Guides
Reloading QC, explained straight
Comparisons, safety guides, and press know-how from people who load every week. No hype — where a $45 die is the right answer, we say so.
Powder Check Systems Compared: Powder Cop vs. Lock-Out Die vs. Dillon vs. Laser
An honest comparison of every powder check option for progressive reloading presses — Hornady Powder Cop, RCBS Lock-Out Die, Dillon Powder Check, Mark 7 PowderCheck, and laser systems — with the real trade-offs of each.
RCM Laser Powder Check vs. Mark 7 PowderCheck Sensor: An Honest Comparison
Mark 7's PowderCheck sensor costs ~$200; RCM's laser powder checks start at $499. Here's exactly what the extra money buys — and when the Mark 7 sensor is the right call.
Squib Loads: What Causes Them and How to Prevent Them on a Progressive Press
What a squib load is, why progressives produce them, the warning signs that save barrels, and a layered prevention system for high-volume reloading — from process discipline to automatic powder checking.
Mark 7 PowderCheck False Alarms: Causes, Fixes, and When to Upgrade
Why the Mark 7 PowderCheck sensor throws false alarms — empty stations, probe fit, mixed brass, window settings — and how to fix each one before alarm fatigue makes your press less safe.
Double Charges in 9mm: Why They Happen on Progressives and How to Catch Them
A double charge of fast pistol powder can destroy a 9mm pistol. Why 9mm is uniquely vulnerable, how doubles actually happen on a progressive press, and the layered defenses that catch them.
More coming
New guides publish regularly — Mark 7 setup and troubleshooting, Dillon integration, USPSA load consistency, and commercial QC documentation are all in the pipeline. Join the newsletter at the bottom of the page and we'll send new guides when they land.