Revisiting the Thompson Center Contender Part III, but first...

I wanted to provide some updated information on loads for the .338-378 Weatherby, now that I’ve had a chance to work with Hodgdon H870. 123.0 grains H870 250 grain Sierra spitzer soft point boattail CCI #250 large rifle magnum primers Avg. MV 3,210 Avg. group size 3 shots well under […] [Read More]

Revisiting the Thompson Center Contender Part II

Sorry I’m about a week over deadline. I was just never able to convince the folks at Midway USA that three weeks for shipment isn’t quite the same as second day air, used or refurb repacked scopes shouldn’t be shipped to customers as new items, and product with missing parts […] [Read More]

Revisting the Thompson Center Contender

A Contender is an interesting firearm. It would seem too short to be a proper rifle, too long to be a proper pistol, and maybe an unnecessary compromise at both ends of the spectrum. In fact, it would seem shooting competition with this type of gun is just that, competition […] [Read More]

Tightening up reload specs & building a throat clearance gauge

I know this sounds odd, but I think I’ve just found the most cost effective way to improve the quality of my reloads – I put a new top on my reloading bench. I began noticing that simple operations like removing spent primers, or taper crimping assembled rounds was getting […] [Read More]

Workshop Decompression...a lathe arrival

I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the lathe crates when UPS dropped them off. Only one splintered protective board, one slightly suspicious hole through the top right side and no damage to the goods inside. Our local Sunnyvale UPS damage rate was running a consistent 70%, 7 out […] [Read More]

SAAMI, QuickLoad, lever action rifles and other curiosities....

There are two questions I receive with some frequency 1. What are the pressure signs to look for when loading widely accepted, yet highly suspected, high pressure .45-70 loads in the 1895 Marlin ? 2. When do I anticipate developing some class ? I thought I would attempt to address […] [Read More]

Alternative Metal Finishes II

When I raced cars, I’d spend endless hours building and refining the motion parts, but spent not a minute improving the aesthetics of the package. Consequently, my cars were fast, but they looked like flying refuse. Refining, refurbishing and refinishing are games of patience and skill, in fact, there may […] [Read More]

Alternative Metal Finishes - Part I

‘ve owned some of my firearms for so long, they have become a part of my personal history. I try to use them as frequently as possible, and I hate when they fall into a state of disrepair. One such rifle is a 42 year old Mohawk Brown Remington Nylon […] [Read More]

Ruger's M77 Hawkeye Compact Rifle - 6.8 SPC

The Ruger M77 Hawkeye Compact Rifle is one of those guns where extracting it from the open end of a shipping carton takes a lot less time than expected. In fact, the rifle is so compact (How compact is it, Joe) it might be the basis for a new category […] [Read More]

Improving your outlook - Alternative Sights for the P229 SIG

The SIG P229 is an exceptional pistol. High in quality, reliable and accurate, all in a solid compact package. I shoot mine with both .357 SIG and .40 S&W barrels. In all of the time I’ve used the P229 I’ve never had a jam, and I’ve fed through virtually every […] [Read More]