what is your favorite loading manual and why.

[rmatchell]

I figured this could be an interesting thread to start. What is everyones favorite load manual and why.


I myself love everything from the late 40s till the 70s. Lots of great stuff in them. I always liked the Lyman artwork. My favorite manual is my speer #10 that was given to me by a coworker. His brother passed away and he had no interest in his loading stuff so he decided to give it to me. Once I opened it quickly new it was somthing to hold on to. Inside was packed full of handwritten notes both on pages and index cards with results from different loads to just random stuff on his mind.

[pworley1]

I have always liked the Lyman manuals best. They have the widest range of the information I need.

[lancem]

I got hooked on loaddata.com this year. I think it is because every time I came home from the store it was with a new to me kind of powder. Being able to look and see what cartridges I could load sorting by powder was easy and it grew on me. In the shop I have I think all of the rest of them in hard copy. I have more Lymans than anything else and their the most dogeared so I'd say they are my favorite.

[bangerjim]

I take the Lyman, Lee, and internet load data sources from powder manufacturers and make my own custom load data book, "Banger's Boolit Bible", by Xeroxing the appropriate sections and compiling them in a binder.....enlarged so I can read them easily!!!!!! Saves time and wear & tear on the hard bond books that reside in my library. And I can make notations and hi-lights freely without ruining the original.

banger

[dragon813gt]

Lee, they do a nice job to taking a lot of published loads from multiple sources and putting them all in one book. Hard to find a book w/ more load data in it. You can't have just one book. I shoot Hornady bullets so I have all of their manuals. I started shooting Sierra bullets in my AR so I have their manual. I also go to the powder manufacturers sites and print out their data for the cartridges I shoot. You can never have enough information.

[chg]

I've settled on the Lyman and Speer manuals and the Hodgdon site on the internet. They seem to cover just about all the information that I need. I started out with the Lyman manual in the 1960s and just came to trust it. I like where they publish the pressures in most calibers for starting and maximum loads and show if cup or psi. All the componets used are shown right up front. Speer manual is another that states max pressures for the cartridge in the cartridge write up. Speer has really improved over the years (remember those .308 loads so hot you couldn't come close to duplicating?) since they started manufacturing centerfire ctgs and have the equipment/personnel to put out an excellent manual.

[Toymaker]

I don't think anyone has independently developed their load data in years, and the "safety" margin seems to keep increasing. The general manuals all seem the same, it's the additional information that attracts me. I've pretty much settled on Lyman for the past couple of years. Other manuals are from specific bullet manufacturers who's products I use.

I like my information to be a little closer to actual, and the general guidelines are good, but not good for that. So a while back a friend turned me on to a program called QuickLoad. I'm still learning things about it (something new just yesterday), but it's loaded with data files on bullets and powders I've never heard of, and I can put in specifics about a rifle and a reload and get theoretical performance results that are amazingly close to actual. Plus, data updates are released to keep the data current. Updates aren't frequent, but they're sufficient.

[Janoosh]

Lyman cast manuals. The first two. Great for any cast load.
Lyman #45, a good cast and jaxketed load book. Use the accuracy load for jaxketed to get close.
Sierra #4/5 for jaxketed loads. I use their "accurate" loads, with a comparable powder if I don't have the powder listed, to get close to what I want/need for accuracy. It works.

[kfarm]

I too, am amazed just how accurate QuickLoad is. Won't replace my manuals but I think using it with today's prices can save enough to pay for it self. Now if I was smart enough to use it to its fullest.

[snowwolfe]

Hornady. They seem to upgrade more often than the others and do a better job at having reloading info for the newest rounds on the market.

[FlatTop45LC]

Ken Waters Pet Loads complete edition is my favorite. While not the last word, it is a very good book.

[DR Owl Creek]

I recommend using the manuals for the brand of powder you use and the brand of bullet you use. They have done the testing and research, and shoulder the liability if something goes wrong. Other sources that merely pick-up some data from elsewhere probably haven't actually tested anything.

I use a lot of Hodgdon and IMR powders, so I have the Hodgdon Manual No 27, and all the "annual manuals" since then. I also use a lot of Alliant powders, so I have their annual load guides (free BTW). I also use Accurate powders, so I have the old Accurate No. 1 manual, right up to the latest Western Powders Reloading Guide No 5.0 (or whatever the number is). Same with Vihta Vouri, even though I don't use it.

The same goes with the bullet companies. I have the latest editions of the Sierra, Nosler, Hornady, Speer, Lapua, and Barnes manuals. I also have manuals for some companies that are no longer in business. I always cross reference data for the bullet I'm using with the data for the powder I'm using. Which one is my "favorite" depends on what I'm loading at the time.

I also have several of the Lyman manuals, and the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook No. 4 which I use for cast bullet data.

Dave

[texassako]

Loaddata.com here as well since it has a whole lot of the other books in it. The fee is only about what one book runs per year anyway. It is really nice to be able to search by powder, cross reference different manuals, etc. Plus it has lead me to hunt down some magazine back issues since it includes data from Handloader and Rifle articles. Recently started working on .270 Winchester loads, and there were something like 1500 loads listed.

[John Allen]

Lyman has always been my favorite. Of course because I mainly shoot lead it has a nice selection of data

[Idz]

I like the Lee book except it doesn't list the bullet length. Without knowing bullet length the OAL is meaningless. Other manuals usually only list their own manufactured bullets or molds but again don't list bullet length. I use multiple sources and then put the manual loads into the QuickLoad program as a crosscheck.

