Handloading Library Suggestions Thread

[Sven]

In order of importance, please list your top manual/book/video suggestions for learning handloading.

I'm going to be loading .308 to shoot matches in a few months, and figure now is the time to get started.

 

[Steyr Hahn]

Steven's Reloading Pages

 

[dakotasin]

speer #13
sierra 5th edition
the high road, baitshop boyz ( www.baitshopboyz.com ), steve's pages, etc are also good.

 

[larryw]

ABCs of Reloading by Rodney James.

I have a spare copy (currently out on loan, but I'm certain he's done with it) that you're welcome to borrow.

 

[Gewehr98]

If seeing info on the old cathode ray tube is your thing...

Might I suggest a couple?

Sierra's Infinity software

Load From A Disk For Windows (great for load development and wildcatting)

 

[ACP230]

I like my old Hornady manual. I also have the first edition of the Lee Reloading Manual and a bunch of manufacturer's handouts that I picked up at NRA Conventions and various gun stores.

After you get a manual or two you might look at the Loadbooks series. These small books combine listings of loads from many reloading manuals. I have the .308 Loadbook plus others for the .30-06, .250 Savage, .41 Magnum, .45 ACP and maybe one or two more. You can get Loadbooks from Midway.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Complete Guide to Handloading...Phil Sharpe.

Sam

 

[Jeeper]

The Ackley books are good

 

[Art Eatman]

I like the Sierra Reloading Handbook for all the information in the appendices. The external ballistics tables and the bullet coefficient tables are extremely helpful.

The Phil Sharpe book is excellent, but it's a collector item and thus expensive.

Art

 

[Steve Smith]

Careful and precise handloading information from people who you know and trust. Cross check against the Sierra manual.

Handloading for Competition is good, but somewhat overboard.

 

[Gewehr98]

Certainly true...

The Ackley books are good

If one caveat's Ackley's load data with the fact that the powders of his day aren't necessarily the same powders of today.

 

[KP95DAO]

The one I learned the most from.

A very good tome, though somewhat dated, is Col. Earl Naramore's, The Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition. It was copyrighted in 1954 with a revised version printed in 1962. Nine hundred and fifty two pages of stuff that you will never learn elsewhere. The hard part is finding a copy and when you do it will most likely cost a pretty penny. Well worth it.

 

[Sven]

Since posting this and reading your suggestions, I've purchased:

1) Sierra 5th Edition
2) Speer #13
3) ABC's of Reloading (en route)
4) Complete Guide to Handloading Phil Sharpe (3rd Ed., 1953 - en route)
5) Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition, Naramore, Earl (3rd printing, 1962 - en route - found on Abebooks.com)

Also found an online reference thanks to a friend:

http://www.loadyourown.com/loaddata/default.asp

Anything else I should pick up - besides a press? How about Tubb's video series with Sierra?

-sven, 'absorbing information like a sponge'

 

[Steve Smith]

If Tubb's reloading video is anything like his Highpower video, I'd skip it and hit my thumb with a hammer first.

What you need most are:
Press and gear
Local friend who can step you though it.

 

[Sven]

"Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition" by Earl Naramore arrived today... 900+ pages of info, dense and filled with photos.

This book is the third printing, dating back to 1954 - the age shows:

On the dust jacket is a painting of Davey Crockett-type man loading his musket in front of a fire with his dog... the woman of the household is in her dress, helping to cast bullets (nothing too wierd there)... then you turn around to the back and it says, in the headline for the advertisement for other books:

"the classics for men who like guns"

Oh yeah, the lady can help cast bullets in front of the fire, but these books are classics for men. Heh.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Big Omission!!

Nobody in this thread has mentioned Lyman's excellent 48th ed. loading manual. I wouldn't be without it. It advertises for Lyman some, but the loading information has proven to be very sound. My use of Lyman goes back to their 45th ed, and they have put a lot of effort over the years, into keeping up with the times. So may I highly reccomend Lyman's 48th.

 

[Sven]

Wow, I'm really set with all these great books. For anyone just getting started, you can't go wrong following the advice above!