Reloading the Oddballs!

.300 H&H Magnum:

Back In Style?

Savage .22 High Power

Loads for the .32 H&R and .327 Federal Magnums

Its Back! Br o w nings

B7 8
February 2011 No. 270
02
Rifle Magazine Presents - HANDLOADER $5.99
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AMMUNIT ON RELOADING JOUR AL AMMUNITION REL NG JOURNAL

Page 66 . . .

February 2011 Volume 46, Number 1 ISSN 0017-7393 Issue No. 270

Page 34 . . .

John Amos Nosler

(April 4, 1913 October 10, 2010) Reloaders Press Dave Scovill

24 28

7mm-08 Remington
Cartridge Board Gil Sengel

42 50

The Browning B78 Is Back!

A Classic Single Shot
Stan Trzoniec

Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR

Propellant Profiles R.H. VanDenburg, Jr.

Cast Bullets Below the Neck

A Quest for Hunting Accuracy
John Haviland

14

Obsolete Load Data?

Bullets & Brass Brian Pearce

32 34

Seeing Sights
Pistol Pointers Charles E. Petty

58

18 20
4

Handloading Tips
Mikes Shootin Shack Mike Venturino

Hardballs and Oddballs

Adventures in Military Pistol Handloading
Mike Venturino

.32 H&R Magnum and .327 Federal Magnum

Handloading a Pair of Wheelguns
Brian Pearce

Handgun Barrel Length Versus Velocity

From the Hip Brian Pearce

Page 58 . . .

Background Photo: 2010 Vic Schendel

Handloader 270

On the cover . . .
The Browning B78 .223 Remington is outfitted with a Leupold 3-9x Century Limited Edition 40mm scope in Leupold rings and bases. Photo by Stan Trzoniec.

Page 34 Page 76 Page 58

Page 28 . . .

Issue No. 270

February 2011

AMMUNIT ON REL NG JOUR AL AMMUNITION RELOADING JOURNAL

Publisher/President Don Polacek Publishing Consultant Mark Harris Editor in Chief Dave Scovill Associate Editor Lee J. Hoots Managing Editor Roberta Scovill Assisting Editor Al Miller Senior Art Director Gerald Hudson Production Director Becky Pinkley

Contributing Editors

66 76 84 89 90
Page 76 . . .

Savage .22 High Power

The Frustrating Little IMP
Terry Wieland

John Haviland Ron Spomer Brian Pearce Stan Trzoniec Charles E. Petty R.H. VanDenburg, Jr. Clair Rees Mike Venturino Gil Sengel Ken Waters Terry Wieland

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.300 Holland & Holland Magnum

Loads for the Retro-Cool
John Barsness

Circulation
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Handloader (ISSN 0017-7393) is published bimonthly by Polacek Publishing Corporation, dba Wolfe Publishing Company (Don Polacek, Pres ident), 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301 (also publisher of Rifle magazine). Tele phone: (928) 445-7810. Periodical Postage paid at Prescott, Arizona, and additional mailing offices. Subscription prices: U.S. possessions single issue, $5.99; 6 issues, $22.97; 12 issues, $39.00. Foreign and Canada single issue, $5.99; 6 issues $29.00; 12 issues, $51.00. Please allow 8-10 weeks for first issue. Advertising rates furnished on request. All rights reserved. Change of address: Please give six weeks notice. Send both the old and new address, plus mailing label if possible, to Circulation Dept., Handloader Magazine, 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Handloader, 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. Canadian returns: PM #40612608. Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

From the Frugal Reloader

Reader Research David Chadwick

2010 Master Index On the Side of Caution

In Range Terry Wieland

Publisher of Handloader is not responsible for mishaps of any nature that might occur from use of published loading data or from recommendations by any member of The Staff. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Publisher assumes all North American Rights upon acceptance and payment for all manuscripts. Although all possible care is exercised, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for lost or mutilated manuscripts.

Wolfe Publishing Co.

2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A Prescott, AZ 86301 Tel: (928) 445-7810 Fax: (928) 778-5124
Polacek Publishing Corporation

Background Photo: 2010 Vic Schendel

Handloader 270

OBSOLETE LOAD DATA?

