best current reloading manual and ballistic software out there?

[ruger22]

What is the best current reloading manual and ballistic software out there?

So lets spend under $250.
For a guy with a few 20 year old reloading manuals and the basic rifle reloading skills.
Who wants to up the skills a bit...

 

[Ron AKA]

What is the best current reloading manual and ballistic software out there?

So lets spend under $250.
For a guy with a few 20 year old reloading manuals and the basic rifle reloading skills.
Who wants to up the skills a bit...

There are good ballistics calculators available on line for free. JBM is one of the better ones.

If you are willing to spend that kind of $$'s, then you might want to consider QuickLoad software instead of a reloading manual. You do have to buy updates for it to stay current, but that is probably easier/cheaper than buying new manuals.

If you want to up your skills, then perhaps the Handloading for Competition book is what you are looking for.

 

['Boo]

What is the best current reloading manual and ballistic software out there?

I just picked up the new Lyman 50th manual. As usual it is head & shoulders above most other offerings.

What sort of ballistic software are you looking for? If you need external ballistic information the NORMA online calculator is pretty damn good. It allows you to input your own load information "Define your bullet" rather than just providing information on their proprietary loads.

 

[stubblejumper]

There is no best manual. Every manual is based on results with specific test firearms, with specific barrel and chamber dimensions, using specific lots of components, so the results in the manuals will vary from your rifles, and from manual to manual. As for ballistic calculators, no calculator will be as accurate as actually shooting a load in your rifle, and observing the results.

 

[woodlotowner]

There is no best manual. Every manual is based on results with specific test firearms, with specific barrel and chamber dimensions, using specific lots of components, so the results in the manuals will vary from your rifles, and from manual to manual. As for ballistic calculators, no calculator will be as accurate as actually shooting a load in your rifle, and observing the results.

This ^^.

 

[Mr. Jeffery]

I think I need to buy a book.... knowledge is power.

 

[legi0n]

Modern Reloading by Richard Lee is mostly brand agnostic.
Hornady, Lyman and a few others are biased towards their products.

 

[DiabeticKripple]

My brother bought me the Hornady book for Christmas. It seems to be not too bad

 

[Mr. Jeffery]

Modern Reloading by Richard Lee is mostly brand agnostic.
Hornady, Lyman and a few others are biased towards their products.

kinda like making cookies... you absolutley must use all the products suggested in the recipe... those products all made by kraft or robin hood or......


i have a lyman booklet. its goes by calibers.theress one for every diameter group out there as well as for shotguns. its a quick reference thing. works to get you going but like is was said above... I think the best way is to load for the firearm you're shooting.

 

[jethunter]

Modern Reloading by Richard Lee is mostly brand agnostic.
Hornady, Lyman and a few others are biased towards their products.

I always considered the Lyman manual to be the least brand-biased, since Lyman doesn't make reloading components. In your opinion what Lyman products does the Lyman manual show bias towards?

Lyman doesn't make or sell components. In the Lyman manual I see equal distribution of data for powders by Accurate, Aliant, IMR, Winchester, Hodgdon. Bullets by Sierra, Speer, Barnes, Hornady. Brass and primers by all the US manufacturers. I don't see any bias. Are you sure you aren't getting Lyman confused with someone else?

 

[cr5]

I primarily use my Nosler and Hornady manuals because those are the projectiles I use the most. I also check the Hodgedon online data as well as a couple other online sources before I start a new caliber or if I'm going to try a new powder with a cartridge I already load for.
I like to use as much info as I can find and usually bias towards the data that uses the specific projectile I plan to use.

Ballistics software? I use Strelok+ on my android devices. None of them are dead on, you'll always need to fine tune for your conditions but they will usually get you on paper.
I like Strelok because it gives you a correction then lets you enter what you actually see in the field after you shoot and then it compensates for your real life results at all ranges. If it tells me to dial up 10moa at 300 yards then when I shoot I find I actually needed 12moa I enter that and it compensates and becomes more accurate at other distances. I have the paid + version, definitely worth it. Plus it has a huge reticle database so you can also look at your reticle and where to place the target if you don't want to adjust your turret.

 

[Suputin]

What is the best current reloading manual and ballistic software out there?

So lets spend under $250.
For a guy with a few 20 year old reloading manuals and the basic rifle reloading skills.
Who wants to up the skills a bit...

Loading manuals don't get better over time. The newer ones are arguably worse because of the effect of a litigious society and more focus on safety margin. New manuals will have data for newer powders and maybe newer bullet weights. If you have a bunch of older manuals and are happy with the powders they list then I'd stick with those.

If you want to see updated load data, prob one of the best sources is Hodgdon's online data portal. It is excellent and contains a ton of load data.



Personally I use iSnipe on my iPhone and it is a great little ballistic computer that cost around $5 IIRC. Being able to take the ballistics program into the field with you is priceless.

