We got our first snow, about 3in overnight. Having snow on the ground prior to Thanksgiving in New England is not unheard of, but as of the last decade it has become an increasingly rare event. I remember growing up getting at least a snow flurry or two in October prior to Halloween.

The kids were excited as it was just the right type of snow to roll up into a snowman. Coincidently enough, it’s also the perfect snow for a snowball, and that’s how the fight started. This year has certainly flown by and it’s hard to believe we are creeping up on Thanksgiving.

Website Updates

Affiliate Additions

We’ve been working hard on developing our affiliate program, and there’s now a dedicated page listing all of our affiliates. This progress is possible in part because of you. To qualify for these programs, a website needs consistent traffic and a solid subscriber base. So Marc and I are genuinely humbled and thankful for all your support.

For those who don’t know, an affiliate program is one of the ways a website can earn revenue. We discuss or review products and services and include links to those items in our articles. When a reader clicks one of those links and makes a purchase from our affiliate, we earn a small commission.

This commission comes at no extra cost to you, and every bit we earn goes right back into running the website. It pays for brass, bullets, powder, and new reloading tools for us to test and write about. We’re simple guys: we don’t like sites cluttered with banners or pop-ups, and we don’t send out constant promo emails. You won’t see that here. If you like our content, the next time you’re planning a purchase, check out our affiliates. Click through from our Affiliate Page, and you’ll help support what we do.

Quality Excel Sheet

We have also been testing a new Quality Control Sheet. This was in response to one of our subscribers asking for the charts we listed on a  write up I did several years ago in regards to performing quality checks on cast bullets. Unfortunately those charts were generated using Minitab which is a very handy program that I like to use for doing that type of work. However I worked on putting together a spreadsheet that mimics some of the Quality Reporting that Minitab can do.

If you are interested in testing out this sheet, check out the “Into the Rabbit Hole” page. Here is where you’ll be able to download a .ZIP file with the sheet. The sheet does contain a macro, this macro is used to refresh all of the sheets once you have entered your data. Your computer may flag it, that is normal. If you would prefer, I can email it directly to you.  

Time at the Bench

This week we have spent a lot of time at the bench, testing case trimmers on the newly (mostly) finished drill press. To be frank, I was anxious to get to testing and once I had the VFD and Tachometer working like I wanted, said “Good enough”.

We have finished testing the Giraud Tri-Way case trimmer. I am finishing up editing the post for that. I have also started testing the Frankford Arsenal Universal Case Trimmer.

Frankly, this is the stuff both Marc and I love to do. See what works, what doesn’t and then share that will everyone else. We do our best to be unbiased about it, and we are looking forward to publishing the write ups on these over the course of the next few weeks.

Industry and Legislative News

Ruger the New Glock?

Ruger and Magpul teamed up in 2024 to roll out the RXM 9mm. It’s a partnership that makes perfect sense: one company known for turning polymer into art, the other for cranking out dependable guns at scale. The result is a builder’s dream. A Glock-pattern pistol that plays nice with a ton of aftermarket parts. Triggers, recoil assemblies, barrels, even holsters drop right in. Unfortunately, so can a Glock Switch, and that’s where the wheels come off.

A few weeks back, Glock announced it was halting production of its current generation pistols and will be manufacturing a new generation solely circumvent the “Glock switch” problem. Whether that’s corporate caution or political surrender depends on how charitable you’re feeling, but the move puts a target on everyone else in the Glock-pattern market. The latest example: the Connecticut Attorney General sending a letter to Sturm Ruger, warning that the RXM might violate the state’s Firearms Industry Responsibility Act. That law requires manufacturers to have “reasonable controls” in place to prevent the sale of guns that can be easily converted into something illegal.

