Reloading Manuals - Pros and Cons

[Corny]

Try LoadData.com online! Its cost a little ever year but you have a world of loads and advice.

[lslubecki]

I use Lee and speer and the internet for backup. I just got the newest Lee and is has loads for 6.5 Creedmore, 6.8 SPC and many newer rounds. It also has powers like X-terminator and TAC etc. that I didnt have in any other manuals. You definately want to look at 2-3 or more for the same load data and compare them all.

[jaybeach]

Originally Posted by Joshuak12

Having recently read through a reloading manual for the first time, and having enjoyed it more than I expected, I'm curious as to what some pros and cons are for the various manuals on the market. I'd like to build a good reloading library, but would also like to be well informed before I buy my next manual. Thanks in advance.

What gets me and I have been reloading for 40 years, is that the Lyman manual will often have a top load that is below the starting load in the Speer or Nosler manual. This gives pause and makes me wonder just how much these people know and which one to trust. Naturally, I start with the lower published load and work up my load from there.

[lyotehunter]

i never get the same velocity with the same length barrel,so that would not matter i have been loading since 1966. i have a cornograph that is the only way you would know.they still can't make two barrels the exactly the same

[Whitesheep]

Originally Posted by Corny

Try LoadData.com online! Its cost a little ever year but you have a world of loads and advice.

I have been on loaddata.com site and you have to pay $ to get the data AND it is not validated by anyone with a reputation or potential lawsuit on the line.

As others have suggested, reference several manuals and the online sites for both powder and bullet manufacturers. You might also tryout Load Books as they reprint the relevant pages from several different books for a single caliber at a modest cost. Not pretty, but packed full of information.

The best thing you can do is find a mentor who can show you the ropes, or at least work with a group of other reloaders to compare notes and ideas. It is best if these are people you know, not just posters on a web site like this.

[green 788]

Some of the max loads in load manuals are anemic, and some are above what is generally considered safe... Hodgdon has some IMR 4895 data published that is wicked hot... same for the 4064 data (see .308 win loads).

Sierra is on the "lawyered up" side... their max loads are generally well under what you can safely shoot.

The older Speer books show some pretty hot loads... don't use their IMR 3031 data for the 22-250... unless you want some ruined cases. :o

And Nosler... in addition to "pie in the sky" velocity figures, Nosler's new manual (the number 6) says they developed their loads using Nosler brass...

Problem is... Nosler shows EXACTLY the same starting and max loads, and EXACTLY the same velocities they showed in the number 5 manual--with WINCHESTER brass... hmmm... in other words, they're lying, obviously. The Nosler cases are thick and awfully similar to Federal cases... so load data as compared to Winchester cased loads would be WAY off...


Dan

[Whitesheep]

Well Dan green 788, you're a sponsor and all and me just a little junior member, but please back up what you say. Am I now supposed to add a few grains to my Sierra "book" loads and see what happens based on your post? You know the drill, all is fine until you exceed max pressure several times and then KABOOM! Or am I supposed to call you and send $$$ so you will bless me with your wisdom and wonder loads. Please spare me.