[Wayne Smith]

Sierra since I was in LA County just down the street from where they were in Santa Fe Springs, years ago. I used to go up and buy seconds by the pound in brown paper bags. Since I started casting I have discovered the Lyman manuals. I have Speer, Hornaday, and a bunch of others.

[groovy mike]

Lyman because they include information on a variety of powders and bullet brands as opposed to say Hornady or Nosler who only show loads for their bullets.

[N4AUD]

My favorite is my Lyman #46 from 1982. I have a few others like Speer and Hornady but I like the wealth of information in that Lyman.

[troyboy]

Lee and Lyman. Then on to the manufactures.

[Plate plinker]

No favorite I use all of them. But I guess the Lyman is my go to book. Favorite by default.

[rmatchell]

124655

[yancey]

I have several and use them all but Lyman is my favorite .

[RED333]

I am gona post this, for Casters by Casters
http://sourceforge.net/projects/reloadersrfrnce/files/Reloaders_%20Reference/9.3x74r%20-%20Final/
and you can add you own load date.

[fouronesix]

Lyman 48th is used the most- the 49th was almost a waste of money. I even occasionally use some of the very old Lyman-Ideal manuals. I look at as many different sources as possible when first starting a load work-up. You name it, I pretty much have it on manuals. Grab them from used book sources every chance I get. Trusted sources like MLV's books are also very handy. Quite often also use Barnes and Hodgdon data off the net.

I'm very leery of anonymous internet "bubba" sources and I will not use Ackley data.

[salpal48]

I have always been a Lyman man. Since they do not make Bullets They seem to have no axe to grind. Besides Those my main go to books are Parker O Ackley. He gave me an personal autograph set when I was younger (1969)

[country gent]

I like the one caliber books then lyman, sierra, Hornady, Hodgdons, and the powder manufacturers pamplets. My note books get used the most as they have the actual loads that I settled on for a given rifle. The One Calibers are nice as the have data from all sources in one book.

[goste]

Before I actually started to reload, I was given a Speer #9 and a #10, by an elderly gent, who lived up the road a ways.

I read them both cover to cover....I Got a # 11 with my first RCBS kit, and now have #8-#14...Have a few others but always liked the Speer..My Fav. is probably the #11

[leftiye]

Speer #8

[Fyodor]

The best book I found on reloading is a German one: "Handbuch für den Wiederlader" (Handbook for the reloader) by K.D. Meyer. Unfortunately the latest edition is from sometime in the 80s, but some of the tools and companies described are still there, and all of the methods and precautions are still valid. The writing is nice to read, and presents the information in an entertaining way. It's the only handloaders book I read cover to cover, because it's just not so dry and boring as most others are.

[Artful]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/RareBookCellar/41/77240.jpg
not for the Data but for the knowledge
For data I do favor
http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/251/251279.jpg
But I also like to keep an eye on all the other books I have.
Lyman, RCBS, Nosler, Ackley's, etc.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm very leery of anonymous internet "bubba" sources and I will not use Ackley data.
Until you find a wildcat that only he has data for! Then you use it very carefully, backing off to the lowest load and that cautiously.

[John Guedry]

I like Lyman.

[Mike in TX]

I prefer the 47th Lyman and the older Hodgdon and Speer #6. They have the calibers that I shoot. I do have another 6 newer additional ones that I check against. I did like the freebies that the powder companies used to put out but I guess that is done away with. I do use the powder companies internet info.

[lmcollins]

My first manual was a Speer No 5. I still look at it, and have a good size collection of manuals. I still like the Speer the best.


Speer is the only manuel that gives you ALL of the data. It list the pressure factor (as in cup, and or psi) so that you know what your working with. If your loading a 257 Bob in a Model 700 you know if the info is conservative. This info is available from SAAMI, but that is just another step, and was nearly impossible until late years and web sites.

[Lloyd Smale]

I use them all but hornady seems to be the most current with new rounds listed.

[btroj]

I like the one that has the info I need. Some of the old ones don't have the newer powders, the new ones often forget the old powders.

I tend towards a couple late 80s era Lyman manuals but others get plenty of use also.

In reality I am as likely to go directly to the powder companies web site for starting info as anything.

[robg]

ive got lyman.speer etc but i like the lee book best.

[starmac]

I guess I like manuals period, cuz I have enough of them. I probably look at the various lymans more than anything else, but for pure entertainment, it is hard to beat the lee. lol

[rmatchell]

I guess I like manuals period, cuz I have enough of them. I probably look at the various lymans more than anything else, but for pure entertainment, it is hard to beat the lee. lol


Im need to see a lee manual I missed the. entertainment in the few minutes that I had one. I had a first edition lee for about an hour but it was "magnetized"

[pretzelxx]

My favorite is the Lyman hand loading 2002. I have it on PDF so when I'm at the store I can remember the types of powder i wanted (I can add notes and highlight things). I haven't gotten around to buying the hard copy yet, but soon enough I will, and hand wrote my typed notes into that as well.

I just find having all my PDFs on my phone can be a game changer.

[dlbarr]

Here here on Lyman. My reloading needs are fairly narrow: 45/70 & 30-30. Lyman has all I need.

I have used loaddata.com and found it to have alot of interesting loads. But you have to keep paying for it and my Lyman manual is paid for. Besides, I've pretty much memorized all my loads anyway.

[Harter66]

Ive 4 Lyman manuals ,2 Hornady, a Speer, a Sierra,several powder manuals and as needed magazine data like AR ,Hand loader and Rifle. I have all the books handy and a loose leaf binder with load data on a Chamber by chamber basis with particulars for things like a Gew98 that was thought to be an AI but turned out to be a Max A .