Ammunition Archives - The K-Var Armory

The Evolution of the .30 Caliber

The .308 cartridge began life in the primordial swamps of… If you are reading this article, I really don’t need to tell you about the .308 round. You already know that it pulls triple duty as a machine gun round and a mid-length sniper round, and as the cartridge a few guys in the platoon use for those times when the 5.56 just isn’t enough. It was built (kinda sorta) to duplicate the .30-06 but in a much shorter action. It mostly succeeded and certainly took the .30-06 out of most military usage. What else do you need to say about the .30 caliber? [Read more…] about The Evolution of the .30 Caliber

Ammo Storage and Transport

The military .30 caliber ammo can has many uses, but the primary use is ammo storage and transport. Imagine that! It’s almost as if they were made for it. However, my cans do not hold .30 caliber ammunition. I will go so far as to admit to the heresy of not owning any .308 rifles or ammo. For me, it is important to know how much of other calibers will fit in a .30 caliber ammo can, and how much they weigh when full. The numbers below are approximate, as this is using loose fill, so the space is not maximized. Depending on the caliber with careful (read as very time consuming) stacking add roughly 15-25%. Remember that also greatly increases the weight. [Read more…] about Ammo Storage and Transport

A Great Home Defender: The .38 Special

A time proven axiom is that if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. This applies to the .38 Special revolver as a home defender. I have trained many shooters over the years to use the double action revolver well, and most, if not all have chosen a .38 Special as the baseline caliber. [Read more…] about A Great Home Defender: The .38 Special

Range Test: Remington Black Belt Ammunition

When I was a young hunter of 12 or so, my Grandfather taught me that if I used Remington .22 LR in my rifle, it would function properly. The Remington Golden Bullet was my choice. I learned that even if you had a cheap self-loader, good quality ammunition worked well. Today, Remington enjoys an excellent reputation for reliability with a far greater range of loads than ever. [Read more…] about Range Test: Remington Black Belt Ammunition

Loading the 10mm

The 10mm cartridge was originally intended as a means of increasing the power of the Browning High Power handgun. Using a .38-40 (.400 inch) bullet and a shortened .30 Remington rifle cartridge the new cartridge proved too much for the High Power type pistol. Later, the .40 Smith and Wesson did not, but that is another story. [Read more…] about Loading the 10mm

7 Reasons the 9mm Is Right for You

The 9mm Luger cartridge is the single most popular centerfire handgun cartridge ever manufactured. The popularity of the 9mm cannot be without merit. It is a powerful number with excellent velocity and penetration and in the right handgun very accurate. There are also undeniable demerits clinging to the cartridge. The 9mm has proven to be a poor stopper exhibiting limited wound potential with full-metal-jacket ammunition. Today we have modern loadings that make the most of the 9mm and offer a good balance of expansion and penetration. [Read more…] about 7 Reasons the 9mm Is Right for You

Review: Hornady Critical Duty/Critical Defense

There are few subjects as prone to create an argument as personal defense handguns and calibers. Some have a “devil may care” attitude and deploy anything, stating most are the same, while others go into great, even minute detail, in their testing and choices. I think that everyone should master the personal defense handgun of their choice. [Read more…] about Review: Hornady Critical Duty/Critical Defense

.300 Blackout — Subsonic Success Tips

Understatement: .300 Blackout, aka: AAC, is a popular cartridge among AR-15 fans. I like it especially in the shorter guns, and, around here at least, it’s looked on as an effective Whitetail cartridge choice. Pretty much, it’s for those who want a bigger bullet in an AR-15 with a minimum of technical distractions (some call them problems). One reason for its popularity is the supersonic/subsonic option. I built a specialty AR-15 for home defense that I also featured in recent book project, and that was my choice. Reasons? Sure, it’s civil and effective. [Read more…] about .300 Blackout — Subsonic Success Tips

Ammunition Testing: Taking Up The Task

A few years ago, a friend at a facility I worked with was given the task of working up a test protocol for bulletproof vests. His combination of skills was well suited to the job. However, on a personal level, his passionate excitement, combined with painstaking scientific method, proved to be a winning combination. His assignment coincided with the failures of several vests in police service, and he was determined to produce the best ammunition possible. [Read more…] about Ammunition Testing: Taking Up The Task

The .243 Winchester Addiction

You would think, being an avid hunter and given the number kids as I’ve introduced to hunting and shooting, I would have discovered the .243 Winchester a lot sooner than I did. My path was rather long and circuitous. I was close a couple of times, but never realized what I was missing until a change in the hunting regulations forced me to shoot the .243. [Read more…] about The .243 Winchester Addiction

I Fell for the 10mm — You Will too!

