights,
gun’s muzzle; however, some put it closer, around six to eight feet from the 5.56 NATO chamber has a longer throat
the muzzle. Several years ago, our resident ballistician, Allan Jones, wrote and a shallower leade angle.
that at least seven shots should be fired in order to obtain a scientifically Maximum average pressure (MAP) limits
relevant average velocity, and the Shooting Times writers always chro- also differ. The SAAMI spec for the .223
nograph at least five rounds of each load; in most cases we gather the Rem. is 55,000 psi. NATO limits the 5.56 to
data for 10 to 15 shots. approximately 62,000 psi.
Joel J. Hutchcroft If you have a rifle chambered in .223 Rem.,
it may be hazardous to fire 5.56 NATO ammo.
A longer bullet, with the ogive jammed into
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN .223 REMINGTON AND 5.56 NATO? the short throat/leade will surely cause
Q: I’m new to the shooting sports and have been reading a lot of gun
magazines. I like Shooting Times the best because I enjoy the empha-
sis on technical information. I’ve never written to a magazine before, so I
chamber pressure to exceed SAAMI MAP
specs. How much and what actual damage
may result is anybody’s guess.
hope you can help me. Conversely, rifles chambered for the 5.56
I see a lot of references to .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO cartridges, NATO round will usually safely accommodate
especially as regards AR-15 rifles, and I know they are basically the same. commercial .223 Rem. ammo interchange-
What are the differences between the two cartridges? ably. However, accuracy may suffer when
Ben Wilson firing lighter bullets because the shorter
Via email bullet must jump across the longer throat
before the ogive engages the rifling, and
A: Aside from their distinctly different developmental evolutions, these

two cartridges have some minor dimensional differences that are in
fact very significant. From a strictly physical perspective, the cartridge cases
the bullet’s axis can be misaligned with the
bore axis.
Lane Pearce

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SHOOTER’S GALLERY
THE SHOOTIST THE BALLISTICIAN
Winchester Model 1894

NRA Centennial Musket
This full-stocked .30-30 lever action is a throwback to vintage
military rifle configurations. BY JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1971, and the barrel reached skin-scorching temperatures; a
seven years after the 1964 Winchester economizing barrel band and sling swivels; and a shoulder-friendly
debacle, the Model 1894 NRA Centennial Musket carbine-type buttplate.
lever-action rifle I used for this report displays very Walnut quality is superb—dense and straight-
good workmanship. Wood-to-metal fit is superior grained, just the sort of stock that would serve
to most of the recently manufactured lever guns I’ve yeoman’s duty for decades of military service.
handled, and the action is tight. Polish and bluing
are exceptional. Mechanicals
Interestingly, this rifle fits between the purist-pre- Like any other Winchester Model 1894, this Cen-
ferred Pre-’64 models and the later, modified-for-scope tennial Musket is a tube-fed lever action with an
rifles that were reengineered to toss empty cases out at exposed hammer. Load it through a gate in the right
an angle. However, like earlier iterations, it is drilled side of the action. Magazine capacity is seven rounds.
and tapped at the rear left side of the action for an To cycle the action, insert the last three fingers of
aperture-type receiver sight. the firing hand through the lever and work it briskly
Created to commemorate the 100-year anniversary down and forward as far as it will go, then rotate it
of the NRA, 23,000 muskets were made and offered in back into firing position. Don’t be shy; lever actions
Produced in 1971 for $150. An additional 21,000 rifles were config- run best when functioned with gusto. A world-cham-
1971 to cele-
brate the NRA’s
ured along popular sporting-rifle lines: half magazine, pion cowboy action shooter once advised me “to work
100th anni- pistol grip, shotgun buttplate, 24-inch round barrel. it like your trying to break it.”
versary, the Musket versions harken back to the military con- As the lever rotates down and forward, the extrac-
26-inch-bar-
reled centennial
figuration of earlier days, offering a 26-inch barrel tor draws the empty cartridge case (if present) from
muskets fea- for increased velocity and longer, more precise sight the chamber and a plunger-type extractor heaves the
ture very nice radius; a ladder-type rear sight for extreme-range empty up out of the action. Simultaneously, the lifter
materials and
craftsmanship.
“volley” fire; a full-length musket-style forearm to pops up and presents the cartridge sitting on it to
protect the hand when shooting became hot and heavy the chamber, and the bolt pushes the hammer back

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Winchester Model 1894 NRA Centennial Musket
to the cocked position. Pulling the lever back causes Provenance

the boltface to boost the fresh round into the cham- I found the rifle pictured here in a Cabela’s gun library, unfired, in the
ber, and as the lever closes, the magazine releases a box. Being the sort of chap who likes to shoot the guns I own, I soon
fresh round to slide back onto the lifter. changed the “unfired” part. NRA centennial guns are cool and have just
To fire, squeeze the lever fully shut to disengage a bit of collector value but will never be the 1965 fastback Mustang of
the trigger safety (the trigger is locked forward until Winchester ’94s, if you get my drift, so firing the musket didn’t signif-
the lever presses the safety in) and squeeze the trigger. icantly reduce its value.
Being unfired, this rifle has no significant provenance of its own, but
MODEL 1894 NRA CENTENNIAL MUSKET I have a bit of history with the ’94 Musket. I recall standing beside my
twin brother in a central Utah pawn shop in my early teens, both of us
gazing wistfully at a pair of brand-new Model 1894 Muskets. Even then
I was a gun nut, and the unique long-barreled, full-stock configura-
tion just entranced me. I think the price tag was $200. Needless to say,
I couldn’t afford it at the time.
My Cabela’s had my rifle listed for less than $900, and when I spotted
it leaning in the glass case, I was still entranced by the unique configura-
tion. I tried to resist—briefly and halfheartedly—but I just had to have it.
Rangetime
Wondering how the musket would shoot because the full-length fore-
arm is a prime candidate for exerting a bad influence on a barrel, changing
harmonics and point of impact as it heats during a shot string, and because
the long magazine tube with those seven rounds loaded in it can cause
MODEL 1894 MUSKET ACCURACY & VELOCITY
the point of impact to change primar-

ily because it becomes lighter with each .30-30 Win., 26-in. Barrel
shot fired, also changing barrel harmon-
ics and point of impact, I rushed out to
the shooting range. 8
On the plus side, the trigger is nice
and crisp and quite light for an untuned
lever action, averaging just 3 pounds, 10
ounces over a series of measurements
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of two, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag benchrest. Velocity is the
using my Lyman digital trigger gauge. average of five rounds measured 45 feet from the gun’s muzzle with a LabRadar chronograph.
And the rifle balances beautifully, both
at the shoulder and in the hand while carrying.
The rear sight features a semi-buckhorn profile with a crisp U-notch 4.0 inches. Most averaged between 2.0 and 3.0 inches,
when folded down and has a spring-tensioned slider on the ladder. Unlike and one averaged less than 2.0 inches. That’s not quite
other ladders I’ve used, it’s not marked for range with hashes at increasing as precise as my Pre-’64 Model 1894 carbine, but it is
intervals. Rather, it’s marked with even lines, numbered on the fives up to definitely usable.
20. Each increment is precisely 0.05 inch, and sight radius is exactly 21.75 Interestingly, actual muzzle velocities measured 100
inches. According to my calculations, each hash equals 8.3 inches of adjust- to 150 fps faster than factory-advertised numbers.
ment at 100 yards—almost exactly 8 MOA. Clearly, the longer-than-average 26-inch barrel makes
With targets placed out at 100 yards, I sandbagged the rifle and fired a difference.
two, five-shot groups with each type of ammunition, allowing the barrel Distinctly different from just about any other Model
to cool between each group. I needn’t have been concerned about the 94 lever action, the NRA Centennial Musket has qual-
full stock causing accuracy issues. All six loads tested averaged less than ity, panache, and character.
NOVEMBER 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES 17

SHOOTER’S GALLERY
THE SHOOTIST THE BALLISTICIAN THE RELOADER
Maintaining Critical-Need
Reliability
Severe cold weather can affect your self-defense guns and
equipment just as much as it can affect your hunting gear.
It pays to be prepared. BY ALLAN JONES
AS YOU READ THIS, YOU MAY BE WELL INTO My first exposure to cold weather issues with fire-
preparing for winter hunts. When considering cold- arms developed in my early years at the Dallas Crime
weather gear like shelter, clothing, and footwear, do Lab. Even Dallas, Texas, could experience bitterly cold
Extreme cold
can affect your
you include your firearms and their related gear? Will January days. Being accustomed to warmer weather,
firearm, your severe cold affect them? Now is a good time to ask police officers too often misjudged the effect of cold
ammo, and your that question. on their firearms and ammo.
battery-pow-
ered electronic
Whether while hunting or in a self-defense situa- One visiting officer requested a routine mechanical
gear. Plan tion, your firearm must work flawlessly. Gunmakers check of a back-up S&W revolver he kept under the
ahead to keep build for maximum harsh-condition reliability, but seat of his personal vehicle. The thermometer on the
your tech warm
and working.
the bottom line is you are responsible for maintain- outside of the lab building never recorded higher than
ing critical-need reliability when it is frigid outside. 22 degrees Fahrenheit that day.

