We all have internat resources at our fingertips but what is your favorite reference book(s). I have quite a few but my goto are.

Lyman and Sierra.

I have kept a few older Speer (spiral bound) books too.

Since 90% of my shooting is cast bullets (boolits), I refer back to Lyman’s Cast Bullet Manual and my log book. At my age, you can’t trust your memory.

Hornaday, Barnes and Nosler.

These are the bullets I shoot most of, so they get read and re-read, a lot.

Shotgun is Lyman for lead, and Ballistic Products (with caveats) for nontoxics.

Handgun is Lyman.

Rifle, well that’s a bit different. I usually use the bullet manufacturers manual. Volume wise, Hornady and Nosler- varmint type bullets.

I’ve got at least 100 of the things around the house. Nowadays, I tend to go to the powder manufacturers web site more than not- too many new powders that are not in the manuals, and until recently you often had to use what you can find.

Now that I’m beginning to shoot some rifles that are a bit off the beaten path, woidleigh’s manual is very useful, albeit a very limited powder selection.

Quickload

quote:

I have kept a few older Speer (spiral bound) books too.

Those old Speer manuals are a good resource if you like to push the envelope with pressures and velocities. Not that the loads are necessarily "unsafe", but whoever put them together certainly enjoyed hot-rodding and didn't have too much regard for "brass life".

Does anyone have the LEE book?

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
Does anyone have the LEE book?

I do; not terribly impressed vs any other one.

I use Barnes book, and/or the Hodgdon manual for their powders.

Shotgun, Lyman, that’s all I use.
Metallic, Lyman, and also use powder manufacturers on line data.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
Does anyone have the LEE book?

I do; not terribly impressed vs any other one.

Same answer as AAZW.

Sierra and Barnes sometimes Hornady.

Sierra is my primary loading manual.
I own many others that I refer to occasionally.

Lyman's Cast Manual for loading cast bullets, then whatever manual from the manufacturer of the bullet I am loading; which means mostly Swift, Berger and Sierra.

Mostly use the internet now, but 20 yrs ago I found Ken Waters Pet loads were an invaluable source of info. To bad someone wouldn't keep them updated as he did.

If I shoot the bullet I own the Manual for that bullet. If a new Manual comes out I can’t wait to get it. Started with Lyman that showed factory duplication loads and accuracy loads. Now mostly Nosler, Hornady, Swift A-Frame, Sierra, Barnes, and the internet is fantastic for the new stuff. Just started shooting shooting the 6.5 PRC and would have never got that first load without the internet. Just my .02 cents worth. Good Shooting.

At one time I am sure I had 10 books.

I pretty much use the Nosler book first in most cases as I load more Nosler.

But I, like most others, look up what Barnes or Swift has if I try their bullets.

I have the Speer, Norma and Nosler books. But surprisingly I find that the old Lyman book is really useful for data when using older powders.

lyman.
However there also a growing number of references on the Internet.

I have no particular draw to any one book, i use as many as I have on hand plus the internet to check loads with. Not in fear of asking powder or bullet mfgrs whether they have tested a combo I may want to try, if I can't find the info I want first, or to confirm what I found. There are sometimes reasons why a load combo isn't published, besides "they didn't have the components or the time". I started about about 40 years ago with a Speer and Nosler manual, have almost everything I've been able to latch onto since then. No such thing as too many references with reloading, as I never know what the next cartridge I will have to have info for is.

I have almost all of them, but the one that seems to match my results of charge weight/velocity in every cartridge has always been closest to the Hornady manual.

I have perhaps 20 or more reloading books going back to about 1950..Today I use Hodgdons, Barnes, Swift, for big bores I like Peirre van der walts Dangerous Game Cartridges, as he quotes so many loads by different references, Nosler, P, O. Ackley, and several others. I compare them to each other and try to arrive at a common goal, not always easy...I also use any other source that is available as powders like CFE223, some of the RL powders for instance are not commonly listed, so the search begins..