BULLETS & BRASS
by Brian Pearce
todays handloaders. In some instances, powders have changed enough to warrant a reevaluation of proper powder charges. For example, approximately a decade ago, Alliant Unique was cleaned up to burn cleaner, but the burn rate remained similar pounds per square inch (psi) in the past 40 years, with the latter version being a much more precise method. Industry standard pressures for many cartridges have also changed, which has naturally affected handload data. Since you mention the .44 Magnum, lets consider that in 1970 its maximum average pressure was 43,500 CUP, whereas today it has been changed to 36,000 psi. Regarding the .44 Special and .45 Colt cartridges, there was a time when reloading manuals commonly offered data that exceeded industry pressure limits, and without explanation as to the strength of specific revolvers. Today, most manuals stick with SAAMI guidelines, or at least categorize data as to the strength of different firearms. For instance, the Speer Reloading Manual #14 lists standard pressure .45 Colt loads but also offers data specifically for Ruger and Thompson/Center guns that exceeds industry guidelines. For what its worth, I always suggest using the latest data or manuals, with fresh components.

: I have been subscribing to gun and reloading magazines since the late 1960s and became involved in reloading in 1969 using RCBS equipment after visiting with Mr. Huntington in Oroville, California. I follow your articles in Handloader magazine avidly upon receipt.

Ive been reloading for revolvers since 1969, using Lyman and Speer reloading manuals (as well as others) as a guide. I have noticed over the years that as new reloading manuals are published (even the same brand) the recommended loads for the same powder (say, Hercules or Alliant Unique) have been reduced. For example when loading for the .44 Special and .44 Magnum, as well as .45 Colt, maximum listed loads now contain less powder than data from 40 years ago. Does this mean the composition of the powder has changed requiring less powder weight for the same bullet? Would it follow then that older manuals actually become obsolete? I still have my Speer Number 8 manual, even though Im using the Speer Number 13 now. Or have we become more conservative in our publications due to the litigious nature of our society in the twenty-first century? Keep up the writing. Your articles are first read quickly and then studied! I.O., Stamps AR A: Thank you for your kind remarks. You raise some excellent questions that are pertinent to
14

The latest reloading manuals are up to date with scientifically developed pressure test methods and should supercede older manuals and data.
to the original formula. With that said, lot to lot number variations will give different results, and in working with many powders that were around 40+ years ago, some have certainly had their composition changed enough to require an adjustment in the powder charge. Regarding your questions about the changing or reduced data found in credible reloading/handloading manuals, I am unaware of manuals that are reducing loads due to lawsuits. On the other hand, methods of measuring pressures has largely changed from copper units of pressure (CUP) to

.32 WCF VERSUS .327 FEDERAL

Q: I recently acquired a .32 WCF revolver with 512-inch barrel from USFA with an extra cylinder for .327 Federal Magnum. I might add that this is a mighty fine looking revolver too. My question is about using the gas checks as you referenced in Handloader
Handloader 270

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No. 258. Neither Lyman nor Hornady offer a .32-caliber gas check (.311 to .313 inch), so I am wondering what was used on the 116grain bullet mentioned in the article? Thanks. K.J., via e-mail A: Lyman and Hornady each offer .30- and .32-caliber gas checks. The .30-caliber versions are designed for .308/.309-inch bullets but also work on most cast bullets for the .32 WCF (aka, .32-20 Winchester), which are generally .311 to .314 inch and have the bases cut to accept the .30-caliber checks. The .32caliber gas checks are primarily for the .32 Winchester Special (.321 inch) and the various 8mm rifles (usually around .323 inch). I have used both Hornady (crimp on) and Lyman gas checks in developing .32-20 handloads, with each giving excellent results.

TAURUS TRACKER .45 ACP

Q:: My 35-year subscription to Handloader does not have the information I am looking for so hope you can help. I recently purchased a Taurus Tracker .45 ACP with a 4-inch barrel and stainless steel construction. Do you have any data for 150- or 155-grain bullets and 250-grain bullets? I am also wondering if this gun can handle +P data? J.D., Littleton CO A: You dont specify what type (cast or jacketed, manufacturer, etc.) of bullets you want to use or the velocities you desire. A place to start with the 150- to 155-grain versions would be 6.3 grains of Winchester 231 powder. Regarding a load for a 250grain bullet, again you dont specify any particular type you want to use. In jacketed versions I would suggest either the Speer Gold Dot HP or Hornady XTPHP, while a good general-pur-

pose cast bullet would be the Lyman/Keith mould 454424. With any of the above 250-grain bullets, try 7.0 grains of Alliant Power Pistol or 6.2 grains of Hodgdon Universal. Your Taurus Tracker .45 ACP is safe with +P-type loads.