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Maintaining Critical-Need Reliability
My first clue to a serious issue occurred while he Oils and grease can work against you in extremely cold weather.
unloaded the sidearm. The thumb latch was slug- I think a well-designed firearm should be able to work flawlessly without
gish, and he had trouble swinging out the cylinder lubricant in the internal mechanism, and a number of major gunmakers
and ejecting the live rounds. When I was handed seem to feel the same way. Back in my carrying days, I would set aside
the revolver, it was ice-cold. With some difficulty I time around Thanksgiving to disassemble my Colt Government Model
cocked the empty revolver and snapped. The hammer all the way and remove any trace of grease or lube that may have accu-
took a full second to fall—think “one, one-thousand.” mulated. I didn’t over-oil, so there was seldom much to remove, but
The hammer fell so slowly that it could not have set sometimes I’d find old lubricant hiding in spaces that a routine field-
off the most sensitive primer. strip cleaning would not reveal.
The officer was gobsmacked. He asked what was Some people seem concerned that a new gun must be lubricated,
wrong, and I suggested that removing the sideplate thinking those new parts aren’t yet accustomed to rubbing against each
would reveal a wad of stiff grease. I was right. The other. I say the best way to avoid lube in that situation is to take the
interior was packed in grease having the consistency of firearm out and shoot it before relying on it. It’s little different from
peanut butter. The officer’s response was that it made break-in procedures that carmakers once recommended—but a lot more
the action smoother. Maybe, but not at 20 degrees F. fun. If you run 200 to 300 rounds of factory ammo through a new,
We scooped out the grease and flushed everything quality handgun, the moving parts will make friends with each other
with a spray solvent and used a stiff parts brush to pretty quickly. One wise old Smith & Wesson armorer I knew called it
finish the job. We left the revolver lubricant-free, “marrying the parts.”
and it ran smoothly even after we chilled it in the If you believe you must lubricate a firearm headed for cold condi-
lab’s freezer to duplicate the conditions under his tions, consider a dry lubricant. Graphite is the classic dry product but
car seat that morning. newer ones using molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) are excellent. Some
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Maintaining Critical-Need Reliability
are suspended in a solvent for neater application. thermometer drops from the reference temperature. For example, a
For years I’ve used only Dri-Slide, a suspension of load achieving 2,900 fps at 70 degrees F should post about 2,880 fps at
MoS2 and graphite in a quick-evaporating solvent, 50 degrees. However, some of their actual data points out 0 degrees F
on my lightweight Colt Commander. I reasoned that showed reductions up to 200 fps, which is more than enough to affect
a steel pistol slide running on aluminum frame rails bullet drop.
could use a little help. I dribble a little Dri-Slide on Tests at CCI-Speer concluded standard primers worked well to about
a fine-tipped paintbrush and lightly paint the slide 20 degrees F but suggested reworking the loads with magnum primers
and frame rails. if you know the temperature will be below that. At terribly low temper-
In temperate weather I use light machine oil when atures a cold cartridge may not work at all. I spent time with officers
needed, applied very stingily with the application pin from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary who said they tried test-
fitted to a wonderful surplus tool: the U.S. GI Oiler. ing 5.56mm rifles outdoors at about -40 degrees F and bullets traveled
No big drops that way. Lacking a GI Oiler or similar only about 50 to 75 feet, and the snow was covered in partially burned
gadget, you can use any metal or wooden rod. Dip propellant!
the tip in oil, shake off any excess, and then touch Don’t forget your “tech.” Gun sights with illuminated reticles, range-
the rod to the part needing lube. That’s all you need. finders, GPS devices, phones, and radios all rely on batteries that are
I never touch the oil container directly to the part notoriously cold-sensitive. In the event that cold zaps your batteries,
needing oil. have a back-up plan. Make sure you can still use the sights if the reti-
What about ammunition? Most smokeless propel- cle illumination stops working. Other items will fare better if carried
lants will produce reduced pressure and velocity at under your coat where your body heat helps keep them closer to opti-
low temperatures. Research that Sierra Bullets per- mal working range. Carry your spares someplace warm, too.
formed came up with a very rough approximation Remember, if gunmakers wanted us to pack firearms with lubricant,
that you lose 1 fps of velocity for every degree the they’d have installed grease Zerks!
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SHOOTER’S GALLERY
THE SHOOTIST THE BALLISTICIAN THE RELOADER
Reloading the .224 Valkyrie

The .224 Valkyrie was created to provide optimal long-range
performance, and matching factory-load ballistics with
handloads is relatively easy. BY LANE PEARCE
FEDERAL PREMIUM ANNOUNCED THE .224 I decided to rebarrel two of my guns, and Lothar-
Valkyrie at this year’s SHOT Show, and the new Walther USA provided two stainless-steel barrels
round was designed to fit, feed, and fire in the chambered for the new round. One is a 24-inch,
popular AR-15 platform. Demonstrating a solid heavyweight, target barrel configured for my “switch-
commitment to a successful debut of the new barrel” DRD Tactical CDR-15 AR. The other is a
cartridge, Federal introduced four different fac- 22-inch tube that is threaded and profiled to replace
A lot of com-
ponents are
tory loads with the Nosler 60-grain Ballistic Tip, the factory barrel of my CZ-USA Model 527 bolt-
available for American Eagle 75-grain TMJ, Fusion 90-grain action rifle that’s chambered for the 7.62x39mm.
handloading SoftPoint, and Sierra 90-grain MatchKing. Those There was no additional work needed to use the AR
the new .224
Valkyrie, but
loads have factory-rated muzzle velocities of 3,300 barrel, and gunsmith John Gallagher performed the
load data is fps, 3,000 fps, 2,700 fps, and 2,700 fps respectively. needed modifications to the CZ 527.
limited at pres- As soon as I returned home, I set about acquir- I obtained several boxes of Federal’s 90-grain match
ent. However,
Lane easily
ing an AR-style and a bolt-action rifle chambered ammo and a hundred pieces of new, primed brass.
duplicated the for the new cartridge so that I could work up some Starline and Hornady are also offering .224 Valkyrie,
ballistics of handloads. For more about the new round, see Steve so I obtained 50 pieces of Starline brass and several
factory-loaded
ammunition.
Gash’s full-length review beginning on page 56 of this boxes of Hornady ELD-Match ammo. I had plenty
issue of Shooting Times. of component cases to load.

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The .224 Valkyrie operates at its best with sleek, performance requirements. Berger also offers several suitable, high-
high-ballistic-coefficient (BC) bullets weighing BC target bullets.
up to 90 grains to achieve optimal, long-range I acquired a set of Redding competition dies that includes both full-
ballistic performance. Sierra offers several heavy length-sizing and neck-sizing dies and a micrometer-adjustment seating
.22-caliber match bullets, including the 90-grain die. Because I was reloading for an autoloader, I chose to full-length size
MatchKing HPBT that Federal loads in its match every case to ensure it would function reliably. And since I would be
ammo. Hornady developed a new 88-grain ELD reloading several hundred rounds, I decided to use a spray lubricant to
Match bullet specifically to meet the Valkyrie’s speed up the process.
Things went south immediately.
I repeatedly experienced lube dents in
most of the first batch of cases I resized.
I tried wiping off excess lube before
sizing and removed too much on one
case and it seized in the sizer die. For-
tunately, I had a stuck-case-remover kit
on hand and was able to undo my mis-
take. I switched back to applying just a
dab of Redding’s Imperial case wax to
the lower body, and the rate of dented
shoulders dropped to just an occasional
occurrence. The rest of the process typ-
ified reloading any other bottlenecked
rifle case.
The different brands of brass weighed
almost exactly the same, so I didn’t need
to adjust charge weights to accommodate
capacity differences. Because Valkyrie
ammo is primarily intended for auto-
loading rifles, Hornady lightly stakes the
primer in place. They were easy to decap
while resizing, but you must remove the
crimp before you can reprime them. For-
tunately, this is a one-time step in the
reloading process.
I routinely use RCBS and Lyman pow-
ered case-prep tools and their primer
pocket uniform accessories to clean
every pocket when reloading a batch
of ammo. I hoped performing that step
would also fully prep the Hornady once-
fired primer pockets. No such luck. I still
had to use the RCBS Trim Mate crimp
remover so the primers could be prop-
erly seated later without damage.
As you can see in the performance
chart, I test-fired factory ammo and
handloads topped with only the heavier
.22-caliber bullets. I was able to dupli-
cate factory velocities without any
problems; however, I have no way of
measuring pressures, so use the data cau-
tiously, i.e., reduce start loads at least 5
percent. At this time, only Federal and

.224 VALKYRIE ACCURACY & VELOCITY
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of three, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag benchrest. Velocity is the average of 15 rounds measured eight feet from
the guns’ muzzles.
All load data should be used with caution. Always start with reduced loads first and make sure they are safe in each of your guns before proceeding to
the high test loads listed. Since Shooting Times has no control over your choice of components, guns, or actual loadings, neither Shooting Times nor the
various firearms and components manufacturers assume any responsibility for the use of this data.
Sierra have published load data for the .224 Valkyrie. Of all of the propellants I tried, several Alliant choices performed
Sierra’s data covers the broad range of its extensive well, as did Hodgdon and IMR selections. Reloder 15 and Power Pro
product line, and Federal’s recipes are limited but 2000-MR propellants provided optimal load densities compatible with
appear somewhat more aggressive. the .224 Valkyrie’s case capacity.
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E THE NEWEST VERSION OF
BERETTA’S A400 AUTOLOADER
EMPLOYS ALL THE LATEST IN
HIGH-TECH SHOTGUN EVOLUTION.
BY STEVE GASH
T
HE BERETTA AUTOLOADER HAS BEEN A
mainstay in sporting circles and in game
fields for many years, and the line has con-
tinued to evolve and improve. Beginning
with the Model 300 in the late 1980s,
the 300 quickly morphed into numer-
ous specialty versions for target shooting,
waterfowl, and upland game hunting. The
latest iteration is the A400 Xtreme Plus
(“A400XP” for short). The new model draws on its history,
respects the past, and employs the latest in high-tech shotgun
technology. The result is a superior product.
The Beretta A400XP was unveiled on May 5, 2018, at the
NRA Annual Meeting in Dallas. It’s built in Italy and is billed
as the ultimate for superior reliability for all conditions encoun-
tered in waterfowl hunting. It offers advanced barrel technology
and a host of ergonomic features that will surely tantalize the
clay-target shooter. It is packed with features that make it evo-
lutionary, darn functional, and pleasant to shoot.
High-Tech Features
I recently received a new A400XP for testing, and I was
impressed. One of its more unique features is the configura-
tion and construction of the barrel. This multifaceted process
is called the Beretta Steelium Plus barrel technology. Beretta
proudly notes that it makes more than 500,000 barrels a year,
and the company doesn’t skimp on the A400XP barrels. They
are made of steel alloyed with molybdenum, chromium, and

