ABC's of Reloading

[Circuit Rider]

My 52 yo Son wants to learn to reload. I remember a book called ABC's of Reloading, and know there were a number of different authors with different versions of the book. Is there one that was better than the rest in you Gents and ladies opinion. Thanks for your time. C.R.

[gmsharps]

I think the Lyman manual does a pretty good job of explaining the basics, of course they are using their products, but the theory is the same.

gmsharps

[canyon-ghost]

Lyman 48th for me.

[rockrat]

Yep, bought a Lyman loading manual about 50 years ago and read it to learn the basics

[imashooter2]

Here you go. Plenty of reading.

http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manuals/Reloading/Reloading%20Manuals/

[upr45]

I had a copy of ABCs of reloading by Dean Grinell. It was good, i loaned it to a friend but it never came back.

[daengmei]

i loaned it to a friend but it never came back
Apparently we have the same friend, lol.

[clum553946]

Finding a good mentor is helpful too.

[Froogal]

I recommend the LEE modern reloading second edition. Goes into great detail on just WHY certain steps and precautions are to be taken. It is the first manual I bought when I knew nothing. I have since acquired other reloading manuals, but none are as easy to understand as the LEE.

[trebor44]

As others have stated the Lyman 48th or 49th gives lots of info for the beginner etc. But, there are many resources that can be referenced. Hardcopy is nice to have on hand. But digital can also be helpful. Start simple and go from there.

[Shawlerbrook]

I’ll second the Lee but there are many good reloading books out there.

[schutzen-jager]

NRA published a large volume titled [ The New Handloader Guide ] - try used book dealers, ebay, + place a WTB ad here - good luck searching - iirc i got mine at either an estate sale or flea market -

[Nueces]

Dean Grennell was the original author of "The ABCs of Reloading." Any book by DG is to be treasured and this one is worth searching for. For years, it was kept in the reloading room of my LGS as a reference.

Grennell was first to print a tip I still use. He called it the "three finger shift" for case handling in single station presses. For presses like the early RCBSs, that open to the left, one picks up a new case using thumb and first finger of the left hand, retrieves the case in the shellholder with that hand's first and second fingers, then snaps the new case into place. Right hand stays on the press handle. I align the shellholder opening to match this motion and use it now only for depriming with a universal die in a Partner press. Fast!

[Circuit Rider]

upr45, That's the one I was thinking of, Dean Grinell. Thanks, I'll see if it's available anywhere. C.R.

[hoodat]

Lymans are my favorites because they don't market actual reloading components. This means you will get a more varied body of data from different brand components.

That being said, I've got manuals from every major company, and I'm glad of it. It is almost unusual these days to sit down with a specific case, primer, powder, and bullet that is listed in ANY book in your hand. With many books it is easier to safely extrapolate a recipe with a different primer or whatever. jd

[gwpercle]

Every few years the ABC's of Reloading is revised and updated ... the long overdue 10th edition is out and is a great book for the new guy . From amazon ... 288 pages soft cover $17.50 .
The latest edition of ABC's of Reloading will be the best ... has up to date info . but is not a Load Data Manual to get "recipes" from ...
Add to the ABC's of Reloading a couple Reloading Manuals like the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual 4th edition and /or Lyman 51st Reloading Manual , maybe a Hornady and a Speer Manual and you will be set .
There is also some great how-to and information chapters in the first few chapters of every Reloading Manual ... Do Not ignore these sources of knowledge .
I can tell you everything you want/need to know ... Will Not be found all in one book ... just way too much to be contained in one book .
Gary

[Rapier]

I would suggest a couple of old Lyman manuals for "loan" used book stores, etc. Then at shows buy used equipment for the outlaws or children. I bought mine a full set-up, each. They may have opened a book once. I gave the son-inlaw a full reloading setup a month ago, you still have the reloading setup, oh yes, Ok I am sending you bullets, powder prmers and brass back home with the daughter. So he calls, where are the primers, ah, the primers are in the primed brass, but I need primers......He is a YouTube expert...

Do not expect too much all at once.

