Normally I am a big believer in having an actual paper manual for technical things (yay Haynes manuals!), and I have purchased some of those Lyman 15-page softback manuals, but given the proliferation of powders not in the books I have seen, I am wondering about spending $40 on a book that may be obsolete. It seems pretty easy to track down starting loads online for free. If there really is an authoritative book I am willing to spend the money, but just poking through a few in Sportsmans Warehouse, I couldn't see the advantage (I am reloading very common cartridges like .30-30, .45 LC, etc., not some rarer wildcats like .257 Roberts) . Am I missing something?
New reloader - what is the best reloading manual? Or are they getting obsolete too fast?
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someguy2800
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I prefer the manuals from someone other than powder manufacturers. Reason being is I have found the load data from the powder manufacturers to often be inconsistent and sometimes inaccurate, and the powder manufactures are likely to give you data for just about every powder they make, whereas the manuals from the bullet manufactures just give you a dozen or so powders that they have found to work best. If they test a certain powder in a cartridge and it doesn't work well they just leave it out. The majority of powders out there have been manufactured for 20 years plus, and some for over 100 years, so manuals don't go out of date very quickly. My favorite manuals are Lyman and Hornady.
Hokie_PhD
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I like the Lee manual as a first. It does a good job of explaining processes and has a goo selection of load data. After that
Pick em. I saw a recommendation to watch for used manuals and I think it’s a good way to get quality books cheap.
I’ll respectfully disagree with someguy2800 and say that most powder companies will send you a free manual if you request one. Free is one of my favorite prices. Of course they also have load data on their sites. Now the point of bad data is a good one so always check several sources.
I also like to read posts on what people are doing. Now trusting people’s posts is crazy, but if you read enough
after awhile you’ll begin to get an idea of what common load ranges are. And IMHO being safely in them is what you want as a beginner. Not too low nor too high.
Pick em. I saw a recommendation to watch for used manuals and I think it’s a good way to get quality books cheap.
I’ll respectfully disagree with someguy2800 and say that most powder companies will send you a free manual if you request one. Free is one of my favorite prices. Of course they also have load data on their sites. Now the point of bad data is a good one so always check several sources.
I also like to read posts on what people are doing. Now trusting people’s posts is crazy, but if you read enough
after awhile you’ll begin to get an idea of what common load ranges are. And IMHO being safely in them is what you want as a beginner. Not too low nor too high.
For information on how to load any of the manuals are good. They give basic instruction on how to perform the whole process. This is especially useful if you have no one to teach you. I like the Lyman manual about best. Hornady and Speer are also good, but are bullet brand specific. Online info from powder manufacturers is a reliable source of loads.
Enjoy the hobby. By the way the 257 Roberts is not a wildcat and hasn't been since 1930's. Not very common however.
Enjoy the hobby. By the way the 257 Roberts is not a wildcat and hasn't been since 1930's. Not very common however.
Anymore these days a smart person can glean what they need to know off the internet, but there are a lot of morons on the internet as well. Jump on in, the waters, fine, and the piranha agree.
A good reloading manual has much more than data in it, and is a great teaching tool. Yes, more powders are out these days, and some won't be in manuals for a bit, but the powder companies all put out data in PDF form these days. They want it available so people are more apt to use their product. They don't put out "how to" PDFs though.
If you read and re-read a good manual before coming to ask questions, those questions will be more educated, intelligent, and the answers will be easier to sift through and understand. Not all the answers will be great ones, even here, where the vast majority of advise is sound, and much of it very good.
A good reloading manual has much more than data in it, and is a great teaching tool. Yes, more powders are out these days, and some won't be in manuals for a bit, but the powder companies all put out data in PDF form these days. They want it available so people are more apt to use their product. They don't put out "how to" PDFs though.
If you read and re-read a good manual before coming to ask questions, those questions will be more educated, intelligent, and the answers will be easier to sift through and understand. Not all the answers will be great ones, even here, where the vast majority of advise is sound, and much of it very good.
Grumulkin
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For the 30-30 Winchester and 45 Colt you should do just fine with data available for free from the web sites of powder manufactures. If you have a gun capable of good accuracy and you're trying to get the very best accuracy then having a variety of manuals is quite useful.
I doubt that many of the new powders give a big advantage over the older ones. In addition, I'll predict that the powder manufactures will stop making at least some of them. I bought a pound of Winchester 780 which in one cartridge (I've only tried it in one) worked well. So, I went to the trouble to work up a load with Winchester 780 and now it's no longer made. Maybe it's not a scam to sell more components but it smells a bit like one.
Jim Watson
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i agree that free powder charge data in print or www is the way to go.
