New reloader - what is the best reloading manual? Or are they getting obsolete too fast?

I own Lyman and Hornady manuals. I reference the data from those against the powder manufacturer data. If the data isn't in a manual, as in the powder is newer than the manual, I use manufacturer data.

In any case, I look at my source data as a jumping off point. I also quite frequently end up above manufacturer and manual max. The key is I don't start there, I work my way there, testing and inspecting as I go up.

As far as the rest of the manual, you the part that is not data, you read that to learn the process. That's half the battle, learning what is and is not safe, and how to get it done. Once you know that, you'll be in good shape providing you know the basics.

The "best" manual depends on your buying habits.

The major bullet makers produce their own manuals.
If you use a lot of Hornady bullets, then by all means, buy their manual.
Or Speer, or Sierra or Nosler, etc, etc

If you're more like me & buy from 10 different mfgs, then Lyman's or Lee's manuals will probably be better.

All my ebooks are Kindle edition or pdf. They will remain for quite a while. My dad picks up reloading books at gun shows and flee markets. Whenever he can find them. He has a whole library. Always knows exactly which books has what load. He's 84.

I religiously buy the Hodgdon Annuals every December. Packed with load data for projectiles I use, like Berry’s plated bullets for handguns, and always has some good info on the Hodgdon powder line. Where else can we get info on CFE powders?

I like the paper manuals and buy any old ones I can find. Like them for rounds which aren't in fashion today (32S&W, and 32H&R for instance) but were back when. Also, I find different powders in the older ones which has been helpful to me. Sure, the 'net is great but I like the paper still.

I don't think any of them are obsolete as rounds come/go as does powder. Depends a lot on what you want to reload. If you're totally into 300BLK (not Whisper) and .327 Federal than a 20yr old manual won't work at all for you. However, it will have great loads for 30-06, 44MAG, .357, and many others which may be better loads than in the current book for your wants/needs. When Silhouette shooting was big heavy bullets was big for handguns so I like the older books for that for example, don't find those loads in today's books much.

I like having as many sources of data as I can get my hands on, but I've been slacking... I think my oldest is "Complete guide to handloading" by Philip B Sharpe, and my newest is Hornadys 7th edition.
I've perused some newer data, but it doesn't vary much from what I have.

When starting fresh, I'll read through all of them to find a realistic starting/stopping point.

Watch out for Speer #10.... That thing has some seriously hot loads!

For the first one Lyman is good choice. 50 is the latest one. (if you can find 49 cheap it would be good as well, only a few new powders and cartridges in 50)

Normally I am a big believer in having an actual paper manual for technical things (yay Haynes manuals!), and I have purchased some of those Lyman 15-page softback manuals, but given the proliferation of powders not in the books I have seen, I am wondering about spending $40 on a book that may be obsolete.

Click to expand...

You have touched on an interesting problem: too many powders! Their can be almost an infinite number of powders, all varying a little based on burn rate, and it seems, that is what we are getting. The amount of powders, each claiming to be the absolute best, for each and every cartridge type, had exploded within the last ten years. There was a lot of over lap before, now, there are probably thirty to forty different powder combinations for one cartridge and one bullet. Heck, it might be fifty.

So what is the consumer to do? I am just keeping with the old, proven, stand by's. The heck with the powder du jour that I see every month in a gun magazine.

I have quite a few reloading manuals . Any time I see one at a flea market or garage sale I buy it,even if I already have a copy.
The vintage ones feature the classic powders like Unique and Bullseye. But often they are using projectiles no longer available.
My two favorite manuals are "Modern Reloading" by Richard Lee and "Lyman" 49th .Mr. Lee writes in an engaging manner that is almost like having your own gun mentor right there with you. I really like the way he thinks(rip)
I like to have an actual physical paper manual right there next to my bench so that if I become confused or I think I know something that I don't I can check right now before I have a chance to make a mistake

I have probably owned manuals from almost everybody that prints one at one time or another and have learned a lot from them. I have also had the attitude that buying a new manual every few years is just the cost of doing business. In other words, when I started reloading in the early 1980s, I didn't buy a manual and just assume that it was going to last me for the rest of my life. I buy some new manual every so often just to keep things up to date.

The two manuals I find the most valuable to me are the Sierra and the Hodgdon manuals. Why ? Simply because I tend to shoot Sierra bullets and use Hodgdon powder. So the manuals are specific to my needs.

