What Are Your Top 2 or 3 Reloading Manuals

[smokeywolf]

Getting the itch to add to my small library of literature. I do not yet have "Cartridges of the World" in my collection and started researching reviews and opinions on it. It seems that some of the older obsolete cartridges have been eliminated from the newer editions for the sake of making room for info on newer cartridges.
I'm more interested in info on the older cartridges since I myself am somewhat of an antique who enjoys shooting antique rifles & pistols.

What are your top 2 or 3 reloading reference books? The first book or books you grab when you need load and cartridge info.

smokeywolf

[btroj]

Lyman manuals. Newer older, they are always first. Both the cast bullet ones and the regular ones.

[Olevern]

Lyman and Hornady manuals. Lyman for cast and Hornady for jacketed.

[jabo52521]

Lyman for cast and Lee for jacketed info.

[winelover]

For cast, I use Lyman, RCBS's Cast Bullet Manual and Accurate's Big Red Manual. Besides, I like Accurate powders and they usually have loads for lead boolets.

Winelover

[captaint]

Not really a loading manual, but I go to Ken Waters' Pet Loads quite often. I have the old Speer
#9 often and the Lyman Cast Boolit Book. An older one. Then I check the Accurate and other published ones on line. Mike

[Chihuahua Floyd]

#1 - Lyman 48th Reloading Handbool
#2 - LymanCast Bullet Handbook
#3 - Powder manufacturer's website
2 copies of other Lyman manuals, Accurate and Speer books.
CF

[41 mag fan]

Lyman and powder websites

[Rocky Raab]

My reloading library is measured in feet of shelf space. ALL of them are useful at one time or another.

Here are my general rules for using reloading data:

Use the bullet maker's data as the primary load reference (this for jacketed, obviously)
Use the powder maker's data as a secondary data source.
In the event of a serious discrepancy, use the Lyman books as arbiter.
Use the most current data for the components in use. (When using an obsolete or discontinued powder/bullet, use the last published data available.)
Never use a load posted on the internet from only one source.

[dromia]

All the Lyman manuals and Pet loads.

[texassako]

I like the Lyman line of books(49th, cast, and handgun) and the current Hornady book, but I find myself getting most of my load info off the Loaddata website anymore. Easy load cross reference, you can narrow down the load choices pretty well, prints out nice, and costs about as much as a reloading book per year.

[ukrifleman]

Lee's Modern Reloading Second Edition
ukrifleman.

[Rusty Goose]

A while back I scored two large boxes of books from a gunsmith that had retired. Among the many, many older books were several versions of Hornady Handbook, Lyman and Speer reloading handbooks. Funny, other than a few new rounds coming into existence, all data remains the same, they're still my go-to reference material.

That and 40+ year old Gun Digests, Shooters Bible a 1969 Guns & Ammo annual, Hatcher's Notebook, NRA's Gunsmithing books and disassembly schematics, etc.

Rusty

[jmort]

"Modern Reloading" by Richard Lee

[Boyscout]

Hornandy, Lyman, Lee in that order. They all have their strengths but I really like the history behind each caliber in the Hornandy Manual.

[Huntducks]

All the Lyman manuals and Pet loads.

Same here + Powder Mfg. and Speer wildcat loads.

[lightman]

For reference, I like Cartridges of the World, and Pet Loads. Hatcher's Notebook is another favorite. For loading, I like the Lyman best and then Sierra. I have several, both from the powder companies and the bullet companies. Lightman

[Jack Stanley]

The Lyman forty-fifth edition or the cast bullet manual with the browninsh cover and notebook slots ( sorry I don't know which issue it is ) and usually an older Speer Manual . Those are the ones I use the most but they are not alone on the shelf .

Jack

[drklynoon]

Lyman 46th and Lyman 43rd and Lyman cast bullet handbook 3rd and Hornady newer and Hornady 4th and then LEE,sierra, and speer manuals. I also check online and I still feel like I don't have enough info.

[Wolfer]

My lee gets the most use. My Lyman's get the least. Mostly because my favorite powder for jacketed loads in nearly every big rifle I own is H-4350. Lyman has no data for this powder.
My Lyman cast manual doesn't list 2400 in some of the cartridges I use it in, however they don't have much competion in this field.

My old Sierra manual leans heavily on IMR powders. Great powder but I use a lot of Hodgen and Alliant. My Nosler manual is so old and outdated its a wonder it's not wrote on papyrus.
I have all the freebies and when working up a new load I consult them all.

[MT Gianni]

Pet Loads by Ken Waters and Ly Cast handbook #3. Also rans are the Hornaday manual, LY #45, R. Lee #2, and net sites. Infrequent are Accurate Powder #1 [AA said to toss them all but you know how it goes], Speer #11, and a couple of others.

[Fishman]

Lyman and sierra. I have others but these I turn to first.

[dilly]

I generally prefer my Speer manual to my Lyman for jacketed loads, but my Lyman cast bullet manual is invaluable. If I had more I would probably be a little more helpful.

A buddy of mine picked up a Nosler manual and it looked like it would be great for a shooter who specializes in jacketed rifle rounds

[rintinglen]

Lyman 3rd edition Cast Bullet Handbook, Speer Number 12, RCBS Cast Bullet Manual No. 1 are my mainstays, but I also use the 3rd Edition Lyman Pistol and Revolver Handbook a lot. I have many others, but these are my mainstays. If I could only have one, it would be the Lyman 3rd Edition Cast Bullet Handbook. Although somewhat dated, it covers a lot of calibers better than the more recent 4th edition and has loads for many boolits that are not even mentioned in the 4th edition book.