But you need a reference manual beside your press on how to get those powder charges assembled into safe and accurate ammo. "Process" as somebody said.
By the way, the .257 Roberts wildcat status is and was Never. The rifles and chambers that Neidner and Griffin & Howe turned out under the .25 Roberts monicker are not what Remington commercialized. They are not reverse compatible and you cannot shoot a .257 Roberts in a .25 Roberts Spanish Mauser which so many gunwriters worry about. You have to look elsewhere for the chronic underloading of a found made for the Remington Model 30 and Winchester Model 54.
But you need a reference manual beside your press on how to get those powder charges assembled into safe and accurate ammo. "Process" as somebody said.
By the way, the .257 Roberts wildcat status is and was Never. The rifles and chambers that Neidner and Griffin & Howe turned out under the .25 Roberts monicker are not what Remington commercialized. They are not reverse compatible and you cannot shoot a .257 Roberts in a .25 Roberts Spanish Mauser which so many gunwriters worry about. You have to look elsewhere for the chronic underloading of a found made for the Remington Model 30 and Winchester Model 54.
tcj
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I use the Hornady, Lyman & Speer manuals (different bullets & loads) as well as the powder manufacturer's web-site data. You should always cross-check any source with another in case one has an error. Also, pay attention to the bullet types, coal and barrel info that the loads were tested in and always ladder test your loads from the minimum.
Personally, I have not replaced/updated any of my manuals for several years now as I have not seen the need.
Personally, I have not replaced/updated any of my manuals for several years now as I have not seen the need.
TheDomFather
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I have Lyman, Hornady, Speer and Sierra manuals. If you shoot a projectile that is manufactured by one of those vendors then I would suggest having their manual. I also check the powder manufacturers data which is free and available on their website. You can then use this to cross reference the two as they frequently will have data for the same load with different primers that were used and also different COL. This will give you more data to work from, I also find that Hornady's manual is usually a bit on the conservative side. For every load I work up I try to have at least 2 data points I am sourcing from and compare the two. Usually one of the 4 manuals above and the powder manufacturer is a good way to get two sets of data to compare.
Orcon
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I like to have at least 2 sources to consult for my reloading, the bullet manufacturer and the powder manufacturer. You will notice that bullet makers load data is often quite mild and they don't tell you what chamber pressures were reached. Powder manufacturers will push load developement to max pressures for maximum velocity.
spitballer
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I've never outgrown Lee's "Modern Reloading" and would recommend it to anyone.
Further to what walkalong and others have said: About 1/3 to 1/2 of the pages of a good reloading manual are load data. The other 2/3 to 1/2 of the pages aren't there for ballast.
My first step in learning to reload was to watch a friend reload. Step two was to buy and read two manuals cover-to-cover. I strongly recommend that to anyone who is interested in truly understand reloading.
Also, note that it is valuable to have more than one source of data for a given powder/cartridge/bullet weight. For a whole host of reasons. Free data from the powder maker is one very good source. Having a second source to cross-reference is valuable.
This ain't like baking a batch of Duncan Hines brownies. This is actual baking from scratch. You need to understand what is happening.
My first step in learning to reload was to watch a friend reload. Step two was to buy and read two manuals cover-to-cover. I strongly recommend that to anyone who is interested in truly understand reloading.
Also, note that it is valuable to have more than one source of data for a given powder/cartridge/bullet weight. For a whole host of reasons. Free data from the powder maker is one very good source. Having a second source to cross-reference is valuable.
This ain't like baking a batch of Duncan Hines brownies. This is actual baking from scratch. You need to understand what is happening.
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
I like them electronic so I can read them on my Ipad and then enter the data into my IOS load database. My dad says get as many reloading manuals as you can possibly find. Then vet your data closely using multiply sources.
I started with a Speer #11 manual in the early 1980's (had been using borrowed copies of other people's manuals before that) and added a Hodgdon manual and a Hornady #4. Even though I have subsequent editions of the Hornady Manual and have added manuals from other powder makers and equipment makers, I still regularly use my Hornady #4 since its "How to Reload" section is where I really learned how to reload correctly and so I know exactly where to go when I have a question.
Also, if you look around, you don't have to drop $40 on a manual. Amazon has the softcover version of Lyman #50 (current edition) for about $25. You can find Hornady #8 or Hornady #9 for as little as $10 if you look for it.
Also, remember, that manuals don't become "obsolete" as much as they get updated for new calibers and new powders. If you're loading Alliant's Bullseye into 45 ACP cartridges, Hornady #4 will give you the same data as you would get from Hornady #8. The major difference is that if you're loading for 300 Blackout or you're looking for data on polymer tip bullets or you're looking for data on the new Sport Pistol powder, you won't find it in an older manual.
