Lyman 50th?

I have 49 and I bought 50. I can't remember the specifics, but I seem to recall it was on sale and I used it to fill out an order that already had free shipping. Honestly, I probably didn't need it, but it does include such cartridges as the 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Creedmoor that I don't think are in the 49th edition. Bottom line: I'd watch for it on sale.

And right now, the hard cover is on sale for less than the soft cover at Midway.

I'm a book whore. I've got Lyman manuals from 43 to 50.

You can NEVER have enough loading manuals.

Texas10mm said:

I'm a book whore. I've got Lyman manuals from 43 to 50.

You can NEVER have enough loading manuals.

Click to expand...

While I would be inclined to agree with you, I wonder if there are significant differences between each of those editions? I was thinking about buying the Lymans 50th based on the recommendations of many. However, yesterday I had the opportunity to flip through a friends 50th and was a little disappointed to not find any 9mm or 380 recipes for using Hogdon's CFEpistol. I know CFEpistol is fairly new but it didn't have what I was looking for. I still may buy it because overall seemed to have a lot of great information and data that this novice handloader could use.

The 50th was published in 2016, I would hazard a guess that most of the new data was developed in 2014. Isn't that about the time that CFE Pistol came out?

I also have a subscription to loaddata.com and print an amazing amount of loads from there. IMHO it's the most up to date data one can find.

In reality unless you are needing data for a cartridge or powder not in the 49th Edition I would wait for the 51st Edition. I don't remember all the omissions off hand but I do remember a few powders that were missing because the book was written well before the publish date and the powders were just a little late to make the book. The Enduron powders are not in the 50th Edition which was a disappointment.

I can't help myself and buy a lot of manuals but IMO the 49th will cover most of what's in the 50th Edition. If you want the new cartridges I will list below then get the manual. It is their first manual that is in full color and pleasing to read. There was 9 years between #47 & #48, only 6 years between #48 & #49 and 8 years between #49 & #50. #50 was published in 2016 so we probably have a ways to go before the 51st Edition is released. I haven't even heard rumors it's being worked on so who know when it will be available?

This is from Lyman -
New Cartridges Included: 17 Hornet, 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5-284, 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler, 300 Blackout, 300 RCM, 338 RCM, 450 Bushmaster, 458 SOCOM, 50 Beowulf.

Like I said, I bought it anyway but the lack of data for the Enduron powders was a big disappointment.

Tony k said:

I've already got Lyman 49th. Is it worth getting Lyman 50th?

I'm interested in new powders and bullets, but I'm also looking interested in updates to time tested classics. I load for pretty typical rifle and pistol calibers.

Click to expand...

Eugen said:

I wonder if there are significant differences between each of those editions?

... yesterday I had the opportunity to flip through a friends 50th and was a little disappointed to not find any 9mm or 380 recipes for using Hogdon's CFEpistol.

Click to expand...

I too was looking forward to 50th edition release but members reported different load data for some W231 and HP-38 loads.

This is disappointing as Winchester licensed Hodgdon in 2006 to sell Winchester powders and load data for W231 and HP-38/W296 and H110 became same - http://ns.hodgdon.com/history.html

Same and comparable powders thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-different-labels.797388/page-6#post-10806193

That means 50th edition could still be using old test data. I like referencing Lyman #49 as some newer powder manufacturer published load data lack lead bullet and some FMJ/JHP load data. I will keep referencing #49 edition until Lyman revamps all of their load data.

FYI, Lyman #48 pdf - http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manuals/Reloading/Reloading Manuals/Lyman Reloading Handbook - 48th Edition - 2002 - ocr.pdf

BDS, thank you for that. I have 47th and 49th edition. I will have to compare.
I honestly think I remember some of the casting members complaining that the 50th edition cut out a lot of the lead bullet loads from it.
I believe the general consensus was that Lyman wanted us to buy the "Cast Bullet Handloads-4th edition" and put those loads that were in the 47th and 49th edition in it instead of putting them in the 50th edition. I've never check this out because I never bought the 50th edition because of it.

I will also wait for the next edition to come out before I buy it or the next edition after that. There are so many new powders hitting the consumer market now that I don't know how any of them could keep up. There used to be 20 years between manuals, now there is barely 3-5.
If you collect manuals than I guess this is a good time to live.

bds said:

That means 50th edition could still be using old test data. I like referencing Lyman #49 as some newer powder manufacturer published load data lack lead bullet and some FMJ/JHP load data. I will keep referencing #49 edition until Lyman revamps all of their load data.

Click to expand...

You will be waiting a very long time then. No company re-shoots all their data, it would take years and A LOT of money. They only reshoot if they have a reason to do so. They shoot new bullets, powders and cartridges but not the older data. Load manuals would cost hundreds of dollars if they shot every load over, it's just not practical.

Sorry but its true!

