Armory Sponsor
Posted: 2/25/2012 5:06:23 PM EDT
| Have been looking through this forum for a little while and didn't see anything on this. What are some quality/must have reloading manuals? |
| Are you new to reloading and want to know 'how'? One caliber or multiple? I have the Lyman 49 and think it's the worse one I've seen. Reason: test guns they use, powders they list and bullet choices. None of it matches what I want. Since I reload 5.56mm (.223) for the AR, I prefer using a manual that actually uses an AR for the test and lists choices for the powder I want to use. If you follow what I'm saying then take a look at either the Hornady or Sierra manuals and choose the one that matches up with your choices. Nothing worse than trying to use a manual that doesn't list either your bullet (weight) or your powder of preference. For reference I'm reloading Hornady bullets but the Sierra manual is very useful as well depending on powder selection. JMO |
|
Quoted:
Are you new to reloading and want to know 'how'? One caliber or multiple? I have the Lyman 49 and think it's the worse one I've seen. Reason: test guns they use, powders they list and bullet choices. None of it matches what I want. Since I reload 5.56mm (.223) for the AR, I prefer using a manual that actually uses an AR for the test and lists choices for the powder I want to use. If you follow what I'm saying then take a look at either the Hornady or Sierra manuals and choose the one that matches up with your choices. Nothing worse than trying to use a manual that doesn't list either your bullet (weight) or your powder of preference. For reference I'm reloading Hornady bullets but the Sierra manual is very useful as well depending on powder selection. JMO Yes i'm new to reloading and want a basic "how to" refernence book. I'm going to be reloading a variety of calibers once i get started but have read a couple posts that recommend getting a good basic manual to read before jumping into it. just to give you an idea of the calibers i'll be working with - .223, .380 acp, 7.62x39mm, and .35 rem |
|
Quoted:
Yes i'm new to reloading and want a basic "how to" refernence book. I'm going to be reloading a variety of calibers once i get started but have read a couple posts that recommend getting a good basic manual to read before jumping into it. just to give you an idea of the calibers i'll be working with - .223, .380 acp, 7.62x39mm, and .35 rem One book I dont see mentioned yet that you may find helpful is "The ABC's Of Reloading" which does not give any specific reloading data, but gives you an in-depth insight to the reloading process. Get a book made by your favorite powder manufacturer and a book for your favorite brand of bullet 
|
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Are you new to reloading and want to know 'how'? One caliber or multiple? I have the Lyman 49 and think it's the worse one I've seen. Reason: test guns they use, powders they list and bullet choices. None of it matches what I want. Since I reload 5.56mm (.223) for the AR, I prefer using a manual that actually uses an AR for the test and lists choices for the powder I want to use. If you follow what I'm saying then take a look at either the Hornady or Sierra manuals and choose the one that matches up with your choices. Nothing worse than trying to use a manual that doesn't list either your bullet (weight) or your powder of preference. For reference I'm reloading Hornady bullets but the Sierra manual is very useful as well depending on powder selection. JMO Yes i'm new to reloading and want a basic "how to" refernence book. I'm going to be reloading a variety of calibers once i get started but have read a couple posts that recommend getting a good basic manual to read before jumping into it. just to give you an idea of the calibers i'll be working with - .223, .380 acp, 7.62x39mm, and .35 rem The Lyman book would probably work fine for you then. It has about 75 pages of how to reload and numerous pictures and diagrams. I learned years ago from an old Speer manual that probably wasn't as good as the Lyman. But depending on what powders you eventually decide to use you might be better served by one of the other manuals. I only reload 5.56mm and 9mm. I took a fresh look at the Lyman manual and it does have a number of bullet options for .223 but no listing for TAC which is my powder of choice, which may be why I decided I didn't like it. Also, verses the Sierra manual the powder charges seemed a little 'lite'. But for you that shouldn't be an issue. As they say, start low and work up. It doesn't seem to have many 7.62x39mm bullet options but I don't reload the AK due to the steel cases on most bulk ammo. Good luck |
|
LYMAN
SIERRA SPEER ( mine is about 15-20 yrs old, but still a good book) also http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp ....has some good data. . |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yes i'm new to reloading and want a basic "how to" refernence book. I'm going to be reloading a variety of calibers once i get started but have read a couple posts that recommend getting a good basic manual to read before jumping into it. just to give you an idea of the calibers i'll be working with - .223, .380 acp, 7.62x39mm, and .35 rem One book I dont see mentioned yet that you may find helpful is "The ABC's Of Reloading" which does not give any specific reloading data, but gives you an in-depth insight to the reloading process. Get a book made by your favorite powder manufacturer and a book for your favorite brand of bullet This. Hornady is my go-to for data when Hodgdon's site doesn't have what I need. The Lee manual has some good explanations of process, but is not a great source for data (there's lots of it, but it has almost always been off compared to every other source, including my own experience, that I've used). |
|
I started off with a Lee manual then bought a Hornady manual set since I found myself loading more Hornady bullets than any other brand. I now have an extensive collection of three ring binders of information I have gathered from the internet. The one thing I have noticed is my Hornady manual shows load charges a lot lighter than most of the other charts.
The load chart I use the most is the one on Hodgdon's web site. I have printed pages from that site for the bullets/loads I use regularly. About once a year I'll check that website and compare my pages to the newest listings for loads. I have noticed they do change load amounts occasionally. |
Armory Sponsor