nickel that results in a superior shotgun barrel.
A400XP barrels are drilled, reamed, and cold-
hammer-forged, just like a fine rifle barrel.
Then they are vacuum-relieved, giving the steel
what Beretta says are the ideal characteristics
for optimal ballistic performance.
The A400XP barrel has an “Optima-Bore”
profile with a 14-inch forcing cone, instead of
the more usual 6 inches. This gradual taper
results in a reduction in perceived recoil, better
patterns, and long-range performance, even
with steel shot. The ventilated rib has a 7x7
stepped design with a red fiber-optic front
sight and a metal mid-bead.
The A400XP uses what Beretta calls
“Optima-Choke HP” choke tubes. They
extend about a half-inch from the muzzle and
are clearly marked as to choke constriction.
Five constrictions are provided, from Cylin-
der to Full. Steel shot is okay in all except Full
The A400 Xtreme Plus comes with five screw-in Optima-Choke HD choke tubes, including
and Improved Modified. Full, Modified, Improved Modified, Improved Cylinder, and Cylinder.
The action is equally unique with the
“Blink” gas-operating system, as in “quick as
the blink of an eye.” The rotating bolt head
and the new gas valve make the A400XP 36
percent faster cycling than other shotguns.
The design of the gas piston keeps powder
gases from “leaking out,” so the gun can cycle
faster. This also reduces the amount of gases
that get into the action by about one-half, so
cleaning intervals are substantially lengthened.
The receiver is a half-inch shorter than
its predecessor, reducing the gun’s overall
length. A great feature is that the aluminum-
alloy receiver is drilled and tapped (for husky
8-40 screws), so adding a scope or dot sight Steve liked the A400 Xtreme Plus’s trigger pull. It broke at a crisp and clean 5.38 pounds.
for turkey hunting is a snap.
The receiver has an enlarged loading port,
an extended charging handle, and a long lever-like bolt release A400XP stock is a hydraulic recoil-dampening system posi-
for easier operation with gloves. The trigger is very good, break- tioned between the pistol grip area and the buttstock proper.
ing cleanly at 5 pounds, 6 ounces. The magazine capacity is four It reduces the axial movement that makes the stock smack the
rounds, and a plug to reduce it to two is provided. shooter’s cheek from that second impulse. The soft comb pad
A terrific feature of the A400XP is the cartridge cut-off lever helps here, too. In addition, there is a traditional rubber recoil
on the left side of the receiver, reminiscent of the Browning pad on the end of the stock. The forearm and pistol grip areas
A-5. This allows a live round to be ejected from the chamber have nice, soft padding that not only provide a good hand-
and the bolt to be locked open. This is great for crossing a fence hold, but also soak up a little kick. The A400XP’s stock fit me
or getting back into the truck for the jaunt to the next hedge- perfectly, but a shim kit is provided, so the user can adjust the
row. It also allows the hunter to quickly switch loads without drop and cast, if desired.
disturbing the rounds in the magazine. This is especially handy The A400XP is available in 12 gauge only and with a 26-
if a fat Canada goose is gliding toward your decoys when your or a 28-inch barrel. My test gun has a 26-inch barrel with the
gun is stoked with duck loads. Max-5 camo finish, and it is really attractive. It is also available
The stock has a really effective recoil-reduction system, a big in several other finishes.
plus for waterfowlers and high-volume target shooters. Tests
have shown that a shotgun has two distinct recoil impulses. Crushing Clays
The first is when the shell goes off, and the second is when the Guns are made to be shot, so I proceeded to put all sorts of
bolt slams back into the receiver. The “Kick-Off Mega” in the ammo through the new A400XP. There were no bird seasons

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My first impression was that the gun was a little heavy, but The barrel length and weight of the A400XP are fairly close
shooting and swinging soon proved that the balance and han- to the ideals of Greener and Nichols. The gun I tested weighs
dling characteristics were spot-on. It swung smoothly and exactly 8 pounds. This translates to a ratio of 113.8, not radically
encouraged a good follow-through—critical for hits on cross- different from the 96 Greener envisioned. And the available
ing targets. If I just pointed the gun correctly and kept it moving, barrel lengths of 26 and 28 inches are fairly close to Nichols’s
it smashed clays convincingly. Plus, the soft comb pad helped suggestion of 29 inches.
me keep my head on the stock (“Stay in the gun,” as the great So it is good that things that have worked for decades are
Nick Sisley says). And the cumulative effects of recoil seemed perpetuated, while at the same time incorporating advanced
modest over the course of shooting several boxes of ammo. features that make the shotgun even better. Greener and Nich-
The A400XP’s push-button manual safety is in front of the ols, eat your hearts out.
trigger, and at first it perplexed me. Every other
pump or autoloader I’ve shot had the safety
behind the trigger, so it took me a while to
get used to it.
I must caution users to keep their fingers
and other body parts away from the ejection
port when the action is open. The breech-
bolt release button is a lever about an inch
long. It has a lot of leverage and is very
easy to press and release. It is not diffi-
cult at all to accidentally close the bolt
on your finger or fingers.
Viewed retrospectively, the new
A400XP is traditional and brand-new
at the same time. It’s interesting to review
what the “experts” of the early 20th cen-
tury thought were the established norms The buttstock features Beretta’s “Kick-Off Mega” hydraulic recoil-reduction
for the weight and barrel length of the “per- system that is very effective, a rubber recoil pad, and soft comb pads.
fect shotgun.” In W.W. Greener’s opus The
Gun and Its Development, the ninth edition of
which was published in 1910, the shotgun’s per-
fect weight was determined to be 96 times its
shot charge. In those days, the British considered
1 ounce of shot about right, so this suggested a
gun weight of exactly 6 pounds. For a 1⅛-ounce
charge, it came out to 6.75 pounds.
The classic work The Shotgunner (1949) by
Bob Nichols was published just at the begin-
ning of a new era of shotguns and their ammo.
In those days, it was gospel from across the pond
that a shotgun’s barrel length should be about
40 times its bore diameter. For a 12-gauge bore
of 0.729 inch, this equates to 29.16 inches, and
indeed, most European game guns had 30-inch
barrels. However, even Greener later equivocated
The forearm and pistol grip areas have soft padding that provides a good handhold and
on barrel length somewhat and admitted that also soaks up a little kick, and Steve thinks the Realtree Max-5 camo finish is very attractive.
good results could be had with 28-inch barrels.

7MM STW THE 7MM SHOOTING TIMES WESTERNER MAY HAVE MORE
COMPETITION TODAY THAN 30 YEARS AGO, BUT IT CONTINUES
TO HOLD ITS OWN WITH ANY CARTRIDGE OF ITS CALIBER.
BY LAYNE SIMPSON
T
HEY SAY TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE The first 7mm STW chamber reamers were made by Henrik-
having fun. Perhaps that’s why it does sen Tool Co. The rifle still wears its original Schneider barrel,
not seem like 30 years have passed since and with its favorite loads, it still averages less than 0.50 inch
my introductory article on the then-new for groups fired at 100 yards.
7mm Shooting Times Westerner wildcat Many new 7mm STW powders, bullets, and factory loads
appeared in the May 1988 issue of Shoot- have been introduced during the past three decades, and for
ing Times. checking out their performance for this anniversary report, I
That first rifle, built by Kenny Jarrett in chose a Model 52 Open Country Long Range from Cooper Fire-
August of 1987, has “7mm STW No. 1” arms of Montana. The rifle comes standard with an extended
engraved on its floorplate and was built around a blueprinted single-stack magazine that holds five rounds. The rifle’s 26-inch
Remington Model 700 action. It also has a McMillan stock. barrel measures 0.75 inch at the muzzle, and it wears a very

efficient 30-port brake. The trigger breaks at
32 ounces with no detectable creep or over-
travel. During my accuracy tests, Warne rings
held a crystal-clear 4-16X 50mm Nikon Mon-
arch 3 scope securely to the rifle’s 10-MOA
Picatinny rail. The scope came with Nikon’s
interchangeable elevation turrets for the bul-
lets I’ll be using in my custom Ruger No. 1 in
7mm STW. More on that rifle later.
Recent Advancements
One of the more interesting advancements
during the past 30 years is a new crop of high-
ballistic-coefficient bullets. Examples are the
Nosler AccuBond LR, Hornady ELD-X, Berger VLD Hunt- don’t. Punching paper will tell the story for a particular rifle
ing, and the Barnes LRX. I welcome them, not because they and bullet combination.
guarantee shooters will consistently take game cleanly at insane Some of the new bullets are too long for use in the maga-
distances (because they do not), but because their high ballistic zines of repeating rifles. The Berger 195-grain Elite Hunter
coefficients enable those bullets to better resist wind deflec- at 1.635 inches is an example. Berger recommends a cartridge
tion and deliver more energy to the target. And that helps real length no shorter than 3.759 inches for the 7mm STW. Abso-
hunters make clean kills at ethical distances. lute maximum cartridge lengths for Winchester Model 70 and
A big difference between the old and new bullets is that the Remington Model 700 magazines are 3.600 inches and 3.660
extremely long ogives of the new bullets require some of them inches respectively. The Hornady 175-grain ELD-X at 1.575
to be seated quite deeply into the case in order to keep cartridge inches is magazine-friendly, but it occupies a lot of powder
overall length compatible with magazine lengths. The result is space inside the case. Even so, the latest Hornady manual shows
reduced net case capacity and increased freetravel compared it moving along at 3,000 fps from a 26-inch barrel. The 168-
to bullets from an older school. This applies to all cartridges, grain LRX is 1.595 inches long, and according to Barnes, its
including the 7mm STW. With the Hornady 175-grain ELD-X highest velocity from a 24-inch test barrel was 3,067 fps at a
seated to an overall cartridge length of 3.615 inches (maximum cartridge length of 3.600 inches.
for the magazine of the Cooper rifle), freetravel was 0.136 inch. The chamber throat of my custom Ruger No. 1 was reamed
I have not worked with all the new bullets, but I have tried long enough to allow the new extra-long bullets to be seated out
several in six 7mm STW rifles, and considering the amount of a case for minimum intrusion on its powder cavity. And since
of freetravel, accuracy has ranged from acceptable to excellent. the rifle has no magazine, there is no limit on overall cartridge
Old-school bullets with shorter ogives can be more accurate in length. When seated to a length of 3.921 inches, the 195-grain
some rifles, but the difference is not always great. Expanding Berger freetravels 0.030 inch prior to engaging the rifling. The
bullets of monolithic construction often carve out tiny groups Hornady 175-grain ELD-X is most accurate in my Ruger when
with plenty of jump, and while some lead-core types don’t, seated 0.060 inch off the rifling at an overall cartridge length
others do. Some rifles tolerate plenty of jump, while others of 3.852 inches. The Barnes 168-grain LRX seated 0.105 inch
off the rifling at a cartridge
length of 3.781 inches also
delivers excellent accuracy
from my Ruger No. 1.
Seating the Berger and
Hornady bullets with their
bases in the vicinity of the
shoulder/neck juncture of
the 7mm STW case allows
almost 100 percent of its
capacity to be utilized. The
Barnes bullet does use up
some space but seating it out
as much as possible proved
to be beneficial. While doing
New high-ballistic-coefficient bullets flatten trajectory and increase downrange energy delivery, but some like so with those three bullets
the Barnes 168-grain LRX and Berger 195-grain Elite Hunter require a quicker rifling twist rate than has long allows the use of slightly
been standard for the high-performance 7mm Shooting Times Westerner cartridge.
heavier powder charges for