.357 MAGNUM
Q: I have a couple of questions regarding the Registered Magnum article. What load did you use to take the mule deer with the 4inch gun? Also, you wrote that the Lyman cast bullet from mould 358429 (173-grain Keith) could be seated and crimped over the forward band, but in an older article I found that you wrote that you could trim the .357 Magnum case down to a case length of 1.200 inches so the cartridge will fit into older Smith & Wesson Nframes. Using Alliant 2400 powder and the above 173-grain cast bullet, which would be better as far as pressure?

February-March 2011

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I also have a Smith & Wesson Model 27-2 .357 Magnum with a 312-inch barrel, which is turning out to be exceptionally accurate, and I am thinking of trying to take a whitetail deer with it. Here in the Adirondack Mountains, the ranges never really get longer than 40 to 50 yards at most, and this gun is easily accurate enough at that range. I was thinking of the Lyman bullet 358429 for the task. Any help would be greatly appreciated. D.L., New York A: The spike mule deer you inquired about was taken with a Smith & Wesson Registered Magnum with a 4-inch barrel at around 70 yards. The handloads consisted of 1975-vintage Browning cases, 14.5 grains of Hercules (now Alliant) 2400 powder, cast bullets from RCBS mould 38-150KT (now known as the 38-150SWC) that weigh 158 grains from my mould and alloy, and Federal 100 primers. Velocity from the Smith & Wesson was 1,360 fps. I loaded 1,000 rounds for supply purposes back in 1984, and it was time to rotate stock. Since it shot well in the Smith & Wesson, the gun was sighted and carried during Idahos fall hunting season. I tried to get within range of a mature buck, but that didnt work out, so I settled for the spike. The bullet punched through both lungs and exited on a near broadside shot. The buck crossed the creek and began climbing the mountain but collapsed and ex-

When the 173-grain Lyman/Keith bullet 358429 (center) is crimped in its crimp groove, the overall cartridge length (left) is too long for Smith & Wesson N-frame .357 Magnum revolvers, including the Models 27 and 28. The bullet can be seated deeply, then crimped over the front driving band (right) to shorten the overall length.
pired within 60 or 70 yards from where he was shot. The old Lyman/Keith cast bullet 358429 is an excellent bullet for big game. It penetrates straightly and deeply and is preferred over the above 158-grain bullet based on greater penetration and ability to break bone. When loaded in .357 cases and crimped in its crimp groove or cannelure, it is too long to be used in the old short cylinder N-frame Smith & Wessons (including Registered Magnums, Models 27 and 28). The best option is to trim .357 cases to between 1.2 to 1.22 inches, then

crimp in the groove, which shortens the overall cartridge length to 1.58 to 1.60 inches, which will chamber in the above guns. In effect this tailors the overall cartridge length to maximize performance in the short cylinder N-frames. Loaded in this fashion, the bullets front driving band will help center it in the throat and thus the bore. With cases trimmed and bullets seated in the above fashion, I would suggest using 13.5 to 14.0 grains of Alliant 2400 or 14.0 grains of Accurate Arms No. 9, each capped with a standard nonmagnum CCI 500 primer. Another option to use the above 173-grain bullet is crimping over the front driving band, which substantially decreases powder capacity, and charges must be reduced accordingly. Loaded in this fashion some guns will yield better accuracy than others. Nonetheless, it is an effective hunting load that does not require the time-consuming job of trimming cases. Many gun writers from yesteryear (including Elmer Keith) promoted using this bullet in .38 Special cases with powder charges that approached fullhouse .357 Magnum loads. These were good loads, and I personally have fired many thousand rounds through a variety of sixguns, but there are a couple of potential problems. First, .38 Special cases vary greatly in strength, so the loads have the potential to rupture weaker cases, and case life is usually very short. Second, due to the reduction in case capacity, pressures can exceed SAAMI guidelines for the .357 Magnum. Finally, there is always the possibility that one of these .357 Magnum loads with a headstamp marked .38 Special could find its way into a .38 Special revolver that cannot handle such pressures. Good luck on your deer hunt in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains!

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Handloader 270

On the Browning B78, polishing is all first-class, wood is better than select, and the fit and finish are perfect in all respects.

A Classic Single Shot

Handloader 270

Stan Trzoniec

fter nearly 30 years, the coveted Browning B78 is again available through select Browning dealers. Since I have Browning catalogs dating back to the mid-1960s, it was easy to track the introduction, lineage and cartridge availability of this rifle.

