best reloading manual
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
Bassmaster
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- WMU 48 - Whitetail country
Lyman manuals are a good start, and one of my personal favorites.....you'll eventually have several
punkrockboy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Eastern Bantario!
X2 on the Lyman. If you are brand new to reloading, it has step by step detailed instructions on reloading.
and I'm gonna flog #### Lee's Modern Reloading. Either edition will work. Always my first go to manual. Then Lyman's, then Hodgdon's. But you should also invest in The ABC's of Reloading. They are great references. And, you will have more than one within a short time.
Thirty years for me...this was a earlier this year, a couple more added since...
Thirty years for me...this was a earlier this year, a couple more added since...
FortHunter
CGN Regular
- Location
- Nowhere relevant
whatever brand of bullets you decide to reload with get their manual, the speer manual came with the rcbs reloading kit i bought it was a good starting point.
Every handloader should have a copy of the ABC's of handloading book. Every other book will simply augment what you learn there. After that you will start to collect loading manuals, I probably have 30 now. - dan
257Roberts
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Peterborough ON
Another vote for the Lyman. Then find one for the powder you plan to use and one from the bullet manufacturer and you have a cross section of manuals. It works for me.
I bought Nosler first and found that it didnt have what I wanted. Hornady worked fine for me. Now they have an online database to use for free. Lyman is also another good one. Also I use Handloads.org but they are whatever people want to put up there, so use at your own risk. And the ABCs of reloading is a great book for beginners, helped me a lot.
In general - best reloading manual would come from a company that is NOT biased toward powders or bullets they produce and sell. Lyman is one of those companies.
IMHO, Lyman manual is a must-have and then one can pick a couple of other manuals that list powders and bullets one is to use.
I have only two manuals that I bought - Speer #13 and Lyman (ABCs of reloading too), anything else - I can find on either companies' websites (and people's loads) or via my own load development.
IMHO, Lyman manual is a must-have and then one can pick a couple of other manuals that list powders and bullets one is to use.
I have only two manuals that I bought - Speer #13 and Lyman (ABCs of reloading too), anything else - I can find on either companies' websites (and people's loads) or via my own load development.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The best reloading manual is at least three of them, (or more) each from seperate companies. 
But if you insist I'll put them in most favored to least:
-Sierra
-Lyman (cast bullet data)
-Hornday
-Speer
But if you insist I'll put them in most favored to least:
-Sierra
-Lyman (cast bullet data)
-Hornday
-Speer
.... I'm not sure there is a "Best Reloading Manual". That being said, RCBS, Lyman and Hornady seem to be the ones I personally use the most often. Keep your eyes open for Older Manuals, often they have loads that don't appear in Newer versions, and obviously, "Obsolete Rounds. .... The Major Powder manufacturer's offer "Free Load Data" in Pamphlet Form, and that's useful. The Internet, can provide data as well, BUT be careful about sources ! ..... David K
There are several very good reloading manuals as pointed out, "The Best" is difficult at best to zero in on.
The following are a good starting point;
Lyman's 49th
Hornady's 8th or newer
Speer 13th or 14th
ABC's
Sierra
You could start with any one of these and glean a great deal of information then as you progress buy another, have fun!
The following are a good starting point;
Lyman's 49th
Hornady's 8th or newer
Speer 13th or 14th
ABC's
Sierra
You could start with any one of these and glean a great deal of information then as you progress buy another, have fun!
