Reloading manual recommendation
- Thread starter bigstone
- Start date
I just started reloading a few years ago, started out with a Hornady manual, came with the kit. As I got more into it, swapping out tools from the kit to fit my likes I started looking for another loading manual. I now have 3-4 different manuals and use all of them I find being able to compare max/min loads and then base my starting and step loads on those.
I find the Hodgdon online reloading charts the most convenient, I can input my info, print them out and put them into the appropriate spot in my reloading binder. Hodgdons info is free online, which is another benefit.
I find the Hodgdon online reloading charts the most convenient, I can input my info, print them out and put them into the appropriate spot in my reloading binder. Hodgdons info is free online, which is another benefit.
Depart123
The Lee manual is great because they literally copy thier data from many other sources. It is by far the most extensive in it's sampling. However, many of the cartridge specifics are absent like: barrel length, type of brass used, primer used, overall length loaded to, cartridge drawings/dimensions...etc.
The Lyman manual has all of the particulars about the cartridge and the data seems to be independently verified. The Lyman lists odd data for things like reduced loads and lead bullet loads as well.
I have about 20 reloading manuals at my disposal, and these 2 are the ones that reached for most often.
The thing to keep in mind is, manuals that are put out by bullet manufacturers obviously use thier bullets, but they also favor certain brands of powders.
Manuals put out by powder manufacturers of course use thier powders, but also have preferences for the bullets they include.
Manuals like the Lyman and Lee are put out by die makers, so they are more prone to a larger more diverse sampling.
The Lyman manual has all of the particulars about the cartridge and the data seems to be independently verified. The Lyman lists odd data for things like reduced loads and lead bullet loads as well.
I have about 20 reloading manuals at my disposal, and these 2 are the ones that reached for most often.
The thing to keep in mind is, manuals that are put out by bullet manufacturers obviously use thier bullets, but they also favor certain brands of powders.
Manuals put out by powder manufacturers of course use thier powders, but also have preferences for the bullets they include.
Manuals like the Lyman and Lee are put out by die makers, so they are more prone to a larger more diverse sampling.
Toolbreaker
Gold $$ Contributor
+1 on the Lee manual for a general purpose loading manual. It covers a variety of bullet and powder manufacturers. Once you find a bullet/bullets your barrel likes, then check the bullet manufacturer's suggestions on powder. Keep in mind that most manuals show loads that are set at SAAMI COAL, so if you have your seating depth set considerably further out freeing up some boiler room, testing with slightly slower powders than listed may be beneficial also.
Just my two cents. This is my experience.
Picking one of the major bullet manufacturer's books is a great source of information, not just load data. With the rapid evolution of powder almost all if not all of the manufacturers put their load data on the net.
Personally, I don't like Hornady's load data but the rest of the information is great. I find their data too conservative.
Sierra and Nosler have their load data on the website or a free app. If you plan on shooting Berger bullets then I would recommend their manual for it's load data. Personally I shoot predominantly Sierra and Berger bullets with a little Nosler and Hornady thrown in from time to time.
So what do I have and use?
Nosler 6th Edition & Website
Hornady 8th Edition
Lyman 49th Edition
Sierra App
Hodgdon magazine & websIte (I use VV and IMR powders for the most part)
VihtaVuori website
I need to purchase the Berger manual.
Picking one of the major bullet manufacturer's books is a great source of information, not just load data. With the rapid evolution of powder almost all if not all of the manufacturers put their load data on the net.
Personally, I don't like Hornady's load data but the rest of the information is great. I find their data too conservative.
Sierra and Nosler have their load data on the website or a free app. If you plan on shooting Berger bullets then I would recommend their manual for it's load data. Personally I shoot predominantly Sierra and Berger bullets with a little Nosler and Hornady thrown in from time to time.
So what do I have and use?
Nosler 6th Edition & Website
Hornady 8th Edition
Lyman 49th Edition
Sierra App
Hodgdon magazine & websIte (I use VV and IMR powders for the most part)
VihtaVuori website
I need to purchase the Berger manual.
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LA50SHOOTER
Sworn To Protect The Constitution.
Hornady, Sierra, Speer, Nosler, Hodgdon, etc. have good "How to Reload Tutorials" in their manuals.
For the actual data of Bullets & Powder I like to gather as much "on-site" information as I can using a modified case gage to deturmine "starting" COAL and deturmine true H2O capacity of my individual rifle & its barrel & chamber, and plug the values into Quick-Load so that I can see what the predicted pressure & velocities are with my barrel length given several different powders. - And I base powder selection off of a few factors, one being what has been reported to work well by other promenent shooters (some who are here on this forum). - And I sometimes bounce what I've concluded as a "starting point" (using Q/L) to another source of reloading data, be it a manual or say Hodgdon's on-line reloading portal. - This method I believe has helped me get good / safe starting loads and has saved time & components by doing it.
