Reloading Manuals

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I have searched a lot on this forum for this question without finding a recent thread. There are plenty of knowledgeable guys here and you all seem to suggest the same thing to us newbies... "GET A GOOD MANUAL"

SO... Which manual or manuals do you recommend? What actually makes a manual "good"?

FYI, I am getting into rifle reloading and I have decided on getting the RCBS kit and dies. I just haven't done it yet :rolleyes: , have to find a good time to sneak it into the house, ha ha!
 
I have 9. Lee makes a good manual and is cheap. My manual of choice is Lymans. Seems to be about middle of the road with listed data. Best idea is to go and check out several manuals and see what compairable loads are for the same caliber and go from there. Usually 10% below max and work from there.

Just my 2 cents....
 
I use my Barnes #3 the most. I have about 40 manuals that I have picked up over the years,I guess you could say I collect them. But Lymans is used as referance the most also,it is in the liveing room. DAN>>>:D
 
The Lyman's manual is good for the beginner because it has straight forward step by step process and explanation of hand loading, and an added bonus of loading 'data' as well. For pure loading data, the Hornady 2 volume set is excellent, as it covers standard ammunition as well as most military surplus ammo you would likely hand load, & popular wildcat cartridges. I have Lyman's, Sierra, Nosler, Hornady, and Speer. -It never hurts to cross check data, from manual to manual.
 
send me a pm with your addy..and i,ll send you one out at my cost..why i d do it?,...is because someone sent me a manual at there cost to me on muzzle loaders..
alls i ask in return..return the favor to some one you see in need here some day..








cheers nessy;)
 
Yes I have an extra Sierra manual 50th Anniversay edition you can have if fogducker isn't sending you that one. Send me a PM with your addy and I will mail it to you.

Jacky
 
As for reloading data, why the reliance on (sometimes expensive) books/manuals? All the data is "out there" on the various websites of the powder companies, plus those listed by veteran reloaders. Compare 'em all in a matter of minutes.
 
It's not just the data in the manual, its the instructions and advice in the front part as well.
I have Hornady, Lyman's, Sierra, Lee and assorted powder pamphlets. Hornady and Lee get used the most.

(E) :cool:
 
My first manual was a Lyman. After that one was wore out I passed it on to a friend and bought another Lyman. I would suggest that you get a manual with lots of instruction and data.
 
The best advise I have to offer is buy as many manuals as you can afford. Start with the manuals printed by the companies which make the products you intend to use. All the manuals have worthwhile information in them, and many of them seem to come to the actual data from different directions. Once you have the more common manuals you may want to start looking at the more specialized manuals like A-Square's, Sinclair's, or Precision Shootings.
 
If you plan on using one make of bullet more than others, (for instance lets say Hornady), then get the Hornady manuals first. Eventually get more manuals as you require or want them. Loading data changes as you change components. Substituting components is not advised unless you have more experience and knowledge about doing so safely.
 
ABC's of Reloading

This one is cheap ($16.50 or so from Amazon Canada) and has lots of good advice for beginners:

reload.jpg
 
Keep in mind that each company wants to promote their own product, and not the competition.
So, if you buy a manual form a powder company (Hodgdon, Accurate, etc.,) it will have lots of different bullets listed, but no other powders like IMR, etc.
If you buy just a bullet maker book, it will have lots of differnt powders listed, but no other bullet choices. My old Nosler manual does not even have a page for .416 or .458 as Nosler did make those diameters back then.
So as others have said, get many manuals, starting with one each from a bullet and a powder company
 
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