[dale2242]

Lyman, Speer and Hornady. In that order....dale

[375supermag]

I most often use either the Lyman or Hornady reloading manuals.
I also refer and cross-reference with the Speer and Sierra manuals.
I use the one caliber booklets from LoadbooksUSA,Inc. Every time I buy dies for a new caliber, I buy the relevant Load book.

I look up loads on-line, as well. I use nothing from the 'net unless I can verify it in a printed reloading manual.

[Kermit2]

Lyman, Lee, and Hornady. Lyman is #1 as I shoot a lot of cast boolits. Lee IMHO is a good reference for double or triple checking. Hornady helps me as I shoot a Hornady bullets in my .222 and .308. My favorite is the Lyman manual.

[Rocky Raab]

I know this is a cast bullet website, but most of us do load jacketed bullets as well. So this cautionary note is in order.

Bullet weight is not the only factor in pressure levels. A different jacketed bullet EVEN OF THE SAME WEIGHT can change peak pressure by 10,000 psi - or more - with the same load. Using one maker's load data with somebody else's bullet can get you into real trouble. That's why I suggested using the bullet maker's data as your primary source. If you shoot Speer bullets, use Speer data, and so forth.

[WILCO]

"Modern Reloading" by Richard Lee

I have both editions and the Lyman Cast Bullet book, 4th edition. There are many more that I reference as well, but those are my top three.

[Rocky Raab]

Nothing wrong with the Lee manuals, but Lee doesn't have a ballistics lab. ALL data in Lee books is simply copied from other sources. So if there were typos or other errors in the original, they are in Lee as well. The problem with using Lee is that if you see a load in Lee and "check" it against Hornady (for example) and Hornady happened to be the original source, the two will agree - but could both be in error.

[10x]

I go to the lyman manuals first. #45 and the Cast bullet handbook for starting loads.
For cast bullets I have the RCBS #1, all of the lyman cast bullet manuals, and the lee first and second edition.
There are also a number of manuals from the powder manufacturers that i check loads in.

Manuals from the bullet manufacturers are great.
I will go to a number of manuals for a specific powder/case/primer/ and bullet combination and take notes. That is the starting point of working up a load.
I have a powely computer that I will verify some loads as well.
There are online sources for reloading (and old manuals) as well.
Cornell Publications has reprints of most of the old manuals and catalogs now out of print.

[quilbilly]

My Sierra book is my go to for jacketed and the two Lyman books for cast. I have always found it remarkable how accurate the Sierra Book has been with the velocities of loads. My chronograph and the Sierra book match beautifully.

[John Guedry]

Lyman #47 and Lyman cast also Lee,but that's a backup to double the others. Also some of the powder mfg. paperbacks.

[Wayne Smith]

I started with the Serria #2 and am now up to I think #6 - has been my go to for years. Got into cast and the Lyman Cast boolit manuals are invaluable. Various other sources for special calibers.

[Shiloh]

Lyman manuals for cast. Pretty much all I shoot anymore.

Shiloh

[DxieLandMan]

I have Nosler, Hornady and Speer becausae those are the brand bullets that I shoot most. Also have the latest Lee manual for loading lead bullets.

[1Shirt]

Lyman, Lee, Hornady, in that sequence!
1Shirt1

[10mmShooter]

Lyman 49 for cast work
Speer #14(newest)
Hornady #7(need to get #9 soon)

[Dragoon454]

I use the Lee 2nd Edition (both versions) and Speer Manuals as well as the Hodgdon and Alliant websites as those are the powders I use. I cross reference every load with all of those sources and load conservatively for accuracy not speed. When I am unable to find a load, I email the powder manufacturer and ask for their suggestions. As a new caster I was unable to find load data for the bullets I am casting and the powders I have on hand. I emailed Alliant and they provided me with the min and max data for the powders I had on hand. I have found that component manufacturers are typically very willing to provide data. I have emailed Sierra in the past for load data and they have always responded with data even though I plainly stated that I do not own one of their manuals. I was only loading Sierra bullets for 1 load at the time, but since have used them more due to their pleasant and helpful response (I expected for them to tell me I should buy their manual). I also use a lot of data from this site. CastBoolits is one of the best resources I have found.

I must warn though, always double check ANY and ALL data no matter what the source! After all it is your firearm, your hand, your eyesight, and your life you are dealing with.

[Harter66]

I use Lyman 43/48/49th,Hornady 11,Speer 12 and the new Lyman CBH. I never trust 1 source I check at least 2 sources for a given weight,usually I use 3 sources as check backs. I've often used a minimum charge from 1 source and a Max from another when there are large differences like a high minimum and a low maximum that are greater than 1 grain difference.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm guessing that the Sierra Bulletsmiths are somehow related to research librarians. I have never failed to find either less than very helpful with any question I have directed their way.

[lmcollins]

I find the Speer manuel to be the most comprehensive. It is the only manuel that tells the max pressure, and system used for a round, plus all of the other stuff like max OAL. If you are not smart enough to know that the info is only for Speer bullets, and only in the barrel tested. If you don't realize that EVERYONE says to start low and work up. Don't reload. Take up cake decorating.

This might not mean much for a cast shooter, because we rarely load to max pressure, but when you are comparing cartridges, it means everything. Think +P 257 Roberts to 6MM Remington. For shooting cast bullets we look at other thing like case capacity, and excess powder space.

For the cast shooter the Lyman cast bullet manuels are great. Lyman makes them that way since they want to sell the molds that the make and sell. Lee manuel are just a compilation of what the various powder manufactures give away or sell.