Best metallic reloading manual?

[Zeede]

Welp, I've settled on .45 ACP (either a Springfield Armory XD-45 or Mil-Spec 1911) and 30-06 (for a M1 Garand) as what I plan on reloading. Are any of the popular reloading books better for the kind of info I need? I know that the popular ones are:

ABC's of Reloading
Speer Manual
Hornady Handbook
Lyman's Metallic Reloading

Do any of these have stuff specifically for the Garand? Obviously I don't need stuff on magnum rifle cartridges or the like, just a couple of specific things.

Thanks!

Cameron

 

[ants]

They all have excellent info. I'd go with Lyman and ABC, but you can't go wrong with the Hornady either.

 

[closetgunnut]

Hornady's 7th edition has a Garand specific section. Gotta watch when loading for the Garand because it's pressure sensitive. To much/ wrong powder and say goodbye to your Op-rod.

I just started to load for a couple of Garands myself. I use IMR 4895 right now but I think I might try some IMR 4064. Can't go into detail right now, gotta go to work.

Closet

 

[KeithB]

Hornady Lyman's are a good start

 

[cpttango30]

I prefer Sierra bullets manuls over any others. I need to get a Hornady manual as that is my bulet of choice.

 

[ReloaderFred]

You can never have too many loading manuals, since they all have good data. The only caveat is that it's like owning a clock. If you have one clock, you'll always know the correct time, but if you own more than one, you'll never know for sure the correct time.

Loading manuals vary in their data due to variations in bullets, testing equipment, elevation of the lab, temperatures, etc. The manual from Speer, Hornady, Sierra, Nosler, et. al., will only have data for their brands of bullets. The Lyman Manual will have data for a variety of bullets, and they tell you which ones they've tested.

The bottom line is to buy several manuals and cross reference.

Hope this helps.

Fred

PS: If you buy the XD, you won't be disappointed, but be advised that it's a service pistol, and while capable of great accuracy, it prefers bullets with a "service profile". Mine won't feed SWC bullets, but shoots round nose just exactly where I aim them.

 

[moooose102]

ditto on what fred said, you cant have to many manuals. i have 3, and want at least that many more. you can borrow some from the library. they will usually be older manuals, but the data is still good. i have done this, and made photo copies until i get newer manuals.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

There is no such thing! They all have their good points and as has been said you can't have to many. It's always good to compare different recommended loads especially when you are working close to max loads.

 

[redactor]

I've got Hornady and Lee. I'd skip the Lee. Hornady is naturally an advertisement for Hornady equipment. Lee is an advertisement for how bad Mr. Lee thinks RCBS sucks. I can live without that.

 

[Smokey Joe]

How-to book...

Zeedee--The ABC's of Reloading is NOT a loading manual. It is a how-to book, and more importantly why-and-why-not-to book.

There is no better source for learning the basics of reloading, IMHO--also the more advanced nuances. You should have it in addition to a manual.

My go-to manual is Lyman's 48th edition, but I have several others, and as noted above, cross-referencing between manuals is a good thing. No one manual could cover all the possible usable combinations of powder and bullet out there.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Lyman, ABCs. Have at least two data sources for each load as well. Sometimes there are typo's.

I also like these, they have a lot of raw data in a tiny book:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=424613&t=11082005

They have them for most popular calibers.

 

[okeybug]

I subscribe to LoadData from Rife and Handloader Magazine. It costs about $30.00 a year but they have the latest loads from all the reloading manuels and they are checked and rechecked for accuracy. It's about the price of a good reloading manual. There are also interesting articles posted from the magazines. I used to subscribe to Handloader magazine but have since dropped that for LoadData. It's great.

 

[fugi99]

I like lyman. I also use the Lee.