Yes, I do browse the internet for load data. But, I make sure it is consistent with what the real pros using real lab equipment say is safe and sane.

ATLDave said:

Well, presumably one is keeping some sort of logbook with prior loads...

But, yeah, buy some books for a whole host of reasons.

Click to expand...

I keep a log book of every load I've made. It's in a spreadsheet on my computer . Wouldn't do me any good in a power outage. That said, I also have the last load labeled on my boxes, so I could use them.

I like the Lyman and Lee manuals the best for giving a good detailed description on loading practices and other insights. The Lee data is very comprehensive regarding powders and bullets weights BUT the firearm details used is lacking. The Lyman manual has more in-depth load data details, but the bullet choices are more limited (but still great).
In addition, you can easily find free data online from Hodgen, Alliant, VihtaVouri to augment them. Load data does not change were often and new manual releases by all of them just rehash earlier data but include new calibers as needed.

Best overall manuals for beginners I would say are the Lee Manual (especially if you use Lee products for reloading) and Lyman's 49th or 50th. Hodgdon's annual update can be useful to keep up with new powders from them or new Hodgdon's loads for previously listed rifles. The Gun Digest book on reloading, the Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Reloading, is pretty useful introduction for less than $20 bucks as well. Even older editions will teach you something about reloading.

Speer, Hornady, and Sierra are useful if you use the bullets from those manufacturers which is ditto for Berger and Nosler.

Much is available online free from powder manufacturers but don't expect much explanations on how to reload here. Useful for crosschecking loads in manuals.

Western Powders including Accurate and Ramshot powders:
http://blog.westernpowders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/WesternLoadGuide1-2016_Web.pdf
Hodgdon and Winchester brands: http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/node
Alliant: http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx?page=/reloaders/RecipeList.aspx&
Vihtovuori : http://www.vihtavuori.com/en/rifle-reloading-data
Norma: https://www.norma.cc/en/Ammunition-Academy/Loading-Data/


If you really want to search a lot of sources in one place, try loaddata.com subscription affiliated with Wolfe Publishing which has most of the loads from the sources above coupled with those published in Wolfe's Handloader magazine with brief summary details of the loads. Not much there to tell you how to reload though.

This is information overload in here but I suggest you find a data source you like and stick with it. The reason I say this is that when you have load data from a single testing source, that means all the data from that source will generally have been fired from the same test barrel so its consistent. So for example if you work up a load for a 125 grain HP using H110 in a 357 magnum and get a good idea of how much powder your gun likes VS what the load data shows, you can apply that experience to another bullet or powder. If your gun showed flattening primers 1 grain under the max load shown in the book for that combo, generally you'll see about the same when switching to a different powder using the same bullet, or a different bullet from the same powder. You still need to work up but you'll get a much better idea of what to expect from a load than if you pull data from whatever random source that was shot in different test barrels.

gonoles_1980 said:

What do you do if the internet is down or you have a power outage? Can still reload if you have a manual. I like to read the information and history about the bullets, and other information in the chapters. I have both the Speer and Layman manuals, probably should get the Lee. When I have to build up a new load, I like to look at multiple sources.

Click to expand...

I keep 1000s of round of ammo loaded and on hand, so power outage be darned. Im good to go.

I buy loading manuals like Imelda Marcos buys shoes. And I keep all the old ones. I look for 'old' loading manuals (I have a copy of Phil Sharpe's reloading book). Lyman is my first choice, and most of the rest are second. I do particularly seek out the manuals limited to single powders or bullet manufacturers. If I used Nosler bullets, I'd probably seek their book more.

But like most information, more is better.

Archie said:

I buy loading manuals like Imelda Marcos buys shoes. And I keep all the old ones. I look for 'old' loading manuals (I have a copy of Phil Sharpe's reloading book). Lyman is my first choice, and most of the rest are second. I do particularly seek out the manuals limited to single powders or bullet manufacturers. If I used Nosler bullets, I'd probably seek their book more.

But like most information, more is better.

Click to expand...

As do I, but I reload for obsolete cartridges and use the old data in the books to cross check potential loads. The problem is that many of those powders are now gone, others have been reformulated so may have different burn characteristics, and we know a lot more using piezoelectric sensors for current loads than the old copper crusher method.

