The kids went back to school this week and at weeks end the school is still standing so all is well. The weather this week has been wonderful with the air almost turning a bit nippy at night. We have seen our fair share of rain over the last two days. The leaves aren’t turning yet, but I suspect we will start seeing the maples get a bit of a golden tinge here in the next week or two.
Along with my many other projects I have been working on trying to fix an SLA printer. I have torn it apart and put it back together more times than I can count. I fixed one issue and then another cropped up. Some people might think it’s more trouble than it’s worth, but at the end of the day it’s a $600 machine rescued from the dumpster. My expectations are low, but I think I’ve got the issue narrowed down, and since the machine is still under warranty, the manufacturer has been willing to send me the replacement parts, though shipping will take 7-20 days.
Website Updates
This week Marc had the opportunity to test out the Athlon Chronograph. He took some time to put together a survey for those folks who might be looking at purchasing one.
Time at the Bench
40 S&W Returning to My Roots
I’ve been loading several lots of .40 S&W lately, which takes me back to when I first started reloading. My first pistol was a Smith & Wesson M&P in .40 S&W. At the time, the cartridge was still being promoted as the “man stopper.” The Utah Highway Patrol officer who taught my concealed carry class swore it was the only caliber where he never saw an assailant get back up. Today, the myth of a one-shot man stopper is well behind us.
I put thousands of rounds through that pistol, most of them cast myself with a Lee 20-lb melting pot and a 145-grain SWC mold, then loaded on a Lee Pro 1000 progressive press. Eventually I sold the M&P, picked up a CZ 2075 RAMI P, and later traded that for an HK45CT. For me, the .40 S&W always felt snappy, and full-power loads were never as enjoyable as running .45 ACP through my HK Mark 23.
As a caliber, .40 S&W is on the decline, especially since the FBI dropped it in 2014 in favor of the 9×19. .40 S&W will not disappear completely because there are probably hundreds of thousands of guns chambered in .40. However, I doubt we will see many new offerings. Shooters are now gravitating towards its bigger brother, the 10mm Auto, when they need something with more punch than a 9mm. The only reason I am loading .40 today is because I have brass, bullets, and an HK VP40 I bought with the intent of experimenting with .357 Sig.
While I do have the .357 Sig barrel, I have not built up a stockpile of brass and bullets. For now, I just load .40 S&W to have something on hand if I want to shoot the pistol. Since I have not done much loading with .40 in recent years, I was caught off guard when I started looking up data for 180-grain bullets with Vihtavuori N330. QuickLOAD showed surprisingly low pressure. I had been running 6.0 grains of N330 with 155-grain Hornady XTPs, and I expected to have to reduce nearly a full grain for the heavier bullet.
Vihtavuori’s published data only covers N320 and N340. This is when it pays to have friends who can cross-check. After a few texts and photos of different manuals, I found Sierra listed the data I needed. QuickLOAD confirmed their numbers, so I picked a mid-range charge and started loading.
Trust but verify. QuickLOAD was right this time, but as Marc wrote a few months back, it is always best to check data against at least one other source, especially when you are relying on software.
Lee Precision 223 Remington Dies
When I started reloading, I used a lot of Lee Precision Reloading Dies and I must honestly say, beyond a few quirks, I still think they are good value for the money. So, when I found out that I could not find my set of 223 Remington Dies to fix that batch of 223 Remington where the COAL was too long, I ordered a set of Lee Dies.
I am about 90% sure Lee uses 12L14 as their die material of choice, as it characteristically forms a very light rust on the exterior surfaces over time. The decapping pins are a one-piece deal, and they are usually soft, to where the pin will bend quite a bit before it breaks right off. Those pins do not take the abuse like some of the other pins out there on the market. Sometimes you’ll get a die or a tool head that has some pretty rough chatter or ugly looking threads, but at the same time, I have not personally seen where a $400 sizing die improves accuracy much, if at all, over a $20 Lee sizing die.
Once I am done with loading the 40 S&W, I’ll switch everything over and drop in the Lee dies to run through those 223 Rem loads through my Dillon 550.
Industry and Legislative News
Much of the week’s industry news was overshadowed by tragedy. It is a grim reminder that evil exists in the world. Our hearts go out to all those affected. As a parent, I cannot imagine the pain and anger of going through something like that.
These moments always spark reflection on the balance of freedom and risk. The same tools that preserve liberty can also be misused. The freedom to travel means we endure car accidents and, at times, deliberate acts of violence with vehicles. A free financial system allows us to work and spend as we wish, but it also creates opportunities for criminals to exploit and drain the savings of others. No one, left, right, or center, has an easy answer.
With that weight acknowledged, the industry has still moved forward with several notable developments this week.
Air Force Clears the M18
Sig Sauer announced that the Air Force has cleared its pistols to return to duty. The last update on this case involved an airman who was arrested for making a false statement. It seemed there was more to the story than an “uncommanded discharge,” but the Air Force’s decision to reinstate the pistols does not settle much.
I remain skeptical. Sig has too much at stake to be impartial, and with multiple lawsuits pending, dismissing the issue as poor gun handling feels hollow. Remington tried that same approach with its safety problems: deny everything, fight it in court, and only change course when forced by a judge. That path contributed to Remington’s bankruptcy. I hate to see Sig following in those footsteps. Time will tell.
Hanover Armory Loses Baltimore Lawsuit
Hanover Armory lost a case against Baltimore over sales of so-called “ghost guns.” In reality, these were unfinished receivers. I am not sure which type they sold, but it hardly matters. The company stopped selling them after Maryland’s ban took effect. The lawsuit claims Hanover failed to conduct background checks on 80% lowers before the ban, despite there being no legal requirement to do so.
The decision came from a jury, which in firearms cases often means prosecutors stack the deck by excluding jurors who know the subject. This case will likely be appealed, and I would not be surprised to see it overturned.
Tennessee Judge Tosses Gun Restrictions
A Tennessee judge struck down laws tied to the vague phrase “intent to go armed.” The wording was too ambiguous to have legal merit, and the court ruled that restrictions on carrying firearms in parks were unconstitutional.
The ruling does not affect permit holders directly, but Tennessee is already a constitutional carry state. That created a contradiction: citizens needed a permit to carry in parks but not to carry concealed elsewhere. The judge’s decision resolved that inconsistency, and it was the right call.
New Guns and Gear
The Glock Store GS 26X Frame
For those folks who like Glock pistols, The Glock Store has their 26X frame on preorder. This frame seeks to make the ultimate Glock conceal carry gun, it combines the G19 grip length, allowing the use of double stack magazines, while allowing you to pair it with a G26, 27, 28, and 33 slide. The front profile of the grip features a very similar profile to the G43X which allows the use of sub compact weapon lights and lasers.
This is something that really caught Marc’s eye as it is something that the Glock community came up with. They saw a niche application and purposely designed a frame to fit. This is not an 80% grip, rather it’s a serialized frame so you’ll need to run it through your local FFL.
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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