How Old is your Oldest Reloaqding Manual ??

[Shiloh]

My oldest is the Third Edition of "The Complete Guide To Handloading" by
Philip B. Sharpe, 1949. Although not a reloading manual to speak of, more of an educational/instructional book, there is a lot of data in in on most calibers available at that time.

My oldest official proprietary manual, is the Speer volume #7 from April of 1966.
I Have one manual from the early fifties but can't find it so I won't count it.

Some of you fellas have been loading longer than I've lived. How old is the oldest manual??

Shiloh

[randyrat]

Lyman Shotshell Handbook(expanded coverage) 2nd edition...price tage still on it $12.95 copyright 1976 I bought it brand new.
Along with notes and all... Price for a lb of Red Dot $5.95/lb...One of the shotgun loads i still use.

[Rockchucker]

I bought another one at the gunshow Saturday for 32.95 does that count. :-D

[HABCAN]

Lyman 43rd, 1964. For the two decades prior to that we used Jack O'Connor loads published in Outdoor Life or in his Book of the Rifle, or loads that 'did not blow the other guy up', or were 'experimental', LOL.

[ktw]

Oldest: Lyman 41st (1957)
My first: Sierra 2nd (1978)

[Doc Highwall]

Lyman #33 and Hodgdon #5 Speer #1 plus a bunch of others.

[RayinNH]

Lyman/Ideal #37, 1950...Ray

[Glen]

"Sixguns, Cartridges and Loads" by Elmer Keith (1936).

[mpmarty]

PO Ackley 196?? old anyway. Some REALLY hot loads in it. Also complete reference on the eargescplittenloudenboomer cartridge; a .50 BMG necked down to .22 cal.[smilie=1:

[DuaneH]

Lyman "Handbook of Cast Bullets", 1958.

[Down South]

Dang, I got an old Speer manual that has a ring binder on it and I can't remember what edition it is. I'll look when I get home if this thread is still alive. It's way earlier than my Speer No. 9

[13Echo]

Well, the oldest one that I actually bought new is a Lyman that no longer has its cover. It's the issue with the article about reloading in Eskimo villages. Next oldest is Speer #3 from 1957.

Jerry Liles

[kmag]

I also have the issue with the article about reloading in the Eskimo village. My cover wore off years ago along with the first several pages. Used it for years and would still follow its loads if was all I had.

[Ole]

I have a Speer #3 that a buddy found at a yard sale.

[Hang Fire]

Speer #3, 1959

[w30wcf]

A vintage Ideal No.16, dated 1904.

w30wcf

[rbuck351]

Got a Speer #1 and an old P O Ackley Hand book, not sure how old but I got it in the mid 70s.

[mikenbarb]

Belding & Mull Hand Book. Copyright 1955. HOT HOT loads in it. The one 30 Winchester(30-30Win.) load is 32.5gr of 4198 @ 2745fps! OUCH! DONT USE THIS LOAD!!

[mike in co]

i aint gonna go look for all the dates////i have a herters ist( 1961?) and a lee first edition...

[clodhopper]

Phil Sharpe's second edition, and a reprint of an old Ideal, lyman 41st, and if I look hard enough there could be something by Townsend Whelen floating around.
I am 53 but a real packrat when it comes to loading manuals.

[Jbar4Ranch]

Belding & Mull Hand Book, copyright 1949. Missing the back cover, but in good shape other than that.

[Bent Ramrod]

"Handloading Ammunition" by J. R. Mattern. Copyright 1926.

[Wills Point Pete]

My oldest are ones are Phil Sharpe's second and third editions and Townsed Whelen's "why Not Load Your Own. These were not bought new, I've only been loading since 1959 although I tried to help before that.

[Bret4207]

I'm with Bent Ramrod and Mr. Mattern, although I think I have an older Ideal book somewhere.

[Wayne Smith]

First one I bought was the Serria Bulllets Reloading Manual Copyright 1971. I have older than that, but bought since. Before that I used the loads included with the Lee Loaders.

[Shiloh]

My oldest are ones are Phil Sharpe's second and third editions and Townsed Whelen's "why Not Load Your Own. These were not bought new, I've only been loading since 1959 although I tried to help before that.

I was three!!

Shiloh :castmine:

[AZ-Stew]

The first one I bought was Speer #8, purchased in 1973 when I began handloading, since then I've cruised the gun shows looking for old manuals and have collected the entire Speer set, #1 - #7, and have bought new the rest of the Speers through the current issue.