The problem is nobody can tell you what “reasonable” actually means. That’s by design. It’s the same kind of vague language that lets regulators argue anything they want. By that logic, an AR-15 could be labeled illegal just because you can slap on a short barrel and make it a non-registered SBR in half an hour. The parts are legal. The finished configuration isn’t. That’s the legal gray zone gun-control groups love to live in.

This is the new frontier of gun control, regulation by design. Groups like Everytown are pushing for manufacturers to be held responsible not for what a gun is, but for what it could be. California led the charge with its new law effectively banning striker-fired pistols built around Glock’s cruciform trigger bar. Glock blinked and said it would redesign future models to comply. Now the pressure’s rolling downhill toward every company making Glock-pattern guns.

Ruger hasn’t said what it plans to do, but I hope they fight it. Gaston Glock’s original design from the early ’80s has stood the test of time with minimal changes. That’s engineering done right. And there are millions of Glocks, and just as many clones, already out there. You can stop new production, but the problem doesn’t disappear. If history is any guide, the next step will be an attempt to reclassify pistols that can accept illegal switches as machine guns under the NFA.

That’s the endgame here: if a gun might be converted, the bureaucrats want it gone. The industry has a choice. Roll over, or push back and let the courts decide how far “reasonable control” can stretch before it snaps.

“A Right delayed is a Right denied”

With the recent government shutdown in the rearview mirror, lobbyists for the firearms industry have been working with members of the House to insulate gun owners and manufacturers from the political circus that comes with a shutdown. The core function of NICS is considered an essential service, but if you get a “Delay” response or need to appeal a decision, you’re usually out of luck.

Processing for NFA items—suppressors, SBRs, and similar paperwork—also isn’t deemed essential, so expect things to slide from a crawl to a standstill while politicians bicker. Import permits, new FFL applications, and other auxiliary ATF functions can also be suspended.

The proposed H.R. 5874 (Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act) would classify most, if not all, of these services as essential and require them to stay operational during any future government shutdown. Honestly, that’s the right move. We can argue all day about the federal government’s role in our Rights, but if it insists on being the gatekeeper, then it either does its job—or the gate stays open by default.

New Guns and Gear

RCBS Match Master Powder Funnel Kit

At this point pretty much ever major reloading tool brand has an “all-metal” funnel kit on the market. Frankford Arsenal has their Aluminum Powder Funnel Set, Lyman offers the Brass Smith Pro Aluminum Powder Funnel, and Hornady sells the Premium Powder Funnel Set. You can trace the origin of this concept back to Saturn Funnels, which made caliber-specific funnels featuring an aluminum-spun top attached to a brass insert. This lowered the center of gravity, allowing the funnel to sit snugly on the case.

Regardless of who came up with the idea, I’m a fan. If you haven’t added one to your bench, it’s worth considering. The funnel sits on the case in perfect balance, so you’re free to dribble in powder without worrying about the whole setup tipping over.

At this point, the RCBS model has been on the market for about a year, and I’ll admit, I wrote most of this before realizing that. Still, if you haven’t had a chance to mess with one of the many improved funnel sets, it’s worth checking out.

Deals of the Week

If you are looking to order powder or primers now it is about a good of a time as you’re going to get. Brownell’s is offering 0$ Hazmat on all powders and primers.  Unfortunately, it looks like most of the Australian ADI powders (H1000, Trailboss, ect) and most if not all the Bofors powders (Reloder 16, 33, 26 ect) are still hard to come by. I just look at it as an opportunity to try a new load.

If you have been wanting to try some Nosler bullets or brass, then it’s worth keeping an eye on their factory second listings. I have always had good luck with factory seconds when it comes to ammunition and reloading components. For the most part, I can’t figure out why they are seconds, but having worked in the industry long enough I know that usually is weight, aesthetics, or some of the characteristic that don’t meet the quality standards, but for 99% of us work just fine.

That is all we have this week.

If you have questions, comments, or ideas, we’d love to hear from you.

Jay – jay@theballisticassistant.com

Marc – Marc@theballisticassistant.com

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