Hi to all. I have 'Modern Handloading' by George Nonte ( good book),"the Book of the Rifle' by Jim Carmichel, 'Complete book of Shooting' by Jack O'Conner, and 'The Bullet's Flight' by F.W Mann ( who did I loan that to ....and will I ever learn?).

I would like to add all the books by Phil Sharpe and Earl Naramore. Here is your chance to add anything about these works or any others. ( There were giants in those days! Will we ever see the likes of those again?) Jump in everyone! Dale

Just another thought! Was it Nonte or Carmichel who said, " The reading of Naramore's "Principles and Practice of Reloading Ammunition" should be required before anyone can purchase a single primer." Something like that. dale

I second the motion on Dr. Mann, because he took a very open minded and scientific approach to shooting.

I've picked up a lot of good tips from Ross Seyfried's articles over the years. Like Dr. Mann, Ross is usually open minded and not afraid to try something new.

There is a biography of Harry Pope -- don't remember the title or author -- but the story of the college educated engineer from a well-to-do family who gave up a good professional job to work with his hands as a perfectionist barrel maker made a lasting impression on me.

Mostly I learned from fellow shooters back when I was shooting IHMSA and Bullesye. For once in my life I was in the right place at the right time, as IHMSA hit its peak popularity in the early 80's with Southern Idaho at the epicenter, and I had the pleasure of shooting with some exceptional people. I don't miss the phony competition games but I do miss some of the people.

Dr Mann was an originial- for sure! Genius in his painstaking, probing mind. If he had the tools available to us today ( computers, radars,microscopes,etc.) ,it would have been fantastic.

I shot a few of the games in the 80's. Some pistol ( always lowest class! But I should have won one match. My shot was low and left- off the target and into the target leg! It fell over! I should win! I was the only one to knock my target over!


But the games always became "arms races'. The guy with the most money buys the piece that has the best chance to win.



I always shot the hunter class of rifle silhouette. This seemed the most practicable. Those skills would translate to the field. That is the only rifle disipline I tried.
( both hipower and smallbore )

It is usually 'the nut behind the butt' in silhouette but money can help!

I read somewhere that british enfield rifles ,used for sniping, had to meet the strict criteria of 6 moa at 100 yds . hmmm... 5 shots in 6 inches at 100 yards! From what I have read, they put them to great use. hmmm.. maybe it is the 'indian and not the arrow!' that makes all the difference.

Looks like I have digressed off my own thread! Let's hear some more thoughts! Dale

I think about here you could throw in P O Ackley's two volume manual. Last, and far from least, I believe that in the years to come we will look back on Ken Water's Pet Loads as the monumental work that it truly is.

You have to throw in the older works as well. Fred C Ness and Phil Sharpe as must haves as well.

Little outdated as far as powders go but chocked full of information.

You have to remember, this was back when it was all "happening" and wildcats abounded and jacketed bullets were scarce so there was a lot of cast data in them./beagle

I find myself referring to Dr. Howell's Custom Cartridges Several time a week. Nonte's Home Guide to Cartridge Conversions, Donnelly's The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions and Mack's sometimes flawed Cartridge Case Measurements get used often too.

Cheers from Darkest California,

Ross