In short, there are a bunch of ways to do it that work and are safe. - I'm looking to try to find a good load that is accurate and not use up a lot of components, time, & barrel wear in the process of getting there.
For the actual data of Bullets & Powder I like to gather as much "on-site" information as I can using a modified case gage to deturmine "starting" COAL and deturmine true H2O capacity of my individual rifle & its barrel & chamber, and plug the values into Quick-Load so that I can see what the predicted pressure & velocities are with my barrel length given several different powders. - And I base powder selection off of a few factors, one being what has been reported to work well by other promenent shooters (some who are here on this forum). - And I sometimes bounce what I've concluded as a "starting point" (using Q/L) to another source of reloading data, be it a manual or say Hodgdon's on-line reloading portal. - This method I believe has helped me get good / safe starting loads and has saved time & components by doing it.
In short, there are a bunch of ways to do it that work and are safe. - I'm looking to try to find a good load that is accurate and not use up a lot of components, time, & barrel wear in the process of getting there.
pirate ammo
Guaranteed to take the wind out of their sails
I got 9 different ones, and I use them all.
MikeT124
Silver $$ Contributor
My primary go-to manual is the Hornady 10th edition is the current one, I also have manuals from all the powder manufacturers that produce them, Lyman 49th or 50th (not sure). I try to keep up to date so new ones that are produced annually are ones I get. Most of my bullet purchases are Hornady thus I use their manual as my primary info source and dispute settler. If you purchase most of your bullets from a single manufacturer and they produce a manual that would be the one I would recommend.
Mike
Mike
Whisky Tahoe Foxtrot
Silver $$ Contributor
You can find Hodgdon data online as well as data on other powder suppliers.
However, I recommend starting with data from your bullet supplier.
Berger data for Berger bullets, Nosler data for Nosler bullets, etc.
Bullets from different manufacturers can have similar weights but very different bearing surface lengths, the part of the bullet contacting the barrel, which varies pressure.
Managing the pressure safely ensures you won't have a problem. This is the reason starting below maximum but at or slightly above minimum loads is recommended. Loading below minimum loads is not recommended.
However, I recommend starting with data from your bullet supplier.
Berger data for Berger bullets, Nosler data for Nosler bullets, etc.
Bullets from different manufacturers can have similar weights but very different bearing surface lengths, the part of the bullet contacting the barrel, which varies pressure.
Managing the pressure safely ensures you won't have a problem. This is the reason starting below maximum but at or slightly above minimum loads is recommended. Loading below minimum loads is not recommended.
Great list by @Doom One other web site that I use, Alliant.
Berger has great bullets but they are slow to add their latest bullets. Previously they had load data on their web site for some bullets that weren’t in their manual yet, but I think they removed those.
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
I like the Lyman manuals. I find, like previously mentioned, they are not bias to one make of powder, bullet, primer or case.
rkittine
Gold $$ Contributor
I always recommend the Lyman manual for the first manual, either metallic or shogun. After that I, like some have added at least a dozen more to the mix as well as subscribing to an online reloading data site. And, don't throw away your old ones as you replace them with new ones. For some cartridges, like the .22 Jet, the newer manuals no longer show the loads for these, so when you don't find a cartridge, you can look back.
Bob
Bob
If you have read this thread down to this point, you already know two things. First, there is no one manual that will serve everyone’s needs, and second, sooner or later you will own several manuals (books, pamphlets, etc) as your needs and interests change.
I have been reloading for half a century now. I was fortunate that at some time my father acquired a copy of Philip B Sharpe’s “Complete Guide to Hand Loading”, which was my first reloading manual. It was and still is a marvelous book, and so well structured that you can read any one of the many chapters on different Handloading topics at a sitting without loss of content. It remains close at hand as I write this.
As much as I love this book and the principles it teaches, it is technically obsolete, especially where loads are concerned. 30 years ago I supplemented Sharpe’s with the two volume set of Sierra manuals, divided between pistol and rifle calibers. Now with the addition of new powders, bullets and cartridges it too has become dated and I have recently acquired the newest Sierra manual.
For the most part, I have settled on three diffierent cartridges now: .223 Rem, .308 Winchester and good old 30-06. To supplement my Sierra manual, I have also purchased three of the “One Book/One Caliber” manuals. This gives me access to recommended loads across many sources, including bullet manufacturers and smokeless powder producers.
When considering a new bullet/propellant/caliber combination I consult almost all my different sources, weighing the pluses and minuses of each. Even then, I still start below the maximum recommended charge and sneak up on higher pressure loads. Every rifle/caliber/load is different.
