Next up for  the Big Freakin’ Cartridge Test is RUAG Ammotec’s version of the NATO-standard SS109 round (equivalent to US M855). I believe the ammunition I tested may have been made in RUAG’s facility in Thun, Switzerland, although I have not confirmed that. The test procedure was as follows:

Ahead of the annual industry trade show, Hodgdon Powder Company announced a new propellant for muzzleloaders. Called the Triple Seven FireStar, the pelletized powder promises higher velocity and less residue.

Federal Premium has tweaked the secret sauce on their recipe for Syntech ammunition to better suit competition shooters. They have paired up with the USPSA to design Syntech Action Pistol. This flavor of ammunition employs a Total Synthetic Jacket (TSJ) bullet in more reliable grain weights for knocking down steel targets. It also has a flat point to the TSJ as opposed to the traditional conical or round tip found on standard Full-Metal Jacket (FMJ) rounds.

California is at it again with their restrictive gun laws, this time around it’s regarding ammunition sales. In case you missed our post about Walmart ceasing ammo sales temporarily, the new law requires residents to purchase ammo only from retailers or dealers licensed to sell ammo by the CA Department of Justice.

Lyman Products is well known for its reloading and bullet casting equipment. For 2018, the company made a number of new gear announcements including several a new presses. The latest announcement is for an 8-stage turret press.

Next up for  the Big Freakin’ Cartridge Test is Federal’s T556TNB1 load, which is the civilian market name for the Mk.318 SOST projectile developed by US SOCOM as a “barrier blind” round for the M4 Carbine and Mk. 18 CQB upper receiver. This ammunition uses a reverse drawn jacket to improve accuracy, and couples a fragmenting front end with a solid gilding metal base that improves penetration through tough barriers. I love this ammunition and use it religiously for home defense.  Continuing on from the last installment, we are now looking at the velocity test results for the 20″ barrel (more on the 16″ later).

Alliant Powder announced it would be releasing updated versions of its Red Dot and Green Dot powders in 2018. This announcement comes as the company gears up for the 2018 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

Next up for  the Big Freakin’ Cartridge Test is Federal’s T556TNB1 load, which is the civilian market name for the Mk.318 SOST projectile developed by US SOCOM as a “barrier blind” round for the M4 Carbine and Mk. 18 CQB upper receiver. This ammunition uses a reverse drawn jacket to improve accuracy, and couples a fragmenting front end with a solid gilding metal base that improves penetration through tough barriers. I love this ammunition, and use it religiously for home defense. The test procedure was as follows:

Want to see a DOPE tattoo? @clone_service_rifle posted a video of a tattoo that he got.

There is a new LWRC rifle for the 224 Valkyrie caliber. I haven’t been able to find the 224 Valkyrie on the LWRC homepage yet, so please forgive me if I don’t get all the specifications right. Perhaps the official release will be at SHOT Show 2018?