We'll, then at least they could make sure/update so W231/HP-38 and W296/H110 load data were same

bds said:

We'll, then at least they could make sure/update so W231/HP-38 and W296/H110 load data were same

Click to expand...

I'm it agreeing with them, I'm only staying what they all do.

I agree now that Winchester is admitting St. Marks is producing the same powder for them as HP-38 the data should have been reshot but as long as the data is safe, money talks.

ArchAngelCD said:

as long as the data is safe,

Click to expand...

Heck I am still regularly referencing 1999 Winchester and 2004 Alliant load data along with "some" Lyman #49 load data for my load development and feel fine doing so.

bds said:

Heck I am still regularly referencing 1999 Winchester and 2004 Alliant load data along with "some" Lyman #49 load data for my load development and feel fine doing so.

Click to expand...

I also use the 1999 Winchester load manual along with the 1997 Hodgdon handout.

Some new powders in 50 but no BE86, no CFE-P and there are lots of other new pistol powders out recently. (IMR Target, Red, Sport Pistol ....and more)
Unless you know it has something you need I would hold out for 51, but having said that it isn't that much money.

Dudedog said:

Some new powders in 50 but no BE86, no CFE-P and there are lots of other new pistol powders out recently. (IMR Target, Red, Sport Pistol ....and more)
Unless you know it has something you need I would hold out for 51, but having said that it isn't that much money.

Click to expand...

By the time 51 come out there will be newer powders that aren't in it. Using that logic you'll never buy a new reloading manual.

I have 49 and bought 50, just mentioning that it only added a couple powders from 49.
I will no doubt buy 51 when it comes out even if it does not add all the new powders that are out.
It just seems lately there have been more new powders added to companies lineups than there has been for a while.
Maybe the push to the new "greener" production process?
We have lost some too, I for one will miss 7625 and 4756(but not as much as 7625)

Dudedog said:

We have lost some too, I for one will miss 7625 and 4756(but not as much as 7625)

Click to expand...

I totally agree, the loss of the SR powder line bit the community very hard. Bad enough all but HS-6 is gone from the HS powder line and then the remainder of the entire SR line.

I happen to have a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook printed in 1973. I also have a 49th Edition Lyman Reloading Handbook. I randomly flipped to the 45 Auto Rim and found this-



35 years apart, identical data. I'd noticed this several years ago in one of my other manuals, Hornady I believe it was, two different manuals, years apart, same data and velocity readings.

I'm am an advocate of printed manuals for new handloaders, but for data alone, www.loaddata.com could easily replace printed manuals. At their site I entered "45 ACP" and was returned with over 3,500 loads that came from Handloader magazine, manuals such as Hornady, Sierra, Lyman, Lee et al. I've been a subscriber for a few years now and haven't bought a manual since the Lyman 49th came out, and likely will never buy another printed manual.

35W

35 Whelen said:

I happen to have a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook printed in 1973. I also have a 49th Edition Lyman Reloading Handbook. I randomly flipped to the 45 Auto Rim and found this-

View attachment 833927

35 years apart, identical data. I'd noticed this several years ago in one of my other manuals, Hornady I believe it was, two different manuals, years apart, same data and velocity readings.

I'm am an advocate of printed manuals for new handloaders, but for data alone, www.loaddata.com could easily replace printed manuals. At their site I entered "45 ACP" and was returned with over 3,500 loads that came from Handloader magazine, manuals such as Hornady, Sierra, Lyman, Lee et al. I've been a subscriber for a few years now and haven't bought a manual since the Lyman 49th came out, and likely will never buy another printed manual.

35W

Click to expand...

Does loaddata cover the newer powders very much, such as CFE-Pistol and the IMR Enduron powders, and BE86? I have a couple of shelves of manuals, and use online data and QuickLoad, but am always interested in the new bullets and powders that come out. More specifically, does loaddata give indication of accuracy or real world velocity of the various loads listed? Many manuals just list start and max loads by pressure limit and velocity in some unusual bbl length.

NWPilgrim said:

Does loaddata cover the newer powders very much, such as CFE-Pistol and the IMR Enduron powders, and BE86? I have a couple of shelves of manuals, and use online data and QuickLoad, but am always interested in the new bullets and powders that come out. More specifically, does loaddata give indication of accuracy or real world velocity of the various loads listed? Many manuals just list start and max loads by pressure limit and velocity in some unusual bbl length.

Click to expand...

loaddata.com allows one to search by cartridge loads by caliber, powder manufacturer, powder name, bullet weight, bullet type (cast or jacketed) or any combination of these. Yes, it has data for CFE-Pistol, BE86 and the Endurons. I did a search for "CFE Pistol" without specifying a caliber and it returned 514 loads. Here's partial shot-



You can go to the site and search loads without a subscription, but you results show only the velocity and not the powder charge.

35W