Reloading Manuals?

Rodent

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Hi, looking to get into reloading and after reading some posts about Read manuals once, twice and three times I figured hey why not ask what manuals are recommended.

So any recommendation that we can order or find in Ont. you reloaders?

Thanks as always
Den
 
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I use the Hornady manual most, then the Hodgdon. Nosler is good but doesn't list a lot of powders, Sierra is good, speer isn't bad. There are a few others out there as well
 
.... A fair number of the powder manufacturers offer FREE re-loading data in the form of brochures etc. There's really not a great deal to choose between the major Manuals..... I think about the cheapest, and certainly it's quality is not a reflection of price is the LEE. I use, RCBS,Hornady and Sierra (the Lee is a fairly recent addition !) ...... 'Can't have too much data/information !!!! ...... David K. ....:canadaFlag:
 
The Lyman has helped me out more than any other. The Lee is more useful if you're using Lee equipment, otherwise, it's less good. John Wooters' Practical Handloading has been great as well. You could probably find it on e-bay or Amazon.

For a starter manual, I think you want more instruction than data -- the data you can find at the bullet and powder makers' websites, but the other details are invaluable.
 
Hogdon's, Lymans, and Hornady's are my most used manuals.
Hogdon's has so much data online that I find more and more, that's what I'm using. However, a newbie to reloading, should use printed mannuals. There is a lot more info in the mannuals, than just the data.
 
It is always good to have as many as you can good, free or otherwise.

I have:

Speer (latest)
Nosler (latest)
Lyman general reloading
Lyman shotgun
Lyman Cast bullets
Lymna Handgun
IMR
Hodgon
Sierra
Lee (latest)

If you are using Winchester powders, the Winchester page is pretty good also.
 
I use ......

Hodgdon
Speer
Hornady
Ken Waters Pet Loads The pet loads is a bit outdated, but is very good for older calibers and powders. My fave.


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i also ck out used books, etc, for OLDER manuals- a lot of times the latest loads have been "lawyerized" so the top end load listed isn't really the top end load- it's been knocked down a few grains so the publishers/manufacturers won't get into trouble- the nice thing about the lyman is that they list a PRESSURE reading as well- point being that some of the loads listed in some of the "new " manuals were starting points in the old ones and the new data won't function some of my rifles at all- ie one load for the 308 in a new manual lists the starting point at 40 grains, top end at 42 for the 180- my m14 ( the real thing) won't function at 40, , does at 42, and gets reliable at 44- on the other hand , the old manual lists the top end at 46, and i see pressure at 44.5-
 
Reloading Manual (s) Get as many as you can !

.... There are no bad reloading manuals...... just some are better than others ! Get as many as you can! Probably, you will find that you end up using one more than the others ! ....... "t-star" is right, a lot of the "newer " manuals have down loaded their "recipes" !!!! Thus there's a definite place for the older manuals !! ....... David K. ......:canadaFlag:
 
the way i look at is this- the "science" is basically the same, just the methods and recepies differ- you probably have more than 1 recepie book, same with manuals- plus my speer has trajectory and b/c and s/d conversions in the back to help determine which bullet "flies" better- the lyman has pressure readings and a few others- it's the differences that make the advantage in having more than 1 book-
 
that's a VERY good book, but i found it to be WAY OVERPRICED and maybe a little simplistic , like the lee book-( puts on helmet) i went with the speer 11, but i originally had a pacific , and a couple of lymans- i like a LOT more detail in my books- tip- the books on reloading are NOT necessairly in the sporting goods stores
 
i also ck out used books, etc, for OLDER manuals- a lot of times the latest loads have been "lawyerized" so the top end load listed isn't really the top end load- it's been knocked down a few grains so the publishers/manufacturers won't get into trouble- the nice thing about the lyman is that they list a PRESSURE reading as well- point being that some of the loads listed in some of the "new " manuals were starting points in the old ones and the new data won't function some of my rifles at all- ie one load for the 308 in a new manual lists the starting point at 40 grains, top end at 42 for the 180- my m14 ( the real thing) won't function at 40, , does at 42, and gets reliable at 44- on the other hand , the old manual lists the top end at 46, and i see pressure at 44.5-


Ditto...
Of the newer manuals, I'd say that Speer's is the most "lawyered up."'
 
Start with a full fledged manual that explains all the reloading steps. Something like the Speer #13 or the Lyman 48th Edition are good to start with.

The ones I used the most are:

Lyman 48th Edition
Lyman Pistol and Revolver Handbook 3rd Edition
Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook
Speer #13

These all have good data and a good introduction into reloading. I also have the latest Lee manual that has some interesting reading but I find I am questioning the data in it the most. I won't reload from data in it with out checking another source first.


Fudd
 
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