Also, remember, that manuals don't become "obsolete" as much as they get updated for new calibers and new powders. If you're loading Alliant's Bullseye into 45 ACP cartridges, Hornady #4 will give you the same data as you would get from Hornady #8. The major difference is that if you're loading for 300 Blackout or you're looking for data on polymer tip bullets or you're looking for data on the new Sport Pistol powder, you won't find it in an older manual.
I agree.
Hardly a day goes by on this or other internet boards but someone comes along and posts something like, "Can someone give me the best load for Green Dot in 45 ACP?" If we ignore the fact nobody can tell someone else what the "best load" is for a gun they have never seen, the person making such a request has no idea whether the response is coming from a skilled hobbyist with decades of experience or a sadist hoping to ruin someone's gun and maim them.
I have a couple e-book manuals on a nook. While I think it's good, I get a nagging feeling about what happens when the app/e-book is no longer supported by software or platform.
What many many NEW reloaders fail to understand is that reloading manuals are NOT just reload data! As in what charge to I use for xyz bullet in this caliber.
The information is the first chapters is what is important. To understand what is going on with pressure, case prep and all that kind of stuff.
I like Hornady but there again I am used to reading books, so I think it is good to have as many as you can.
Hornady, Speer, Lyman , Lee all have things to offer and the physics does not change, Yes new editions come out but there is not much difference. Maybe a few powders added.
Many reloaders today just want the "easy" way and how much powder do I use for this or that, the basics need to learned but that is true in any craft or skill, to know what and why you are doing something.
The information is the first chapters is what is important. To understand what is going on with pressure, case prep and all that kind of stuff.
I like Hornady but there again I am used to reading books, so I think it is good to have as many as you can.
Hornady, Speer, Lyman , Lee all have things to offer and the physics does not change, Yes new editions come out but there is not much difference. Maybe a few powders added.
Many reloaders today just want the "easy" way and how much powder do I use for this or that, the basics need to learned but that is true in any craft or skill, to know what and why you are doing something.
Orcon
Member
This. If you aren't familiar with the mechanics of internal ballistics you may just find yourself starting a thread asking why your jammed-to-the-lands max loads are wrecking your brass and printing like a shotgun...or worse.
I can't remember what board I was on but there was a guy having brass issues, cases coming out all dented and sooty and whatnot. The guy had read it on the internet that the best way to seat your bullets is all the way out to the lands. Well, he had so little bullet in the case-neck that the bullet was free of the neck before the powder was even burning.
gonoles_1980
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What do you do if the internet is down or you have a power outage? Can still reload if you have a manual. I like to read the information and history about the bullets, and other information in the chapters. I have both the Speer and Layman manuals, probably should get the Lee. When I have to build up a new load, I like to look at multiple sources.
Well, presumably one is keeping some sort of logbook with prior loads...
But, yeah, buy some books for a whole host of reasons.
Sunray
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"...the Lee manual..." Is Hodgdon data. Lee tests nothing themselves. All the data in their manual/pamphlet came from somebody else.
There really is no best anything but the Lyman book is far more versatile than any bullet or powder makers book. It has more loads, using more bullet weights than any bullet or powder makers book.
There is no obsolete manual either. All of 'em take at least 2 years or more to run the tests, compile the data and publish. However, a 10 year old manual is just as safe as a brand new one. Only difference will be the velocities.
There really is no best anything but the Lyman book is far more versatile than any bullet or powder makers book. It has more loads, using more bullet weights than any bullet or powder makers book.
There is no obsolete manual either. All of 'em take at least 2 years or more to run the tests, compile the data and publish. However, a 10 year old manual is just as safe as a brand new one. Only difference will be the velocities.
That's about 99% true. Every once in a while, something changes materially. It's rare, but if you look carefully, you absolutely can find some previously-published loads from prior editions that get reduced in later ones. Or, sometimes, certain loads go away entirely (see Alliant warning about Blue Dot use in some pistol calibers that had prior published loads).
This is one reason that it's good to have both print materials and check online when working up new loads. Cross-reference as much as you can. My first step when I'm working up a load is to find load data for the cartrigde and powder and bullet weight/type, etc., and write down as many different load ranges as I can find. I feel much more comfortable knowing the output of several different testing labs.
ray15
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If you are using bullets from a maker that also publishes a loading manual, I'd get it. More often reloaders gravitate towards the most economical bullet possible, for which there may be no published load data, and you have to adapt data published for a different projectile. In those cases I recommend checking your results with a chronograph to ensure whatever you've used as a starting load is low enough, as well as giving feedback on how near to max you are as you work up from the starting load.
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