Best reloading manual?

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Haven't started reloading yet. Thinking of taking EC's class on June 9th, but prior to this, I was hoping to read a reloading manual. I would be loading mostly .223, but everywhere I look for a good manual, people either love it or hate it. Comments like "not enough data" or "just an advertisement" are the norm on pretty much every review.

I was hoping you guys with some experience can steer me in the right direction. Does anyone agree on a standout manual?

Thanks in advance.

JM
 
Are you looking for a primer, or the "one true book". The latter doesn't exist. You should have *at least* two reloading manuals, probably closer to four, and you should update them regularly as manufacturers change their powder formulations and new bullet designs are introduced.

If you're interested in the basics and technique, any book with the word "basic" or "practical" or "introduction" in the title will get you to the right place.

I have:

Nick Harvey's Practical Reloading manual
Basic Handloading by George C. Nonte, Jr. (©1978!)
a Speer manual
a couple Lyman manuals
and I always check the powder manufacturer's website to confirm recipes.
 
You'll probably end up needing more than one. Generally speaking, you'll get the best info from the manufacturer of the bullets you want to use (if they have a manual). Here are some good ones (in no particular order):

Lyman 49th is excellent - especially for cast lead bullets
Hornady is good, especially if you use Hornady bullets
Lee Modern Reloading has (by far) the most recipes.
Speer #14
If you're going to shoot Barnes banded bullets, you'll need a Barnes manual.
 
I download, or buy every manual I can find. Most of the powder manufacturers have a downloadable version of their load data, and some have online listings as well. Bullett manufacturers ditto. The Lee book is very handy, as is the Lyman book for lead rounds.

There is no such thing as too many load manuals. There is always one powder and one bullet that is not listed somwhere, but is listed somewhere else.
 
Thanks so much for your replies. I think before I start reloading, I will buy a generic manual, just to breeze over before I start reloading. Lee or the Lyman manual's sound like good options.
 
Haven't started reloading yet. Thinking of taking EC's class on June 9th, but prior to this, I was hoping to read a reloading manual. I would be loading mostly .223, but everywhere I look for a good manual, people either love it or hate it. Comments like "not enough data" or "just an advertisement" are the norm on pretty much every review.




I was hoping you guys with some experience can steer me in the right direction. Does anyone agree on a standout manual?

Thanks in advance.

JM

don't think about it do it, it will be a great investment in your new hobby.

while its nice to read about it, its absolutely awesome to have hands

on experience.
 
I agree with EC's comments and have all those manuals and a couple more. If you're shooting service rifles, Speer and Hornady have sections with service rifle data in .223, .308 and .30/06.
 
i have the lyman, hornady and speer manuals. i also have the small booklets put out by the manufacturers. dont forget about the abc's of reloading. its handy to have around.

bob
 
i like my speer manual. i don't like my hornady manual.
the speer is nice because it also has cast loads listed.

i like the manuals for a quick look up, i used them on the bench all the time when i first started reloading, and now i just like to read through, compare cartridges, read the history of them etc. the online resources from powder manufacturers give me all the details i need on loads though.

i can cross reference to other manuals and figure out whats going on. definitely get your hands on a few.
 
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This is where you should start and lots of cross referencing is suggested..
 
Also be for you buy any books see if your local libray has them or can have them shipped in. I found several books not worth the money
ABCs of reloading is one of them. Useless, well no but really if you can read it for free. Better off.
I have hornady and lyman cast handbook both are good and get me enough info to get rolling.
http://www.loaddata.com/signup/index.cfm anyone have experience with this ?
 
I've never signed up, but what could go wrong with data posted by some guy on the Internet?

Buy as many reloading manuals as you can find. They're not expensive, so why stop at just one or two?

I have the Hornady, (2 editions), Lee, Speer (3 editions), Lyman (2), Sierra, Nosler, Barnes, and about 20 booklets put out by the powder manufacturers.

Instead of asking what's the best, just friggin buy them all.
 
When I first started to reload I found that the Lyman manual that came with the turret press of the same name was very informative. Now that I have been reloading for several (30) years I find that the information I need is available online, free. If I were to begin relaoding all over again I would invest in a manual or two, but save enough $ for a chrono. The chrono will provide you with information that the manuals can't.
 
I'd do this:

1) Get a Lyman manual, its very comprehensive
2) If you tend to buy a particular bullet manufacturers manual..get that
3) Go to the powder manufacturers website if they have one...I use this site frequently http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp
4) For all calibers I shoot a lot of, I get one of those One Book / One Caliber books (They're $8). They consolidate data from a bunch of other manuals.

I have always found something that works between these 4 options.

ETA: Sorry if my post is redundant, I didn't read the whole thing.
 
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I just scored 2 older layman's....free!!! Whoohooo

EC, I was not sure what loaddata.com was all about.its been comeing up more often ?
 
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