For a beginner, use new editions or nearly newly issued manuals (lee's 2nd ed. and lyman's 49th or 50th) to start with--you need to have a firm grasp on what you are doing before using older sources. Start with easy cartridges, start at the low end, and never substitute bullets/primers without checking, and always cross check your loads if you can.

Personally, I usually start with Lyman's or Lee's, then crosscheck with the powder companies free data or loaddata.com (have had a subscription for years-recommended if you have never tried it because the data is in one place and it does have loads from older manuals in it on some cartridges) on loads for that caliber and powder,primer,bullet used in the load.

Use the THR's reloading forums to cross check a load and someone will usually tell you if it is a common cartridge if that is too hot a load. Some may or may not chose to share load data on a public forum but will often confirm whether a load is not recommended for some reason. The folks at Cast Boolits forum are the folks to talk to about using cast lead bullets although I'm sure that some of the THR posters are also members of that forum as well. Hope this helps and is not too overwhelming.

When looking to start a new load, I prefer to look through printed manuals and data. I'll have several books laid out on my bench opened to the appropriate pages to make comparisons and develop a plan.

Also, I like the other information included in the manuals and even though I have been reloading for several decades, I still reference the information from time to time.

I buy the manuals published by the bullet manufacturers of the bullets that I use the most plus the Lyman reloading guide and cast bullet guide. Also, I like the annual Hodgdon reloading magazine which I get every year. (It's about time to start watching the magazine racks for this year's edition)

I tend to buy updated versions of my favorite manuals even though I know much of the data and information is unchanged. Over the years, I have had a few instances where a max load of a powder that I used was substantially changed putting my load from safe to over charged. But also, there is always some new data here and there in the manuals.

I do keep the old manuals. There is data in them that sometimes has not been included in the newer versions. The data does have to be used carefully as components can change affecting the safety of the data.

I do reference on line sources some, primarily from the powder manufacturers.

Is my way the only way? Definitely NO. It is what I enjoy as part of my shooting hobby.

Just make sure your data is up to date and from a reputable source. Use the media that suits your needs best.

I buy loading manuals like Imelda Marcos buys shoes

Click to expand...

I sincerely hope, Archie, that your reloading manuals are more up-to-date than your references! If so many of us weren't old farts, that would have sailed right past us!

Sooner or later there will be a component shortage and you will be stuck with powders for which no online source lists data. It's a lot easier to scan a book than online to compare loads when one is working up an unpublished load. Plus, there's reloading notes, however scarce, on each cartridge in the physical manuals.

My newest manual is about 25 years old. I don't look at it as obsolete but they can be less than useful if you are using components that didn't exist when they were printed. That is when I go to the manufactures website for the info.

Lets see--I have a small reloading "library" of about 40 books not counting repeats. My earliest is from the 40's up to the present. The old manuals are a treasure trove of data for loads/calibers that have fallen out of favor as of late. Ever try to find data for a Stevens 44 1/2 in 25-20 Single shot? I have several sources. Or 32 short? got em too. Just two that I can reload today because of "old" data. Paper manuals work when your computer gets a death virus or power surge and dies before you back it up. I maintain you should have at a minimum, the loads that you have worked up and use saved on paper as well as on computer in case of sudden data loss. As a note I teach a reloading class or two at the local range every year and get free paper manuals from from Hodgdon, Alliant, and Western Powders to give away to the new students. All you have to do is email them and ask and they will send you your own copy of the current one as well. Those manuals do not have any assembly instructions though just the current safe load data. Lots of good info in posts above for your consideration as well. I like the Lee and Lyman manuals for the how to reload section the best. As above posts infer I personally always cross check with at least three trusted sources before trying something new and use the lowest starting load and work up from there to max. That said the internet is a great resource if taken with the proper dose of skepticism and an abundance of caution. Putting most trust in the usual manufacturers of propellants and bullets is usually pretty safe most of the time. Now go and have some fun learning how to roll your own quality ammo.

Do a little bit of online research into what you want to reload. Such as caliber, bullet type, and grain weight. Find a store that stocks a number of manuals (without the cellophane) to flip through. That is how I picked out the manuals I use: Lee and Speer.

Lyman.....this has proven the most versatile for me.....and i own them all.
The Lee manual has a place on my shelf and, indeed, was the first one that i bought many years ago.....however, as has been noted already, all the data is from some other source not from Lee testing. Not a bad thing as it kinda brings data together.