Speer manuals

Lookin over some of my manuals and came across a #7 circa 1966, #8 -1970, and # 10-1979. Would these be old enough to stir up any interest from collectors of old manuals ? All three in pretty good shape.

Definitely of interest not only to collectors but reloaders in general, as times change so does the available components and listed calibers. Having references that you can refer back to can sometimes be invaluable

Sounds logical. Think I'll just keep em. Thanks

Yep, wish I had kept my Dad's #10; some Red Dot & Blue Dot loads in the older Speer manuals that I can't find anymore.
I expect that I could find more useful loads that were dropped if I happened to have a few manuals side-by-side.

Rather unfortunate that my powders are usable for longer than the revision cycle of reloading manuals, lol.

Yupper, they are great for when I started to use up some of the vintage powders in my stash. 230, and several other old Win. powder from the 70s. Gave me a place to start and work up so I could use up those old timers before I take the big dirt nap! If I do not use them up they will end up in the land fill or be destroyed by the bomb squad. I decided to burn it up one shot at a time!

I've got a speer from the 70s that was part of my uncles equipment, I like to use it for reference compared to newer manuals.

My oldest is the #8. Bought it when I got out of the Army, just back from Vietnam. Still have it though the pages have yellowed with age. And still have the notebook style Lyman manual from the same era. It too is showing it's age as most of the tabs separating Rifle, Handgun, Shotgun, & Muzzle Loader are worn or broken off.

I regularly go back to these for loads the new manuals don't list. Yea, I know the new stuff is supposed to be much safer but people shot these older recommended loads for thousands of rounds (me included) so I have trouble believing they are all so dangerous. Guess I'm getting cranky as I get older. (smile)

Dave

I used my No 10 Speer manual last weekend brewing up some Win 231 loads for my 38 Special SWC's. 4.1 gr under 160 gr lswcs.

I have about fifty manuals including Speer books that go back to the '50s. The old manuals remain excellent sources for comparison and reference.

All manuals are invaluable. The caveat being that pressure testing methods have changed and the older manuals contain hotter loads. This shouldn’t pose an issue for a reloader that does things correctly and works up the load. It can cause issues for people that skip right to max loads.

Back in the middle of the great powder shortage , I discovered a can of Alcan #5 , had S&W name on it , that had hidden itself in the back of a closet shelf. It Looked good , smelled good and Speer Reloading Manual #8 (1970) had plenty of load data on the Alcan powders ...so I used it !
Waste not , Want not ...as Mom would say.
Them old manuals come in handy at times....that's why I never get rid of one.
Gary

I run across some older and some newer manuals in yard sales and estate sales, some of these people don't have any idea of what they are worth so I snap them up. that is a good place to look .

Makes me kind of sad that manuals I bought new are now "vintage" :(

Speer #2 and #4 manuals are for Wildcat calibers. Those two are also the hardest to find.

I gotta get the most recent manual otherwise I have them all. The number 4 is probably my most treasuredhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6022cc1203.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...37f0d83a0d.jpg

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I'm still using my Speer #9 as reference for most of my reloads. Just found load data in it for my 7.7 Jap using a 100 grain carbine bullet (I know it's a condom bullet) which looks like a lot of fun.

You must be careful with old data!!
Early US loading data expected shooters to discriminate between heavy frame S&W and Colt guns, and pot metal imports. Speers reloading manual # 8 (1970) lists several loads for 38 Special that push 125 grain bullets to over 1300 fps. These loads were recommended for medium and heavy frame S&W and Colt guns. This is current 357 Magnum performance!

There is no “magic” in the 1970 load data, these early Speer loads are high pressure! Speer tested these loads in actual revolvers not test barrels. In a revolver with chambers and cylinder throats on the large side, you can work up to the Speer maximum. My S&W Model 10 duty gun would accept loads which were way over pressure in my personal 38 Combat Masterpiece. What we are talking about here is INDIVIDUAL responsibility for differences in INDIVIDUAL guns.

Because I was required to carry a 38 Special on duty, I loaded hundreds of the hottest Speer loads my gun could digest. In those days the administrators did not care what ammo we used, issue ammo was 158 grain round nose. Some of the men carried Super Vel loads, I used my hand loads. By 1995, the best 38 +P 125 grain load in the Speer manual #12 produced only 1098 fps, and many “maximum” loads are below 1000 fps. Where did 300 fps and 50% of the energy go? It went with the introduction of the minimum dimension pressure barrel and zero personal responsibility.

Some of the 60's rifle loads are much hotter than in current manuals with the same powder. The old manuals expected you to be careful and responsible, the new ones expect you to have a lawyer on retainer.

