Just learning how to reload, So i spent 3 hours in Cabelas today picking brains and looking at the Hornady 9th Edition book. Now i was under the assumption these books would have all different brands and types of bullets but to my surprise it only lists its own brand. The books beside it like the Lyman and sierra list all bullet brands and not much bigger of a book so that makes be believe Hornady has a whack ton of bullets or these other books are not that comprehensive. I am only going to be reloading 300 winmag and maybe 308 in the future so if i could ask what my best options are for books on reloading these sizes? I dont know what brand of bullet my sendero 2 likes as ive only shot the cheap stuff from walmart. Thinking the Lyman 49th book would be the best for me????
Help with reloading books
- Thread starter MG4A6
- Start date
If you look at the Lyman reloading manual you will see that some loads are worked up with a universal receiver and a pressure test barrel.
This means these loads are worked up using a barrel with minimum chamber and bore dimensions, meaning they would generate the highest pressures.
When you see a specific firearm used in testing this means a strain gauge is glued to the barrel and ammunition of a known pressure is used to calibrate the readings.
Bottom line, all published data are "ball park" estimates of chamber pressure and why you are told to start at the suggested starting load and work up.
Example, a .223/5.56 case can vary in case capacity from 28.0 grains of H2O to 30.6 grains of H2O and this can cause 5,000 psi difference in chamber pressure.
Another example, my Savage .223 has a longer throat than my AR15 rifles and can be loaded "warmer" than .223 data for the shorter throats.
I would buy several manuals and use online data and average these and make workup loads. There are just too many variations in reloading components and firearms to have only just one set of reloading data.
You will learn much more about your rifles and components by starting low and making workup loads and then reading your brass and primers.
This means these loads are worked up using a barrel with minimum chamber and bore dimensions, meaning they would generate the highest pressures.
When you see a specific firearm used in testing this means a strain gauge is glued to the barrel and ammunition of a known pressure is used to calibrate the readings.
Bottom line, all published data are "ball park" estimates of chamber pressure and why you are told to start at the suggested starting load and work up.
Example, a .223/5.56 case can vary in case capacity from 28.0 grains of H2O to 30.6 grains of H2O and this can cause 5,000 psi difference in chamber pressure.
Another example, my Savage .223 has a longer throat than my AR15 rifles and can be loaded "warmer" than .223 data for the shorter throats.
I would buy several manuals and use online data and average these and make workup loads. There are just too many variations in reloading components and firearms to have only just one set of reloading data.
You will learn much more about your rifles and components by starting low and making workup loads and then reading your brass and primers.
Keep in mind it is the bullet weight that is critical to determining safe powder loading levels, and not so much the specific bullet. There is a lot of loading information available on line. Here are a few links:
Vihtavuori Reloading Guide - It has a very informative powder burn rate chart as well as load data for the 300WM
Nosler Load Data - Nosler Partitions are my preferred moose sized game bullets. Should be lots of loads for 300WM
Hodgdon Reload Data - Hodgdon extreme powders are my prefered choice. Lots of loads for the 300 WM
Berger Quick Reference Sheet - no load data, but good recommendations on minimum twist needs for the various bullet sizes. This data is not always applicable to other manufacturers bullets though. It does give you a ball park.
Vihtavuori Reloading Guide - It has a very informative powder burn rate chart as well as load data for the 300WM
Nosler Load Data - Nosler Partitions are my preferred moose sized game bullets. Should be lots of loads for 300WM
Hodgdon Reload Data - Hodgdon extreme powders are my prefered choice. Lots of loads for the 300 WM
Berger Quick Reference Sheet - no load data, but good recommendations on minimum twist needs for the various bullet sizes. This data is not always applicable to other manufacturers bullets though. It does give you a ball park.
Thanks for the replies guys,
So if I bought the Lyman 50th anniversery reloading book which covers the top bullet makers like Hornady why would I need to buy the Hornady book that only deals with its own brand?
Sure the Hornady book will cover more of their own bullets (because apparently they have 900 pages of them) but I will only be reloading 300winmag and 308...
I really want to keep the confusion down and buying books that have the same info in them seems counter productive.... thoughts?
So if I bought the Lyman 50th anniversery reloading book which covers the top bullet makers like Hornady why would I need to buy the Hornady book that only deals with its own brand?
Sure the Hornady book will cover more of their own bullets (because apparently they have 900 pages of them) but I will only be reloading 300winmag and 308...
I really want to keep the confusion down and buying books that have the same info in them seems counter productive.... thoughts?
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
I have Lyman, Hornady, Berger and Nosler. I also have the Lee book. The Lee book has everything from those books plus more.