It first appeared in the 1973 catalog in .22-250 Remington, 6mm Remington, .25-06 Remington and .30-06. With your choice of either a round or octagonal barrel, suggested retail was $247.50. Along with a few shotguns and .22 rimfire rifles, these were the only new items released that year. Naturally, with such an introduction, accolades flowed on page 34. Browning used such phrases as one clean, well-placed shot, which was the creed of the new Browning B78 rifle. It boasted of a classic falling-block action, crisp grooved trigger and right up to snuff on accuracy, thanks to a longer 26-inch barrel and a strong lockup. To cinch the deal, Browning offered the B78 with a high-grade piece of wood, blued and polished like a Browning. A few years later, cartridge offerings were increased to include the 7mm Remington Magnum and .45-70 complete with a straight pistol grip and a crescent buttplate. A year later, the .243 Winchester appeared. Then, after a decade of production, the

The
February-March 2011

B78 Is Back!
www.handloadermagazine.com 43

Browning

The B78 .223 Remington (top) is similar to the previously cataloged Browning Lo-Wall .22 Hornet.
rifle was dropped from the line around 1982 with inventory carrying into 1983. With its strong action, good looks and Browning quality, this new version has found a home in my gun rack in spite of some changes to its original design. For one, the barrel is only available in a round configuration, limited to 24 inches and freefloated. The forearm is mounted on a hanger with two screws and is easily removed for cleaning. ply of checkering on both the forearm (three-panel) and pistol grip. In typical Browning fashion, it is complete with a border and Schnabel forend. Mimicking its predecessor, there is a Monte Carlo comb, cheekpiece and pistol-grip cap. Pachmayr flush mount sling swivels are included along with a classic recoil pad with a black spacer. For operation, you cannot ask for anything smoother. Pushing the underlever down lowers the falling block and cocks the action. Place a cartridge into the breech then raise the lever, and the ejector rides over the rim of the cartridge. In keeping with the original model, there is no outward safety lever. Moving the hammer to the half-cock position during field use sets the hammer away from the firing pin, and either lowering the underlever again to load or pulling the hammer to its full rearward position allows the gun to fire. The B78 comes from the factory with an adjustable trigger, which I adjusted to its lower limit at around 3 12 pounds. Although a mite heavy for varmint shooting, the wide face of the trigger itself and the small amount of slack before the sear broke made it highly predictable at the range. For convenience, there is a case deflector. Leaving it in the factory default position allows the case to be trapped in the action

Behind the falling block is a diverter to guide the spent cartridges either to a full stop or left or right.

The hammer has been cocked simply by working the action. Opening the action to place a cartridge in the breech also cocks the hammer. There is no external safety; the only safety on this rifle is the half-cock position of the hammer.

Pushing the underlever down lowers the falling block and cocks the action.
Out of the box, the rifle is ideal in every way. The polishing and bluing on the receiver, lever and barrel are smooth and deeply blued. The wood (according to Browning) is between Grade III and IV, and my rifle came with a nice amount of feathering from comb to butt, nicely colored and finished with a glossy coating. There is more than an ample sup-

Browning

B78

There are three panels of cut checkering on the forearm, all cut after the finish was applied.
Handloader 270

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for easy picking. However, with a scope mounted, I turned the deflector to the left, allowing the cases to come back and out for easy removal. Sans optical gear, this gun checks in at around 8 pounds, 6 ounces, depending on the highgrade wood. With a scope, rings and bases installed, it weighs around 912 pounds. Browning has thoughtfully included scope mounting bases with the B78, but since I wanted to match the original look of the rifle, I opted for high-gloss Browning rings and a two-piece base by Leupold, stock number 50012. To finish off the sighting system, I attached a Leupold Century Limited Edition 3-9x 40mm scope that matched the bluing perfectly. My B78 is chambered for the .223 Remington. Among my friends there seems to be a lovehate attitude with the .223. Many pooh-pooh it as just another common varmint cartridge with a military heritage. They lean toward newer offerings like the .204 Ruger or the .223 WSSM. So be it. I still like the looks and performance of the .223 for my needs here in New England, and considering it is still very popular, a lot can be said for a cartridge now going on its sixth decade of service to civilian and armed forces alike. With the summer underway, my plan was simple. Research the one bullet that has gained favor with me over the course of the last year, grab a handful of propellants, benchrest primers, some unfired cases put away for a rainy day, and have at it. Later I could always fine-tune the loads. But for those with a limited time frame, this method will work the best. The bullet chosen for the task was Hornadys 52-grain A-MAX Match. It has served me well in both accuracy testing and small game hunts around the NorthFebruary-March 2011

