Does everyone list fast powders first and slower ones last?

[Bigoledude]

I am now beginning to get some reloading stuff again after losing all of it to hurricane Katrina and, again to thieves.

Question; In the manuals and, online, does everyone list the fastest powders first and work their way down to the slowest powders?

Would you expect the slower powders to produce less felt recoil?

[captaint]

Yes, and I found it here somewhere.. I think it is listed as somebody's (powder company) burn rate chart. Look around, you'll see it. Good luck. Mike

[GrizzLeeBear]

NO, not neccessarily! I think the Speer manual lists loads in order of velocity and not in respect to powder burn rate.

As far as recoil, it has to do with velocity x the weight of bullet and powder. Since (in general) it takes more slow powder to get the same velocity, in many cases loads with slower powders produce more recoil. But this is only talking in generalities and recoil can be a subjective thing also.

[runfiverun]

most do it in order of velocity, which usually corresponds to slower powders.
lee is the one that just takes everybody elses data and throws it out there with no regards to pressure,cases,or primers used.
it's as much a case of gas volumne as it is pressure.

[rjbishop]

most do it in order of velocity, which usually corresponds to slower powders.
lee is the one that just takes everybody elses data and throws it out there with no regards to pressure,cases,or primers used.
it's as much a case of gas volumne as it is pressure.

This is not true at all- I don't know why folks slam the Lee Reloading Guide, if they have not read it. The loads in this manual are sorted by cartridge, bullet weight, and velocity order. It's actually a great manual for some loads- especially with regards to the very extensive pressure and velocity information for thousands of cast loads. I happen to find this book invaluable- even compared to the so-called "Standards".

[runfiverun]

it is sorted that way, i've read the lee manual from cover to cover many times over and i have several dogeared pages in it.
i just think it is not a beginners best place to look for data,it is great for a cross reference or the first place to look if you want to use brand x powder and don't know if there is data somewhere for it.
if i wanna use a nosler bullet and the powder data they show is for hornady with a larger capacity case and a 81/2" primer.
and my primers are 9-1/2 and my case has less capacity and my bullet has much more bearing surface.
you can see the results of what could happen.
i'd just like a bit more info from them is all.
their data is too much cut and paste for my taste.

[Hillyard]

I have Lee ,The ABC, and Lyman 49 and Lee is my favorite. I just wished it was on larger pages like the other two

[Jim]

.....lee is the one that just takes everybody elses data and throws it out there with no regards to pressure,cases,or primers used.....

I'll say one thing for Richard's manual: There is load data in his book that I can't find in any of my other about dozen or so manuals.

[armyrat1970]

most do it in order of velocity, which usually corresponds to slower powders.
lee is the one that just takes everybody elses data and throws it out there with no regards to pressure,cases,or primers used.
it's as much a case of gas volumne as it is pressure.


This is not true at all- I don't know why folks slam the Lee Reloading Guide, if they have not read it. The loads in this manual are sorted by cartridge, bullet weight, and velocity order. It's actually a great manual for some loads- especially with regards to the very extensive pressure and velocity information for thousands of cast loads. I happen to find this book invaluable- even compared to the so-called "Standards".



Actually I have to agree with runfiverun. If you search the loading data in the Lee manual for different calibers and powders you'll see there is no real order that the data is listed in. Neither fastest to slowest or slowest to fastest powder or higher pressure to lower pressure or highest to lowest velocity or even MinOal. Many times the loads are listed from highest velocity to lowest but, that is not always the case either. Their only one constant is listing by boolit weight per caliber. They have a powder burn chart in the manual that you can compare with. For a specific bullet or powder it is good to go to the manufacture for their data. And that is not always right as I have seen typos before.
Lee compiles the data from the manufactures and does not test powder. They make handloading tools. I am not slamming the Lee manual or Lee products in general as many here know most of the tools I use for my handloading needs are Lee. And I have and use the Lee Modern Reloading Second Edition and think it is an invaluable tool. Always cross reference as much as you can.