I have an entire bookshelf ot handloading manuals, Lymans, Sierras, Hornadys, Hodgdons, etc, etc. At the last show I could have bought a number of Lyman or Ideal manuals going back to issues in the series numbered in the low 30's. They had old Lyman cast manuals, as well, but I'm hanging onto my $$ to complete building my AR. Too bad. I'd like to have had a few of them.

Regards,

Stew

[Bret4207]

Just remember some of those old manuals have really, REALLY hot loads. Sharpes book has some 357 loads that will curl your hair!

[Gary51]

Ideal #38 1951 (in excellent condition) which has a Lot of cast boolit info.

[Green Frog]

If you count reprints I have a first edition Ideal Handbook. The oldest original I have is about a 26th or 27th edition of same, with a copy of Sharpe and a couple of others of that vintage thrown in. My favorites are still the #30 or so vintage ones, since they have some fairly modern powders as well as usually available bullet moulds for my old style rifle calibers.

Froggie

[NoDakJak]

My oldest are Phil Sharpes third edition and Ideal #39 with a publishing date of May 1953. And Bret is certainly right about there being some hot loads in them.
I have another Lyman or Ideal manual that is several years newer but can't date it as the front and rear coverss are both missing. Probably around 57 or 58 though as data is provided for the new 458 Winchester Magnum but the Seven Millimeter Remington Magnum is absent. On page 194 it lists a max load of 5.3 grains of Unique at 990 fps in the md sized frame 38 Special while using 358429. It does not show a loading for it in the "High Velocity" loads but back on page 88, Elmer Keith recommends 13.5 grains of 2400 with this same bullet. I fired one cylinder load thru my old Blackhawk and decided that it was just a bit too stout and maybe not even safe. I dropped the load back to 12.0 grains and have been happy until they changed the burn rate. I have now dropped the load back to 11.0 grains of the new 2400.
My advice to the newer handloaders is to use newer manuals. If you get a chance to buy one of these older manuals get it and read. You will just not believe how muck information is packed in them. Neil

[Bret4207]

We used to shoot the 13.5 2400 x 358156 in 38 brass in everything. I wouldn't do it today, but that was type of info we had back then, and I'm not that old!

[Rodfac]

I've got a copy of Townsend Whelen's, "Why Not Load Your Own", 4th edition, with forward to the book written by Whelen in 1949. Great book, with good data on many of the older cartridges and line drawings of some long forgotten molds. It's well worth looking for at gun shows in the used book offerings. Whelen, as you might know, originated, or at least substantially contributed to, the .35 and .400 Whelen cartridges.
Also have copy of Lyman's #45 edition from 1970...good pics of Lyman's bullet molds. The last is Speer's #6, 1964.
All useful at times but no substitute for current data provided by the manufacturers with pressure testing equipment.
Regards, Rodfac

[woody1]

The first one I ever used was the Ideal No. 38. Belonged to Dad but I still have it. The first one I bought was Lyman's No.42. Both are well worn and covers are missing. Regards, Woody

[bradh]

Speer Number 1 1954, it's still in great shape.

[Recluse]

My daddy started teaching me to reload in 1970. I went out to the shop and checked on my first two reloading books. The ABCs of Reloading has a cover price of $5.95 on it and I remember that we bought it new at a Gibsons discount store in Wichita Falls, Texas. You could also buy guns, reloading supplies, scopes, ammo, shotguns and clays, all kinds of things--plus clothes, dishware, bolts of fabric, televisions, radios. . . those were the days when department stores were REAL department stores.

The other book we also bought new and it's Lyman's 45th Edition Reloading Manual, copyright 1970. I ain't as old as some of you.

Some of you guys are so old you probably had dinosaurs at pets and had to look both ways before crossing the tar pits. :mrgreen::kidding:

:coffee:

[bullshot]

I also have a #38 Ideal/Lyman as oldest and have all to #49 except #40.

[Sprue]

Still use them upon occasion

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh266/spilihp_2007/27564933.jpg

[tarbe]

Still use them upon occasion

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh266/spilihp_2007/27564933.jpg

That Lyman 45th is the first manual I bought new, when I started loading. Still have it and still refer to it.

My oldest is a Speer #7 from '66. Did not buy that one new though (heck, I was only 9 when it came out!).


Tim

[captaint]

Geez, guys - I thought I was old? Speer #9 and i bought it when it was current.

[frnkeore]

Idea Handbook #36. 1949

[blackbike]

Here`s the one I started with.http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=595&pictureid=4283 speers #5 1961

[Harter66]

I've Hornady and Sierra from 68' or 69'. A couple of Olin/Winchesters and Hercules from about then too. Then its all new stuff from there Lyman #48 and #49 ,Speer #8 or 9.

[MtGun44]

Both "Sixguns" and Sharpe's book, plus a number of early 50s Lyman manuals.

