TOP NEW RELOADING PRODUCTS FOR 2022

from SHOT Business July / August 2022

NEWS BRIEFS

Reloading PRODUCTS FOR 2022

by Brad Fitzpatrick

Whether your customers are trying to save cash on ammo or want custom loads for competition, reloading equipment will help you help them achieve their goals. Here’s a look at some of the best new gear for shooters who like to roll their own ammo.

The last two years have been tough times for all of us, but adding to the frustration of travel bans and mask mandates was an unprecedented run on ammunition that left store shelves

empty. And, in many places the only available ammunition cost hundreds of times as much as it did in the pre-pandemic days.

This situation has made some of your customers consider reloading. Reloaders are not immune to the issues of supply and demand that impact those who shoot factory ammo (primers and powder were also in low supply at the height of the pandemic), but reloaders have the advantage of being able to restock ammo supplies themselves, so long as they have the required components. Now more than ever shooters are seeing the benefits of reloading, not just as a costsaving measure but as a survival skill.

ALLIANT POWDER

Last year Alliant released TS 15.5 propellant. As the name implies, TS 15.5 powder offers a burn speed between Reloder 15 and Reloder 16, and Alliant’s TS powders offer world-class temperature stability. It’s an ideal propellant for .308 and .223 rounds firing heavy bullets, and TS 15.5 offers greater velocity with 6mm bullets than Reloder 15. Lot-to-lot consistency is superb, and this REACH-compatible powder includes a de-coppering agent. Even though it’s ideal for popular .223/6mm/.308 loads, TS 15.5 is a versatile propellant for a wide range of applications.

Also new for Alliant is TS 11, which is another temperature-stabilized powder that offers consistent velocity figures in a wide range of environments and conditions. This propellent is a superb option for varmint hunters, but it also offers an ideal burn speed for short-range benchrest applications. Like TS 15.5, it comes with a de-coppering agent and is REACH

compatible. Both TS 15.5 and TS 11 are sold in one- or eight-pound containers.

(ALLIANTPOWDER.COM)

HORNADY

The top story out of Grand Island is Hornady’s release of an all-new monolithic bullet for centerfire rifles. Known as Copper alloy eXpanding, or CX, this bullet combines the durable, reliable performance of a monolithic bullet in a new, more aerodynamic design. Why is that important? Monolithic bullets are tough, but there is a minimal velocity at which these bullets perform as intended. Better aerodynamics means higher retained velocities for improved terminal performance at greater distances. Better aerodynamics were achieved by improving the groove design in the shank of the bullet and by adding Hornady’s HeatShield polymer tip. The result is a versatile lead-free hunting bullet that works at a wide range of distances, even at long ranges where traditional monolithic bullets fail to expand and transfer

energy. CX bullets are available in a variety of calibers and weights ranging from an 80-grain 6mm offering all the way to a 250-grain .375 bullet.

Also new from Hornady is the Universal Trim Length Gauge, a lightweight aluminum quick reference that allows reloaders to measure fired and resized cartridge cases for 12 popular calibers ranging from 6mm ARC to .300 Win. Mag, including popular calibers like the 6mm/6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, and .300 PRC. The new Premium Powder Funnel Kit comes with a non-static aluminum funnel with nine caliber-specific bushings that range from .224 to .375, allowing the funnel to properly fit a wide array of case sizes for accurate pours and no spills.

(hornady.com)

REDDING

Redding has long been one of the leaders in carbide sizing die technology. They were the first reloading component company to use titanium carbide, and the company later introduced their revolutionary Dual Ring Carbide Sizing Dies. For 2022, Redding is advancing their carbide die technology by offering new NXGen Carbide dies. NXGen Carbide sizing dies offer improved ease of use while improving dimensional accuracy. The dies also offer greater contact surface, which compensates for varying wall thicknesses without oversizing the case body, and they eliminate the “wasp waist” that occurs when using some single-ring carbide dies. NXGen dies ease sizing and offer more accurate dimensioning for a full range of straight-wall cases. NXGen Carbide die sets are available for dozens of straight-wall cartridges, from .32 ACP to .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum.