 

[Suputin]

Ballistics software? I use Strelok+ on my android devices. None of them are dead on, you'll always need to fine tune for your conditions but they will usually get you on paper.
I like Strelok because it gives you a correction then lets you enter what you actually see in the field after you shoot and then it compensates for your real life results at all ranges. If it tells me to dial up 10moa at 300 yards then when I shoot I find I actually needed 12moa I enter that and it compensates and becomes more accurate at other distances. I have the paid + version, definitely worth it. Plus it has a huge reticle database so you can also look at your reticle and where to place the target if you don't want to adjust your turret.

Based on your recommendation I just paid $17 for the Strelok Pro app. If its crap I'm coming to see you.

 

[jacky]

Loading manuals don't get better over time. The newer ones are arguably worse because of the effect of a litigious society and more focus on safety margin. New manuals will have data for newer powders and maybe newer bullet weights. If you have a bunch of older manuals and are happy with the powders they list then I'd stick with those.

If you want to see updated load data, prob one of the best sources is Hodgdon's online data portal. It is excellent and contains a ton of load data.

I couldn't agree more. I have the new Nosler manual and it is ok. The online Hodgdon/ IMR portal is great for getting started. However, I always seem to go back to Ken Water's books. That guy must have put in some serious time because his recipes are really good and accurate for the most part. I like the older Lyman manuals as well.

 

[jethunter]

I have a Lyman 45th, Lyman 46th,& Lyman 49th. Not great differences between them, but some differences. Some loads remained the same - some were reduced in newer versions. That tells me that it wasn't just legal liability but also as use of pressure measurement equipment and universal receivers became standard they found some loads were a bit warm and backed off to stay within the SAAMI specs for each cartridge.

 

[cr5]

Based on your recommendation I just paid $17 for the Strelok Pro app. If its crap I'm coming to see you.

Good, hope you hate it, we haven't been shooting together for a long time

I used to use isnipe but switched when I evolved and realized iphones suck, lol.
I like Strelok better than isnipe.

 

[horseman2]

My two favourite reloading programs are the Nosler Reloading Guide #7 and the Sierra Suite Infinity.

The reason I favour these two is their "Most Accurate Loads".
Regardless on bullet manufacture they both supply safe starting points and their powder selection is generally pretty close.
When someone of CGN wants to know a load for a particular bullet, the Sierra program lists a most accurate load and a hunting load. Sometime they are the same and others have an extra 100 fps but those loads can be copied and posted.

Following SJ's comments, I should qualify by saying using similar bullets.
190 grain SMKG in a 300 WM produced 1.5" groups at 300. 190 grain Hornady SP BT was 3" at 300 but was a hunting bullet versus match.
The 60 grain Sierra HP was better than the 60 grain Nosler partition using Nosler specks. I never tried the Sierra suggested loads as I did not have either Varget or Re15.
The 270 Winchester load suggested by Nosler was 52 grains of H4350. First group was 1.4 at 200 meters.
Barnes 100 grain 25-06 bullets were loaded using the Sierra load . . . 4 inches at 200 meters but the bullets are considerably different. BARNES suggested MagPro which I did not have.

 

[stubblejumper]

My two favourite reloading programs are the Nosler Reloading Guide #7 and the Sierra Suite Infinity.

The reason I favour these two is their "Most Accurate Loads".
Regardless on bullet manufacture they both supply safe starting points and their powder selection is generally pretty close.
When someone of CGN wants to know a load for a particular bullet, the Sierra program lists a most accurate load and a hunting load. Sometime they are the same and others have an extra 100 fps but those loads can be copied and posted.

The "most accurate loads" listed in the manuals were the most accurate loads in their rifles, with their components. It's often that I find that the listed "most accurate load" is not the most accurate load in my rifle, and in some cases, that load has turned out to be one of the least accurate loads that I tested.

 

[track]

What is the best current reloading manual and ballistic software out there?

So lets spend under $250.
For a guy with a few 20 year old reloading manuals and the basic rifle reloading skills.
Who wants to up the skills a bit...

I have many reloading manuals, however 95% of the time I use Nosler followed by Sierra.

 

[Ron AKA]

My two favourite reloading programs are the Nosler Reloading Guide #7 and the Sierra Suite Infinity.

The reason I favour these two is their "Most Accurate Loads".
Regardless on bullet manufacture they both supply safe starting points and their powder selection is generally pretty close.
When someone of CGN wants to know a load for a particular bullet, the Sierra program lists a most accurate load and a hunting load. Sometime they are the same and others have an extra 100 fps but those loads can be copied and posted.

I put zero weight on what they identify as most accurate loads, unless I happen to use a gun identical to what they are using for testing, if in fact they are actually testing. There is a lot of load data today that is being generated with QuickLoad. No cartridges are even fired in the process.