increased velocities without exceeding maximum The chamber throat in Layne’s custom Ruger No. 1 allows
pressures in my rifle, the powder charges used (from left to right) the Barnes 168-grain LRX, Hornady 175-
grain ELD-X, and Berger 195-grain Elite Hunter bullets to
would surely generate excessive pressures in be seated in a case for minimum intrusion on its powder
rifles with standard-length chamber throats. cavity. That along with a 30-inch barrel increases
The additional powder burned in my Ruger velocity by about 200 fps compared to a 26-inch
barrel with a chamber throat of standard length.
No. 1 increases velocity by about 100 fps
compared to a standard chamber. The
30-inch barrel is about 150 fps faster than Since I first wrote about the 7mm STW,
a 24-inch barrel and 100 fps faster than a military surplus H870 powder has been
26-inch barrel. Add it all up and total veloc- replaced by newly manufactured US 869, and
ity gain ranges from 200 to 250 fps. Overall Accurate 8700 has been discontinued. Other
length of a Ruger No. 1 with a 30-inch barrel is new propellants include Retumbo, IMR 7977,
the same as for a long-action Remington Model 700 IMR 8133, Reloder 25, Reloder 26, Reloder 33, Relo-
with a 26-inch barrel. der 50, Ramshot Magnum, Accurate MagPro, and VihtaVuori
Keep in mind that some of the longer bullets may require N570. Nowadays, I seldom use bullets lighter than 160 grains,
quicker rifling twist rates than we are accustomed to using. and my picks among the new propellants for both accuracy and
Whereas twist for rifles chambered for the 7mm STW is usu- velocity are IMR 8133 and Reloder 33. Regardless of the powder
ally 1:9, Berger considers 1:8.3 optimal for the 195-grain Elite used, I continue to prefer the Federal 215 primer.
Hunter, and Barnes says 1:8 for the 168-grain LRX. But since Federal is the only member of the big three that continues
bulletmakers tend to be a bit conservative when recommend- to load the 7mm STW cartridge on a regular basis. This has
ing twist rate, along with the fact that mass-produced barrels been good news for smaller manufacturers, with the owner
can vary a bit from their makers’ specifications, you will never of one of them recently stating, “We sell truckloads of 7mm
know for certain about a particular bullet until you try it in STW ammo.” They include Precision Cartridge, Double-Tap,
your rifle. Hornady recommends no slower than 1:8.5 for the Hendershot’s, HSM, Choice Ammunition, Nosler, and Geor-
175-grain ELD-X, and while accuracy was quite acceptable gia Arms. I shot ammo from the latter four along with Federal
from the 1:9 twist of the Cooper Model 52 barrel, a quicker in the Cooper Model 52 rifle, and the outstanding results are
twist would likely shrink group size. listed in the accompanying chart.
6.5 creedmoor 147 gr. ELD-X

Frequently Asked Questions to 0.750 inch and was eventually reduced to 0.378 inch for
One of the more common questions I have been asked through the 7mm Weatherby Magnum. Requiring a bullet to freetravel
the years is why some reloading manuals show the 7mm Weath- quite some distance prior to engaging the rifling allows the use
erby Magnum, which has close to the same powder capacity of more powder for increased velocity at no increase in cham-
as the 7mm Remington Magnum, exceeding the velocity of ber pressure. Data published in most handloading manuals for
that cartridge and equaling the 7mm STW. The short answer the Weatherby cartridge are from barrels with freebored cham-
is freeboring. In early Weatherby rifles it ranged from 0.500 bers, while barrels chambered for the Remington cartridge have
chamber throats of standard length.
All else being equal, if bullet jump in rifles in 7mm Remington
Magnum and 7mm Weatherby Magnum is the same, maximum
loads in both will deliver close to the same velocities at simi-
lar chamber pressures. This is clearly illustrated by data shown
for the two cartridges in the new handloading guide recently
published by Western Powders. That source shows about the
same velocity for a 160-grain bullet from the Remington and
Weatherby cartridges, with both being about 200 fps slower
than the 7mm STW. During our initial experiments with the
7mm STW, freeboring was tried, and while velocity could be
increased, the idea was eventually abandoned when we were
unable to consistently reach Jarrett’s accuracy requirement of
three shots inside half an inch at 100 yards with a variety of
bullet types and weights.
The question I have been asked most is which among the many
hunts the 7mm STW and I have shared through the years is my
Many new powders for handloaders have arrived on the scene since the favorite. Singling out one among many wonderful adventures
7mm STW was introduced 30 years ago. Two of the cartridge creator’s is not easy, but twist my arm hard enough and the magnificent
favorites are IMR 8133 and Reloder 33.
interior grizzly I bagged in the north country of Alaska with

a single shot at 322 yards in 2010 will be at the top of the list. 7mm STW No. 1 rifle on that hunt, and my handload consisted
Federal had announced a Premium 7mm STW loading with of the Federal case, Federal 215 primer, and the 160-grain TBT
the then-new 160-grain Trophy Bonded Tip (TBT) bullet, seated atop 79.0 grains of Reloder 25 for a velocity of 3,229 fps.
and my original plan was to use the ammo on the hunt. When While the 7mm STW has more competition today than it
it became apparent that it would not arrive in time, the com- did back in 1988, it continues to hold its own in the field with
pany sent a supply of the first bullets made. I used the Jarrett any cartridge of its caliber.
7MM SHOOTING TIMES WESTERNER ACCURACY & VELOCITY
Cooper Model 52 Open Country Long Range, 26-in. Barrel
Custom Ruger No. 1, 30-in. Barrel
WARNING: The chamber throat of the custom Ruger No. 1 rifle is long enough to allow seating out the heavier bullets for minimum powder cavity
intrusion. That allows slightly heavier powder charge weights to be used that, while safe in the test rifle, are excessive for rifles with standard SAAMI-
dimensioned chambers. Overall cartridge lengths are also too long for the magazines of repeating rifles. Starting charge weights for the test rifle with
cartridges loaded to the overall lengths shown were 5.0 grains below the maximums listed.
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of five, three-shot groups fired from a sandbag benchrest. Velocity is the average of five rounds measured 12 feet from
the guns’ muzzles.
All load data should be used with caution. Always start with reduced loads first and make sure they are safe in each of your guns before proceeding to
the high test loads listed. Since Shooting Times has no control over your choice of components, guns, or actual loadings, neither Shooting Times nor the
various firearms and components manufacturers assume any responsibility for the use of this data.

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RAILROAD SPIKES, GLOCK’S NEW G19X MAY BE THE BEST
PISTOL THE COMPANY HAS EVER OFFERED.
BY JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT
W

HILE SHOWING MY TEST SAMPLE OF GLOCK’S NEW
G19X pistol to a friend recently, I caught myself saying,
“This is potentially the best pistol Glock has ever produced.”
For those unfamiliar with the G19X, it pairs the G19’s
4.02-inch barrel and slide assembly with the G17’s 17-round
grip, resulting in a handgun with a better handle and higher
capacity than the
standard G19
and more
compact usability than the full-size G17.
Engineered to compete in the U.S. mili-
tary’s recent Modular Handgun System
(MHS) trials, it also offers several other
refinements.
Why do I like this gun so much
even though it didn’t win the mili-
tary’s MHS contract? Simplicity and
history. Its pedigree and track record
are impeccable, and while the grip and
slide length have been finessed into a new
The G19X’s grip texturing is simple but effective, and

the forward lower edge is flared to provide more grip
control. Joseph especially likes the lanyard loop.

combination, without doubt the G19X G19X
possesses the superb reliability of its
Glock Inc.
ancestors. MANUFACTURER
glock.us
Configuration
A keening wail and lament went up CALIBER 9mm Luger
in cyberspace when people realized
that Glock chose to use the G17-length BARREL 4.02 in.
grip frame and the G19-length slide.
Many Glock enthusiasts apparently WIDTH 1.30 in.
thought it should have been the other
way around. WEIGHT, EMPTY 25 oz.
Me, I come down on Glock’s side. I
have the broad palms of a cow-milk-
SIGHTS
Glock MH3 night
ing, fence-building farm boy, and the sights
G17 grip fits my hand better than the
G19 grip. Plus, it provides an extra two
rounds of 9mm firepower. In the case Integrated trigger
of the G19X, which comes with one SAFETY safety, automatic
17-round magazine and two extended sear/firing pin block

