Reloading Manual

[runningfree]

I am going to start reloading soon.

I am wondering which reloading manual to buy?

I will be reloading 9mm to start with.

115gr Rainer plated round nose bullets.

Do all the manuals Speer, Hornday, Lyman cover all bullet makers, powder makers etc...

Or do they just cover there own product?

So which do you recomend to buy first?

Thanks

[Lumber_Jack]

I would buy the Lyman first, as well as The ABCs of Reloading. Very helpful.

I have the Hornady manual as I have a bunch of Hornady bullets to load. If you plan to load a lot of one particular brand of bullet I would buy that manual. In the end you will probably have them all.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Lumber_Jack

[netmindr]

I would read at least 2 or 3 different ones as they all offer different perspectives. Not that any of them are wrong, but they are contradictory on some aspects and their specific point of view may or may not suit your needs.

Also consider the Lee book as he offers some insight the others do not. Of course they all tout their products as the best and only ones you need, but once you go through 2 or more you learn to take that with a grain of salt and can pick out what is of real value.

Also, once you read one, then get a little experience reloading, read it again. It's amazing the stuff that will jump out at you that you missed the first time because now you can relate more to it.

[tnhawk]

I use several reloading manuals as they sometimes differ in their information.

[CharlieTN]

Lyman, Hornady, Sierra are all great manuals for the beginner. The Hodgdon Annual Manual is good and cheap for just reloading data.

The Sierra has lots of info in it, and I do mean lots. So much so that the beginner reloader would probably get lost in it all. I do like the fact that it is in a 3-ring binder so you can add in notes, targets and such (it's the smaller 5 1/2 size paper).

As far as getting data, you can find that on all of the powder manufacturers sights for free.

My suggestion would be to start with a basic manual such as Hornady since you'll be doing handgun first. Also get data from the various powder manufacturers. You will see some decent variation in the loads listed. Don't start at max loads, work your way up to them carefully. Pay attention to what you're doing (asking me about a double charge in a Glock), and have fun.

Charlie

[QuietDan]

In the end you will probably have them [reloading manuals] all.

Yep.

It's like doctor shopping. One of 'em will have the prescription you want. They all vary just a tad.

[Jonnin]

I remain in the minority but I have managed quite well without a book, much less a rack of them. Whoever made your bullets and whoever makes your powders will likely have basic data online, and if you bought lee dies those come with a page or 2 of load data as well. If I did have to buy one, I would look for a general purpose book rather than one produced by a particular bullet maker.

[runningfree]

Thanks guys for the advice.

[dlm37015]

i would but the lee as it has more info in it also the nra used to have a good reloading beginner book

[Guest canebreaker]

You know, I have never read one of these books.

I listened to co-workers for about a year before I bought a press.

Then, it was learn the hard way,

How much of this brand of powder for this bullet.

The height of the finished round.

I'll look at a load data chart, set my gauges and off I go dropping rounds.

I don't want to blow milk jugs up at 400 yards with my 38. Just a nice big hole of 50 rounds at 10 yards.

[Grunt67]

New to reloading, I'd start with the ABCs Of Reloading & maybe Lee's book, plus whatever manual

goes with the bullets you're using. I have the Sierra & Hornady. Lots of good info in any of them.

As someone else said, there's lots of good free info on the 'net as well, from manufacturers.

[SHARPPOINT]

What I use:

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

[Alleycat72]

Quickload.

http://www.6mmbr.com/quickload.html

[USMCJG]

I have Lyman, Hornady, Sierra, and Nosler books and use them all, as well as powder manufacturers data that can be found on the manufacturers websites. I think the Lyman manual is the best for a beginner, it has plenty of helpful information beyond just load data and is geared more toward beginning reloaders than the others I have. The Lyman manual doesn't have as many different loads and bullet types as the Hornady and Sierra manuals, but it is not brand specific like the others. I shoot a lot of Hornady and Sierra bullets, so their manuals are handy to have. The Nosler manual isn't too bad, but it's the weakest of the bunch, most notably the lack of OAL info. My recommendation would be to start with the Lyman manual and go from there. Anything you can't find in it can be found online easily enough. And honestly, as someone mentioned earlier, with all of the information available online you could really get by with no manual at all. I do like having all of my reloading books right in front of me on my bench though.

[MphsTiger1981]

You might try this link as well. I've found it useful a few times.

http://reloadammo.com/reload.htm