I have been reloading for half a century now. I was fortunate that at some time my father acquired a copy of Philip B Sharpe’s “Complete Guide to Hand Loading”, which was my first reloading manual. It was and still is a marvelous book, and so well structured that you can read any one of the many chapters on different Handloading topics at a sitting without loss of content. It remains close at hand as I write this.
As much as I love this book and the principles it teaches, it is technically obsolete, especially where loads are concerned. 30 years ago I supplemented Sharpe’s with the two volume set of Sierra manuals, divided between pistol and rifle calibers. Now with the addition of new powders, bullets and cartridges it too has become dated and I have recently acquired the newest Sierra manual.
For the most part, I have settled on three diffierent cartridges now: .223 Rem, .308 Winchester and good old 30-06. To supplement my Sierra manual, I have also purchased three of the “One Book/One Caliber” manuals. This gives me access to recommended loads across many sources, including bullet manufacturers and smokeless powder producers.
When considering a new bullet/propellant/caliber combination I consult almost all my different sources, weighing the pluses and minuses of each. Even then, I still start below the maximum recommended charge and sneak up on higher pressure loads. Every rifle/caliber/load is different.
I also recommend the Lyman manual and more importantly "READING" the front part of the manual on how to reload. Also note if a specific rifle is listed in a manual a strain gauge was glued to the barrel and a known pressur cartridge is used to calibrate the reading. And with the Lyman manual, many of the loads are done with a universal receiver and a pressure test barrel using a copper crusher or direct pressure reading transducer. A pressure test barrel has a minimum SAAMI diameter bore that will generate the highest pressure.
Firearms and reloading components all vary along with the pressure test methods. And this is why the manuals vary and why you should start low and work up your loads and read your cases for excessive pressure signs.
NOTE, I pick up one of my many manuals every year and reread the front of the manual on reloading. This way if any information has leaked out of my ears it is replaced, and I have been reloading for over 48 years.
Firearms and reloading components all vary along with the pressure test methods. And this is why the manuals vary and why you should start low and work up your loads and read your cases for excessive pressure signs.
NOTE, I pick up one of my many manuals every year and reread the front of the manual on reloading. This way if any information has leaked out of my ears it is replaced, and I have been reloading for over 48 years.
SSL
Gold $$ Contributor
Since 90% of my loading involves Hornady bullets and Hodgdon powders, I rely on a very old Hornady manual and their latest one. I also use the Hodgdon on-line loading information as well as Nosler, Western Powders (Accurate Powder is also owned by them and the manual can be had free for downloading) and, occasionally Alliant, on-line programs. I get very tired of waiting for new information to be published in book form when new data is introduced in the on-line platforms much quicker.
I was vastly disappointed in the last few Lyman manuals due to a lack of updated powders and bullets. Way too much money for far to little current information. I think one is better served by buying a couple good books on the basics and mechanics of loading and then use the on-line sources (legitimate ones) for powder and load selection.
I was vastly disappointed in the last few Lyman manuals due to a lack of updated powders and bullets. Way too much money for far to little current information. I think one is better served by buying a couple good books on the basics and mechanics of loading and then use the on-line sources (legitimate ones) for powder and load selection.
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Most of the loading manuals published today do a good job but the one that stands out in my opinion, especially for a new loader is the Lyman Reloading Handbook.
The main reason I suggest this one is not necessarily for the load data, which is good, but for the detailed information on the loading process which is invaluable to a new loader.
If you're shooting a lot of a particular brand of bullets then getting their manual is a good choice. I shoot a lot of Sierra and Nosler bullets so these manuals are helpful since they cover the exact bullets I'm using.
The main reason I suggest this one is not necessarily for the load data, which is good, but for the detailed information on the loading process which is invaluable to a new loader.
If you're shooting a lot of a particular brand of bullets then getting their manual is a good choice. I shoot a lot of Sierra and Nosler bullets so these manuals are helpful since they cover the exact bullets I'm using.
Well I recommend buying the reloading manual for the bullets you use most. I use berger bullets almost exclusively and the berger manual is my go to. I sometimes crosscheck charges with hogdons on line data. Berger seems conservative and hogdons is usually higher.
Now it is interesting to compare data in several manuals for bullets of the same weight range. You will find them quite different. Bullets with different bearing length of the same weight fired out of different test barrels will give different results. Your barrel will give different results.
Data in reloading manuals is just a place to get started. Your barrel will tell you what it likes.
Now it is interesting to compare data in several manuals for bullets of the same weight range. You will find them quite different. Bullets with different bearing length of the same weight fired out of different test barrels will give different results. Your barrel will give different results.
Data in reloading manuals is just a place to get started. Your barrel will tell you what it likes.
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