In conversations with fellow riflemen about black powder shooting, the topic of what the 200-yard, black powder, lead bullet record was from the old days often comes up. My answer has always been that it’s a little hard to nail down, as there were many groups submitted by expert riflemen to the various periodicals of the day. Some of these groups were shot with straight black powder loads, some with duplex and even a few done with early smokeless powder. ...Read More >

Nearly 150 years have passed since the famous “Battle of Greasy Grass,” which many of us remember better as the “Battle of the Little Big Horn.” At the battle “M” Company, 7th Cavalry, First Sergeant John Ryan, used his 45-70 Sharps rifle and fired the last shot of this famous conflict with the Cheyenne and the Sioux. However, that last shot is not what Ryan’s rifle is best remembered for. What is remembered more is the shooting done by Sgt. Ryan with his rifle when firing at Sharpshooter Ridge. Those shots most likely saved Ryan’s life, plus the lives of other troopers in “M” Company. ...Read More >

With the recent introduction of radar technology in chronographs, more shooters are using chronographs to evaluate the performance of rimfire ammunition in their rifles. Radar-based chronographs, such as the Garmin Xero C1 Pro are compact, easy to use and quick to set up. The cumbersome sky screens of old are not used with this new technology. My Garmin will fit into my shirt pocket, and the data from each shooting session can be downloaded to my cell phone. Because the Garmin is so easy to use, I always chronograph rimfire ammunition when shooting for groups. ...Read More >

A “hack” is a technique or method to make a task easier or more efficient. Simplifying some reloading steps can save time and potentially improve the quality of your ammunition. There is no benefit in doing something quickly if it results in a less desirable product. Unfortunately, loading good-quality match ammo takes time and effort. I am willing to spend the time to produce very accurate black powder ammunition. ...Read More >