My name is Steve Harris. I’ve been heavily involved in “rolling my own ammunition” for over 35 years now, most of it being shot during NRA High Power Silhouette Championships and matches, NRA High Power Hunter Rifle Silhouette Championships and matches, International Silhouette Championships in Mexico, NRA Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette Championships and matches, Amateur Trap Association/Pacific International Trap Association Championships and shoots, informal Sporting Clays and Skeet fun shoots, the ever-popular Thursday night Trap Leagues and, last but not least, big game hunting. Each of these disciplines and activities, especially competitive shooting, drive the need for utilizing the best ammo possible and, in the process, doing your best to keep costs down. To quote the Reloading Curmudgeon of Ballistic Products Inc. fame, "You won't truly understand ammo until you start making your own."
How much experience do I have, you ask? A quick pass on a calculator produced the following: 1) over 300,000 rounds of match-grade high power rifle ammunition fabricated and fired in competition; 2) over 150,000 rounds of tournament-grade 12 gauge shotshell ammunition fabricated and fired in competition, and 3) load work-up and field testing for more than 50 different hunting and competition high power rifles in more than 40 different calibers. This does not include .410, 28, 20, 16 and 12 gauge shotshell hunting or pistol/revolver loads. Bottom line, I’m not a rookie.
Competitive shooters and hunters, even when embroiled in head-to-head matches or friendly one-upmanship, tend to share their favorite loads with each other. Over the years, I’ve developed a Rolodex memory for all things related to making your own ammo. However, as the database grew, I found it easier to create spreadsheets for this information. My thirst for more information and knowledge has been unquenchable. I’ve spent a lot of time digging up load information and then putting it into practical use. I’ve had a lot of help, over the years, from others heavily involved in the major shooting disciplines, championship winning shooters, trap shooting buddies, hardcore hunters and those directly involved in the fabrication of industry-leading bullets (Thank you, Martin Hull, former Sierra Bullets Lead Ballistician, and my rifle coach, Jack Hill…a great gunsmith and one of the J’s in J4 bullet jackets).
Since going into semi-retirement after more than 30 years in the oil industry, I’ve had the opportunity to work for a couple of major sporting goods retailers. Doing so kept me right in the middle of shooting industry trends while, at the same time, allowing me the chance to pass along a wealth of reloading-handloading information to customers. Old school history, procedures and load information, if you will: what’s worked and what hasn’t. Based on feedback that I’ve received from customers that have asked for my guidance, it appears that I’ve helped quite a few folks.
I hope that you find this blog interesting and informative. I love to share what’s worked time and time again. Please feel free to tag along with me as I go through this journey…it’s going to be a blast! No pun intended!