I just watched 2 you tube video's of the new Lyman 50th and under 300winmag there are only 6 various bullets with one weight each... All that for only 6 bullets.... I assume the Lee book will be the same?
If it is would I not be better off getting specific books like one from Hornady, Berger, Nosler and Barnes? that way I have ALL of the info for each 30 cal bullet.
If it is would I not be better off getting specific books like one from Hornady, Berger, Nosler and Barnes? that way I have ALL of the info for each 30 cal bullet.
Ive downloaded and printed the lyman 48th reloading book and if i cant find the info in there or i want to double check something i use hodgdon reloading center online. I only use cast bullets in all my rifles so the lyman book has been great.
I have the Rodney James' ABC's of Reloading, Hornady's 9th and Lyman's 49th. They all have their individual strong points. The ABC is a fun read for historical knowledge, Hornady's has a fine description of a rifle's internal ballistics and if you use their bullets (which can be found just about everywhere) you're sure to find load data for them, and Lyman's is a fine all-around reference.
It's a good idea to have more than once source to refer to.
It's a good idea to have more than once source to refer to.
It's a good idea to have more than once source to refer to.
Absolutely. I have a Lyman book, but never use it. However, I do check a minimum of three on line sources of data before I go with a starting load. For a hard copy book, I also would recommend the Lee Second Edition. Budget has it for $25.
Being a new reloader I highly recommend you have the proper manuals in front of you and don't deviate too much from the given recipes. If you're loading up Hornady bullets, use a Hornady manual and use a powder that is listed for the specific bullet. Manuals like the Lyman book are great sources of info, but because there are literally thousands of combinations, millions if you count all the different receivers the ammunition will be loaded into, the bullet and powder you are using to reload likely won't be listed in a general reloading manual like the Lyman.
Good luck!
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
The Lee manual has most of the data basically directly copied from manufacturers in it. I haven't checked every piece of data, but it seems to have all the Hornady data, all the Hodgdon data, all the Vihtavouri data, etc etc in a book that's cheaper. Facts are that a single page in the Lee book is simply charts of loads. There's no wasted page for round description, and not just 5-10 loads on a page. It's concentrated data compared to Hornady or Nosler, who honestly, let's face it could compress that big book down to a 100 page booklet instead of charging you for that big bound volume for what's in there.
when I started back in the 70's I got a PACIFIC reloading manual- used that until it fell apart- then I got a speer and most the recipes of the cartridges for a specific manufacturer on line- if I was to get one now it would be a lyman or a hornady depending on price- let's face it once you have the reloading steps down, it amounts to NOTHING MORE THEN A COOKBOOK - and about 3/4s of the recipes you'll never use- or you can get on line
not to mention that you should try to get an OLDER manual as the new ones have been "lawyerized" - ie calmed down so they won't hurt anyone
not to mention that you should try to get an OLDER manual as the new ones have been "lawyerized" - ie calmed down so they won't hurt anyone
I think as you gain reloading experience you will find that there is nothing magic about a load for a specific manufacturer's bullet. It is the bullet weight that is most important when considering how much powder of what type to use. What is specific about a bullet is the twist requirement it has compared to your gun's barrel, and how close to the lands should it be seated. Most of these manuals gloss over that stuff.
I may be mistaken but the book.
The abc's of reloading contains info from start to finish and is the book I would choose to LEARN how to reload.
Go thumb through the book and see for yourself best 22 bucks you can spend in the beginning. Jeff
The abc's of reloading contains info from start to finish and is the book I would choose to LEARN how to reload.
Go thumb through the book and see for yourself best 22 bucks you can spend in the beginning. Jeff
Of all the manuals, IMO Lyman is the best choice if you only get one manual. ABCs of reloading is a good book to learn reloading from, but not much their for recipes.
Sierra is good. So is Speer and Hodgdon manuals.
Sierra is good. So is Speer and Hodgdon manuals.
This is the list I have bought so far... A couple are so new I can't find them yet and I am not buying the sierra book because it hasn't been updated in 14 years.
Hornady 10th - Brand new can't find yet
Berger 1st edition - Cant find it either
Hodgdon 2016 annual - So new can't find it.
Nosler #8, Barnes #4, ABC of reloading #9, Handbook of reloading basics, Lyman 50th and Lee 2nd edition are all bought.
Hornady 10th - Brand new can't find yet
Berger 1st edition - Cant find it either
Hodgdon 2016 annual - So new can't find it.
Nosler #8, Barnes #4, ABC of reloading #9, Handbook of reloading basics, Lyman 50th and Lee 2nd edition are all bought.
- Location
- West Quebec
Good plan especially for rifles IMHO
