Books on the history of reloading.

[Bazoo]

Are there any books that detail the history of metallic reloading? I read Phil Sharpes book, and I have a Lyman 46th and a 47th handbook which contain good articles, but I'd like to read more on the matter.


Bazoo

[lightman]

Many of the old time gun writers published books. Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton, Bill Jordan, P.O. Ackley, George Nonte and a generation before those guys. There are not exactly historical but you probably could gain some information by reading their works.

There is a member here, Pressman, that collects reloading equipment and I think he has published stuff.

[Bent Ramrod]

The Antique Reloading Tool Collectors’ Association has a quarterly journal devoted to reloading tool history. They also have a web site where such tools are discussed. Dick Chamberlain wrote, and Tom Quigley updated Cartridge Reloading Tools of the Past, which has thumbnail histories of the various hand tools. Tom Rowe and Ed Curtis have authored a two-volume set called Reloading Tools of the Black Powder Era, which is pretty much the last word on the subject of antique hand reloading tools.

Ed Sager has a monograph out on the various Herter’s reloading presses. Somebody has a web site devoted to Pacific reloading tools, and one of the ARTCA guys had one up somewhere on the Lyman 55 powder measures. And, of course, a collection of all the Handloader’s Digests can now be thought of as a “history” of some of the more modern tools that have come and gone since the 1950’s.

[woody1]

Lyman/Ideal 39th has an historical section dedicated, of course, to the older Lyman and Ideal tools if you can get hold of it.

[Wayne Smith]

The NRA library (book sales) has several on the shelf. As well as reprints of most of the shooting books.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for the replies and leads. I'll check all those out.

I've read Nonte's book, not sure if he's got more than one. Also I've read whelen's and Mann's book as well as Lyman handbooks 45,46,47,48,49 and cast handbooks 1,2,3 and Lees modern reloading 2, and Speer 10.

I've been reading everything I can get my eyes on and I'm on the hunt for more.

[nicholst55]

Look for 'Why Not Load Your Own?' by Townsend Whelen. It's fairly common, and while it doesn't really cover the history of reloading, it does have some interesting info.

[JSnover]

The last issue of "Handloader" contains a review of a two volume set; "Reloading Tools of the Blackpowder Era, 1850-1910." They're more a collectors' reference with pictures of the tools and equipment used back then.

[Bazoo]

Thanks Nicholst55, I have read Why Not Load Your Own.

I haven't read the new handloader yet, although it's here somewhere.

[woody1]

The Handloader's Manual by Earl Naramore has a lot of good stuff also.

[M-Tecs]

http://www.cornellpubs.com/old-guns/...hp?item_id=143

[RayinNH]

Handloading Ammunition by J.R. Mattern. Originally published in 1926 but Wolfe Publishing did a reprint that can be found on the usual used book sites.