Book Recommendations for Reloading

[Wetz]

I am looking to start reloading my own ammunition. Can you recommend any good books that can help me get a feel for what I will need and the process involved in reloading? Thank you!

 

[rcmodel]

Lyman #49 reloading manual.
Speer manual.

The ABC's of Rreloading also is recommended quite often, but I have never seen a copy.

rc

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I looked at the ABCs of Reloading in a Barnes and Noble the other day and it is indeed quite impressive. I have the Speer manual and it is very good also. Look at several different manuals too.

 

[RandyP]

The Lee manual, whle admittedly self-serving, is also a great resource on the process.

For a good visual on the whole thing, try youtube and search reloading and the very good Lee videos:

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html

 

[THe Dove]

Speer Manual and the ABC's of reloading are definitely two of the best.... This site is without a doubt one of the most useful resources though.

The Dove

 

[Buzzard]

ABCs of Reloading can be had from Amazon, B&N, and at least a dozen other places. Check your local gun shop they might have a copy (my local haunt even stocks hunting DVDs, go figure). Its probably the best book for a beginner as they walk you through reloading everything (rifle, pistol, shotgun; covers all types) the basics of brass, primers, powder, and bullets. Following the "How-To" section is a series of articles that may (or may not) help you figure out how to go about reloading for your specific purpose. My copy (7th Ed) covers reloading for clay sports, turkeys, steel shot, dangerous game (kinda; article is a tick weak) general hunting, benchrest, IPSC, silhouette, black powder & smokeless SASS, blackpowder hunting, and a few others I can't recall at the moment. Some articles are better than others, but they all teach you something.

After ABCs, get the Lyman Reloading Manual. After Lyman, buy Cartridges of the World. Why? Any time you have a question about a cartridge, that book will probably answer it. It covers everything from rimfires to outdated English cartridges to modern military loads to proprietary handgun chamberings. Including some really weird ones you've never heard of.

All three books shouldn't set you back more than $60 combined, and are easy to track down. And yes, they are worth the money.

 

[rfwobbly]

As above, one of the best trianing manuals is Lyman's ABC's of Reloading, however it is short on actual reloading data. If you only want to purchase 1 single book, then get Lyman's 49th Reloading Manual if you have no allegiance to a bullet maker. If you are sworn to only buy, say, Speer bullets, or your father-in-law owns Hornady, then those books are also excellent....but they cover ONLY their bullets and calibers. The Lyman RLM covers everything.

Be aware that the Lyman RLM is offered in hard cover and paperback. So be sure of what you're ordering when comparing prices. Amazon is a great place to find used RLM's.

Someone is offering several new copies of the Speer RLM 13th Ed (not the latest) on Ebay for $15 right now. That's a OK deal.

 

[gearheadpyro]

Best two books for beginners are without a doubt:

The ABC's of Reloading- Great beginning tutorial on the what where and why of reloading. Excellent for beginners. DOES NOT INCLUDE LOAD DATA.

Lyman 49th Manual- First 150+ pages are about how to reload, after that is load data. Excellent resource and one of my most opened books.