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45

The new Browning features an internal hanger to which the forearm is attached. Two screws hold the forearm securely, and the barrel is free-floated.
east. For some reason, this bullet feels at home with a multitude of powders regardless of the .22-caliber gun Im loading for. Remington Small Rifle Benchrest primers and Federals .223 Remington nickel cases were on hand, and powders run the gamut from IMR-4198 (fast) to IMR-4320 on the slower end. In all, I have a bakers dozen on my loading bench to wring out in the new B78. Since Im only using one bullet, I spent some time lamenting over the proper overall case length with the bullet inserted. According to the manuals, when using the .223 Remington, a good place to start is with an overall length of 2.230 inches, which places the base of the bullet down around the lower shoulder area of the case. Another option is to have the bullet just touch the lands, and in this case, it seems the B78 has a rather long throat, as I seated the bullet out to 2.410 inches before it was hitting the lands. Using that overall loaded length as a guide, the bullet was seated into the neck .125 inch too little for field use. I then settled on an overall length of 2.350 inches, which places the base of the bullet at the junction of the case neck and shoulder, or approximately one bullet diameter inside the case. I would prefer to seat the bullet level with the neck and shoulder of the case. In this way (my theory), the force of the expanding gas hits the bullet squarely, resulting in a more uniform performance downrange. Combine this with a charge that is .5 grain under maximum, it seems everything comes together in a more accurate fashion. Years of shoot-

Movement of the underlever was smooth as silk, and metal polishing was perfect.

Specifications: Browning B78 Rifle

Type: single shot, falling block rifle Caliber tested: .223 Remington Capacity: one round Barrel length: 24 inches Overall length: 40 inches Weight: 8 pounds, 6 ounces (no scope, rings, bases or ammo) Finish: deeply blued action, glossy finished stock Stock: Grade III/IV wood Sights: none furnished, one piece base and rings included Trigger: gold plated, wide, adjustable Price: $1,379 Manufacturer: Browning Arms Co. www.browning.com

Behind the trigger is the adjustment for weight of pull. Stan adjusted his to 312 pounds. Goldplated triggers are a Browning tradition.

Browning

B78

A Schnabel forend and flushmounted sling swivels are standard.

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ing have proved this to work repeatedly, especially in smaller bore rifles. To speed up the fireforming process, I used Hodgdons H-335 powder to charge all the cases with 24.0 grains; H-335 flows like water, which frees the handloader from checking every case to ensure the proper amount of powder has been dropped in each. Arriving home, insert the sizing die into the press minus the decapper. Screw the die down until it bottoms out on the shellholder, back it off a few turns, which so far is the accepted practice in setting up the loading sequence. The reason for not including the decapper is to

Stan used a bakers dozen of modern powders while working up .223 Remington loads.
small rifle BR-4s; Remington calls its competitive primer the 712, Federal has the 205M. Out of the 16 powders listed by Hornady for its 52-grain A-MAX, I had 13 in stock. With the exception of a few of the larger grained brands, (IMR-3031, for instance) all metered smoothly and without much adjustment of the powder measure or the trickler between selections. Most filled the case right up to the base of the neck, and again, the exceptions were IMRs 3031, 4895 and 4320, which filled the case to the point of compression. Regardless of what powder is used, precision starts at the loading bench, especially with smaller cartridges. Drop the charges like you always do, but do it within .5 grain of the desired charge weight. Use a powder trickler to bring

Sans optical gear, this gun checks in at around 8 pounds, 6 ounces.

facilitate a smoother ride up and into the top of the die, without that annoying bump. You now can set the parameters of neck sizing more precisely and without that annoying jolt every time the expander comes up and out of the spent case. With the case coated with soot from a candle or lighter, make sure the die only reaches the very top of the shoulder even less would be better. Keep in mind that since we are neck sizing only, the rest of the case should remain untouched, as this is the purpose of fire-forming followed by neck sizing only. With the die set to neck-size only, replace the decapper and size one or two cases. Try them in the chamber, and if they fit okay, finish all the cases before moving on. When all the cases are cleaned, I check overall length, trim if necessary and start priming. With the B78 and the .223 Remington being used for varmint hunting only, I like to use benchrest primers, since they deliver a more consistent result. If you are partial to CCI, you can use its
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Browning

Loads for the Browning B78

bullet (grains) powder charge (grains) book velocity (fps) actual velocity (fps) group (inches)