"It's not the people who vote that count. It's the people who count the votes." Josef Stalin

"Accurate Smokeless Powder Reloading Guide Number One 1994"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 1996 revision 1"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 1997"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 1999"
"Accurate Smokeless Powder Reloading Guide Number Two 2000"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2000"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2001"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2002"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2003"
"Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders vol I" P.O. Ackley 1962
"Pocket Manual for Shooters and Reloaders" P.O. Ackley 1964
"Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders vol II" P.O. Ackley 1966
"Reloader's Guide for Alliant Smokeless Powders" 1996
"Alliant Powder Reloader's Guide" 1998
"New 6th Edition Handloader's Digest" 1972
"The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions" John J Donnelly 1987
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 1999"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2000"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2001"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2002"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2006"
"Hodgdon Reloading Data Manual #19" ~1964
"Basic Loading Data for Hodgdon's Modern Powders" 4895 is 10 cents/lb, so ~ 1952
"Hodgdon Annual Manual 2002"
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 22 Data Manual" 1974
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 23 Data Manual" 1979
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 25 Data Manual" 1986
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 27 Data Manual" 1998
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading 1967"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading II 1973"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading third edition 1980"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading fifth edition Volume I 2000"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading fifth edition Volume II 2000"
"Handloader's Guide for Smokeless Powder Dupont 1980"
"Handloader's Guide for Smokeless Powder IMR 1990"
"Handloader's Guide for Smokeless Powder IMR 2000"
"Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges" Ken Howell 1995
"Reloading Handbook First Edition" Richard Lee [Has Alcan, so pre 1971][c.1965 per cornell pub.]
"Modern Reloading" Richard Lee 1996
"Lyman Reloading Manual 39th edition" 1953
"Lyman Reloading Manual 40th edition" 1955
"Lyman Reloading Manual 41st edition" 1957
"Lyman Reloading Manual 42th edition" 1960
"Lyman Reloading Manual 43th edition" 1964
"Lyman Reloading Manual 44th edition" 1967
"Lyman Reloading Manual 45th edition" 1970
"Lyman Reloading Manual 46th edition" 1982
"Lyman Reloading Manual 47th edition" 1992
"Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook" 1980
"Lyman Pistol and Revolver Reloading Handbook" 1994
"Modern Reloading" Nonte 1972
"Basic Reloading" Nonte 1978
"Nosler Reloading Manual number 3" 1989
"Nosler Reloading Manual fifth edition" 2002
"9mm Luger Loadmap" Midway 1998
"357 magnum Loadmap" Midway 1998
"44 magnum Loadmap" Midway 1998
"45acp Loadmap" Midway 1998
"Pacific Rifle/Pistol Cartridge Reloading Manual" 1967
"NRA Handloader's Guide" compiled from 1950-1968
"Handloading" William C Davis 1981
"Cartridges of the World 9th" Barnes 1965-2000
"RCBS Cast Bullet Manual" 1986
"Precision Reloading Handbook 10th" Gravatt and Sinclair 1999
"Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual first" ~1970
"Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual second" 1971
"Sierra Handgun Reloading Manual 4th" 1995
"Sierra Rifle Reloading Manual 4th" 1995
"Speer 3" 1959
"Speer 5" 1962
"Speer 6" 1964
"Speer 7" 1966
"Speer 8" 1970
"Speer 9" 1974
"Speer 10" 1979
"Speer 11" 1987
"Speer 12" 1994
"Speer 13" 1998
"Wildcats I" 1992 Wolfe
"Wildcats II" 1992 Wolfe
"The Benchrest Shooting Primer" compiled 1982-1996 Precision Shooting
"Ammo Encyclopedia" Bussard 2011
" VihtaVuori Reloading Manual first" 1994
" VihtaVuori Reloading Manual third" 2000
"Reloading Guide for Rifles and Handguns" VihtaVuori 2000
"Complete Book of Practical Handloading" Wooters 1976
"Winchester Ball Powder" 1973
"Winchester Components Catalog" 1999

And then there is Quickload... so I don't use load books anymore.

Went to a yard sale that my wife wanted to go to, went through some boxes of books . Found a Speer #5,#6 and a #10 also found some SiFi books , got 10 books at 5 for a $1.00 got to watch yard sales and estate sales.

Had ten books then lost the perfect shooting spot due to "city expansion". Don't like ranges much after having the perfect spot. Collapsed my massive reloading operation years ago. Trying to get set back up again. Can't find most of the books.

Uncertain times right now. Hard to know exactly what to do. Latest investment is Casull 454. Bought 100 Long Colt cases for more casual work. Not much difference in size.

Used to feel like I knew everything I needed to know. Still have tons of supplies. That is good. Losing the perfect shooting spot is devastation for a shooter.

I have a Speer #7 in my reloading manual rack. I keep looking for more Vintage Manuals. In my area they are very hard to find and if you can find them the seller is asking a ton of money for them.