(redding-reloading.com)

FRANKFORD ARSENAL

Frankford has launched several new products for 2022, including the new X-10 Progressive Press with Case Feeder. The X-10 is a 10-station auto-indexing reloading press featuring steel and ball-bearing construction for extreme durability and years of use. The proprietary gear-driven rotating shell-plate design virtually eliminates powder spillage and bullet tipping. Other features include dual de-capping stations, which prevent primer drawback, in-line primer pocket swaging for large and small primers, and the ability to run powder check and case trimming dies. The case-actuated powder measure with positive reset eliminates the risk of squib loads as a result of a sticking powder measure. It’s easy to swap out shell plates and tool heads, and the X-10 allows for loading anything from 9mm to standard (.30-06) centerfire rifle cartridges. Other features include an integrated LED light and roller handle. SRP: $1,199.99.

If you don’t need the sophistication and speed of a progressive press, Frankford Arsenal is offering their new F-1 Single State Reloading Press. Constructed from solid steel, the F-1 operates smoothly and consistently thanks to its linear ball-bearing design. A fully contained primer-catch system and integrated LED light both come standard with this $149.99 press, which is compatible with 7⁄8-inch x 14 dies and can reload ammo up to .338 Lapua. Frankford Arsenal is also offering two new powder measures for 2022: the Case Activated ($119.99) and Bench Top ($99.99) models. Both offer aluminum construction, ball bearings for smooth operation, and sturdy aluminum bodies. The Case Activated measure is designed to work with the new X-10 progressive press. Lastly, Frankford is offering aluminum powder funnels that allow you to precisely fill cases from .17 inch and up. The O-ring sealed black chrome nozzles eliminate static and spilled powders. SRP: $34.99.

(frankfordarsenal.com)

LEE PRECISION. INC.

The big news from Lee is the arrival of their Six Pack Pro 6000 progressive press. This press offers simple, reliable indexing that never requires adjustment, ample stroke clearance for the largest calibers, steel construction with all-steel linkage, Lee’s quick diechanging system, and an automatic priming system that primes at the bottom of the stroke to leave all six stations available for operation. The automatic case inserter works with any case, and easy-to-set case retainers at every station eliminate the need for springs, plugs, or buttons that can work loose and become lost. Cartridge changeover takes a matter of seconds, and spent primers are

captured in the collection tube, helping to keep the reloading area clean. The Six Pack is available as a reloading press only for $350, but there’s also a Pro 6000 kit available that comes with the reloading press, Auto Drum Powder Measure, shell plate for the cartridge you’d like to reload, universal case feed magazine, and Lee Breech Lock reloading dies for $500. Extra shell plates are available for $35. Like other Lee products, the Six Pack Pro 6000 offers an outstanding value for reloaders.

(leeprecision.com)

New RCBS products include the ChargeMaster Supreme powder dispenser, which is Bluetooth compatible. Thanks to its proprietary “Learning Mode,” the ChargeMaster Supreme can adjust dispensing seeds and stop points and can even learn the unique characteristics of the powder being dispensed. Accuracy down to .1 grain and a 1,500-grain load cell capacity allow the user to create precision loads. SRP: $499.99.

The company’s new ChargeMaster Link dispenser is also Bluetooth compatible and offers .1-grain accuracy. SRP: $349.99. Both RCBS ChargeMaster dispensers can run off external batteries. RCBS is also expanding their Precision Mic lineup to include the 6mm Creedmoor, 6mm GT, and 6.5 PRC, and RCBS Chamber Gauges are now available in 6mm and 6.5 Creedmoor, .243 Win., .30-06, .300 Win. Mag., and .44 Magnum.

But perhaps the most important new RCBS product for 2022 is the company’s new reloading app. Available for Apple and Android devices, it works with all RCBS Bluetooth-compatible dispensers, a list that includes their MatchMaster, ChargeMaster Supreme, and ChargeMaster Link. The MatchMaster allows charges to be completely customized, and all Bluetooth-compatible dispensers provide valuable feedback regarding the number of charges thrown, reloading session length, and over- and under-charges. Also stored on the app are “Load Logs” that allow you to track load performance and input key information like rifle, caliber, optic, twist rate, free-bore length, and much more. Range conditions can also be inputted and stored. RCBS provides technical support, so if even you aren’t tech savvy company representatives can help you troubleshoot the app.