What is the best reloading manual nowadays?

[acme_labs]

The 1960's Speer and P.O. Ackley books are a tad out of date for some of the rounds that are now available.

 

[moxie]

I like Speer and Lyman.

 

[ROAshooter]

all of them printed lately

 

[Hillbillyz]

I like Lyman's book.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

It's largely personal preference.

I like the Lyman #49 with the Speer manual a close 2nd.

 

[abijohn]

I have a good collection over the past few years but tend to use the one that is by the bullet manufacturer of the bullet I am using. Currently Hornady is most available around here.

 

[rcmodel]

Lyman #49 covers more jacketed and lead bullets in more calibers then anything else in print.

Speer gives more historical info on each cartridge then anyone else.
But the load data is limited to Speer bullets naturally.

But I could get by nicely with those two.

((Unless I was loading Nosler or Barnes wonder bullets with different core construction.)

rc

 

[cfullgraf]

all of them printed lately

Right.

Each one has a different focus. Bullet manufacturers only use their bullets in their manuals, powder manufacturers only use their powders in their manuals.

While buying all them is not a financial possibility for many, picking a couple/few that include the components used provides more varied information.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I like my Lee 2nd edition book and compared to the Lyman books, the loads are more aggressive.

 

[X-Ring]

Each one has a different focus. Bullet manufacturers only use their bullets in their manuals, powder manufacturers only use their powders in their manuals.

While buying all them is not a financial possibility for many, picking a couple/few that include the components used provides more varied information.

That is right, and Lyman doesn’t make bullets or powder so they use a selection of components for their data. No other manual shows more cast bullet data than Lyman. I have several others including Hornady, Speer, and Nosler. They all get used but Lyman’s 49th is used slightly more.

 

[rcmodel]

I like my Lee 2nd edition book and compared to the Lyman books, the loads are more aggressive.

Correct.
That is because everything in the Lee book is old data tested and published by the powder & bullet companies years ago.

Lee doesn't have a ballistic lab, and they don't have any current 'TESTED' data.

It's all just reprints of old stuff no longer covered by copyrights.

rc

 

[BullRunBear]

Almost all my shooting is with cast bullets so I get the most use out of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Second place is a tie between the Lee 2nd edition and Lyman 49th volume.

I keep others around because there is often helpful info even if the load data is out of date. For example, the old NRA Handloading book from around 1980 has good articles that I still refer to.

Jeff

 

[IWAC]

Lee, Lyman and Speer, not necessarily in that order. The rest are good, too!

 

[shootniron]

I have a new Speer that I am liking, a lot.

That said, I have several that I use, a lot.

 

[Trek]

rcmodel is correct about the Lee manuals. They do not have a ballistics lab and only publish old data from the other manuals from companies who do have ballistics labs. Not only am I concerned about the data being out of date, There could be copy errors. The more that data is copied, the higher the probability that copy errors occurred.

 

[gamestalker]

If your referring to a good instructional manual, I like Speer and Lyman. Speer is great though and really addresses the process of reloading in easy to understand terminology and steps.

As for data, I use the online sources a lot, Alliant & Hodgdon mostly. But I also buy a lot of Lyman books, the one's that address a various range of cartridges. They have some that contain data for cartridges that use a specific bullet calibers such as .224" would contain data for 22-250, .223, and such, then a book for .243" projectile cartridges, like 6mm rem, .243 for example.

I also have a bunch of "One Caliber, One Book" data books. But you have to be careful with this line of books, cause they aren't always up to date. But you can't really have too many books, IMHO.

GS

 

[kcofohio]

Lee,s & Lymans if you think you may get into casting. Both, covering their own products of course, go into detail of bullet casting along with jacketed/cast reloading.

 

[ATLDave]

I use Hornady, Speer, and Lyman. Speer usually shows the hottest loads. Hornady gives me much lower minimums... if you want to play around with light loads (in appropriate powders) that aren't just max-minus-10% (which is all most manuals give you, which isn't an actual minimum in most cases) Hornady is pretty useful. And as others have noted, Lyman picks up a lot of lead data that the others don't.

 

[Trailduster79]

Lyman #49, but I am looking to pick up a couple more as I venture into the world of some more unique rounds that Lyman doesn't have a ton of data on.

 

[Schwing]

Another vote for the Lyman 49th. I also get good info from the Hornady 9th. Between the 2, I can almost always find what I am looking for.

 

[Nature Boy]

Hornady because:

1) Their bullets are easy to find
2) Their bullets perform better in my rifle than most of the others
3) Their bullets provide the best "bang for the buck"
4) The manual is well written and organized

I have the latest Speer, Lyman and Sierra and use them when I load their bullets, but I keep coming back to the Hornady book

 

[mikebsr]

I like the Lyman #49, it seems to have everything I will ever need. Lots of cast information.

 

[Rule3]

Hornady , Speer, Lyman

They all have something to offer but the BEST one is the one you actually read and use.

Not just load data but the beginning chapters that actually explain reloading principles

 

[The Bushmaster]

I have several, but use Lyman's 49th edition and Sierra.

 

[TimSr]

Lyman's for cast and lead, Speer for jacketed bullets.