19-round magazines, it has a really
impressive capacity.
Let’s briefly dig into the structure of the G19X, examining both its tried-and-true
construction and the features that Glock incorporated in the special MHS version.
Right up front, the marketed-to-civilians G19X is not an exact copy of the MHS

gun. The MHS gun sported a manual
thumb safety, as required by the MHS
guidelines. In the G19X, Glock chose
to fall back on its longtime stance that
such a safety is unnecessary and elimi-
nated it before introducing the model
to the public. I wish Glock would offer
it both ways.
That said, the rest of the G19X is pretty
much all MHS. The slide is about 6.75
inches long and features simple, 90-degree
rear serrations. The nose is slick-sided
and has a nice dehorn bevel around the
front corners. Steel three-dot night sights
marked “MH3” grace the upper flat. The
rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage,
but to change elevation, it’s necessary to
swap out the front sight for a different-
height version.
A generous ejection port coughs out
empties without a hiccup, and the exter-
nal extractor has Glock’s traditional
raised, tactile and visual loaded-cham-
ber indicator.
In a first-ever, the slide is factory-fin-
ished in “Coyote” color nPVD, which is
Glock’s physical vapor deposition coating.
This time, the super-corrosion-and abra-
sion-resistant finish is factory-applied
with color. Up until now, all colored
Glocks were special runs for certain
distributors and featured aftermarket
finishes approved by Glock.
Aside from the actual slide and the
polymer grip frame, all other parts are
traditional black—with a few exceptions.
Those exceptions are the lanyard loop,
which is a stout polymer part installed
into the bottom of the grip, and the mag-
azine floorplates and bodies.
Inside the slide, Glock fits a “Glock
Marksman Barrel.” Touted to be match-
grade in quality, it features “enhanced
polygonal rifling” and an “improved
barrel crown.” The right-hand twist rate
is 1:9.84. One online source claims that
in a Ransom Rest, Glock proved that
the G19X is capable of holding 3.0-inch
50-yard groups.
A single M1913-spec cross-slot near
the nose of the dustcover provides a
place to mount a light or laser. Forward
of that, the polymer frame is aggressively
rounded. Additional modernized con-
touring is applied as a generous undercut
where the trigger guard meets the grip,

enabling a very high, com-
fortable, recoil-controlling
grasp and a straight, clean,
finger-groove-free frontstrap
that plays nicely with hands
of all sizes.
On that note, each pistol
comes with four different-
size grip backstraps, enabling
end users to tweak grip cir-
cumference and feel to their
liking.
At the bottom of the
grip frame are several of my
favorite G19X features. First,
there’s the lanyard loop. Sure,
it’s not necessary for most
shooters today. However,
I grew up on a horse, and
since most historians attri-
The 9mm G19X comes with three magazines—two of which feature an extended 19-round capacity.
bute lanyard loops on pistols
to mounted warriors of the
past, I’m partial. Finally, the G19X features the same updated version of the
Another cool feature is the forward-swooping toe at the Enhanced Safe Action trigger used in Glock’s new Gen 5 pis-
bottom of the frontstrap. The inside of that grip is innovatively tols. The company lists “three independent safeties: trigger
and generously beveled in a two-step shape, greatly aiding fast safety, firing pin safety, and drop safety.” The three “disengage
reloads when your brain is flooded with adrenaline and fine sequentially as the trigger is pulled.” Plus, a variety of trigger
motor controls vanish. connectors designed to change trigger pull-weight and feel are
Furthermore, the generous, well-serrated magazine release available. Glock’s eu.glock.com site has a very informative page
is reversible, and the slide stop is properly ambidextrous. Yep, that provides details on the trigger and how it works, complete
a little sheet-metal part peeks out from each side of the pistol with diagrams and videos. If you’ve ever wanted to know how
and enables southpaws to more effectively lock back the slide a Safe Action trigger works, it’s well worth a look.
or drop it on a fresh magazine. Not only did the trigger on my sample feel quite good, but
also it measured a crisp and consistent 5 pounds, 13 ounces on
my Lyman digital trigger gauge. And it had less than 2 ounces
of variation over a series of five tests.
While discussing the trigger, I must point out the one thing
I don’t like about the Glock G19X: finger drag and pinch. My
trigger finger runs through the trigger guard at a pronounced
angle, and since the trigger bow is rather broad and the inside
top-to-bottom clearance is rather shallow, my finger contacts
firmly against the top right side and bottom left side. After
a quantity of rounds downrange, the tip of my trigger finger
right beside my nail becomes sore. Not a deal-breaker, but
something to be aware of (it’s also worth knowing that a savvy
Glock frame customizer can contour the frame and trigger bow
to alleviate the issue).
While the G19X will fit some G19 Gen 4 holsters, it won’t fit
others. The frame and fire controls have fractionally different dimen-
sions, and it’s enough to cause issues with tightly molded holsters.
Because the G19X possesses considerably more panache than
the average Glock, I figured it deserved an upper-crust hol-
ster and custom-ordered a sharkskin Concealable Belt Holster
(CBH) from Galco Leather. The CBH is my go-to holster for
The G19X features the updated Enhanced Safe Action trigger, an ambidex-
trous slide lock, and the magazine release can be reversed for southpaws.
all-around carry, being superbly comfortable and concealable
beneath an untucked shirt or light jacket.

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.375 H&H HANDLOADING THIS CARTRIDGE KING OF VERSATILITY TURNS
IT INTO THE MOST CAPABLE HUNTING CARTRIDGE ON THE PLANET.
BY JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT
O
FTEN CALLED THE SINGLE MOST Design and Characteristics
versatile, most capable cartridge for When Great Britain’s Holland & Holland rolled out the .375
hunting everything on the planet, the in 1912, it was only the second belted cartridge in existence.
.375 H&H is powerful enough for It would go on to sire every popular belted magnum available
elephant, flat-shooting enough for today, serving as the parent case for everything from the .257
deer and antelope out to moderate Weatherby Magnum up through the .458 Lott.
ranges, and not so hard-kicking that Designed with a pronounced taper—an element that helped
most serious hunters can’t master it. prevent cases charged with the era’s rather unstable propellants
Interestingly, as great as its reputa- from sticking in the chamber when fired in tropical temper-
tion is, the cartridge has unexplored potential. With judicious atures and also enabled, and still does, cartridges to flow like
handloading it can offer hard-hitting, deep-penetrating perfor- silk from magazine to chamber, a characteristic much loved
mance on dangerous game that nips at the heels of the various by dangerous-game hunters—the .375 H&H utilizes the belt
.416-caliber rounds and can reach across eyebrow-raising dis- to headspace against.
tances to take hooved game. With velocities and ballistic With an overall maximum length of 3.60 inches, the .375
coefficient numbers that rival the very best .308 Winchester H&H is a true magnum-length cartridge. This length enabled
loads, the .375 H&H can reliably ring steel plates at 1,000 adequate case capacity even with the strongly tapered body as
yards. Yep, I’ve done it. well as just the right amount of neck length to grip projectiles
in secure, concentric fashion. Two much-loved traits of the
.375 H&H are its penchant for accuracy and its tendency to
shoot various loads to a similar point of impact.
The Magic Ingredient

As with any cartridge, the .375 H&H’s suitability for vari-
ous purposes is determined by bullet selection. Thanks to over
100 years of continuous use and tremendous popularity, a wide
variety of .375 projectiles is available.
A brief look at the all-around bullets that made the .375
H&H the versatile tool it is reveals probably the most common
(and best) are the various 300-grainers. A hunter armed with
300-grain softs and solids—soft expanding bullets for thin-
skinned game and broadside shots on dangerous species like
Cape buffalo and the biggest bears and solid non-expanding
bullets for the pachyderms and for follow-up shots on wounded A wide variety of bullet weights and types—such as (left to right) deep-
buffalo and whatnot—is well prepared to hunt anything in penetrating, expanding 350-grain monometals; traditional 300-grain
roundnose softpoints; and conventional 270-grain softpoints—is the
the world to distances of 250 yards or so. That distance can magic ingredient to the .375 H&H’s versatility.
be stretched a bit by using one of the more aerodynamic soft-
nose designs available, such as the Nosler AccuBond. I’ll go
into those in a bit.
Historically, bullets of 270 grains are also a versatile choice.
They are popular for America’s various deer up through moose
and for plains game in Africa.
Bullets that fall out of the typical weight/shape parameter
and provide enhanced, specialized performance can be divided
into those heavier than usual, those lighter than usual, and
those with either an unusual construction (monometal) or an
unusual shape. The latter typically take the form of expand-
ing bullets with increased aerodynamics and are potentially the
most useful of all the .375 bullets.
Some very savvy hunters, such as Craig Boddington, who is
undoubtedly the most experienced hunter/writer alive today,
suggest that the ultra-heavy .375 bullets aren’t necessary, and Joseph says the best .375 projectiles for long-range hunting and shoot-
they probably aren’t. However, many African PHs have opined ing are (left to right) the Barnes 250-grain TTSX, Hornady 250-grain GMX,
that an ultra-heavy 350-grain .375 bullet hits more like a .416 Barnes 270-grain LRX, and Nosler 260-grain AccuBond.
and for close-range use on buffalo, hippo, elephant, and the like
can offer an improvement in terminal performance. of vast experience, and many savvy cartridge aficionados con-
Barnes, Woodleigh, North Fork, and Cutting Edge all make sider his formula more useful than typical ft-lbs figures. The
350-grain .375 bullets. I’m most familiar with the Barnes TSX 350-grain .375 bullet at 2,300 fps rates a TKO of 43, which is
and Woodleigh Weldcore versions. Both are expanding designs higher than any lighter, faster .375 bullet.
with an amazing sectional density of .356 and provide shock- Although the zippy ultra-lightweight bullets provide flat tra-
ingly deep penetration coupled with devastating trauma. Pair jectories to 300 yards or so and kill deer-size game as if struck
either of these as the “soft” in your cartridge belt with North by the hammer of Thor, they are the .375’s one Achilles’ Heel.
Fork’s 350-grain Flat Point Solid, and you have a superbly capa- Typically weighing 235 grains or so, they tend to mushroom
ble combo for elephant and anything else that is gigantic, scary, massively and penetrate unimpressively. I’ve interviewed hunt-
and meant to be shot very close. ers who have seen even the toughest versions of the type falter
Good handloads will push 350-grain bullets from a 24-inch on broadside shots on medium-size hogs. That’s not the bullet
barrel at between 2,250 and 2,400 fps, producing from 4,100 to have even for elk because a projectile that penetrates only
to 4,400 ft-lbs of energy. As students of ballistics will predict, 12 to 14 inches of hog may not penetrate the 30-plus inches
this is a lower energy number than that provided by a lighter that would be necessary should you take a quartering-away
bullet pushed faster, since velocity is exponentially more valu- shot on a bull elk.
able than projectile weight when calculating ft-lbs. If you really yearn for the 3,000 fps that’s possible with a
An arguably more useful calculation is the Taylor Knock lightweight .375 bullet, pick a monometal version, such as
Out (TKO) formula. As one online calculator puts it, TKO the Barnes 235-grain TSX or the Cutting Edge 235-grain ER
provides a “…relative momentum adjusted for bullet diameter.” Raptor, both of which will expand tremendously yet retain
John Taylor was an ivory hunter and dangerous-game specialist most of their weight on impact, providing decent penetration.
In ballistic terms, a 235-grain
.375 bullet at 3,000 fps exits the
muzzle with lots of energy: 4,695
ft-lbs. That’s impressive but mis-
leading. Taylor’s formula calculates
a less-inspiring TKO number of 37.
Modern high-ballistic-coeffi-
cient bullets is where the .375 H&H
really steps out of its traditional box.
Yes, with ultra-heavy 350-grainers
it hits almost like a .416 up close,
and with an ultra-light 235-grainer
pushed to 3,000 fps, it duplicates the
trajectory of a 150-grain flatbase big-
game bullet out of the .30-06, but
the sleek, high-BC, extended-range The .375 H&H is an easy cartridge to handload, and
bullets take the .375 to entirely new according to the author, medium-burn-rate powders
heights. are ideal for it.
Represented by boattailed, poly-
mer-tipped bullets like the Hornady 250-grain GMX (BC: .430; Sectional Density:
.254), Barnes 250-grain TTSX (BC: .424; Sectional Density: .254), Nosler 260-
grain AccuBond (BC: .473; Sectional Density: .264), and Barnes 270-grain LRX
(BC: .449; Sectional Density: .274), these projectiles can be handloaded to pro-
vide more reach than the cartridge has ever had and perform splendidly on all North
American game, including bison, Alaska-Yukon moose, and the biggest bears. Typical
.375 H&H ACCURACY & VELOCITY
Rifles Inc. Custom Winchester Model 70, 24-in. Barrel
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of two, three-shot groups fired from a benchrest. Velocity is the aver-
800-367-4867 age of six rounds measured 12 feet from the gun’s muzzle. Ambient temperature: 62 degrees Fahrenheit.
Elevation: 5,080 feet.
All load data should be used with caution. Always start with reduced loads first and make sure they
are safe in each of your guns before proceeding to the high test loads listed. Since Shooting Times has
no control over your choice of components, guns, or actual loadings, neither Shooting Times nor the
©2018 Davidson’s Inc. All Rights Reserved. various firearms and components manufacturers assume any responsibility for the use of this data.

