Reloading manual

winch_warrior

Since I'm new to reloading I'm looking for some of the better reloading manuals. I can't go out and buy them all, so if there were only one or two manuals that a person was to buy, what would they be? Lee, Sierra, Speer, Nosler, Barnes?

cactus-man

I like Lyman

wsm 325

i personally like hornady and nosler.

wsm 325

i personally like hornady and nosler.

dcs shooters

If you are shooting lead, get the Lyman. Get one for the powder you are using, and one for the bullet if shooting jacketed.

Tailgunner1954

Sho's bullets are you using? That should give you your first manual.
I prefer the Nosler and Sierra manuals (and their bullets).

IMHO, the best use for the LEE manual is as emergency toilet paper

shooterone

Get the manual that goes with the bullets you are using. For example if you are going to start off with Hornady bullets, get their manual. I shoot Hornady, Speer and Sierra bullets so I got all 3 manuals. And remember this, you do not have to buy the latest issue. You can pick up a earlier issue, cus the info is about the same. I refer to my older issues more than the newer ones, more out of habit.

Pearyw

Lyman is the most versital. Manuals such as Sierra and Nosler only cover the bullets they make.

Rocky Raab

You may not be able to afford them all, but you should have at least two. I absolutely concur that the bullet maker's manual should be your primary source of load data. That's because the bullet's characteristics have so much influence on pressure and velocity.

But ytpso happen (LOL!) so always crosscheck that data with data from the powder maker. Much of that is free online, also. Hodgdon has data for almost all common powders except Alliant online. Fortunately, so does Alliant. There are also give-away condensed guides at most gun shops. Hodgdon also publishes an Annual Manual with 5000+ loads in it. The 2009 edition is just out and is under $10.

Finally, as a failsafe backup, you should have a manual from an independent source. The hands-down best is Lyman's. The Lyman also has the best (IMO) how-to and why-to instructional section. Every new reloader should read it twice.

oneoldsap

You know I often agree with your thinking Rocky, The current Lyman manual should be on every reloaders bench , and don't throw the old ones away. I've got them all the way back to #42. I found some old Win-785 a few years ago which was what Winchester loaded the .243 with when it was new. It's the only powder that I have used that will duplicate factory ballistics with tack driving accuracy with just about anybodys 100 Gr. bullet. If I hadn't kept my old Lyman manuals I wouldn't have had the data to use this powder.

winch_warrior

Well, I use Barnes bullets, but I have heard so many negative comments on their reloading manual #4 and all the publication updates with the printed loose paper sheets that nobody seems to like. I will admit when I jump on their website to look at reloading information it seems very limited on powders and such compared to say the Lyman reloading manual. I'm mainly concerned with the "seating depth" issues with reloading these bullets. Is there another source for this information?

Mtnlover

I'd be very leery of somebody else's seating depth recommendations. In my experience, that is rifle-specific; your rifle will want a particular seating depth independent of any other rifle. I once moved from a Hornady 150 round nose to a Hornady 150 spitzer and had to seat it .040 deeper to get equivalent good results. Consider seating depth another variable to be tried out, just like powder, bullets, etc.

I also like Hornady and Nosler reloading books.

Rocky Raab

You should also be very leery of seating depth advice based on jacketed bullets but applied to all-copper ones. Barnes bullets do not behave like jacketed ones in any respect. That's partly why we buy them.

Use Barnes data and procedures with Barnes bullets - and ONLY Barnes data.

RCrosby

No argument with any of the above. I have about 20 but go most often to the Lyman or Speer. That said, the reloading info available on line now is great and an evening spent finding your favorite reloading sites is at least as valuable as that 3rd or 4th hard copy manual on the book shelf.

m113103

I found Lyman and Hornady to be the most informative. Some of the others use hunter stories to fill the pages. Most of the actual data can be found on the bullet maker or powder mfg's web site.