While I’ve been a firm believer in buying cheap and stacking deep, I’m thinking I missed an opportunity to learn how to reload on my own.

Can anyone recommend a non-digital book on how to reload?  I’m looking for the basics as I start to get into this.  And yes, this is all assuming primers eventually come back into stock.

I’m thinking the Lyman 50th edition....

The Hornady reloading books are solid.  There is much info on the internet supporting reloading commentary, videos and how-to.  At least for now

Perfect- thanks!

I like my Hornady book, find out what your press and dies are and find videos on it.

Lee, Hornady, Lyman, All make great reloading books.

Hard to find components right now.

I started reloading with the SPEER manual.  "Most" of the manuals do a pretty good job of walking the new person through the basics.

RCBS use to put out a DVD on handloading, but it seems to no longer do that, Hornady still does.  I haven't watched either, but some folks learn better while watching.  Several of the big companies have videos on their sites on how to load.  There are many vids. on the web of different value.

Handloader Magazine is one of the hardcopy things I hope to see in the mailbox.  It is often a bit more advanced than the new person needs, but they sometimes  cover the basics for the new guys.  Several of the gun magazines put out short how-to pull-out articles from time to time.

I'm a fan of RCBS gear.  I always recommend their Rock Chucker press and mostly in the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for new guys.  They even include a manual in the box!

Edit: thinking back...long ago...I was blessed that the first guns I loaded for were a .357 revolver and a .270 bolt gun.  It made life much easier!

I started with the Speer manual also.  My roommate and I read that thing 5000 times in college.  I still use it.  Lyman makes a good one too.  Lee dies also have load data that comes with the dies.  Between the speed book and lee data i made it MANY years .

Edit, if you are looking to learn how stuff works, take advantage of youtube.

I just got Nosler #9 and like it.

I started down the reloading path in 2008.
You will probably end up with a few reloading manuals. :)


The ABC's of Reloading is a good reference.
I also like the Speer and Hornady Reloading Manuals.

Be aware that reloading is a hobby unto itself. Some people enjoy it and others don't.

If you have not found it, The Reloading Forum is over here.

Lots of knowledgeable folks that are willing to help you over there.

I currently do not have a Speer manual in front of me.  However, I used a Speer #11 and the intro how to chapter was completely and entirely sufficent for getting me started successfully and safely.  

A word of caution. Lee tries unconventional approaches to things.  They often have some good ideas, but make some truly shitty products too.  And they advertise it as the next best snake oil that fixes everything from bunions to brain cancer.  Avoid!

Virtually everything else is interchangeable.  The process for using a Hornady die or a rcbs die is the same.  As is most other things.    

Big hint:  work carefully, deliberately and neatly.  If you have a half dozen open cans of powder on the bench, its too easy to empty a half measure hopper full of 4198 into an open can of 4895...  It wont be good.  My rule:  only ONE can of powder out and in sight at any time.

A 'motivational' article???

Lots of good advice in this post, but THIS may be the best advice.

I started 26 years ago this month with no computer, Speer #12, Nosler #4, the monthly reloading articles in HANDGUNS and my RL 550b and I still have all of my fingers and toes.

I’ve since added Sierra #5 and Speer #13.

Chris

I started reloading around 1980, 7TCU and 7x51RMS (I'm the S) for Handgun Metallic Silhouette... cast bullets in the 7x51RMS .357mag and .44mag

Lee hand tool>RCBS JR>RCBS Rock Chucker>CH444>Dillon 450>Dillon 550>Dillon 1050

if you have specific questions, please ask

when I got the first 550, I was shooting USPSA pretty seriously with a .45... casting wheel weights to ingots, casting bullets, sizing/lubing, loading... I kept track of the ends of the 1000 round primer cartons... 34,000 rounds that year...

The following 3 should be a cornerstone of everyone's library:
1. The ABCs of reloading
2. a good load book (I have Hornady's but Speer, Lymen, etc have ones as well. Each will have different #s)
3. Pet Loads by Ken Waters

Lyman had a vhs format video on reloading
Not sure if they still have it.
I used it in my community college reloading class for 26 years.
If doing rifle get a stuck case remover RCBS has one.
Get case gauges use them, if the round fits in it, it will fit your chamber. One powder open at a time on the bench. Understand powder is like fuel with different burn rates. Nitro benziene for dragsters would not be a good choice for dodge diesel, or the other way  around
I like dies in green boxes RCBS or Redding.im me for more

A note about case gauges for new reloaders.  They check to see if the brass will fit in the chamber.  The finished  cartridge is another issue.  It's possible (and a pretty common problem among new reloaders) for a cartridge to fit a case gauge but not the chamber.  The problem here is the bullet was seated too long and is jamming into the lands of the rifling.

Different firearms will have different throat lengths so if you are reloading one caliber for multiple guns, load a dummy round and check to make sure it will fit in the chamber with the shortest throat length.  Gen 5 Glocks and CZ's have a reputation for short throats.

Another thing to remember is the loads in load books are recipes for that powder, that specific projectile, that particular barrel/throat, and velocities are for that particular barrel length (essentially burn time).  You need to start low, and work up, with a combination that physically fits your gun's throat/leade/magazine/reliable feeding, plus the accuracy and velocity you seek out of YOUR gun, SAFELY.

Reloading is an endeavor where being picky and methodical is key, and being sloppy or stupid can potentially hurt you or others.
It can be a very deep rabbit hole, that is rewarding in many ways, for many different reasons.

When i started, the Lee manual was easiest to read.  Just skim over weird stuff that he talks about.

I think that the RCBS videos were what i used after getting started.  

My dies are a mix of Lee and Hornady.  I replaced the goofy Lee rings with Hornady ones.

Lots of good information in this thread so far.  Please let me add:

When starting out, get bullets in the midrange for your gun.  115-124 gr for 9mm, 125-158 for .38 guns, 50-69 for .223, 150-180 for '06, etc.  This will help avoid some of the problems pointed out above.  These midrange bullets are more forgiving of minor errors.  I know this is tough right now with the shortage of ANY components, but bullets that are very short or very long (either inside or outside the case) add unneeded problems to the learning process.  Also keep your powder loads in the midrange, a little off there is not usually an issue but could be at the lowest end (squib load) or the upper end (BIG BANG).  Start low and work up is always good advise, but don't try to go too low or too high.  Be careful about using different types of bullets with the load data...soft lead bullets may lead your bore badly if shot at speeds for jacketed bullets, jacketed bullets may get stuck in the bore with light loads for soft lead bullets, and some jacketed bullets have a different construction that may need special consideration (the old Speer "semijacketed" handgun bullets come to mind; if shot with low power the jacket may stick in the bore, great bullets when used correctly).

I like carbide sizing dies for handguns.

I like the Lee carbide factory crimp dies for handguns.  My fail to chamber in semi-autos went to zero after I started using them.  I generally seat the bullet and crimp in two different steps.  I use extra seating dies set up for my favorite bullets so I don't have to be making adjustments all the time.

I have a universal deprime die that I use on all brass.  My first step is to inspect the brass, then deprime before it goes in the cleaner.  I handle and inspect the brass/loading process a lot!