Bill

[nrc]

PO Ackley's Handbook for Reloaders Vol1 and 2 - 1962 (although I do not have the first printing).

Strictly speaking, the oldest book on the shelf is a Hornady Manual, Vol II from 1979. If anyone has a Vol 1, that they would sell, PM me...

nate

[ElDorado]

I forgot all about this manual until I saw this thread today. This is a Lyman 29, copyright date 1929 -

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/ElDoradoJeff/ForumPics/Lyman_29.jpg

But it has a 1930 price list in it -

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/ElDoradoJeff/ForumPics/1930_Price_List.jpg

It also has the price lists for telescopes, sights and Cutts Compensators. The only drawback is that it smells like it came out of King Tut's tomb.

I haven't even read through it, yet. Time to check it out.

[waco]

i believe mid 60's???

[MT Gianni]

I have a copy of Lyman's #39 and a reprint of Elmer's Sixguns and Loads.

[Beau Cassidy]

I have all of the Speer Manuals to include the Wildcat one. I believe my oldest Lyman goes back to Number 26 but I would have to look.

[rintinglen]

Geez, guys - I thought I was old? Speer #9 and i bought it when it was current.

;) just 'cause somebodies older than you, it doesn't mean you're young. You're still old, just not oldest.

ps. my oldest manual is a Lyman 39, but the first one I actually used was a Lyman 45.

[LabGuy]

I started casting in the 1980s. My first manual was the Speer, Number Ten. Being a pack rat I still have it. At the time I also had access to Lyman’s Cast Bullet #3, but it wasn’t mine. I have one of my own now.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

the complete guide to handloading
philip sharpe 1953
and a few lyman 1958/62 ish i think

[Freischütz]

Mattern - 1926

[lonnydk]

I have a Philip Sharpe first edition 1939 and a Wildcat Cartridges by Richard Simmons 1947.

Among others I also have a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook that has no copyright or printing date. What it does have is load data for Unique for almost every caliber rifle and pistol. It is my most used manual since I am a real fan of Unique.

[adrians]

my oldest "soft cover" is the no 32 (with the original envelope,)1936 .
the oldest is the sharpe 1949 "hard back"
the ideal/lymans are ,IMO a small "time capsule" i love em .:evil::coffee::twisted:

[georgewxxx]

I have 15 different Ideal Handbooks with the oldest being #15. I used that one and the rest to start a list of all the cherry numbers that are now posted on Castpics.

[saaman]

The oldest I still use is Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook copyright 1973.

[tommygirlMT]

Does a british navy gunners pamphlet count (for heavy navel cannon) --- I mean back from when they made cheap books (non hard cover) in a stack of books and they didnt have any cover and they were torn out of a master binding which was a stack of a whole bunch of books bound together in a master binding stack and each unit was torn out of the master binding as it was sold or in this case issued?

[whisler]

Tommygirl MT: aren't cannons awful large to use on navels? :kidding:

[Boolseye]

I have a Hornady from '73 that I use all the time. There's .38 special data in there that's about 2x anything you'd find today.

[paul edward]

From about 1962.

[tommygirlMT]

Tommygirl MT: aren't cannons awful large to use on navels? :kidding:

Heavy Naval Cannon --- spelling grammar and language were never my strong suits much better in math and science

[blboyd]

I may not have the oldest but I have quite a collection. There are some of the Speer, Nosler, Sierra, Hornady, Lee that date back to the 60's-70's.

I also have all 18 editions of the Handloader's Digest. That took me a while to find all of those. The first edition dates back to 1962 - before they had ISBN numbers.

You'll also find all 3 editions of Metallic Cartridge Reloading. My most current editions would probably be all 8 editions of Hodgdon's annual reloading manual.

Brandon

http://eagleoutpost.com/images/linked/reloadingmanuals1.jpg

http://eagleoutpost.com/images/linked/reloadingmanuals2.jpg

http://eagleoutpost.com/images/linked/reloadingmanuals3.jpg

[NHGrumpyGramps]

First edition of Lymans Handbook of Cast Bullets (Good information on older molds) and 43rd edition of Lyman Reloading Handbook (still has the price tag on it $2.00)

[snuffy]

The oldest I have is the Lyman/ideal #40 printed in 1955. A buddy gave it to me, he got it off the internet along with some other leading info. Pretty neat to see the then current loaders like the Ideal tru-line Jr turret bench press. Which used the 310 size dies.

[scattershot]

Speer #8, from the 70s, but I have #6 from 1966 and don't use it. Dunno when Pet Loads came out, but I use that, too.

[Don1955]

Dupont IMR from 1932