If I were to do it all over I would buy one of those little paper backs for eacn caliber I own, (and I have) that list everybody elses book loads, they are real handy and a real money savor. The contain all the loads listed for a specific caliber from Accurate/Hercules/Hodgdon/Hornady/Lyman/Nosler/Speer; Win./ and RL in one condensed book..and at about a buck seventy five last I ordered..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
If I were to do it all over I would buy one of those little paper backs for eacn caliber I own, (and I have) that list everybody elses book loads, they are real handy and a real money savor. The contain all the loads listed for a specific caliber from Accurate/Hercules/Hodgdon/Hornady/Lyman/Nosler/Speer; Win./ and RL in one condensed book..and at about a buck seventy five last I ordered..

X2

Google.

Quickload.

I have pretty much all the mfg books up to date and cross reference them when I work up a load. Pet Loads and A Square are a bit outdated but nice references.

But Google trumps them all. Frankly has saved me literally tens of thousands of dollars in keeping up to date in lieu of medical text books.

Ken Water's Pet Loads; they don't need updating as I have not found any need any powder made after 1969.
Although I use many other sources for newer cartridges.

My least favorite is Nosler. I find some of their data to be biased and ego driven. I prefer manuals with reliable data.

Lyman, Speer, Sierra and Hornady are all good manuals. Sometimes the Lyman does seem a bit on the conservative side though.

The only book I use is the Nosler book. The reason why is because the only bullets I use are Nosler bullets.

The resources I use the most are Hodgdon's website, Sierra and Western Powders Handloading guide (I use Ramshot powders for several calibers). If I only had access to only one resource, it would be Sierra.

As many books as I have, I have to admit they are a cornucopia of confusion to the uneniciated. .they do vary greatly as do test rifles it appears. Used properly an starting about 10% below max and working up is the way to go I suppose, or just start with the starting loads and work up, that way you would only need one book!

quote:

Originally posted by tsturm:

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
If I were to do it all over I would buy one of those little paper backs for eacn caliber I own, (and I have) that list everybody elses book loads, they are real handy and a real money savor. The contain all the loads listed for a specific caliber from Accurate/Hercules/Hodgdon/Hornady/Lyman/Nosler/Speer; Win./ and RL in one condensed book..and at about a buck seventy five last I ordered..

X2

They aren't a buck seventy five anymore.

Sierra and Lyman Manuals and a Lyman Cast Bullet Manual for most of my cast needs.

Steve........

99% of the time, I use Hodgdon's book, or go on line.

All of them. (I get a sense for where to start a work up load, based on powder or bullet I want to try or just because I have them available.)

I like the stories written with each caliber in the Nosler manuals. I have also found that their most accurate load to be good in my rifles too.

I don't have any. Use online stuff, quickload and own load development.

I would like to say Thank you to have this site. Thank you Saeed, Don and all you good guys here.

Jiri

this is gonna sound luddite especially since I'm typing this on a computer, but I don't use online sources.

I have at least 50 manuals and I use all of them.
including the LEE.
I mostly use that one to see if the powder I want to use has been used, then I find it in the book it come from.
I use the Lymans and the Accurate books quite a bit, followed by the Hornady books.

I like the barnes manual especially for the trajectory tables in the back of the book.It is also interesting in that it lists many cartridges and has a good write up for each by people who use them.I found the Nosler manual has good info for people starting out in reloading.

I think I have damn near all of them but after P.O. Ackley's book I would have to say for conversions I would say Donnalson's Book on Cartridge Conversions along with COTW 2nd edit.

Of course you do Terry, but don't all us old timers start 3 grs. over book and work down, its faster and takes up less time!!

Ackley has a bad rap from many because he simply uses more powder and didn't live in today law suit culture...

Ive loaded most of ackleys top loads with no ill effect, but a few were right up there, but they never popped a primer, the old man knew from whence he came and was the father of wild-catting, and knew how to work up a max load without a book of questionable facts.