Hodgdon manual

[tcoz]

Does the Hodgdon manual contain more load recipes than the online site or are they the same?

 

[gahunter12]

Should be the same. Hodgdon does a update every year in there Hodgdon Reloading magazine. I keep the Load Data site on my favorites, and just click.

 

[cfullgraf]

I have been getting the Hodgdon magazine every year for the past 5 or 6 years. The articles have some interest and I like to have hard copies of reloading data.

I do use the online sites but when I am researching a new load or cartridge, I like to be able to have several manuals open in front of me on the bench. There is something about the old school method of physically turning a page.

 

[Rule3]

No, The website gets updates. Last time I got their "manual" more of a magazine there were lots of misprints and misplaced info.

Great company and I use almost nothing but their products, can't say the "manual" is worth anything.

 

[tcoz]

Thanks for the input. What manual does everybody feel contains the most data? I have the Lee and Lyman manuals. Lee just reproduces data from other sources, but it's really pretty inclusive. I'm disappointed in Lyman. It just doesn't seem to have much data.

 

[Vol46]

Hornady, Nosler, Speer & Sierra are good if you use their bullets.

 

[kimbernut]

Many manuals

Are your best bet. In no particular order my favorites are:
Speer- recipes using Speer bullets only
Hornady-recipes using Hornady bullets only
Sierra-recipes using Sierra bullets only
Hodgdon- great mix. Much with Hodgdon powders only but also with other powder manufacturers as well.
Nosler- recipes with Nosler bullets only
Lyman- good mix with lead and jacketed bullets
Lee- a compilation of all the powder manufacturers using their load data with all kinds of bullets.
Accurate/Ramshot- recipes using both powders only.
Waters Pet Loads - a wealth of information but if you are looking for newer powders and specific newer bullets look above.
Midway load books - out of print now but midway used to put out caliber specific books in 9mm Luger, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45ACP. If you can find a set these are great.

If I could only have one today it would be Hodgdon. If you load for US Service type rifles(M-1 Garand, M-1A, M-4, M-14, M-16, AR-15) I'd opt for Hornady and Sierra.

 

[J_McLeod]

I'm partial to Hodgdon powders, which include IMR and Winchester. I have the Lyman manual and I made a binder with printouts of the Hodgdon data, burn rate chart, load records, and other references. I lean on the Hodgdon data the most, but Lyman is still a good reference.

 

[Rule3]

Thanks for the input. What manual does everybody feel contains the most data? I have the Lee and Lyman manuals. Lee just reproduces data from other sources, but it's really pretty inclusive. I'm disappointed in Lyman. It just doesn't seem to have much data.

As many as you can


Manuals are not just load data. The front sections have information that is very important.

I like in order:

Hornady
Speer
Lyman and Lyman Cast...... For lead, Lyman is pretty much all I use.

I have a 3 ring binder I print the Hodgdon (some Alliant and Accurate)Data I want for the bullets and powder I use and have separated sections for those,

 

[PJSprog]

Yeah, I, too, was a bit disappointed with the Hodgdon "manual." It's really just a magazine. There are other manuals that are much better, all listed above.

That said, if you use their powder, then their data is gold for you. Same for any bullet manufacturers you use. My personal choices are Lee, Hornady, Sierra, and Hodgdon.

 

[JWH321]

Their data is gold, if they have data you can use. Plated copper bullets have been around a long time now, but there continues to be very little data about them in most of the manuals, including Hodgdon's.

 

[kimbernut]

PJSprog

There is the Hodgdon Annual magazine. Then there is the Hodgdon Manual. Big difference. IMHO the only reason for the annual is to keep up with newer powders and newer cartridges as they publish more and more data each year. The large manuals are not generally updated annually.