Most of us own or should own at least 3 or more reloading manuals, I use 7 for comparison purposes each caliber that I have has trendacies to not really treat certain calibers with alot of respect. That is the reason I pull from so many. Am I alone on this? I load for 8 different calibers and there are discrepencies on powder charges by as much as 5 grains. I know they have to take precautions but who do you think is really going for the GUSTO when they print the findings because I have found for the most part there max loads are a starting point I have been loading 30 years and have all my fingers and both eyes.WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE? Anyone have any comments?

I've got a lot of loading manuals and refer to them all when loading for a new or specific caliber. I do like Sierra's "accuracy load" and "hunting load" data, gives from my experience a good place to start.

I have several but the one that I used the most was Speer Number 12. When I was younger I used to like experimenting but I've simplified my life somewhat by settling on one powder that is good for all the calibres I load for.

If I could only have 2:

Ken Waters - Pet Loads

and

Wildcat Cartridges (the combo edition with Vol I and II)

P.O. Ackley's 2 volumes

Gosh, I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite. Over the years I have found the following sources useful (in no particular order): Speer, Sierra, Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, several Lyman manuals, Lee, _Taffin Tests_, _Pet Loads_, other Wolfe compendium publications, relevant back issues of _Rifle_ and _Handloader_, Winchester data pamphlets, and A-Square. Good hunting!

The three very best I know, in this sequence of recommendation:

1. A-Square (Any Shot You Want)
2. RUAG/DNAG Wiederladen ("Blue Book")
3. Vapenjournalens Ladebok

Carcano

cal, good question. My favourites are Lyman and Speer. My least favourite, although still very useful is Nosler. (a little rant brewing) I find Noslers velocities exagerated too frequently. I forget the load, but could find it again, where Nosler states a velocity 3oo'/s faster than Lyman, which I find to be close to the mark most of the time. Although even with Nosler there are things I like, such as loading density and accuracy loads, which are helpful. Just shows, you need a library. Ron.D

I use Speer #12 alot, as well as an older single volume Hornady.

The Lyman book is very informativ as well as the Ackley manual.

Another book which I don't use, but flip through alot at the shop is Modern Reloading by Richard Lee.

It has a ton of calibers and tons of loads for each.

-Spencer

I hate to admit it but they are the only books I read!

In order of most used:
Metallic Cartridge Reloading, 3rd edition. It really is a compendium of the other load manuals. It's about 10 years old and become a bit dated. I wish they would come out with the next edition soon.

Ken Waters - Pet Loads and Wildcat Cartridges (the combo edition with Vol I and II) are both very good but also dated unless you like IMR power.

I use the Barnes #3 for X bullets and the Speer #13 for reduced loads.

With all the new powders and bullets on the market I can understand the time, manpower and expense to compile a new version.

It still amazes me, in this day and age, that our government still allows us to handload our own ammunition relatively unfettered.

quote:

It still amazes me, in this day and age, that our government still allows us to handload our own ammunition relatively unfettered.

I am also this is one of the reasons I buy so much in the line of reloading componets.
One day they will demonize us as a threat.
anyways Ken Waters books are biased in the form of IMR powders are they?I will try to find some.

quote:

Originally posted by cal30 1906:

quote:

It still amazes me, in this day and age, that our government still allows us to handload our own ammunition relatively unfettered.

I am also this is one of the reasons I buy so much in the line of reloading componets.
One day they will demonize us as a threat.
anyways Ken Waters books are biased in the form of IMR powders are they?I will try to find some.

i have several thousand bullets cast for just such an occasion..........i need more brass and should stock up on powder and primers......


DO I SOUND PARANOID???

Hornady, Hodgdon, Lyman, Sierra, and Vihtavouri while using Big Bore Rifles and Cartridges as well as my own data compiled over the years.

Philip Sharpe's

Hornady, Speer and Barnes #3.

Hello;
Not a loading manual, but I have a copy of Principles and Practice of Reloading Ammunition by Earl Naramore, an ancient book that examines the art and science of Reloading at its deepest levels. 900 pages of everything and anything you might want to know.
Grizz

I use Hornady, Lyman, Sierra, P.O. Ackley, IMR, and Alliant loading books/information. My choices are mostly a result of my choices of bullets and powders that I use.

Lyman is good for cross-referencing. Ackley's books (due to 1960 publishing dates) is more for recreational reading and comparisons, but I wouldn't consider using it as an "only" or "ultimate" source.

Lyman, "Old" Hodgdon, Sierra, Nosler, Barnes, AA and then the pamplets put out by RL, WW, and Vitivohri. The one I'd be lost without is the old Hodgdon which has data from WW and IMR. Kudude

I use the Nosler#3,Nosler#5,speer#11,speer#12,Hornady#2,
Hornady#4,Hodgdon#25,N.R.A. book of reloading and very numerous pamphlets from the powder manufactures themselves.

