Reloading manuals

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  • midnightSGT

    Active Member
    Oct 17, 2013
    756
    Calvert County
    Whats your GO TO manual and why? Which manuals list the "Best Load or Most accurate loads"?
     

    stu929

    M1 Addict
    Jan 2, 2012
    6,605
    Hagerstown
    That's kind of a loaded question.

    My hornady book has been ok to me but I also check my lyman book as it has far more recipes and much wider load ranges.

    I will always have the lyman book though as it includes service rifle loadings which I have several.
     

    BUFF7MM

    ☠Buff➐㎣☠
    Mar 4, 2009
    13,576
    Garrett County
    That's kind of a loaded question.

    My hornady book has been ok to me but I also check my lyman book as it has far more recipes and much wider load ranges.

    I will always have the lyman book though as it includes service rifle loadings which I have several.

    Stu is right, I'll have to edit my other post, my cast stuff I look at my Lyman cast bullet handbook.:thumbsup:
     

    stu929

    M1 Addict
    Jan 2, 2012
    6,605
    Hagerstown
    I have a nosler book and don't care for it. Seems to be more limited than the other twoI mentioned.

    Never hurts to have more books but I was a bit disappointed with it.
     

    Deep Creek Rock

    .._. .._ _._. _._ .._
    Most manuals will list best & most accurate loads in a boldface, or a mark of some sort.

    But what you need to keep in mind, that was with the equipment, test barrel or gun that they used for testing, and that may not yield the same thing for what you are loading for.

    The Loadbooks USA, can be good books to compare everyones data in one book. But if you load for many calibers, then you end up with a pile of those.

    Lee's manual is a compilation of most of the powder companies data. Lee does not do their own pressure testing or load development. Most of what Lee publishes is available online for free via powder companies web sites.

    I like Speers loading manual, as they give you cartridge background, as well as what to look for problem wise that pertains to the particular caliber you are loading for.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Most manuals will list best & most accurate loads in a boldface, or a mark of some sort.

    But what you need to keep in mind, that was with the equipment, test barrel or gun that they used for testing, and that may not yield the same thing for what you are loading for.

    This.

    You need to work up your load, not turn to page 75, "Most Accurate Load" and load up 20 or 30.

    I like Speers loading manual

    And this.
     

    rj91jeep

    Active Member
    Feb 16, 2011
    185
    Westminster, MD
    I usually use the info off of Hodgdon's website. I want to get the hornady manual since I use alot of their bullets but have not pulled the trigger on it yet
     

    Shamr0ck

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 6, 2011
    2,505
    Frederick
    I also like the one book, one caliber books as it makes it very easy to cross reference powders across calibers/bullet manufacturers
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    What I keep around and use:

    Lyman

    Sierra

    Hornady

    Speer

    And I print out load data from the powder companies for the calibers I load:

    Hodgdon (includes IMR and WW), Accurate, Ramshot, Alliant
     

    midnightSGT

    Active Member
    Oct 17, 2013
    756
    Calvert County
    This.

    You need to work up your load, not turn to page 75, "Most Accurate Load" and load up 20 or 30.



    And this.
    Thank you. Yes I know that the load needs to be worked up safely. I just like reading the other loads and get a "feel" for what is working well for other shooters.

    Good stuff here, thanks guys.:party29:
     

    damifinowfish

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 14, 2009
    2,241
    Remulak
    I also like the one book, one caliber books as it makes it very easy to cross reference powders across calibers/bullet manufacturers


    Just remember that powder chemistry changes from time to time.

    It's good to cross reference your load data from several creditable and current references.

    My all in one books tend to be very old load data tables from out of print books.

    I'm not too happy with the Hornady book. I think the loads are on the light side from my experience.

    Just my .02 for what it is worth these days.
     

    Traveler

    Lighten up Francis
    Jan 18, 2013
    8,227
    AA County
    I have six. My favorites are the Lyman and Lee books. The Speer is useful for older powders.
     
    Last edited:

    DocSavage

    The Man of Bronze
    May 30, 2012
    460
    Crofton
    I'm not too happy with the Hornady book. I think the loads are on the light side from my experience. Just my .02 for what it is worth these days.

    This^^^

    I'm a 300BLK kid and Hornady's 9th was the source of ALL of my FTF and FT battery because I used their dimensions listed - 1.40!? Ha! Worse was the answer given, "Oh yeah, we know about that - it's addressed in our errata on the website..."

    Makes me wonder what else is wrong?

    I just got the Sierra book, I like the ability to add pages for extra load info. Thinking about getting Lyman next. You can never have too much good information!

    Cheers,

    Doc
     

    DocAitch

    Active Member
    Jun 22, 2011
    679
    North of Baltimore
    I almost never start loading a new bullet or powder without checking at least two sources. I learn new stuff all the time.
    I have a number of manuals (Lee,Lyman, Speer, Sierra, Loadbooks) but generally pick up the Lee manual first because it addresses the most bullet shapes/weights, as well as covering most powders. I don't particularly care who developed the data.
    DocAitch
     

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