You may not have seen the very odd news that the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published an Interim Final Rule that would make permanent a ban of firearm exports. Perhaps that agency should be renamed the Anti-Commerce Department. So what’s really going on? Lawrence G. Keane, the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s senior vice president and general counsel, sums it up as, “This is a wholesale attack on the industry that provides the means for Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights.” But isn’t this about exports? Yes, shutting down exports will drain $250 million off the books of U.S. firearms manufacturers and exporters. That will harm American businesses, jobs, and local economies.
Hodgdon Powder Company has purchased RCBS Reloading from Revelyst, a segment of Vista Outdoor. This acquisition was effective May 2, 2024. The RCBS facility is in Oroville, California. Hodgdon has company-owned facilities in Shawnee, Kansas; Herington, Kansas; and Miles City, Montana. The addition of the RCBS team will more than double the headcount at Hodgdon Powder Company. Established in 1947 by Bruce and Amy Hodgdon, sons J.B and Bob grew Hodgdon Powder Co. into the largest U.S. supplier of smokeless and blackpowder substitute propellants. The company distributes propellants under the Hodgdon, IMR, Winchester, Ramshot, Accurate, Pyrodex, Triple Seven, Blackhorn 209 and RCBS brands.
If you are a U.S. gun owner, do not travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The British Overseas Territory located southeast of the Bahamas has claimed another victim. Since November 2022, at least eight American tourists have faced “firearms prosecutions” for inadvertently having ammunition in their luggage. In the past, tourists had been able to pay a fine, but as of a judge’s ruling in February of this year, violators are subject to severe prison time. Firearms and ammunition are strictly forbidden in Turks and Caicos. The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas last September issued this warning to travelers: “Firearms, ammunition, and other weapons are not permitted in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). TCI authorities strictly enforce all firearms-related laws. The penalty for traveling to TCI with a firearm, ammunition, or other weapon is a minimum custodial sentence of twelve (12) years.” The advisory also stated, “If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, [the embassy] will not be able to secure your release from custody. You are subject to TCI laws and must follow local law enforcement procedures.”
The Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading is available in app form. Like the bound and eBook versions, the new Hornady Reloading App provides the handloader everything needed to successfully reload a variety of rifle cartridges from the 17 Hornet to the 50 BMG and handgun cartridges from the 22 Hornet to the 500 S&W. The Hornady Reloading App includes velocity and powder charts, a lineup of powders, and information on bullet design and shooting application. The app is Apple and Android compatible, it’s free to download and explore, and you only pay for load information you need. There is data for more than 200 cartridges with a variety of loads featuring Hornady bullets, such as the A-Tip Match, ELD-X, and ELD Match line.
— Todd Woodard
