The ABC's of Reloading book question

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When I look for this book on Amazon, I find that there are different editions and with different authors. What is the deal with this???

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I ask this because I was going to recommend it to someone at work, but I'm sure they will ask which one. I have the 7th edition.
 
I would get the newest one, the 9th edition with the 2011 date.

The others are earlier editions with different editors. Two of the books on the page are not "ABCs of Reloading", but other books with similar titles. They probably have good information as well.

Older manuals always have good information as the editors change the content a little from edition to edition but for starters, I would get the most current.
 
I just checked out the 9th edition from the county library. There's still dated material in it, but clearly they've been updating sections. That's likely the reason you see different editions. It would make sense to buy the latest one.
 
Some of the early editions were written by Dean Grennell (#1-4 I believe). He was a very entertaining writer who really knew his stuff. I was reading these when I first got started and still enjoy looking things up and getting his perspective on things. If you see any of these around they are worth picking up in my opinion. Relavant pricipals have not changed.
 
The newest (9th edition) is poor due to its extremely dated material the publisher threw-in to get something out the door; the 8th edition or earlier ones are superior.

And like Joatman said, anything written by Grennell is worth reading.
 
Just finished reading the 9th Ed of The ABCs of Reloading and am wondering why it's so highly recommended? The info I am getting from reading this forum for the past months has been worth so much more.

Thank you all.
 
It doesn't really matter what edition you get as the procedures haven't changed in the last 50-years or so. I have the 4th edition of the ABCs (1980s) and it does just as good a job of teaching the basics as does the 2010 edition. Handloader magazine was first released in 1966. Its reloading articles contain the same procedures then as it does now.

The presses, powder measures, and dies also haven't changed much in that time. For example, a 2011 Dillon doesn't do a better job of reloading .45ACP than a Star (which the Dillons are based on) built in 1932. My 1930s era B&M powder measure does just as good a job as a new Harrell or Quick-Measure, and any quality dies made in the last century load just as accurate ammo as a set made last week.

What has changed are the components and specialized tools (tumblers, headspace gauges, etc) some find necessary.

Oh, and like my earlier post stated, I don't recommend getting that particular edition.

The basic reloading sections found in any component manual (Hornady, Lyman, Speer, and Sierra to name a few) have excellent chapters relating to learning the basics.
 
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