Books In Handloader Article

[alamogunr]

I consider books to be reloading equipment too. In the latest Handloader issue, the column inside the back cover listed several books the author considered to be essential to his library.

I have most of those he listed and discussed. One that he mentioned was the Lyman Reloading Handbook, 45th Edition, which I do not have. Since I am a book nut, I went to the used book sites looking for this one. Found several ranging in price from about $20 and up. As usual I procrastinated and only went back and looked again yesterday. Now there are far fewer of this book available and many of the prices have shot up unbelievably high. One site only had 5 available and the $20 was still listed, where before there were 2 pages of available books. It looks like I'm not the only one that goes to the used book sites.

Another site had 5 listed priced from $58 to $258. Not sure if these dealers expected anyone to buy at those prices.

I still wanted one so I went to Cornell Publications and ordered one of their reprints for about $26 including shipping. My experience with Cornell is they provide high quality reprints.

Because of my OCD, I checked my library after seeing the author claimed there were only 7 editions of Handloader's Digest. I have 18 editions. The last 2 or 3 were not nearly as useful as the earlier ones but definitely more than 7. I suspect that the internet put it out of business.

Sorry about the long post. I don't really expect any responses, just wanted to vent a little.

[onelight]

The Lyman 45th and Six Guns by Elmer Keith are basically how I learned how to load and cast I didn't know any one that loaded or cast for several years after I started .
Now I come here to learn .
I still add books to.

[44magLeo]

One thing about books, you don't need electricity to run them.
They also feel good in your hands. I feel a book connects you to the subject matter and the authors in a way a computer can't.
Same with old tools, you connect to them and those who used them before than with new.
Leo

[Pressman]

Leo, very well stated.

[Taterhead]

Alamogunr, might consider posting a WTB thread in S&S. I agree that finding old editions of manuals can be hit and miss. I've semi-sort of been working to collect all the Speer manuals, with a few to go.

Leo, also agree that there is no replacement for the tactile feel of a book. I work on computers and in conference rooms for a living, and my work is all intangible. So the shooting, reloading and casting hobbies are a welcome change.

[Walks]

I have a whole bunch of Cornell reprints. Just be advised these are not bound for EXTENSIVE READING. You can use them and they are the Best reference around. Just Don't bend them flat.

[Shawlerbrook]

Yes, e-versions are ok for a quick check, but you can’t beat hardcopy .

[jem102]

One thing about books, you don't need electricity to run them.
They also feel good in your hands. I feel a book connects you to the subject matter and the authors in a way a computer can't.
Same with old tools, you connect to them and those who used them before than with new.
Leo

Very well said sir!!!

[alamogunr]

Got my Cornell reprint of Lyman Reloading Handbook 45th Edition. Very well done. I like the large format. Not sure of the size of the original but this one is very easy to read.

I've only thumbed thru it so far but found several interesting things that I want to go back and read further. One in particular was a test conducted to show the effect of changing one variable at a time in reloading a particular cartridge. An example was changing the primer used. Another was the effect of changing the crimp. As I said, I want to go back and read the entire sequence of tests carefully. Might change how I think about varying the components I use from a listed load in a manual. I thought it strange that I had never run across this type of information before except as a caution when substituting components.

[gwpercle]

One thing about books, you don't need electricity to run them.
They also feel good in your hands. I feel a book connects you to the subject matter and the authors in a way a computer can't.
Same with old tools, you connect to them and those who used them before than with new.
Leo

And you can make notes in the margins ... try doing that on a computer .
Some of my best loads are written in the margins .
Gary
I like books much better

[DonMountain]

I consider books to be reloading equipment too. In the latest Handloader issue, the column inside the back cover listed several books the author considered to be essential to his library.

So, can you list the books the author considered to be "essential to his library"? Many of us can't afford a subscription to Handloader Magazine. And I don't mind purchasing reprints of older books that are a valuable resource of reloading techniques or information.

[alamogunr]

So, can you list the books the author considered to be "essential to his library"? Many of us can't afford a subscription to Handloader Magazine. And I don't mind purchasing reprints of older books that are a valuable resource of reloading techniques or information.

I'll try but some of the recommendations are somewhat general. I'll be using his actual words for those.
1) A new general manual-Speer is my(his)favorite, and Lyman is good too. I've got Lyman 50th
2) A manual for specific preferred bullets such as Hornady and Berger, or powders (Hodgdon, Western and Vihtavuori)
I suspect on this board the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook would be necessary also. I've got all 4 editions.
3) Complete Guide to Handloading by Phil Sharpe
4) Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition by Earl Naramore
5) Lyman Reloading Handbook 45th Edition. He says it is 1969 Edition, everyone else says 1970.
6) Game Loads and Practical Ballistics for the American Hunter by Bob Hagel

He(I forgot to mention Terry Wieland wrote the article) also mentions the Donnelly conversion book. I prefer the Ken Howell book, Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges although I have the Donnelly book also.

For just about any of these, especially the older manuals, check the used book sites. One I use often is:

https://www.abebooks.com/

The article is much longer than just what I typed above but mainly consists of expanding the discussion of the above books.

[DonMountain]

Thank you very much alamogunr. I appreciate your effort. I showed the list to my wife for maybe a Christmas present this year, but she just frowned at me and went upstairs to her reloading room library and brought down most of the above and told me I could read her's. She's no fun at all! But there are a few she is missing! So that gives me a suggestion for a Christmas present for her this year!