I was at an event in Montana earlier this fall where several gun and ammunition manufacturers were showing off their new products and allowing writers to test them. I found myself hanging out at the Vista Outdoor booth, pining over the 10mm, long enough that I was surprised the guys there didn’t tell me to leave. Vista Outdoor may not be a name you are familiar with, but if you are a shooter/outdoorsman, you probably have used some of their products. [Read more…] about I Fell for the 10mm — You Will too!

SHTF Guns — Have You Thought Through Your Choices?

The SHTF gun means many things to many people. Having actually taken incoming fire and proven I cannot stop a bullet, I have a different idea than the casually interested. Planning for an apocalyptic nightmare seems a popular pastime—especially for cinematic writers. Just the same there are times when the need may be real. [Read more…] about SHTF Guns — Have You Thought Through Your Choices?

Magazine Loaders — Spend Your Time Shooting!

Loading AR magazines is a chore but it is one of the most important tasks when using an AR—busting thumbs is just part of the job. Range time is precious, and I don’t want to waste time loading 30-rounders when I can be training, so I have a plan that involves magazine loaders to take the work out of recharging magazines. [Read more…] about Magazine Loaders — Spend Your Time Shooting!

.300 Savage Cartridge and Savage 99 Rifle — The Forgotten .30

Among my favorite cartridges is a hard hitting, accurate, and soft-kicking number known as the .300 Savage. The .300 Savage has been chambered in the Savage 99 lever action rifle most famously, but also a number of bolt action rifles. Among these is an early Savage rifle that is the model for the modern Kimber bolt action. [Read more…] about .300 Savage Cartridge and Savage 99 Rifle — The Forgotten .30

Federal Syntech: Next Generation Training Ammunition

Ammunition manufacturers have made great strides when it comes to hunting and self-defense ammunition. Training ammunition, however, has progressed little. Oh sure, your can buy steel case ammunition or remanufactured ammunition at a decent price, but I am talking about training ammunition that still maintains its price point, but offers a technological advantage. Federal recently finished a years long development of a new practice load, and the American Eagle Syntech is well worth your time and effort to obtain and use. [Read more…] about Federal Syntech: Next Generation Training Ammunition

Review: Fiocchi 22 LR — First Class Plinking and Hunting

When I am shooting on my own time and my own dime, most of the shooting is that pastime called plinking—most often with Fiocchi 22 LR. I am fortunate to have plenty of dirt clods on a berm and I also use clay birds. I do not use the time proven tin can so much these days. I use paper because Birchwood Casey offers so many variations. [Read more…] about Review: Fiocchi 22 LR — First Class Plinking and Hunting

Does your ammunition choice matter in court?

Shopping for ammunition can often seem like a daunting task. With consumer overload from the different brands and an abundance of uses, when you’re looking at shelves of ammunition it can be difficult to figure out which type of ammo works best for your firearm and what is legal for you to have. [Read more…] about Does your ammunition choice matter in court?

Need a hard hitting .223 load? Grab some Fiocchi!

When practicing with the .223 Remington/AR-15 combination, I am always on the lookout for quality practice ammunition, such as offering from Fiocchi. While I handload, I do not always have time to keep up with the demand made in testing rifles, practice, and teaching. Most of my practice loads are my own handloads put up in reclaimed brass and topped by some type of 55-grain FMJ. [Read more…] about Need a hard hitting .223 load? Grab some Fiocchi!

Review: Fiocchi .30-06 Springfield Ammunition

If you own a rifle in .30-06 Springfield, you know how powerful, accurate, and effective this cartridge can be, but do you know how well Fiocchi .30-06 Springfield ammunition shoots? The .30-06 was developed to match the German’s 8mm Mauser. The .30-06 outstrips the .303 British and 7.7 Japanese for power. [Read more…] about Review: Fiocchi .30-06 Springfield Ammunition

Ride the Federal 224 Valkyrie!

The Federal 224 Valkyrie! Traditionalists will howl: “Another unnecessary creation! It doesn’t do anything a half-dozen rifle cartridges don’t already do.” They are wrong! What the Valkyrie does is keep a .224 bullet stabilized and supersonic to 1,000 yards or slightly beyond. If I’m not mistaken, no other commercially loaded .224 centerfire currently does that. This makes the 224 Valkyrie a potential, long-range, Precision Rifle Series round that promises better than average barrel life and virtually no recoil compared to the 6.5 Creedmoor. Handload it and the small powder capacity of the Valkyrie case (roughly 24 grains of powder) combined with smaller bullets should keep costs down, too. [Read more…] about Ride the Federal 224 Valkyrie!