Yes, The information in the "front half" of the Hornady manual is as good as any published reloading information and better than a lot, excellent reference. I mentioned Hornady manual because it's the only one that has specific M1 data and Service Rifle data. But yes, the Hornady manual is an excellent manual with good, safe, tested data.
I have seen real BS posted on line more than once. Published reloading manuals are safe. "Pet Loads" websites are just gathering places for reloaders to post their loads. but relying on an amateur, even one with some experience(?), anonymous screen name, for safe loads is foolish. Yes most of the time the shared data is safe, but me and my guns will not risk anything. I have seen loads posted on line that were frightening. On one occasion a forum expert posted a handgun load that was a full grain over max of W231. The post stayed on line for a full day and the OP came back and said "sorry, I hit the wrong key". I have seen "expert recommendations" of using identical charges with Unique and Universal, grain for grain. Might work, but not in my handloads. I prefer to use data provided by expert technicians using the latest testing equipment. As for the "Are you saying that the free data published online by Hodgdon, Alliant, Western Powders, Nosler, and Barnes is inaccurate or no better than a "pet load" found on an internet forum?". Reread my original post (just the black letters/words not the white spaces). I do occasionally use data from powder manufacturer's web sites, the same data the put in their manuals.
Most reloaders that think about what they are reloading will have no difficulty using Hornady data for other manufacturer's bullets (and to repeat for those that don't know; same size, weight, and type). I have used, quite safely, data from my Hornady manuals for Nosler, Sierra, and Speer bullets. With a modicum of experience/information, a reloader can safely get data from one bUllet manufacturer's data and use it for the same bullet manufactured by another.
But, bottom line I don't care if you refuse to purchase a reloading manual, and I don't care where you get your data, but you are touting your methods on a public forum. Many, many new, unexperienced reloaders read info on forums and some may believe they shouldn't get a manual (if you can't afford one, they are available in most libraries). There is some responsibility for what you say, even anonymously on a web forum...