Latest Venturino Article in Handloader

[alamogunr]

I've been reading thru the latest Handloader which arrived this week. The first thing I saw on the cover when I opened it was the announcement of an article about cast in "battle rifles". I was looking forward to the article since I'm planning to develop loads for 3 of my milsurps in .30-06. Well, it was a mixed emotion when I read the article. Lots of history, which I appreciated. Some I already knew, most I didn't.

The discussion of cast and powder was sort of a downer. I had to wade thru his usual paragraph about linotype, his endless supply and there is no other alloy. I almost wish he would run out so he could write for the rest of us. I have enough WW alloy, pulverized antimony and solder to approximate quite a bit of linotype but the miser in me and laziness won't let me do that. I don't want to buy from Rotometals either.

The only loads he gives use AA5744. I have some and will try those loads since I have a couple of the molds he mentions although my molds are not Lyman. I sometimes wonder if he has any recently produced Lyman molds. If the 5744 works out, I'll have to try some of Shooters World Buffalo Rifle powder, which is supposed to be close to 5744.

I just extended my subscription to Handloader and don't regret it yet but, more and more, as my interests narrow I'm thinking fewer and fewer articles are of interest.

Sorry for the rambling post but felt I had to get a couple of things off my chest.

[5Shot]

The issues get thinner and thinner as well. I stopped my subscription when Seyfried and many of the other writers during that time period moved on.

[Bookworm]

It seems to me, that in the recent articles there are 3 powders used.

Some new ones I don't have,
Some old ones that haven't been available in 20 years,
And,
Unique.

Which I don't use.

[kaiser]

I stay with "Handloader" magazine because of Brian Pearce's research and articles, which are (too me at least) the best researched and informative work of any writer of today! He follows the "lead" of Ken Waters "Pet Loads" format of offering plenty of how to information and actual "multiple loads" he has personally tested. Venterino is a good writer and certainly knows his cast bullet loads and models of military firearms, but is "out-of-his-element" when it comes to offering "options" for reloading other than "cast" bullets at "low" velocity in "antique" firearms using "specific" resources (his). Not a condemnation of his abilities or "personage", but an observation of his "field of interest", which I am only "partially" interest in. I also, do not have any AA5744 on hand, nor am I motivated to buy any by his article. I purchase Handloader to learn about "advanced techniques" in reloading, just as I consult "Cast Bollits" to learn about "casting" (among other things!). Venturino fills a "niche"; just not one I purchase Handloader for in the first place.

[ascast]

wow "kaiser", that's a lot of parenthesis, and well said.

[Walks]

I take brian pearce's articles with a big grain of salt. It seems he writes about 6-8 articles/columns a month in a variety of Publications. Listing/shooting hundreds of loads for each cartridge. At the same time as he runs a big Cattle Ranch.
He must be a man who needs no sleep. I spent the 3 summers of High School working a Ranch up near Fresno, CA. We had no time for shooting or much of anything else. Work from 0530hrs to 2000hrs.

Wonder how he manages it.

[R. Dupraz]

While 5744 is a popular powder that is used for cast bullets in these old military rifles, it is not the only one. If you want to develop some accuracy cast loads for a military surplus rifle, the best place to go is the Cast Bullet Assc. home page and click on Matches-Military. Every competitor who shoots in a CBA military match is required to fill out a tech data sheet for each match which lists all his load information.

For example, In the 2016 Military Rifle Regional Tournament, seventeen competitors used nine different powders, including 5744, for their accuracy loads in these old "battle rifles" And these guys are after pure accuracy. Personally, I have used IMR 4227 in my cast bullet accuracy loads with success for many years.

As for M. Ventureno's article, I don't know because I quit subscribing to those "gun Rags" a long time ago. The last to go was the "Handloader" for the very same reasons.


R.

[gumbo333]

I'm not into old military weapons but I enjoy reading about them. I was reading Venturino in Shooting Times a long time ago, before he was so into old military weapons. I have no idea if he is right or wrong but know for several years he shoots the 45/70 with only 5744. I enjoy the 45/70 with the much reduced mouse fart loads and still enjoy reading Venturino and enjoy Castboolits.

[Bazoo]

I just subscribed to handloader the end of last year. Not as great as I'd like but there are some things of interest. In the latest edition, the last article In Range by Terry Wieland, he says that cast bullets fired with smokeless powder don't bump up, only those fired with black powder.

[Chill Wills]

I just subscribed to handloader the end of last year. Not as great as I'd like but there are some things of interest. In the latest edition, the last article In Range by Terry Wieland, he says that cast bullets fired with smokeless powder don't bump up, only those fired with black powder.

Tho somewhat true for most of the powder chart; When you class ALL smokeless powders under one pressure curve model, you might be generalizing a little to much.

[largom]

Subscribed to handloader for around 10 yrs. Did not renew last year, nothing of interest.

[DonMountain]

I stopped concentrating on loading for the "wonder magnum's" back around 1990 and ended my subscription of the "wonder Magnum" magazine. I didn't even know they still sold "Handloader" magazine? Is the once-a-year article on mouse-fart loads in an old military rifle with pistol powder enough for you to keep your subscription? Not me.

[Bazoo]

I like the powder profiles.

[skeet1]

I haven't subscribed to Handloader for many years. It certainly is not the magazine it was back in the 1980s when they had really well researched articles that you couldn't find in other mags. Now they seem all the same.

[dragon813gt]

I like the powder profiles.

While not completely up to date you can buy them all in one book; Propellant Profiles Sixth Edition.

I buy an issue every now and then. I don’t find them useful at all. I have Quickload and trust my own load development. W/out pressure data I’m not using a load even if it is “published”. The ads w/ tools I haven’t heard of before is about the only useful part for me.

[Chill Wills]

I haven't subscribed to Handloader for many years. It certainly is not the magazine it was back in the 1980s when they had really well researched articles that you couldn't find in other mags. Now they seem all the same.

Amen. It was a fantastic bi-monthly and well written by everyday guys. When they changed to the news stand format, they also went mainstream and were like all the other lite gun rags.

[GARD72977]

I liked the part where he says he does not cast for the M1 Garand.

[alamogunr]

I guess I should slink away with my tail between my legs for bringing up Handloader.

[Bazoo]

While not completely up to date you can buy them all in one book; Propellant Profiles Sixth Edition.

I buy an issue every now and then. I don’t find them useful at all. I have Quickload and trust my own load development. W/out pressure data I’m not using a load even if it is “published”. The ads w/ tools I haven’t heard of before is about the only useful part for me.

That's a good rule not to use data without pressure reference. There is data with no pressure published in reloading manuals, some Lyman data and lots in the old Speer manuals. Do you follow your rule for this data also?

I have a powder profile 5th, it's okay. The new powders that come out is my main interest, not that I use them yet.

[izzyjoe]

I just mine last week, and turned right to the article. And just as I suspected, it was just rehashed article from a few years back, there's nothing new under the sun! Of course when you're in the business that long there's nothing really more to talk about! Brian pierce is one of the reasons I hang to it, cause he seems like strait shooter, I'll keep my subscription until they go up in price, or things get real wacky!