[Duckiller]

In addition to "ABCs of Reloading" I would also recommend various manufacture's manuals. You will have different loads to compare. Buy new as they come out. Keep old. The more data you have the better off you are. Some of it will be confusing but you will gradually figure out how to sort it out. A well equipt reloading room has a large manual shelf.

[rockrat]

I loaned a couple of moulds to the guy you loaned your books to, I believe

[Circuit Rider]

After thinging about it, I have Lyman's 47th and 50th manual. I'll loan him one of them.C.R.

[Land Owner]

RCBS online has its own reloading step-by-step methodology in pictures for visual learning, or what could be called Quick Start mode.

https://www.rcbs.com/rcbs-how-to-reload/rcbs-step-by-step-reloading.html

[BrassMagnet]

Finding a good mentor is helpful too.

Very few people learn well from a book. Learning from a video is just slightly better.
Go with a coach and supervision for at least the first few sessions!

[Froogal]

Very few people learn well from a book. Learning from a video is just slightly better.
Go with a coach and supervision for at least the first few sessions!

I disagree. Printed material, if there is something you don't quite understand, you go back and read it again, and again, and if it still is bit cloudy, THEN find a video, but make sure the video is done by someone who KNOWS what they are doing, and not just someone who decided to make a video. There are many.

[elmacgyver0]

Very few people learn well from a book. Learning from a video is just slightly better.
Go with a coach and supervision for at least the first few sessions!

You must be young.

[Isaac]

I began loading with my father in 1969 and took over on my own in 1978. We began with the old Lyman manual that had the plastic spiral binder. Since then I've purchased most of the standard manuals from Lyman, Sierra, Speer, Hornady, etc. (there was a time when new reloading manuals were only revised every several years. Not like the yearly editions we find today). Each have very good step-by-step instructions. I bought the Lee 2nd edition a few years ago when it came out and was thoroughly impressed with the details and (as mentioned previously) the WHY of what is done than anything previous I've read.

I also agree with the suggestion of locating a How-to video on one of the web sites. There is a fellow on You Tube who is known as Fortune Cookie 45LC who does outstanding tutorials on reloading. I mostly follow him for his bullet casting knowledge and am not sure if he has a beginner video serious. I think if you were to check him out there would be links to others tutorials, especially the reloading companies.

Isaac

[contender1]

I think Wolfe Publishing carries the "ABC's of Reloading".

[gwpercle]

Very few people learn well from a book. Learning from a video is just slightly better.
Go with a coach and supervision for at least the first few sessions!

I would bet money the majority of us on this site learned just about all we know about reloading from books ... I know I learned from Books .
When I took up reloading and casting boolits ( 1967) there was no other person I knew that did it ... when I told my Dad what I was going to do ... he looked at me like I had lost my mind ... but he gave me $25 for the Lee Classic (Whack-A-Mole) Loader and told me
" Don't tell your Momma !"
My coach was Lyman , Hornady and Elmer Keith ...Books !

[725]

+1 on the Lee Modern Reloading. I'm w/ Froogal on this one. Good step by step explanation.

[BrassMagnet]

Quote Originally Posted by BrassMagnet View Post
Very few people learn well from a book. Learning from a video is just slightly better.
Go with a coach and supervision for at least the first few sessions!



You must be young.

Not at all!
I am an experienced technical instructor.

[clum553946]

BrassMagnet is highly regarded for his reloading knowledge! When you start out, reloading manuals are great for their informational knowledge, but if you hit a crossroads while starting out & in the process of actually reloading, a book is not going to answer your questions. They may have the answer somewhere within the pages, but you have to stop & look for it, lose the continuity of what you’re doing, & may not answer your exact question or give you an explanation you can understand!

I can also put it another way. If we could learn what we need to know from book, then why do we need teachers & professors?

[JRLesan]

To try and turn us all into democrats???

[clum553946]

To try and turn us all into democrats???

That’s the dangerous side of the equation, but when I was growing up, most teachers back then were genuinely interested in teaching their students the curriculum. Some still do but many have another agenda.