Favourite load manuals?

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prosper

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Just wondering what everyon'e favourite load manuals are?

My main go-to's are the Nosler (has load density figures, and accuracy powders & charges) and Sierra (HUGE number of powders tested, and has accuracy loads).

I also have, and refer to the latest Hornady manual (I like and use a lot of Hornady bullets), as well as the powder manufacturer's manual (I use a lot of Hogdgon powders, so I have their full manual too (not the free little booklet, the full one has a lot more loads). Bonus - it includes pressures too :D

To a newb I'd recommend getting: your powder manufacturer's manual (usually free), your bullet manufacturer's manual, and the Sierra/Nosler manuals.

Any other really good ones out there?
 
I have the Barnes, Nosler, Hornady and Hogdon. for format, my favourite is the Barnes, followed by Nosler. I mostly use Hogdon powders, so it's pretty handy, but I generally crossreference all four.
 
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.... Sierra,Hornady and Speer for "printed manuals" .... Also use (and really like) the Sierra computer program. The Powder Manufacturers free info.data is also nice to have, and the price is right too ! 'Seem to use the Speer Manual the most. ...... David K.
 
I got Barnes, Nosler, Speer, Hornady. I like Speer as it deals with RCBS stuff

I usually cross ref. the 4 manuals plus web data​
 
load manuals

I like the Lyman manuals because they are not specific to one brand of bullet or powder. The others are good for cross reference but if you can only afford one manual make it the most recent Lyman (48th ed.?)
 
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The Lee book is a great fast reference--since it collects all the data from the powder manufacturers, you can usually get the most # of possible loads for any given bullet weight. They aren't always the best loads, but you do get a lot of 'em.
 
Lymans 48th....also has some very good articles on powders, bullet design, ballistics etc...How to load for accuracy. Also has a wide range of powders and bullet types. I liked it as it doesn't favour any one bullet or powder ie perhaps one of the more unbiased publications available....jmo
 
willwagspal said:
I like the Lyman manuals because they are not specific to one brand of bullet or powder. The others are good for cross reference but if you can only afford one manual make it the most recent Lyman (48th ed.?)
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Yep. I highly recommend the Lyman 48th Edition. Very good book with lots of lead bullet loads (since they make the casting equipment). It includes pressure info also.

Also the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is great. If you want to learn to cast your own bullets there is lots of info on casting. It has lots of rifle loads for shooting lead bullets and lots more options for handgun lead bullet data.

The Speer #13 is also good and a good read. I like the cartridge descriptions as they are interesting if you don't know anything about that cartridge. Down side is there isn't a lot of lead loads and the ones they do have for handguns they limit to about 800 fps saying something like "going faster causes barrel leading, blah, blah, blah." I don't like that as I want to know what the limit is based on pressure is and I can limit it myself with reduced loads if I so choose.

The Lee has some useful and interesting information at the start but also shows a big bias to Lee equipment (yes I do have some Lee stuff). It also has some data that makes me question it's accuracy. It'll list "86 gr. Bullet" then "86 gr. Lead Bullet" then "86 gr. Jacketed Bullet". Well, what is the "86 gr. Bullet" lead or jacketed or marshmellow? Or the 357 Magnum has a "useful case capacity is 1.15 cc" and the 38 Special has a "useful case capacity is 1.30 cc" or the 38 Special +P has a "useful case capacity is 1.18 cc". Hmm... the 38 Special has the most capacity...


Fudd
 
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