Irritated with LEE

[Idz]

The big problem with the lee manual is that it doesn't identify the bullet other than its weight.

[oldsalt444]

+1 on Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Ed. Lee 2nd Ed. does have cast bullet data for 30-30, .308, and 30-06. But it only has listings for bullet weight, not mold specific. But that's all you need anyway. No point in getting completely anal with specific molds, bullet alloys, etc. I've used Lee data for years and it is always safe if not on the conservative side.

[John Boy]

Logger, pick whatever you want to charge for a 30-30, 150gr bullet. And save this website, so you don’t have to post and ask ... http://stevespages.com/308_9_150.html
http://stevespages.com/page8a.htm

[hoosierlogger]

Logger, pick whatever you want to charge for a 30-30, 150gr bullet. And save this website, so you don’t have to post and ask ... http://stevespages.com/308_9_150.html
http://stevespages.com/page8a.htm

Thank you so much. That right there is a valuable resource.

[Bazoo]

RCBS does in fact publish data. I'm not sure which manual it's from, but in my loadbooks one book one caliber manuals RCBS bullets and data is present in each.

[MOA]

Why? RCBS doesn't do it. SAECO, Accurate Molds, NOE, etc don't do it.

Lee provides a compilation of load data to put in the boxes of their reloading die sets to give the reloader on a budget something to start with. It is not included with their molds since they do not do any of the testing with their designs.

I've never purchased the Lee book for that reason. Most of the information in there is available elsewhere. For casting the Lyman manuals have been the best single source of cast bullet info for decades.

Charlie b, in the overall scheme of things it is true most of the mold companies don't generate their own data for their mold designs. But at one time RCBS did do just that. Not found as commonly as other cast boolit loading books but they did at one time produce this manual. ( the caveat to this is it looks like Speer was involved with the data. So even RCBS did not soley produce the loading data totally independent from the major reloading labs they did work in cooperation with staff of Speer and CCI.)

[kreuzlover]

How cool! I have been reloading since 1965, and I've never seen that RCBS cast bullet reloading manual.

[Bazoo]

Guess that is where the RCBS data in the loadbooks usa comes from.

Is there more than one volume or edition?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Guess that is where the RCBS data in the loadbooks usa comes from.

Is there more than one volume or edition?

"Number 1" (copyright 1983, I believe?) is the only edition by RCBS.

[MOA]

Correct JohB. It's the one and only manual they produced. I was very lucky a few years ago to come across this mint volume. The spine is in uncreased condition. I only open it just so far when using it.

[blikseme300]

What none of the published manuals can deliver on is if the loads will be accurate from your rifle or pistol, they are just safe loads. There is so much more to reloading than load recipes. Anyone who is looking for instant gratification with cast or any kind of reloads is barking up the wrong tree. I know this is harsh, but it is what it is.

[charlie b]

Thanks for that info on the RCBS manual. I wonder if they tested pressures for any of those loads. Kinda interesting they haven't printed any more.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Thanks for that info on the RCBS manual. I wonder if they tested pressures for any of those loads. Kinda interesting they haven't printed any more.

There is no mention of Pressure testing in the "intro to loading data" page. They do mention that the two charges shown for each powder/boolit combo, is neither Min or Max...to paraphrase...the top load is near the level where accuracy starts to go bad and the bottom load is a guide to guesstimate how much speed is lowered when reducing a "certain" level of charge. It also states they used a 10-1 alloy and RCBS lube for all boolits tested. Now, we Castbooliteers know that you can get more speed with accuracy, with alloys that are harder than 10-1.

[tomme boy]

http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manu...%20-%20ocr.pdf

[reloader28]

"Number 1" (copyright 1983, I believe?) is the only edition by RCBS.

Mine says 1986. Nice book but I always thought it was just kinda lacking something

[1hole]

No two firearms are identical so no formula or loading book maker can possibly tell us precisely how to load for either cast or jacketed bullets. Nor, except in broad terms, can anyone tell us what chamber pressure will be generated by any book load because our loads, our lead alloys nor our guns will ever be identical.

Anyone hoping to find some kind of magic in a "book tested" reload is kidding himself; that just ain't gonna happen. We have to learn how to do this stuff safely, it's just not a calibrated activity so the best of our books are no more than general guides. No cast bullet of a given caliber and weight is going to be predictabily different from others of its type just because of the mold brand or nose profile or numbers of lube and crimp grooves or a gas check.

Lee doesn't test individual cast bullet loads by mold number; so far as I know, no one else does either, that's our job. Lyman lists the molds they used for their book data but they do NOT tell us that a given bullet has any hazardous differences from others of the same weight.

Lee's hard back and annual magazine loading manuals give us excellent data drawn from reputable sources (but not from other book maker's copyrighted manuals) and they do it at a nominal price. Why should they pressure test everything, what would be the point of Lee duplicating and charging us for what has already been done by our many powder and bullet makers?

Complaining about Lee's lack of data by mold number is unjustified. Excepting ONE issue of RCBS' cast bullet manual some 35 years ago, none of our mold makers even try to specifically test loads for every bullet variation they make because it would be both costly and effectively meaningless to us.

[Land Owner]

In spite of serious caveats warning NEVER to believe internet-responses as sources for powder reloading recipes, there are a number of private sources found, quoted, and linked, that are providing recommendations. "Stevespages" linked above is one of them. Further research is hoped to expose the source(s) for these loads.

In a rifle, a 50-thousand psi "bomb" inches away from your face, eyes, and hands is sobering thought. When you own and have thumbed through "enough" bullet and powder Mfg. manuals (at fingertips for comparative purposes), extrapolated criteria that wasn't published for the exact bullet of choice, reloaded and shot "sufficient" rounds of various pistol and rifle calibers safely, and considered the variations and ramifications as adapted to a lifetime of reloading, you KNOW what is or isn't right for your guns. The strictest warning in the Lee Reloading 2nd Ed. manual (pg. 205) linked above is:

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR RELOADS.

[fredj338]

You shouldn't be irritated with Lee but yourself for over thinking it. Find data for 150gr lead & start in the middle & work up.

[gwpercle]

How cool! I have been reloading since 1965, and I've never seen that RCBS cast bullet reloading manual.

Only us old Pack Rat Cast Reloaders have that one ... I would buy every cast boolet book that came out back then ... no internet ... no other way to learn how to cast and load them except through manuals .
Gary

[dondiego]

I have one but it is rarely used and then only as a cross reference.