Handloader Ammunition Reloading Journal October 2011 Issue Number 274 _verified_ (2026)

Brian Pearce explores "Great Handgun Loads" for maximizing performance.

Though published over a decade ago, Handloader Issue 274 remains highly relevant. While specific powder lines evolve—such as Hodgdon acquiring Western Powders' legacy data—the fundamental principles of internal ballistics, pressure limits, and component interaction never change. Having a physical copy or archive of this issue offers an offline, highly verified database of legacy ballistics data that prevents workflow errors and ensures precision.

: Mike Venturino provides a guide to 15 different options for the Sharps rifle.

Beyond the headline debate, Issue #274 offered a deep dive into specific calibers that were trending in the early 2010s. Brian Pearce explores "Great Handgun Loads" for maximizing

The article details how Zip’s flat, spherical geometry allows it to meter perfectly through automated powder measures—minimizing charge variation down to fractions of a grain. VanDenburg highlights its thermal stability and residue cleanliness, providing legacy load tables that balance low-recoil accuracy with clean physical extraction. Why Issue 274 Remains Crucial for Modern Handloaders

If you are looking to dig deeper into vintage reloading literature, tell me:

The "Ask the Experts" sections and feature articles offer troubleshooting advice on issues like chamber pressure signs, neck tension, and consistent velocity. Having a physical copy or archive of this

: Mike Venturino discusses his experiences and setup in his personal reloading space.

The October 2011 issue of Handloader arrived in Gerald “Griz” Hickock’s mailbox with a dull thud. At 73, Griz had been reloading since the Johnson administration. He didn’t read the articles for the ballistics charts anymore; he read them for the obituaries.

Furthermore, he debunked a long-standing belief about bullet seating. The standard gospel for decades was to seat bullets as close to the rifling lands (the "jump") as possible. Barsness advocated for a different approach, suggesting that starting at the lands is fine, but reloaders should experiment with seating the bullet significantly deeper. He claimed that, contrary to popular fear, deeper seating within reason does not dramatically increase pressure. [23†L35-L40] The article concluded with a stark warning: classic signs of high pressure (like hard bolt lift) are unreliable, and if your handloads chronograph faster than published manual data, they are dangerous. [23†L17-L20] The article details how Zip’s flat, spherical geometry

The centerpiece of this issue, and the reason collectors still search for it today, is John Barsness’ provocative piece on . In an era where the handloading market was flooded with specialized tools—primer pocket uniformers, flash hole deburring tools, and inside neck reamers—Barsness dropped a controversial truth bomb.

For collectors and researchers, Handloader Issue #274 (October 2011) is available primarily through two channels:

He flipped past the ads for lead testers and vintage molds until he found it: Mike Venturino’s deep dive into Black Powder Cartridge Reloading

On the subject of seating depth, Barsness offered a contrarian perspective. While most reloaders begin their load development with the bullet seated close to the rifling lands, he advocated for an exploratory approach: loading multiple rounds with bullets seated progressively deeper, using increments of a full turn of the seating stem. He argued that in modern rifle cartridges, seating a bullet deeper within reason does not necessarily increase pressure.

Preferred choice for heavy vintage buffalo rifle recreations. .40-50, .40-70, .40-90 (Straight and Bottlenecked) Celebrated for mild recoil and exceptional target accuracy. 21st-Century Load Development Strategies