[Beekeeper]

Since we all shoot mostly cast I would like to see or find a manual that deals strictly with cast and has recent production moulde and boolits listed.
The Lyman manual (recently purchased,newest) doesn't even carry info on any of the moulds currently available.
Not much help for someone basicly new to casting.
Have been loading j words for 40 plus years but only took the jump to cast about 2 years ago so a lot of my old data is useless . I know how to work up loads but it still would be nice to have a book that gives good data as a reference.
Even the Lee manual is mostly for J word bullets instead of cast and they are the biggest seller of moulds in the country
If you know of one please post it so I can get a copy

Jim

[fredj338]

Since we all shoot mostly cast I would like to see or find a manual that deals strictly with cast and has recent production moulde and boolits listed.
The Lyman manual (recently purchased,newest) doesn't even carry info on any of the moulds currently available.
Not much help for someone basicly new to casting.
Have been loading j words for 40 plus years but only took the jump to cast about 2 years ago so a lot of my old data is useless . I know how to work up loads but it still would be nice to have a book that gives good data as a reference.
Even the Lee manual is mostly for J word bullets instead of cast and they are the biggest seller of moulds in the country
If you know of one please post it so I can get a copy

Jim
The current Lyman is as close as any manual comes to comprehensive load data for lead bullets. There are so many designs, wts & styles, I doubt something better will come along unless some group of guys here want to invest in pressure test equip. & publish their own.
Some manuals list by buirn rate & some not. Your best bet is to visit a burn rate chart & then coord that w/ loading manual data.

[rjbishop]

Actually I have to agree with runfiverun. If you search the loading data in the Lee manual for different calibers and powders you'll see there is no real order that the data is listed in. Neither fastest to slowest or slowest to fastest powder or higher pressure to lower pressure or highest to lowest velocity or even MinOal.

Just wanted to clear up this last point- I've not seen any load ranges in Richard's second edition that are not sorted highest "Never Exceed" velocity to lowest. I don't know if folks realize this when looking at the load data in this manual.

Agreed that Lee doesn't always provide some of the minor details such as specific bullet mfr, specific primer mfr, etc- sometimes these can be rather important details. Still- I find it to be an excellent manual in the arsenal of load info I carry. The single thing that kinda irks me about Lee's Reloading book? This book doesn't list any loads specific to bullets poured from Lee molds!

[fredj338]

Just wanted to clear up this last point- I've not seen any load ranges in Richard's second edition that are not sorted highest "Never Exceed" velocity to lowest. I don't know if folks realize this when looking at the load data in this manual.

Agreed that Lee doesn't always provide some of the minor details such as specific bullet mfr, specific primer mfr, etc- sometimes these can be rather important details. Still- I find it to be an excellent manual in the arsenal of load info I carry. The single thing that kinda irks me about Lee's Reloading book? This book doesn't list any loads specific to bullets poured from Lee molds!

I actually find the Lee manual frustrating. The bullet style & shape does matter, sometimes quite a bit. So saying it's a 240gr jacketed bullet is only mildly interesting. You have no idea waht OAL to use & that really matters w/ handgun loads. Not to mention many of the more popular bullet wts are only represented by a few powders. It's a bit eclectic, not worth the money IMO> Stick w/ Lyman's #49 & Speer #14.

[armyrat1970]

I actually find the Lee manual frustrating. The bullet style & shape does matter, sometimes quite a bit. So saying it's a 240gr jacketed bullet is only mildly interesting. You have no idea waht OAL to use & that really matters w/ handgun loads. Not to mention many of the more popular bullet wts are only represented by a few powders. It's a bit eclectic, not worth the money IMO> Stick w/ Lyman's #49 & Speer #14.

I feel some are misunderstanding the purpose of the Lee manual. It is just a starting point with load data. Not the final results. It gives you an envelope to work and start with. Not the final results. Your own handloads are the final results and it is up to you to make sure you explore all data and put together your own handloaded cartridges.
And cross reference your data. How many times has it been said? Cross reference your data. Geezs. If you don't, you will face problems at one time or another.

[mroliver77]

I feel some are misunderstanding the purpose of the Lee manual. It is just a starting point with load data. Not the final results. It gives you an envelope to work and start with. Not the final results. Your own handloads are the final results and it is up to you to make sure you explore all data and put together your own handloaded cartridges.
And cross reference your data. How many times has it been said? Cross reference your data. Geezs. If you don't, you will face problems at one time or another.
I use all loading manuals as an envelope to find a starting load. As AR says cross reference too. I find a load in at least two or more manuals and decide where to start from there. Always low end and see how the components are working together in MY gun. When I get a feel for where I am at as far as primers flatness, case extraction, chrono results etc, then I proceed with finding the speed and accuracy I am looking for. I do believe this as much an art as a science.
Jay