I'm mentoring a newbie. Any suggestions for first loading manual? I'm inclined to the Sierra.

This has been asked many times on all the reloading forums. Do a Search and you will have an answer.

I prefere the lyman

Lyman is good, so is ABC of reloading. Ain't nothing wrong with the Sierra book. Nothing sez you can't have two or more books.

I like Lyman the best also, but you need the manual for the bullets you use the most.

Here's what gets me (as someone new to reloading myself): Ex. Scar 308 win 165-168 grain bullets; Book may say COL should be 2.780 or 2.810 or as low as 2.750. I'll use Hornady OAL guage with TTSX bullet and then measure and get 2.925-2.930; .120 over what the book gives as max. Now with my bolt guns, I often find they have best groups around .015-.020 off what the max I measure is. So I wonder about what I read in the books? Funny thing is that I'm still hesitant to go above the 2.810 on my semi auto 308s; but not on my bolt guns.

And yet, I still want a copy of every book available?????

Like it has already been stated - it depends on the bullets you are shooting. Sierra, Speer, Nosler IMO.

You will find errors in some loading manuals.
You should have 3 or 4 or 5 to permit comparison between the manuals to catch the gross errors.

I agree with needing more than one manual. I have 8 or ten, but this fellow is just getting started.

Since you have a computer, you can get Nosler, Hodgdon, Alliant and maybe more---load data----online. Tell him to go to 1/2 price books for used manuals

Start with whoever's bullets you are shooting. Then follow it up by confirming your load with information from the powder manufacturer's online info. After awhile you will have two or three manuals and a good reference library.

@zhurh:

What seem to me to be happening is that the bullet may be contacting the rifling when you chamber it. In bolt guns this leads to increased accuracy. In semi-autos, it can lead to jamming, depending on gun &c.

Although, I am a noob also, so correct me if I am wrong.

Cowboy, it rained today and I loaded up 150 TTSXs for the Scar 308; from 2.780 to 2.810. But no joke, the Hornady OAL guage with ttsxs sez I got a bunch of room in there, ha ha. I'm also limited by magazine also. I have a T bench & chrono on my back porch and if she's supposed to be nice outside; so I'll be shootin. I got a vortex scope and waiting on Larue mount which will give me a better picture than the red dot ghost ring Acog on the gun now.

What it is I think is with my bolt guns, I can seat that bullet .015-.020 off the rifling. With the semi autos with magazines limiting how far you can seat the bullets out there; kinda chasin your tail.

I sure like hunting with my ARs, or I'd be happy enough with one of my .5 bolt guns.

I'm going to chamber a round that is 2.810, then eject and remeasure before I do any shooting on Sunday. Thanks

Get atleast 2 manuals. I'd make one a Lyman as they have both jacketed and cast data and I do shoot cast bullets. If your friend shoots pistol he may get some cast bullets even if he doesn't cast them himself. Lyman also has some pressure listings which most manuals don't have. For the other I like Hornady and I like Sierra. Make it easy get 3. I did run across a .223 load in a Lyman that listed a very low pressure----but it was higher than other manuls and was too hot.

Thanks all. Some considerations were mentioned that I had not thought of. (Sorry for the dangling prep.)