GW:  I’m into handloading (not reloading, thank you), because my home-brewed ammo cannot be found in stores.  For example, try to find a 300-grain tipped Barnes in a .45-70 round.  You won’t find it, because it would be dangerous to sell to someone who may put it in a conventional tube-fed long gun.  It could exploded in the magazine under recoil!  However, for a single-shot firearm, such as a Thompson/Center Contender, no problem. 

Plus, it can be loaded longer to, thus closer to the lands in the bore – again, something factory ammo cannot duplicate, because factory ammo must fit in everything, and therefore, must be shorter.  This factors into the accuracy equation, as well, because in my opinion, loading rounds closer to the firearm’s lands produces consistent accuracy.

  And, finally, making ammo that is less expensive, as in the above example is totally irrelevant, because it does not exist anywhere else on Earth.

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — While today’s gun store shelves are filled with all manner of ammunition for every caliber and every type of shooting, many shooters are not content to go with over-the-counter production ammo. Many, in fact, prefer to handload their own cartridges. But there are many reasons for reloading and ShooterSurvey.com recently polled recreational shooters and hunters to find out exactly what the top reasons are.

By far, the top response was to save on the expense of buying production ammunition, which can sometimes cost several dollars a round. In fact, 85 percent of those surveyed cited “to save money” as the main reason they handloaded.

Sixty-seven percent of those polled cited improving accuracy as a top reason, while 44 percent do it to obtain calibers or loads that are hard to find in stores. Lastly, 30 percent reload to reduce waste and 15 percent cited other, unspecified reasons for handloading. Respondents could chose more than one answer as many have multiple motivations for loading their own ammunition. Read more

 GW:  I’m a believer and since taking a gobbler with this stuff last spring, I’ll stick with it.  The best patterning shotgun ammo ever and the price beats the competition, too.

EAST ALTON, Ill. (November 25, 2014) –Fall is officially here…the World Series is over, professional and college football games are in full swing, and competitors in the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Still Target Competition have set world records with Winchester® Long Beard XR turkey ammunition. Not just once, but three times, and in Long Beard XR’s first year of competition.

It’s safe to say Winchester rose to the top of the innovation platform yet again by dominating competitive and hi-dense loads. Winning the 12-gauge Open Division and winning the 12-gauge Hunter Division with 54 pellets in a three-inch circle at a distance of 40 yards, is impressive to say the least, but setting a new world record knocks it out of the park. Introduced in 2014, Long Beard XR quickly became a turkey slamming game changer while turning hunters into true believers.

12 Gauge Hunter: Bobby Sears (Hazelhurst, GA), new world record holder
12 Gauge Open: Scott Kirsch (Plainfield, IN)

“We knew we had something truly innovative with Long Beard XR,” said Brett Flaugher, Winchester Ammunition vice president of marketing, sales and strategy. “To be able to see our product completely dominate the competition, shatter the current record and set a brand new world record, makes us very proud.”

Be on the lookout in 2015 for Long Beard XR Magnum loads featuring Shot-Lok™ technology, offering the tightest patterns and longest shot capability of any lead turkey load in history. It will be available in 12 gauge, 3 inch, 1 7/8 ounce shot and 12 gauge, 3 ½ inch, 2 1/8 ounce shot both in shot sizes 4, 5 and 6.

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