Reloading manuals

[39duck]

I currently have a Lee Manual and was wanting to purchase a diffrent manual. What are the favorites. I mainly load pistol up to 357 Max but I'm starting to get into rifles too 223, 243,-- 30-06 might be added, etc. My main interest is 357 Maximum, I've probably read everything I can find on the web but am always looking for new Data and info. It really helps me to be able to have a manual for quick reference other than the computer. I know the Lyman manual is probably what I might choose if I didn't know of a better manual. I've also heard of a Pet Loads book but that might be a little more than I need.

[MakeMineA10mm]

Lyman. Cast boolit friendly, and, other than the Lee, it's the only manual not published by a bullet or powder manufacturer/seller. In my opinion, that's worth a lot as there's less (notice I didn't say "no") favoritism for certain brands.

[kweidner]

^^^^^^ good advice. The lyman is pretty comprehensive. I use quite a bit of data these days from the powder manufacturers. I have most bullet manufacturers books and realistically we kind of live in our own world in cast boolits. The suggested data in the books and j words is usually where I try to stop with cast as long as it is a stable powder. Keep in mind lymans cast data is for their molds.

[39duck]

I pretty much plan on getting the current edition Lyman Manual but before I pulled the trigger I wanted to get other opinions, thanks guys!

[lightman]

Another vote for the Lyman!

[trapper9260]

If it is for cast i say go with the Lyman 3rd ed. that is one that give more detail then the 4th.I have both of them and the 3rd is the one I learn from.I also found a place for reprints of old manuals and got me the 2nd ed also and learn more from it also.To me that if dose not really matter if it is just Lyman molds it give you a starting load for what ever one you cast.The only thing you would have to look for if it is not one of there molds is the BC number you will have to look for that.other wise if it is for jacket bullets then get the new on of Lyman because it have cast in it also.i use the Hornady manual alot for jacket.I have the Lee manual but did not find alot of what I was looking for. but dose have some things that I can use.

[dragonrider]

Definitely get the LYman No. 4, and if you can find one get the No. 3

[troyboy]

Lyman 49 is an excellent jacket and cast reference

[c1skout]

Metallic cartridge reloading is another that I like, but I don't use it as much as my Lee or Lyman books.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Lyman 49 and the Hodgdon manual are all you need.

[39duck]

Lyman 49 was the one that I was going to add to my collection

[gmsharps]

There are no other options if you do not have the Lyman manual. This is a must.

gmsharps

[pcolapaddler]

I have a Lyman book - 49th edition. It has a good amount of data. I was looking at the pet loads book, but I have read mixed reviews on it.

[troyboy]

Don't be fooled by the "mixed" reviews. Pet loads is an excellent reference.

[trapper9260]

If you do not find out of prints and do not mind that have been re printed check this place out all kind of manuals
[url]www.cornellpubs.com. I know some manuals that are old are hard to find than you can go this way.

[Duckiller]

Hodgdon sells an annual manual in magazine form that has lots of information. I would suggest that a well informed reloader should have 3-4 different manuals base on what brand of powder and bullet that you shoot. New editions should be purchased periodically. Not particularly cheap but it gives various opinions on loads for what ever you shoot.

[country gent]

I have manuals dating from the 60s to current, I also like the lymans manuals for good data. I also use sierra, hornady, Hodguns, and several others. Another nice manual that is very handy are the one caliber books. One caliber almost all the existing data in it. My old manuals have helped out alot loading obsolete calibers, but remember a powder may not be quite the same now as it was then. Good manuals are a big plus the more the better. It is nice to look up the same powder cartridge bullet in 3-4 manuals and see what powders are listed in all of them and consistency of charge wieghts. I use the lyman alot. But more so are my note books with worked up loads recorded.

[39duck]

I need to go to the library and see what they have and find the best 357 Max data and order that one online. I looked at the One Books and didn't see the maxi in there.

[largom]

A lot of good information in Veral Smith's book Jacketed Performance With Cast Bullets.

Larry

[BossMaverick]

For a cast bullet shooter, the natural progression from the Lee book is the Lyman cast bullet book. It has a lot of good info for casting. With that being said, I have the third edition of the Lyman book and the info and pictures certainly date the book. A lot of the listed powders are out dated as well. I'd still recommend it but don't expect cutting edge load data. Another downside is that it only covers Lyman bullet designs.

For a listed price of $3, I was very impressed with the Western Powders Reloading Guide 5.0. I wasn't expecting much when I got it because its only as thick as a magazine but I found it to be very good. Its pretty much the same load data as their online guide but it includes reloading instructions without all of the equipment brand propaganda like the Lee book. I actually wish a had a few extra of these guides to give out to people that are thinking about reloading. It covers all of the reloading steps with good pictures without getting boring or overly complicated. The downside to this manual is that it only covers Accurate and Ramshot powders, which may be a problem for you if you don't use those brands. It also doesn't cover as many calibers as reloading books (but it does have .357max data).

[dragon813gt]

I'm not a fan of the Lyman manuals. Limited load data in them compared to others. The 3rd edition cast bullet handbook has a lot more information about casting/reloading then the fourth. That being said I still own them. Along w/ a lot or others. You can't have to many manuals.

Purchase the Hodgdon Annual that's out now. It's all the load data that's available online printed out for you. Wish I would have know this before printing a few hundred pages at home. If you shoot jacketed buy a manual from the manufacturer of the bullets. There are a lot of manuals that are available for free online as well.

[robg]

the lee manual is most use for general reloading, once youve read that one then get other more specalit ones

[SSGOldfart]

RCBS cast bullet manual #1 is a cross reference for cast loads, but for 357 Maxi info you need to find a copy of "Reloading Guide for Handgun Accuracy" by Elgin T Gates it was put out by the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association. Gates did a lot of the testing and foot work to bring the 357 maxi to life

[Wayne Smith]

For bullets the Sierra manual is hard to beat. It is a ring binder that you can add pages to as they come out with new information. Good bullets, too, and their information line is also hard to beat.

[gwpercle]

since you are on the cast boolit site, lets go with the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition is in publication, the 3rd edition has a lot of good information in it . Get both if you can. Both of these are my cast boolit go to's.
Any and all manuals are good to have, you can't have too much information and printed manuals trump internet information. Except data from manufacturer's sites of course.
Gary

[39duck]

RCBS cast bullet manual #1 is a cross reference for cast loads, but for 357 Maxi info you need to find a copy of "Reloading Guide for Handgun Accuracy" by Elgin T Gates it was put out by the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association. Gates did a lot of the testing and foot work to bring the 357 maxi to life
That's the kind of valuable info I was looking for! Thank you, I just got an old lot of reloading equipment and it had a 3rd Edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and a Gun Digest Book of Handgun Reloading-1987 the right era!