56 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018 PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ANSCHUETZ
MOSSBERG IS ONE OF THE FIRST FIRMS TO OFFER RIFLES
CHAMBERED FOR THE HOT, NEW .224 VALKYRIE CARTRIDGE,
AND WE GOT OUR HANDS ON TWO PREPRODUCTION SAMPLES.
HERE’S HOW THEY PERFORMED.
BY STEVE GASH
W
HEN I THINK OF THE GRAND as the AR-style Mossberg Modern Rifle (MMR).
old firm of Mossberg & Sons, The latest rifles from Mossberg are chambered for the
I immediately think of shot- hot, new .224 Valkyrie. Developed by Federal, the Valkyrie
guns. But Mossberg is cartridge has some highly specialized design features
a player in the rifle that make it especially suitable for long-range shoot-
market, too, and ing. The .22-caliber round pushes the new and
it has an impres- ultra-sleek Sierra 90-grain MatchKing bullet at
sive array of an honest muzzle velocity of 2,700 fps. With a
neat mo dels
Federal Premium designed the new .224 Valkyrie
to prove it. In addition to numer- to provide optimal ballistics for long-range hunting
ous rimfires, Mossberg offers the and shooting. It propels a high-ballistic-coefficient
value-packed Patriot bolt-action .22-caliber 90-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of
2,700 fps and a 75-grain bullet at 3,000 fps. Cartridge
centerfire chambered for several overall length is 2.260 inches.
popular big-game rounds as well

ballistic coefficient of .563, this javelin remains
supersonic to over 1,300 yards, with a signif-
icant reduction in wind drift and perceived
recoil. The .224 Valkyrie case has what Federal
calls plenty of “ogive space,” so long, efficient
bullets can be loaded to AR magazine length.
The Valkyrie is designed for optimal long-
range target shooting and hunting, so Mossberg
decided to cover both bases with two new rifles:
the semiautomatic MMR and the chassis-style
bolt-action MVP. Both have the most popu-
lar features for both types of guns, i.e., flat-top
receivers, Picatinny rails, free-floated forearms
(with rail slots), adjustable stocks, and threaded
muzzles.
Shooting Times received samples of both
new rifles, but I should note that Mossberg
officials stressed that these were preproduction
versions of brand-new models and that pend-
ing final testing there may be slight tweaks in
some features. I gave both rifles a good work-
out on the range, and I’ll get to the results
in a bit, but first, let me tell you about them.
MMR Pro The MMR Pro has the excellent JM Pro Drop-in adjustable
The MMR Pro is a typical direct-impingement gas-operated match trigger. This trigger was designed in conjunction with
autoloader. Significantly, it has a rifle-length gas system. The champion shooter Jerry Miculek, and it is adjustable for pull
MMR Pro has an 18-inch, stainless-steel barrel with a 1:7-inch weight from 2 to 6 pounds and for overtravel. The trigger on
twist, which is necessary to stabilize long 90-grain bullets. The my test gun broke at a delightful 3 pounds, 4.1 ounces and had
muzzle has a suppressor-ready ASR mount and comes fitted almost no backlash.
with a SilencerCo muzzle brake. It also has a
Raptor ambidextrous charging handle that is
a vast improvement over mil-spec versions.
The six-position buttstock has an inter-
changeable FLEX recoil pad that allows
the length of pull to be adjusted from 11 to
14.25 inches. For the winter coyote hunter,
the MMR Pro stock has an oversized trigger
guard for a gloved trigger finger and a com-
fortable MOE+ pistol grip. The pistol grip
and buttstock are from Magpul.
The Mossberg-designed forearm is free-
floated around the barrel and has the M-LOK
modular system for mounting all manner of
accessories, sights, and whatnot. The rifle
is lightweight and handy, weighing only 7
pounds, 9 ounces without sights and with an
empty magazine.
Speaking of magazines, the .224 Valkyrie
case is derived from the fat 6.8 Rem. SPC car-
tridge and so is too large to fit in a 5.56mm
magazine, but 6.8 mags work just fine. The
MMR Pro comes with one 28-round maga- Federal’s initial .224 Valkyrie factory-loaded ammunition offerings include V-Shok
zine. Cartridge overall length of the Valkyrie 60-grain Ballistic Tip, American Eagle 75-grain TMJ, Fusion 90-grain softpoint, and Gold
Medal 90-grain MatchKing loadings. Steve fired both 90-grain loadings and the 75-grain
is held to 2.26 inches for compatibility with offering for this report and found them to be accurate and fun to shoot.
standard ARs.

conditioner between groups.
I cleaned each rifle after every
15 rounds, and I fired one
fouling shot before shooting
for groups.
Range Results
The supply of .224
Valkyrie factory ammo is
still just beginning to get into
the pipeline, but I was able
to obtain three loads for test-
ing. Federal lists four loads:
a varmint round loaded with
the Nosler 60-grain Ballis-
tic Tip, the American Eagle
with a 75-grain TMJ bullet,
the Fusion hunting load with
a 90-grain Fusion Bonded
bullet, and the match-grade
Premium load with the Sierra
90-grain MatchKing HPBT.
I had the latter three loads for testing. Just announced from Fusion 90-grain hunting ammo, and it averaged 1.40 inches.
Hornady is a round featuring an 88-grain ELD Match bullet. This is distressing, as the Fusion design is an excellent deer-
Unfortunately, I was not able to obtain any for my report, so I hunting bullet.
went to the range and tested the three loads I had. The results As expected, there was some reduction in the velocities of
are listed in the accompanying chart. (For readers interested these loads in the 18- and 20-inch barrels versus the factory’s
in handloading the Valkyrie, check out Lane Pearce’s “The minimum-spec and longer test barrels. The two 90-grain loads
Reloader” column beginning on page 24 in this issue.) are listed at 2,700 fps, but in the MVP, the Fusion clocked 2,528
Overall, the MMR Pro averaged 0.75 inch for 15 groups. Best fps and the MatchKing 2,505 fps. The American Eagle 75-grain
performance was, not surprisingly, with the 90-grain Match- TMJ is listed at 3,000 fps, and it left the muzzle at 2,851 fps.
King ammo at 0.52 inch. But at 0.76 inch, the American Eagle The results were similar in the MMR semiautomatic gun.
75-grain TMJ was not far behind. The Fusion hunting load The velocities of the three loads were Fusion, 2,485 fps; Match-
was a respectable 0.97 inch. King, 2,464 fps; and American Eagle, 2,818 fps.
The MVP Precision bolt-action rifle averaged 1.02 inches, Overall, the two new rifles were unique, well made, and a
but this was only due to the good accuracy of two loads. The lot of fun to shoot. Although the variety of available ammo
MatchKing averaged 0.83 inch, and the American Eagle TMJ limited testing somewhat, I rate the ergonomics and general
averaged 0.84 inch. However, the MVP really didn’t like the handling characteristics of both rifles as excellent, and accuracy
The .224 Valkyrie is capable of excellent accuracy. For example, the

Mossberg MMR Pro averaged 0.75 inch overall for the three factory
loads, and the Mossberg MVP Precision averaged 1.02 inches overall.

