so what would be the top say 3 manuals that should be kept on everyones bench? i ask this because i currently have the lyman 49th, and a little hogden manual. the lyman pretty much has everything i would need in it but i would like to have other manuals to cross reference with. the hogden while a cheap book still isn't worth the $8 or so. it has very limited info in it and does not conain any min/max loads or anything. so those that have them which are the most rounded books with min/max loads. also a note i don't reload anything exotic just regular old stuff standard pistol and rifle carts.

I actually keep five manuals:

Lyman, Sierra, Hornady, Speer and Lee.

For in-depth and detailed information, of the five listed, Lyman and Lee would be at the top.

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Lyman, Sierra, Hornady, Speer and Lee.

I have maybe 20-25 manuals covering some 45 yeaars above my bench, they are all useful. For newbies as well as old hands, the Lee and Lyman are probably best. For the pure volume of loading data for established reloaders, I'd add Hodgdon, hard back OR the annual "magazine."

If I had to whittle my reloading manual library down to 3 titles, they would be the current versions of:

1. Lyman, cause it has cast bullet data.

2. Speer, cause it has reduced load data.

3. Barnes, cause their monometal bullets load differently than cup-and-core bullets.

I used to recommend Metallic Cartridge Reloading, 3rd Edition. But, for some reason, Mick McPherson never updated it since ~1996, so the newer cartridges are absent.

I have the Sierra,Lee,Nosler now,and the Lyman on it's way.

I collect any literature with loading data.

I have many manuals. But, I refer to the Lyman, Lee, Hodgdon, Nosler and Speer for most of my loads, and occasionally to the Sierra manual.
However, I do use the Internet for loads put out by the powder makers, like Ramshot as an example.

I use the older Speer wildcat books, a 1/2doz Lyman books including there cast bullet loads, Waters pet loads with all the up dates, and everyone of the powder mfg free ones.

I read some of the reviews on Midway about the Nosler book and was surprised they had quite a few negative feedbacks about the book. I would have never thought Nosler to get any negative feedback on there products.

Rifle only; SPeer, Lyman, Sierra, Hornady. For pistol. Lyman, Speer, Hornady.

There is nothing wrong with Nosler manual. It has data for cartridges that many others don't (like for the 9.3's). Lyman 49 is a good start; then get as many of the others as meets your needs and budget. The more the better for me.

Sierra, Nosler and Hornady.

I should keep a LEE manual around also, just in case I run out of paper in the shitter

Powder manuals; Hodgdon and Alliant

Bullet company manuals; Hornady, Nosler, Speer.

Other Manuals; Lyman.

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Sierra, Nosler and Hornady.

These are my go-to books.

There are no bad suggestions so far in all these posts. Buy 3 and read them. Then buy 3 more and read them.

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Originally posted by sksshooter:
the hogden while a cheap book still isn't worth the $8 or so. it has very limited info in it and does not conain any min/max loads or anything. so those that have them which are the most rounded books with min/max loads.

Are you useing the Hodgdon "magazine" type manuals? if so the ones I`ve got have both min and max loads. There are some pamphlets that only list max loads but, they warn to reduce by 10% to start and work up..

Any of the powder or bullet manufactures books are worth owning for cross reference with others. I like the Lyman manuals for beginners due to the varity of bullets and powders they have in them compared to others. The Nosler or Speer get my 2nd place nomination and the rest in any order are fine.

I have 5 or 6 Speer manuals, 3 Lyman, 3 Hornady,
a 1st Edition Lee (as in hand tool edition), Accurate Arms, a Sierra and some pamphlets from the powder manufacturers. All are useful in one way or another.

I'd also recommend a subscription to www.loaddata.com, which is maintained by the same people that publish Handloader magazine. It contains data from all the major reloading manuals (they must have a license agreement) as well as years of data from Handloader. I have all the major manuals on my shelf, but loaddata.com is my first stop when searching for a new load. I think a subscription is $29.95 per year.