I think the A-Square manual is the best read out in a while but Nosler Speer Vihta Lapua Hodgdon Sierra Lyman are all good to keep around to compare against each other. PO Ackley's are a good read also.

A-Square wins the most interesting read available right now in my mind.

Modern Reloading by Rhichard Lee. He seems to barrow all the information from everybody else and put it in one book. Great one manual cross reference 85% of the time.

For most of my loading life the Speer manuals were number one. Still use it once in a while but seldom at best. Things change !! roger

Bartsche,

You look like Santa!!!

Hi new to forum live in uk (yorkshire)the one manual i tend to use is the lyman 47th all the others just gather dust.

Pet Loads by Ken Waters is my favorite. I like the story about load development that he has with each caliber and have always found his most accurate loads to be great starting points and sometimes stopping points.

Pet Loads by Ken Waters is my all-time favorite.
Lyman Reloading Manual information is very close to what I Chronograph, I assume since they don't make bullets or ammo then they can tell the truth! I cross reference these two books when I start working up new loads or calibers!

Old "Hodgdon Data Manual" and PO Ackley's 2 volumes.

The Data Manual (1996) I think, gives me a book to "shop" in -- compare powders, velocities, weights, etc. Gives a discussion of the development of most calibers, some discussion for muzzle loading shotguns.

Ackley is sort of "dated" -- 1962.

Public libraries generally have stacks of OLD reload books. The old data is suspect I think. Lot's of changes in past years.

I'm finding that each mfg. posts load data online, it's accurate, reliable, updated, and FREE.

Then there are forums like these --

So when loading a new caliber, I shop around for ideas, check online, talk to other reloaders, and then get a "feel" for what will work for me.

The rest is all about benches, targets, and a chrono.

I own quite a few loading manuals from all the different bullet a powder manufactures but my favorite is Ken Waters "Pet Loads I & II"

Lyman (component neutral), new Sierra and old Speer books and one a those Digest books on reloading. It's got a comprehensive chart of powder to factory cartridge Max loads.

rich

Online -- M.D. Smith's Reloading Page

http://www.reloadammo.com/

Varmint Al's Reloading -- which is about "how" more than how much.

http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm

I have many manuals. I troll the used bookstores looking for them.

I use Speer #12 most often.

Honorable mention to the Lee Manual.

ZM

I've used the Nosler, Speer, Lyman, Lee, Hogdon, Barnes, And Sierra manuels. I find that each have their strong points, but perfer the Nosler, and oh yes Ken Waters pet loads. I agree with you, cal30 1906, that some calibers are given little respect, espically the 270 weatherby mag. I believe the barnes manual gives higher velocites for the 270 Win with the 180gr barnes than the wearthby, and the nosler research in the #3 manual is a joke.

Lyman 47, Lyman Cast bullet hand book,
Speer Manual # 6....( 1966 published)...
Hodgdon # 26

Been loading alot recently for the Barnes TSX in 6.5mm RM and 338 WM. I've run into some problems just using Barnes #3 with the tsx "loading tips".
Sure wish the new book would come out! I have been working with IMR 4350 and the 120 grn TSXBT in the 6.5 RM and Varget with the 210 grn tsx in the 338. OAL is really restricted in the mod 600 remington, the 338 WM is an L61R with a long throat and Mag.
Any success stories.

Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, volume 4; Nosler Reloading Guide, volume 4; Modern Reloading by Richard Lee; Hodgdon Data Manual No. 25; Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd Edition; Barnes Reloading Manual, 3rd Edition; Swift Reloading Manual Number 1; Sierra Reloading Manual 3rd Edition in no particular preference of order.

Hornady #2 and NRA with Norma site for trajectory comparisons.

45/70, et al,

the reason the newer reloading manuals generally give lower max loads is called Lawsuits. I have several Speer and that is what a friend up there informed me eight or ten years ago. They would prefer not to even do one, but fear losing market share if the did not continue.

Rich

Metallic Cartridge Reloading

Pet Loads

Handloading for Competition

I have worn out several manuals. I normally use the Speer #12 cross referenced with Lyman and IMR.
I also use Hodgdon, older Speers, and an old Hornady. Odd data is where you find it so it pays to keep a variety of the old manuals around.
I have found typo errors in a manual not listed here so I trust no one's data without several cross references.

First, PET LOADS (Ken Waters)
then, Lyman 47th; Sierra Manual; Barnes, Nosler, Speer, Hornady and others (for example: Big Bore Rifles and Cartridges).
Hector

I'm being pretty redundant here, but I really like Lyman 47 and Metallic Cartridge Reloading for their instructional content. MCR is really in-depth and might be a bit much for a rookie reloader in my opinion but it's good stuff nevertheless.

I enjoy reading Waters' Pet Loads, but don't really use the information for working up my own loads. I also consult with manuals from Speer, Hogdon, Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, and a few others. I'm mostly loading TSX at the moment so the Barnes is getting the most work of late.