Recommended Reloading Manuals

[Lord Kimbote]

Hello All,

I recently purchased the 8th edition of the Hornady reloading manual, and I like it as long as I am loading Hornady bullets.

However, most of the bullets I have been buying at good prices are common but lower quality companies (Berry's, PRVI, X-Treme, etc.). I was hoping to get some input on which manual I should look for next that would have a wider range of bullet types to more closely approximate the loads I am creating.

For example, for 8x57 Mauser, I am using PRVI Partizan 175 gr. BT SP. Hornday lists a 170 gr. RN or 195 gr. SP with nothing in between (though there is data for much lighter/heavier bullets).

Short of buying caliber specific load books (which still don't include most of the info I am looking for), which manuals would you all recommend?

 

[rcmodel]

Lyman #49 has a broader selection of bullets types & weights from different makers then any other.
Except Lee, and they very often don't tell you what brand of bullet they are talking about, or even a suggested OAL.

But even Lyman #49 does not list PRVI Partizan 175 grain 8mm BT-SP bullets.
That right there is a pretty strange animal in America.

Hodgdon website does list a 175 Sierra SP though.

Sometimes you have to whip out your Ouija board and conjure up a starting load from what you can find.

rc

 

[Lord Kimbote]

Reloading Manuals

rcmodel,

I actually used the 175 gr. Sierra load from the Hogdon website when I made up my first batch of the 8x57. I am leaning toward the Lyman manual, I am happy to hear it is worthwhile.

Thanks for the input.

 

[lightman]

I also like and recommend the Lyman.I also like the Sierra. Lightman

 

[beatledog7]

I'm new to the game, but I like the Lyman. If what you're seeking isn't there exactly there's something close enough so you can safely start light and work up.

I like the Hornady for Hornady bullets, but for other brands it sometimes falls short. Also, it seems like a waste of space to publish four in-bewteen loads; a starting load and a max is all that's needed since you can interpolate the others.

 

[HOWARD J]

http://www.midwayusa.com/Find?&userSearchQuery=reloading+manual&itemsPerPage=20&pageNumber=3

Lots of info in this copy of manuals

 

[cfullgraf]

There is no one reloading manual that does it all. As you have found, the manufacturers cover only their products in their manuals. Bullet manufacturers only do their bullets, powder manufacturers only do their powders.

Lyman 49 is rare in that Lyman covers a broader range of products.

The Load Books are a compilation of data from other manuals. So, if you have other books, much of what is in a particular Load Book would be duplicate information. But, you get load data for the cartridge from other sources that you do not wish to purchase the entire manual.

Manufacturers' web sites tend to have some more current information than their printed manual.

I have manuals from Sierra, Hornady, Speer, Lyman, Hodgdon, Accurate Arms, and Ramshot powders. I purchased or obtained the manuals as needed so that the cash expenditure was not all at once.

But as remodel said, sometimes you look at all the data on hand and get out the Ouija board.

 

[Lord Kimbote]

Reloading Manuals

Thanks everybody, you have given me some excellent information.

I just bought a 49th Ed. Lyman for $20.

 

[rfwobbly]

I actually used the 175 gr. Sierra load....

If you are looking for a second manual, then the one from Sierra is most excellent. But I agree, buy the Lyman first.

 

[northark147]

I use both lyman, and Hornady. I sometimes fgill in from powder sites. Haven't had a bad kaboom yet

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have almost all the manuals and always pull out Lyman first.

 

[BYJO4]

You made a good choice in getting the Lyman manual. While I have a number of reloading books, I almost always use the Lyman manual in conjunction with the others.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm glad you bought the Lyman 49th Edition manual, it's a good one. If you start loading lead bullets the Lyman 4th Edition Cast Handbook is also a very good buy. It's not a reprint of the full 49th Edition book and they add a lot of data from bullets made from molds other than Lyman in the Cast Handbook.

 

[RentaCop]

My fav is still Hogden #26

 

[loadedround]

I am partial to two manuals; the Lyman, and the current Speer manual. I also have and use the Nosler manual also since I'm partial to their Ballistic Tip bullets.

 

[rodinal220]

Lyman