Which reloading manual...

[iclick]

I use online sources to start but always work final load data in Quickload. Has never steered me wrong and has saved me lots of time and money.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I've bought at least 20 reloading manuals over the years. I gave most of them away recently in my effort to unclutter my reloading area. Currently I use the newest edition of Nosler & Hornady books for basic info/data.

Because new cartridges, bullets and powders are released so frequently, books are rapidly becoming outmoded. There are many on-line resources published by powder & bullet manufacturers that constantly update their data and provide the info at no cost to anyone willing to brows the web.

Hodgdon and Nosler's on-line data are two of the sources that I review the most.

 

[baldhunter]

I like the Lee manual.It is a copy and paste of loads from bullet and powder manufactures.Here is an example of what it looks like

 

[sturner]

I been considering quick load any advice is welcome
Not trying to hijack the op

 

[baldhunter]

Quick load looks to be fairly accurate,but I have seen some stuff that was off quite a bit too and I wouldn't shoot some of the loads listed because they were way too hot.Always good to check one load data against another.And on another note start below max listed and work up.Every rifle is different.

 

[johngibbs222]

I have the 49th edition of Lymans and the 2016 Lee manual. I prefer the latter.
I use vihtavuori powders and use their on line manual which covers many bullets, I also use the Barnes online manual as I use many of their bullets and it is excellent. The hodgdon online manual is also excellent. The last three are free and, if I knew then what I now know, I wouldn't have bought either of the paper manuals, though to be fair the Lee one gives excellent advice re setup as I use lee equipment. In fact it's true to say that the info given there surpasses all the on line forums by a country mile for both validity and application.

 

[Gibbshooter43]

All great information and conforms what I've been doing for about 50 years but was curious about others routine. I do tend to be a conservative loader; looking for accuracy over excessive speed. But faster accuracy is always accepted. Keep the great info coming. The willingness to share with other serious shooter, hunter, loaders is why LRH is my go to and recommended site.

 

[Gibbshooter43]

It is exciting to note the responses cover the globe, and many places are not what one would think of as shooter friendly (Long Island for example). I've lived in many places in our great country and traveled to most others. But to hear from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa is gratifying. Thank you all for your sharing.

 

[COmtnman1]

I prefer the Hodgdon yearly magazine loading manual because they normally have the latest new cartridges. From there, I use the powder manufactures manual for the powder I intend to use.

Bullet manufactures tend to show their bullets perform better than others and often times lower the powder charge of their competition to make their powder look better.

All are very conservative because of different barrels, chambers and loading process. Just because a manual shows a load as Minimum doesn't mean It is in your rifle/pistol.

J E CUSTOM

do they include loads from other powder manufacturers?

 

[FEENIX]

For general reloading guide, I like the Lyman's but for bullet specific, I go with Berger, Hornady, and Nosler.

 

[Pinoniper]

Where possible, I prefer using the manual of the bullet maker whose bullet I am loading. Not all bullets of x weight develop the same pressure with a given charge. This is due to variations in shape and thus bearing surface. Variations in hardness could also make a difference in pressure.

 

[J E Custom]

do they include loads from other powder manufacturers?

Normally, No.
But Normally I use Hodgdon To start load work up and If I don.t get the desired results I try other powders. I also like the stabilized powders Like the Extreme line they offer.

I don't like to work up loads with temp sensitive powder and then have the temperature dictate when I can use them. I have a few loads that I can only shoot during the winter because of a 150 ft/sec increase in velocity during the summer months. The only reason I tolerate these loads is because they are the most accurate in that cartridge.

Normally bullet manufactures loading manuals will have other powders, but stick to there bullets. Powder manufactures will do the same with their powder and have different choices of bullets So you have to pick and choose the manual/manuals you want.

J E CUSTOM

 

[COmtnman1]

ok, i was just checking to see. i also use mostly hodgdon powders & some IMR & also shy away form temp sensitive powders. the reason i ask, i'm starting a load workup with vihtavouri n570 & can't find a lot of info.

 

[boilse]

I usually start with bullet manufacturers book to get a general starting point but don't follow it religiously; unless it's shotgun.