B78

52 Hornady A-MAX Match

IMR-4198 VV-N130 IMR-3031 H-322 VV-N135 Benchmark H-335 AA-2460 BL-C(2) Varget IMR-4895 W-748 IMR-4320

21.0 21.3 24.8* 24.3 23.7 24.0 24.3 26.3 26.5 25.1 26.4* 27.9 27.2*

3,100 3,100 3,300 3,200 3,100 3,100 3,100 3,300 3,300 3,100 3,200 3,300 3,200 3,240

3,041 3,063 3,246 3,112 3,078 3,024 3,134 3,412 3,062 3,001 3,167 3,397 3,309 3,153

1.500 1.500 1.000 1.000 .875 1.250 .875 1.000 .750** 1.250 1.500 1.500 .875 1.500

55 Hornady V-MAX factory load

* compressed load ** best accuracy load

Notes: All cases were new Federal .223 Nickel Premium. Remington 712 primers used throughout. All loads seated to 2.350 inches. Testing was three-shot groups at 100 yards with velocities recorded on an Oehler Model 35P Chronograph.
Be Alert Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data.

A .75-inch group was the result of 26.5 grains of BL-C(2) and a Hornady 55-grain A-MAX.
the charge up to the final weight, and for accuracy testing, do it on all cases with all powders. Seating of the bullet is next, and since Im working with only one

bullet, the seater was adjusted to an overall cartridge and bullet length of 2.350 inches. Even when neck sizing the .223 Remington cases, the design of these Hornady bullets with the beveled base makes bullet seating a pleasure even with the tight constraints encountered on some of the smaller loading presses. To

finish, all loads were cataloged, put into individual envelopes ready for the range. Book velocity (from the loading manual) versus actual velocity at the range was close in most cases, considering the B78 has a 24-inch barrel as opposed to Hornadys 26-inch machine rest barrel. For top velocities, powders

Hornadys .224-inch A-MAX boat-tail was used with good results. Dies are from RCBS.

With the bullet seated for an overall cartridge length of 2.350 inches (below left) its base is flush with the neck and shoulder juncture. Seating the bullet too deeply in the case exposes much of the side and base of the bullet to expanding gas (right).

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like Accurate 2460, Winchester 748 and IMR-4320 in most cases exceed the book by 100 fps or more, which could add some elevation to bullet travel as well as a quicker downrange time to the target. Using one bullet with a wide range of propellants puts the most accurate out front the first time around. For varmints, I like rifles that will shoot under an inch or less consistently, and with the B78, BL-C(2) was the pick of the litter with the Hornady bullet. Although I could use a bit more push behind this bullet, Im happy with any .22 projectile cruising along at 3,000+ fps while delivering groups around .75 inch or less downrange. Opening the groups slightly to .875 inch, three came forward for the count using Vihtavuori N135, H-335 and trusty IMR-4320. Out of this bunch, the latter produced the highest velocity across the Oehler Model 35P chronograph. Still more favorites came to the forefront. Propellants like IMR3031, H-322 and AA-2460 hit the mark with Benchrest and Varget nudging the one minute-of-angle requirement on a windless, 75-degree day.

Inspecting all cases I found no flattened primers, and there were no ejection problems, even with the three compressed loads. All cases looked normal, no split case mouths appeared after the initial fireforming session, and interestingly, if you average the velocities of all 13 loads you end up with a mean of 3,157 fps. Winchester 748 drove the Hornady bullet highest to 3,397 fps; Varget the lowest to 3,001 fps. Looking back, a lot can be said for the Browning B78/.223 Remington combination. The rifle has been absent from the scene far too long, and Browning certainly deserves a pat on the back for its return. According to RCBS, the .223 Remington still holds the number one spot in reloading die sales even if it has been pushed up there by the recent surge in military type firearms. In any event, Im more than pleased with the outcome of both. The B78 is a dream come true for me and combined with this popular .22-caliber cartridge is not only more than accurate for my needs but will also give me more time and pleasure in the field than I deserve.

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The new Browning B78 single shot produced groups that ran under an inch.

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.416

Whispers are developments of SSK Industries.

Custom barrels for Contenders, Encores, bolt guns and semi-autos as well as complete guns and the cans to keep them quiet are available. SSK chambers over 400 calibers. Wild wildcat ideas welcomed.

SSK Industries
590 Woodvue Lane Wintersville, OH 43953 Tel: 740-264-0176 www.sskindustries.com
February-March 2011 www.handloadermagazine.com 49