Best shotgun manual

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Having followed some of the shotgun loading threads, decided it might be a good idea to upgrade to a more modern manual than my Lyman 1st and 2nd, or the load data from my Hercules Smokeless Powder Guide (was my go to favorite back in the day). Those are all still valid for some hulls and components I have, but not the modern era hulls and wads.

So there is a Lyman 5th, which looks like it had a publish date of 2004, which may be going obsolete already.

Ballistic Products seems to have a manual for every occasion......like a dozen or so of them.

Is there a good.....better.....best for the current situation?

I note Alliant has extensive online load data, but nothing in organized print form. At least nothing I have found.
 
I have the BP Advantages manual... it is quite handy if you use a lot of BP products (Euro hulls and wads), and you happen to have the powders they call for on hand. I use WST and Ramshot Comp for 12ga target loads. They have a lot of data for 700X, Red Dot, and Clays, but none for the powder I have on hand. So... the manual will be useful if/when I get those powders. For now, it is merely taking up space.

Hodgdon's website is very good for data with their powders. Claybuster has data available online for their wads as well.
 
While I think the BP manuals are good they rely heavily on the products they sell. I’d recommend the most current Lyman shotshell manual for a starting point. Then get some no manuals for more specific info should you need it.
 
I have the lyman 5th, but since I'm not into loadi shotshell a yet, I can't say really if its good or not. I'd be glad to pic a couple pages for you though to test the waters before you purchase.
 
I feel like Lyman is due for a 6th edition. The 5th is good for updating non-toxic loads, but a lot of powders have changed since 2006. It adds some new hulls that the old versions don’t have. I’d strongly recommend it to someone new to shotshell reloading, but for someone with experience, the powder manufacturer data online might be ok.
 
Back in the summer, I downloaded and printed out a loading manual from what had been Western.......so Accurate and Ramshot. Was looking at it yesterday for something else, then on a hunch, turned the pages to the back, and sure enough, a whole section on shotgun loads, using Ramshot and Accurate powders. Only a few powders, but lots of loads using them. Might be useful, as Ramshot Competition has been one of the more available shotgun powders lately.

On a whim, also decided to go through my stash of residual shotgun components from back in the day, and concluded that except for fresh powder, I'm not going to run out of anything anytime soon. More than enough hulls, wads, primers and even shot to last me a while. Some Red Dot and Green Dot, but that is older than my kids and I now have grandchildren, so kindest thing one might say about that is it is not fresh. Not sure if the Red Dot of today is same as Red Dot of old, but if it is, problem solved.

Had forgotten, but found it humerus that most of the bags of wads included load data to be used with those wads.

Lastly, found a lot of Remington power piston wads. If those can be used with modern era Remington STS or Gun Club hulls, I'm set for a really long time.
 
They can. But there are several different ones. RXP-12 is the standard 1 1/8 Trap or light field wad. R12-L is the 1 ounce light Trap load wad. R12-H is the handicap wad. The Sp-12 and RP-12 are 1 1/4 ounce field load wads.

Here is the Ramshot Competition data pdf:
https://ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ramshot_competition.pdf
I'm finishing up my 5 12oz. bottles I bought in October; it's a great 7/8 and 1 oz. load powder. There some 1 1/8oz. loads listed also, but I'm trying to conserve shot.
 
tmd16556 said:
I feel like Lyman is due for a 6th edition. The 5th is good for updating non-toxic loads, but a lot of powders have changed since 2006. It adds some new hulls that the old versions don’t have. I’d strongly recommend it to someone new to shotshell reloading, but for someone with experience, the powder manufacturer data online might be ok.
Click to expand...
I contacted Lyman regarding the 6th edition…. Their response:

The 6th is the next reloading manual that we will be working on. However, we do not have an ETA for it.


Customer Service Dept.

Lyman Products Corp.

475 Smith St., Middletown, CT 06457

[email protected]

1-800-225-9626
 
I appreciate Saluki91 asking. I’ll be patiently awaiting the next edition. I’m hoping for more 20 gauge loads in this one.
 
Didn't realize this.....even though I have one dated 2003, but apparently Hodgdon publishes and distributes a FREE annual Basic Reloaders Manual, which includes a bit of promotional / information in the front, but by and large, consists of load data. But this one for rifle, pistol and shotgun. The one I have from 2003 has extensive shotgun load data for Hodgdon powders. The 2022 edition apparently includes Hodgdon, IMR, Accurate and Ramshot......so most of the powders likely to be found other than Alliant. Not much on process, case, wad or primer descriptions, but lots of load data for the various combinations if you know what you have. Very helpful.

This is in addition to the Annual rifle and pistol Annual Manual that they sell.
 
I have the Lyman's 5th edition and manuals from Ballistic Products. I will cross reference them to what Hodgdon has on their website.

I actually contacted both Hodgdon and Ballistic Products when I was looking for load data for 410 3" 000 buckshot loads with 5 pellets using Cheddite hulls, Claybuster wads and Hodgdon H110 powder. Both companies were very helpful. I also cross-reference the data found in the Lyman's manual while on the phone with both.
 
I'll be Debbie Downer and say I have not been impressed with Lyman 5th or BPI's manual overall. Others may roll their eyes but I'm mainly using the paper that came with my Lee Load-All as well as the free online stuff from the powder and wad manufacturers. Maybe it's like cartridge reloading where you ideally have a copy of Lyman, Lee, Hornady, Nosler, Sierra, Speer, Barnes, Accurate/Western Powders, IMR, Hodgedon, Alliant, Winchester, Vectran, VV, etc to round out your collection but it's nice to have:

- Lyman 5th
- Reloading for Shotgunners (Rick Sapp)
- Hodgedon data (online or book/magazine)
- Alliant data (online or PDF)
- Accurate/Western data (online PDF)
- Lee LA1070
- BPI manual
- Claybuster online load data (PDF)

and I'm sure others I'm forgetting that are just as good.

One minor gripe I have with the Lyman is that I have a bucket of Lee 7/8 oz slugs that I want to reload. Good luck finding info for those slugs in the Lyman manual!

(standard disclaimers apply for this grumpy old man)
 
I do think a lot depends on what you’re doing. 12 ga target loads, most are good for common wads and target hulls. The powder manufacturers data tends to be less extensive around heavy field loads, particularly in 20 gauge (I imagine less common gauges are worse).

I try to regularly download the pdf versions main powder manufacturers, but usually stick with older Lyman 4 and 5 loads. I mostly load 1 oz 20 gauge field loads with Federal hunting cases. They’re not the most durable (primer pockets get loose) but are good for heavier loads and as a plus, I got about 500 free once fired a few years ago. The Lyman manual gives me better comparisons of mixed components for these.
 
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