MVP PRECISION
was acceptable for the most part. I even got to like the remov-
able buttstock.
Mossberg’s great triggers were much better than a lot of
triggers on many rifles these days. As we know, all rifles are
individuals, so I didn’t let the poor accuracy of one load in
one rifle distress me. However, all is not perfect with either
rifle in my book.
If the MMR was my rifle, the first thing I’d do is unscrew
the muzzle brake and throw it as far as I could. Even with ear-
muffs, the muzzle report was extremely loud. I suggested to
Mossberg that it be scrapped or at least include a thread pro- shooting building with a clean tile floor and plenty of light.
tector as an alternative with this gun. After much searching, I found both parts, but it was white
The MVP could use a bit of attention, too. I’d lighten the bolt knuckles for a while. If it had happened outdoors, I would have
release spring, as it’s a thumbnail buster for sure. And I must never found the parts. Replacing the extractor isn’t fun, either.
caution shooters to be very careful when cleaning the boltface These minor quibbles do not lessen the significance of a sto-
of the MVP. The sliding-plate extractor is easily pushed out of ried firm like Mossberg getting in on the .224 Valkyrie ground
its mortise, which launches the little silver detent ball and its floor by bringing out these two specialized rifles. I think this
spring into space. It happened to me, but luckily, I was in my new cartridge has tremendous potential.
.224 VALKYRIE ACCURACY & VELOCITY

100-YD.
COL VEL. S.D. M.E. ACC.
AMMUNITION (IN.) (FPS) (FPS) (FT-LBS) (IN.)
Mossberg MVP Precision, 20-in. Barrel
Mossberg MMR Pro, 18-in. Barrel
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of three, five-shot groups fired from a benchrest. Velocity is the average of 15 rounds measured 10 feet from the guns’ muz-
zles. Range temperature was 77.1 to 83.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

SHOOT ND TRAIN
HMR
E-ACTION RUGER SINGLE-
ammunition and reported
es received enough ques-
t this focused article on it.
any readers were aware of
latform, but not a lot knew
aders, this revolver’s cylin-

me of you asked what the
ds, according to five mea-
r sight and a ramped front

th a single screw. The barrel
nches. The twist rate is one
es.
with silver and black Ruger
guard is alloy, and the ejec-
ders asked how hard it was

uestion is: not difficult at all.
, so it has the transfer-bar
oes not have to be cocked
ding gate allows the cylin-
nds and two bullet weights

accuracy for five, five-shot
yards was 2.20 inches. The
loading was the Browning
mo. It averaged 1.56 inches.
five-shot group measured
, and it came with the CCI
munition.
ographing the ammunition
un’s muzzle, the loads pro-
t-lbs of energy to 137 ft-lbs
definitely enough punch for
me.
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ANSCHUETZ

SINGLE-SIX
which some of you asked about, I measured it with a simple sound

meter to be 79 dBs. That puts it 55 dBs less than the unsuppressed
standard .22 LR, for which 134 dBs is the accepted standard. I admit
that my test was very unscientific.
This revolver is not set up for optics, so about the only thing I might
alter on it is to install one of Jack Weigand’s cool topstrap rails that
would allow me to mount an optic. The rails
require the removal of the revolver’s rear
sight, but I prefer handgun hunting with RUGER SINGLE-SIX ACCURACY & VELOCITY
an optic so much that I’m willing to make
that sacrifice.
All in all, the .17 HMR Single-Six is a
high-quality handgun, typical of Ruger.
The trigger was smooth and consistent,
and accuracy was very good.
I doubt it will ever outsell the .22 LR
Single-Six, but the cartridge offers more
velocity, more energy, and flatter trajec-
tory, so it is worthy of consideration. I like NOTES: Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups fired with the revolver mounted in a
Ransom Rest. Velocity is the average of six rounds measured 12 feet from the gun’s muzzle.
it so much, I plan on buying this one.

SHOOT HUNT DEFEND TRAIN
ther
S SHOOTER KNOWS OF
n tactical and shooting gear.
the company has produced
ants and shirts, packs and
es, slings, and holsters, not
tless aftermarket AR parts,
d too many other shooting-
mention. But not everyone
awk now makes leather hol-
ide-the-pants (ISP) holsters

r K6s CDP revolver. I think
more information about it
r a Smith & Wesson J-Frame
we’re picturing it with here,
review, the holster also fit
emium Leather holsters are

alian leather (using only the
g to the company) and are
dfinished. They are offered
hed brown finishes and are
Colt, CZ, FNH, Glock, HK,
Kahr, Kimber, Ruger, SIG SAUER, Springfield Armory,
Taurus, and Smith & Wesson handguns. You can have
the ISP style with the steel clip like I have or with a leather
belt loop, or you can have a three-slot pancake-style hol-
ster that fits belts up to 1.5 inches wide. Speaking of belts,
Blackhawk’s Premium Leather line also includes belts (MSRP:
$69.95) and magazine pouches (MSRP: $49.95).
If you enjoy leather holsters, you should check out Blackhawk’s new
offerings. They appear to be well made, and they are definitely reason-
ably priced.
blackhawk.com
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ANSCHUETZ

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www.smith-wesson.com/pc 3 Magazines 2 Magazines #PerformanceCenter
SHOOT HUNT DEFEND TRAIN
Hornady
Frontier .223 Rem. & 5.56mm Ammo
BY JAKE EDMONDSON
HORNADY RESURRECTED ITS FRON-

tier Cartridge line of ammunition this year.
Currently, 11 loads in .223 Remington and
5.56 NATO are offered.
The Frontier name may sound familiar
to some Shooting Times readers. If you’ve
been interested in guns and ammunition
for as long as I have, you’ll recall that a few
decades ago Hornady ammunition had
brass cases that were stamped “Frontier.”
And even before that, Hornady had a line Frontier ammo, this new ammunition is made at the well-known U.S. mili-
of ammunition called Frontier Cartridges. tary ammunition plant in Lake City, Utah.
That’s with an “s.” I know because I have a You can get Frontier ammunition in boxes of 20 rounds and 150- and
few boxes of that old ammo. Anyway, the 200-round ammo cans and boxes. You can also order it in 500- and 1,000-
company hasn’t offered the Frontier line for round packages.
quite a long time. I obtained a sampling of the new ammunition for testing and fired it in a
Hornady states the new Frontier ammo is Lancer L15 Competition AR-15 with an 18-inch barrel that has a 1:8 twist
for plinking, target shooting, hunting, law and a .223 Wylde chamber. Wilson Combat has the most concise defini-
enforcement training, and self-defense. Pre- tion of the Wylde chamber that I’ve read and calls it “a hybrid .223/5.56
dictably, it’s loaded with Hornady bullets. It chamber designed to yield the accuracy advantages of the match .223 Rem.
also features brass cases and military-style commercial chambering but without pressure or reliability failures when
Boxer primers. Like the original Hornady using high-velocity 5.56 NATO-spec ammunition. The .223 Wylde achieves
better accuracy by having a chamber throat that
HORNADY FRONTIER CARTRIDGE ACCURACY & VELOCITY is tighter than 5.56 but will still function reliably
with military 5.56 ammunition because the case
100-YD.
VEL. E.S. S.D. ACC. dimensions are the same.”
AMMUNITION (FPS) (FPS) (FPS) (IN.) In .223 Rem., I fired the Frontier 55-grain FMJ,
55-grain HP Match, 55-grain Spirepoint, and
Frontier 55-gr. FMJ 3025 76 25 0.95 68-grain BTHP Match loadings. In 5.56 NATO,
Frontier 55-gr. HP Match 2998 88 26 1.13 I fired 55-grain FMJ, 62-grain BTHP Match,
Frontier 55-gr. Spirepoint 3024 82 21 1.11 62-grain Spirepoint, and 75-grain BTHP Match.
Frontier 68-gr. BTHP Match 2810 59 23 1.09 The details are listed in the accompanying chart.
Overall, the new Frontier Cartridge ammuni-
Frontier 55-gr. FMJ 3169 52 16 1.00 tion was as accurate and reliable as any other
Frontier 62-gr. BTHP Match 2998 61 18 1.17 Hornady ammunition I have fired. It functioned
Frontier 62-gr. Spirepoint 3072 70 24 1.05 perfectly throughout my shooting session, with
Frontier 75-gr. BTHP Match 2769 75 19 0.98 not a single failure to feed, fire, extract, or eject.
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of four, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag bench- MSRP: $11.67 to $16.67 (20 rounds)
rest. Velocity is the average of 10 rounds measured 15 feet from the gun’s muzzle.
hornady.com

BETTER TO HAVE IT AND NOT NEED IT,
THAN TO NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT
better, more refined gun. So why settle for a striker-fired pistol

with an OK trigger and a few generic grip options when the
HK VP9 or VP9SK have great triggers and 27 different fitment
combinations? Options too, are better to have . . .
www.hk-usa.com • 706-568-1906
GUNSMOKE HIPSHOTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A Handloader’s Caliber
There is a new standard for old-timer status in the shooting
game: If you can remember when the 6.5 was not the toast
of the town, you’re a veteran. BY TERRY WIELAND
RIGHT NOW, A 6.5MM IS THE RIFLE TO HAVE, AND Both employed

1
the unquestioned top dog is the 6.5 Creedmoor. More heavy bullets
and more ammunition companies are offering top- at low velocity
quality ammunition, and riflemakers can’t keep up —155 to 160
with demand. grains at 2,200
The 6.5 Creedmoor is unique in several ways. It’s to 2,400 fps,
While some the first .264-caliber cartridge ever to enjoy wide- roughly. Bullets
new 6.5mm car-
tridges are all
spread popularity in the United States, and it’s the for reloading
the rage these first in which every aspect of its specifications, from ranged from
days and on overall length to twist rate, has been tailored for opti- 100 grains to
paper will out-
perform older
mal performance. It is also the first to have factory 160 grains, including some beautiful 120-, 129-,
same-cali- ammunition that is so good, and in such variety, that and 140-grain bullets. I worked up a wonderfully
ber rounds, one could cheerfully get by without handloading for accurate load using the Nosler 140-grain Partition
the original
heavy-for-cali-
it. Every other 6.5 cartridge ever offered here has been and went Dall sheep hunting in Alaska. At 2,800
ber bullets gave largely a handloading proposition. You load your own fps, that load performed like a scalpel out to about
tremendous or you don’t shoot much. 300 yards.
penetration and
were effective
My introduction to the 6.5s (aside from a youth- That made me a 6.5mm fan, but in those days any
on everything ful, unrequited infatuation with the .264 Winchester suggestion of an article about .264s drew only yawns
up to Cape Magnum) was the Swedish 6.5x55. It was the 1980s, from editors. No one—no one—they said was inter-
buffalo and
elephant.
and at the time ammunition was available only ested. The thing is, though, someone must have been
from Norma and Dominion, a Canadian brand. because bulletmakers offered an ever-increasing array
of 6.5mm bullets. And wildcatters, that indefatigable bunch, kept neck- every application. Which puts lovers of the 6.5 right
ing cases up or down to 6.5. back where we always were: shopping for bullets and
One wildcat that gained considerable currency was the 6.5-284 loading our own ammunition.
Winchester, which is simply the rebated-
rim .284 Winchester necked down by 20
thousandths. Another was the 6.5-06,
which had been around forever and was ACQUIRE YOUR
TARGET
merely a slight modification of the .256
Newton, which was created in 1913. Of
course, there was always the scattering of
European military 6.5s, too. Most were THE WINDHAM 6.5 CREEDMOOR
strictly handloading propositions.
One exception was the aristocrat
of the bunch: the 6.5x54 Mannlicher-
Schönauer, which not only was the Greek I N C LU DE S
military cartridge, but also was cham- A L I FE T I ME
bered in the beautiful Mannlicher rifles T R A NS FE R A BL E
imported from Austria. Commercial WA R R A N T Y.
6.5x54 M-S was loaded here for many
years, and most lines of imported ammu- MA K E I T
nition included it. It was never cheap, but YO U R S .
then those rifles were rarely owned by FOR L I FE .
anyone who considered money an object.
More recent 6.5 innovations include the MADE IN WINDHAMWEAPONRY.COM
26 Nosler and the 6.5-300 Weatherby. THE USA TOLL FREE: 1.855.808.1888
The latter has been around for a long time
as a wildcat, originally intended for long-
range benchrest shooting. The 26 Nosler
is a bulky, rimless case with sharp shoul-
der and straight walls, fitted to a magnum
action. Ballistically, it and the 6.5-300
Weatherby are similar.
Oddly, the original 6.5s from around
1900 used a heavy-for-caliber bullet
with high sectional density, at relatively
low velocity, for great penetration and
dependability. They were used for hunt-
ing everything from chamois in the Alps
to elephants in the Lado Enclave. A rifle-
man who wanted a lighter bullet at higher
velocity, however, had to handload. Then,
when such cartridges as the .256 Newton
came along, their creators insisted on high
velocity and loaded them with a 129-
grain bullet. The formula was turned on
its head, and you had to handload it to
achieve the old, established weight and
sectional density combination.
Today’s 6.5mm cartridges empha-
size long-range shooting and are loaded
with beautifully streamlined, heavy bul-
lets. While these undoubtedly perform at
distances unheard of with, for example,
the 6.5x54 M-S, they are not the best for
King of the Wildcats // Continued From Page 72
up to make .22-caliber barrels. Ackley earned the reputation of being a high-performance .22-caliber cartridges. He under-
premier barrelmaker. stood that to do that effectively, proper bullets were
During World War II, he was sent to the Ogden Ordnance Depot in critical. Most .22-calber bullets of his time were meant
Utah and was charged with developing a repair program for the U.S. for varmint hunting and were lightly constructed,
Army. It was so successful that it grew into a full-scale arsenal overhaul so he created his own heavy-for-caliber .22-caliber
operation. At the end of the war, he partnered with well-known gun- hunting bullet. Called the Ackley C.E. (Controlled
maker Ward Koozer and bought out and took over George Turner’s Expansion), it consisted of a solid-copper base and
gunshop in Cimarron, New Mexico. The partners soon moved the shop a 10-grain Spitzer-shaped lead core with the jacket
to Trinidad, Colorado. folded over. On impact, the front half of the bullet
A lot of returning GIs wanted to use the recently enacted G.I. Bill to expanded to increase shocking power and wound
learn gunsmithing. Ackley had made such a name for himself in the trade cavity while the solid base provided penetration.
that by 1947 he had received so many requests to teach the returning GIs In addition to all of his hands-on work with guns,
that he and Dean C.O. Banta of Trinidad State Junior College began a gun- barrels, and cartridges, Ackley also did a lot of writing,
smithing program at the college. Ackley taught classes until 1951, when he particularly in the general area of gunsmithing. One
once again started a gunshop. When that business was bought by share- account of his life went so far as to say, “It was his writ-
holders and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, Ackley moved with it. Soon ing that made him ‘America’s Gunsmith’….” He wrote
thereafter, he divested from it and started another gunshop of his own in for several magazines, including Shooting Times (writ-
Salt Lake City. He stayed there until his death in 1989. ing a monthly gunsmithing column from 1960 until
From 1936 until 1989, Ackley was continually wildcatting cartridges. In 1982), and he also authored five books.
most cases he wanted to improve the performance with higher velocity or Gunsmith, barrelmaker, teacher, writer, hunter, and
more efficient powder utilization, but some were purely experimental. king of the wildcat cartridges, P.O. Ackley passed away
Ackley often tested his wildcat cartridges on an annual hunting trip, on August 23, 1989, in Salt Lake City, Utah. I doubt
and he was a strong advocate of hunting big game (including elk) with if we’ll ever see the likes of him again.
DE50L5IMB DE50SRMB
.50 AE | 5” Barrel .50 AE | 6” Barrel
BFR500JRH7B
.500 JRH | 7.5” Barrel
BFR45-707B
.45/70 Govt. | 7.5” Barrel
Join us: @magnumresearchinc | @biggestfinestrevolver www.magnumresearch.com

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GUNSMOKE HIPSHOTS
King of the Wildcats

The prolific P.O. Ackley created more than 50 wildcat
cartridges, some purely for the fun of it. BY JOEL J. HUTCHCROFT
THIS ISSUE OF SHOOTING TIMES IS LOOSELY working on guns as a young boy. He graduated from
P.O. Ackley was
focused on cartridges, some new and some that have Syracuse University in 1924 with a degree in agricul-
a gunsmith, a been around for quite some time. Several of them ture, and along the way, he took several engineering
barrelmaker, started out as wildcat cartridges, and I know of no courses. After college, he began his own farming oper-
a teacher, a
writer, a hunter,
one who developed more wildcat cartridges than P.O. ation, married, and started a family. His farm was
and a wild- Ackley. In fact, he has been referred to as the “king productive, but when the Great Depression hit,
catter. He of the wildcats” and “Mr. Wildcat.” he had a tough time making a living. His farm-
developed the
“improved”
Many Shooting Times readers have proba- ing operation lasted longer than many in the
cartridge con- bly heard of Ackley, and some of you who area, but he had been interested in buying a
cept whereby have been longtime subscribers may recall gunshop located in Roseburg, Oregon, and
a commer-
cial cartridge’s
that he wrote for this magazine for more in 1936 he sold the farm, bought the gun-
case taper and than two decades. For younger readers who shop, and headed west.
shoulder angle may not know of him, he wildcatted 52 car- The gunshop was successful, and his business
are improved
in order to
tridges that ranged in caliber from .17 to the .475. included repairing lots of guns for customers. But he
increase case He is most famous for developing the “improved” had an eye on building guns and was especially keen
capacity, result- concept whereby the case taper and shoulder angle on making the barrels. So he struck a deal with an old
ing in more
efficient powder
of a commercial cartridge are improved so that case friend back East who owned a gunshop where bar-
utilization, capacity is increased. At least 10 of his improved car- rels were made. Ackley moved into the gunshop and
higher veloc- tridges were .22 caliber. made barrels day and night, seven days a week for an
ity, and higher
energy.
P.O. Ackley was born on May 25, 1903. He was entire year. He returned to Oregon, built a hand-pow-
raised on a farm near Granville, New York, and began ered deep-hole drill and rifling machine, and tooled
72 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018 Continued on Page 70

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2018-11-01 STimes

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800 -338 -3220 | HORNADY.

GET THE MOST

BERETTA A400 XTREME PLUS

36 today than 30 years ago, but it

42 enough to pound railroad spikes,

Get the Most from Your .375 H&H

56 .224 Valkyrie cartridge, and we got

62 revolver is a classic, and this .17

64 Blackhawk’s nylon tactical and

66 Cartridge line of ammunition this

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SHOOTER’S UPDATE An Outdoor Sportsman Group® Publication

.22 Accuracy Tip and Thoughts on the ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

GROUP ART DIRECTOR

Winchester Model 1894 NRA Centennial STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

68 Gunsmoke NATIONAL AD SALES

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Shooting Times,

Readers Speak Out Illustration: ©mstanley13 - fotolia.com

4 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

V ISI T COMP LET E-F OCUS.COM

OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP® DIGITAL

Copyright 2018 by Outdoor Sportsman Group®

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced with-

The Publisher and authors make no representations or warranties

SUBSCRIPTIONS INQUIRIES: Should you wish to change your address,

BE AWARE THAT SHOOTING TIMES ONLY ACCEPTS SUBSCRIPTION

Occasionally, our subscriber list is made available to reputable firms

FOR REPRINTS: For Reprints/Eprints or Licensing/Permissions, please

CHECK OUT THE CURRENT

CONTRIBUTIONS: Manuscripts, photographs and artwork must be sub-

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

6 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

DISCREET POWERFUL ADVANCED

Measuring the rim thickness of .22 LR ammo with a

Now we just enjoy being able to consis-

8 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

Hodgdon TripleSeven FireStar Pellets

Reloading Kits design features longitudinal grooves that

SIG SAUER Component Brass

10 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

• Superior cleaning formulas designed to target carbon and copper build up

What Chronographs look almost identical, and their maximum

Do You Guys Use?

Q: Shooting Times puts a lot of emphasis on velocities (averages, extreme

A: That’s a great question. The Shooting Times writers use a variety of

A: Aside from their distinctly different developmental evolutions, these

12 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

The Ruger® EC9s™ comes with n

gimmicks, rebates or mail-in offers

for gift cards... just the rugged,

reliability of the striker-fired LC9s®

now with integral sights and a no-h

price point that won’t break the ba

WHY CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM

RUGER.COM © 2018 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. 011118

Winchester Model 1894

14 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

FOR THE FREE

to the cocked position. Pulling the lever back causes Provenance

the point of impact to change primar-

NOVEMBER 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES 17

18 SHOOTING TIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

Extensive caliber selection

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449+: c: > 9+: