new to reloading reading list

[AJC1]

The first reloading manual I read was Phil Sharpe's book from the public library, which has since been stolen.

I taught myself from the Lyman #47 before I'net. Made changes slowly. Did it for 39 yrs.

All the loads I needed were in the 47. Now, I would download the powder mfgrs load info, and my "golden" standard for powder is my Pacific powder balance, circa 1938, with check weights. I check my Lyman Pocket Scale against it when weighing cases or bullets, never powder.

 

[lordpaxman]

I think y’all scared the OP away!

are there any other good books i should read?

I’d say you got it covered to make your first reloads. Keep in mind you’re going to be the one testing these…

Perhaps the next thread should be “what manual did you start with?” - I had the Speer manual #8, with the cowboy on front.

 

[OFFGRID]

I think y’all scared the OP away!


I’d say you got it covered to make your first reloads. Keep in mind you’re going to be the one testing these…

Perhaps the next thread should be “what manual did you start with?” - I had the Speer manual #8, with the cowboy on front.

yeah i reckon they got the "starting load" listed for a reason....its probably a good place to start. lmao!

 

[PWC]

View attachment 1123742

Your's is an old pacific SCALE....



1936-1939 Pacific powder balance, NOT a scale, and weights. Put desired weight in the pan, zero the balance, remove weights and add unknown qty of powder to pan until it again zeros. Round can is the original weights minus the .2gr which is lost. Square boxes are RCBS weights. both new and old measure exactly the same in the balance.

 

[AJC1]

View attachment 1123759
Your's is an old pacific SCALE....

View attachment 1123760

1936-1939 Pacific powder balance, NOT a scale, and weights. Put desired weight in the pan, zero the balance, remove weights and add unknown qty of powder to pan until it again zeros. Round can is the original weights minus the .2gr which is lost. Square boxes are RCBS weights. both new and old measure exactly the same in the balance.

That I found and passed in an antique shop today and I took a picture just for fun. Just seemed to fit in nicely with our conversation. It's in bad shape and not worth the 45 bucks they were asking imo. This can of green dot was found in the same shop, and if full I would have paid the 20 they wanted.

 

[Todd NE WY]

[QUOTE="OFFGRID, post: 12502728, member: 283641". figure ill do fine with the scoops that come with the dies, and a digital scale at first.[/QUOTE]
Be careful with that approach, not all digital scales respond when you add just few kernels of powder if you are low to start with. For what you are describing I think you would be better served with a balance scale because they are sensitive basically to each kernel of powder added.

 

[AJC1]

[QUOTE="OFFGRID, post: 12502728, member: 283641". figure ill do fine with the scoops that come with the dies, and a digital scale at first.

Be careful with that approach, not all digital scales respond when you add just few kernels of powder if you are low to start with. For what you are describing I think you would be better served with a balance scale because they are sensitive basically to each kernel of powder added.[/QUOTE]
I use the dipper to load the scale when I trickle. Just push down 10 grains worth and let it resettle.

 

[Fishtales]

When I started out, books was the only options I had. There is a place called a "Library" that houses books. I found what I needed there. The Lyman Load Data book has some good info in the front section with load data in the back.

You may find some in the 1/2 price reseller book store.

Concur with the above quote "when I started out, books". Lyman, absolutely, I started with the 44th edition, circa 1969 and still have it. Also have Hercules (now Alliant) data sheets from 1971 and 72. 16 gr of Herco for the 20 gauge 1 oz loads and 22 gr of Unique for the 12 gauge 11/4 loads. Their data sheets also included Red Dot and Green Dot powders.

 

[CQB45ACP]

[QUOTE="OFFGRID, post: 12502728, member: 283641". figure ill do fine with the scoops that come with the dies, and a digital scale at first.

Be careful with that approach, not all digital scales respond when you add just few kernels of powder if you are low to start with. For what you are describing I think you would be better served with a balance scale because they are sensitive basically to each kernel of powder added.[/QUOTE]

Can you explain a little more when/why digital scales don’t respond? Do they then “jump” up when sufficient amount is added?

@AJC1 (Don’t know why this copied your text vs. referencing it)

 

[OFFGRID]

digital scales dont measure, balance scales aint no good, scoops are good but they arent accurate unless youre accurate and you need to check that on a scale, new guys should start with a single stage press but they also need a pogressive, need to read all the books but "those" books aint worth a darn and books suck in general, factory ammo isnt accurate or always accessible....



i reckon i may give up hunting altogether

 

[Fishtales]

That I found and passed in an antique shop today and I took a picture just for fun. Just seemed to fit in nicely with our conversation. It's in bad shape and not worth the 45 bucks they were asking imo. This can of green dot was found in the same shop, and if full I would have paid the 20 they wanted.View attachment 1123778

Oh, man. What a find. I still have a partial 4 pound can of Herco made by Hercules I use for my 20 gauge reloads.

 

[Fishtales]

Papyrus was it for me—library at Alexandria

You just gave away your age . You found a worthwhile book at a library in a D. C. suburb. Congratulations.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

digital scales dont measure, balance scales aint no good, scoops are good but they arent accurate unless youre accurate and you need to check that on a scale, new guys should start with a single stage press but they also need a pogressive, need to read all the books but "those" books aint worth a darn and books suck in general, factory ammo isnt accurate or always accessible....



i reckon i may give up hunting altogether

I think you got the gist of it.
Just be glad it didn’t turn into a, “How do I hate Lee? Let me count the ways…” thread. That happens a lot around here.
I think you’ll do fine. My motto is, don’t do what I do because it won’t work for you. We all got our own way of doing this thing called reloading. You’ll find yours, too.
The biggest question is: can you make a decent cuppa coffee using just beans and a 1930’s camp percolator. The uncle who taught me how to use a press and scale seemed to think that was an essential prerequisite. Then again, he may have just really liked coffee.

 

[Fishtales]

digital scales dont measure, balance scales aint no good, scoops are good but they arent accurate unless youre accurate and you need to check that on a scale, new guys should start with a single stage press but they also need a pogressive, need to read all the books but "those" books aint worth a darn and books suck in general, factory ammo isnt accurate or always accessible....



i reckon i may give up hunting altogether

Don't give up hunting for stuff like that especially if you still have the reloading equipment and components. My 1970 balance beam still works. I bought a digital scale about 10 years ago thinking it might speed up the process, but I always check its powder drops with the balance beam (it always measures the same-so, so much for speeding things up). Get a Lyman reloading manual (I have 4 but you only need one) If your rifles are in older standard calibers (.270, 30-06, .243, .30-30 etc.) an older manual like the 44th or 46th edition will give you lots of info (including 5 or more loads to try out) and all include primers to use, starting loads and maximum loads, factory matching loads (in velocity) and most accurate loads-most accurate are not always most accurate in a given rifle, but you get a starting point. You do not need the Lyman 50th Anniversary Version that weighs 10 pounds if you don't shoot a Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, or other (newer, in the last 10-15 years) calibers, and, man, there are lots of them. My sentiments on most accurate load: testing several different loads off the bench at the range to find out which one suits you and your rifle. Then repeat the process with other calibers you own. If you have two rifles of the same caliber, don't count on the same reload working to your satisfaction in both of them. Since it sounds like you have reloaded in the past you may want to skim over the preamble of the manual just as a refresher and for safety. Hope you can keep on with your hunting adventures for as long as you are physically able to. And as for books that don't suck, try reading the westerns by Louis L'Amour and books by Zane Grey. If you can find them, also try articles by Warren Page (gun editor of Outdoor Life and Jack O'Conner gun editor of Field & Stream). It's possible I may have who they wrote for backwards. Jack was older and a big proponent of the .270 Winchester as that was the flatest shooting caliber he had ever seen. Warren was somewhat younger and a big proponent of the 7MM Remington Magnum when it came along. The arguments that were carried back and forth between them and their respective magazines was something to behold, and sometimes, humorous. Best to you and be safe.

 

[Todd NE WY]

Can you explain a little more when/why digital scales don’t respond? Do they then “jump” up when sufficient amount is added?

I can't explain all the physics but it has to do with the type of strain gauge they use. The essence is that they don't show a difference on the readout until a certain amount of change has been made, sometimes far more weight has been added than the minor change on the readout shows. Best thing I can say is when you get the scale dump a scoop of powder in and see the weight than slowly trickle powder in until the display change most likely you will see that you can add quite a bit of powder before it changes. If you were to do this same exercise on a balance beam scale you would see the needle move after just a few kernels of powder were added. Don't take this to mean I am anti digital scales, I have 2 and use them for most of my work.

 

[OFFGRID]

Don't give up hunting for stuff like that especially if you still have the reloading equipment and components. My 1970 balance beam still works. I bought a digital scale about 10 years ago thinking it might speed up the process, but I always check its powder drops with the balance beam (it always measures the same-so, so much for speeding things up). Get a Lyman reloading manual (I have 4 but you only need one) If your rifles are in older standard calibers (.270, 30-06, .243, .30-30 etc.) an older manual like the 44th or 46th edition will give you lots of info (including 5 or more loads to try out) and all include primers to use, starting loads and maximum loads, factory matching loads (in velocity) and most accurate loads-most accurate are not always most accurate in a given rifle, but you get a starting point. You do not need the Lyman 50th Anniversary Version that weighs 10 pounds if you don't shoot a Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, or other (newer, in the last 10-15 years) calibers, and, man, there are lots of them. My sentiments on most accurate load: testing several different loads off the bench at the range to find out which one suits you and your rifle. Then repeat the process with other calibers you own. If you have two rifles of the same caliber, don't count on the same reload working to your satisfaction in both of them. Since it sounds like you have reloaded in the past you may want to skim over the preamble of the manual just as a refresher and for safety. Hope you can keep on with your hunting adventures for as long as you are physically able to. And as for books that don't suck, try reading the westerns by Louis L'Amour and books by Zane Grey. If you can find them, also try articles by Warren Page (gun editor of Outdoor Life and Jack O'Conner gun editor of Field & Stream). It's possible I may have who they wrote for backwards. Jack was older and a big proponent of the .270 Winchester as that was the flatest shooting caliber he had ever seen. Warren was somewhat younger and a big proponent of the 7MM Remington Magnum when it came along. The arguments that were carried back and forth between them and their respective magazines was something to behold, and sometimes, humorous. Best to you and be safe.

i aint giving up hunting. lol!

 

[Fishtales]

Atta boy!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Can you explain a little more when/why digital scales don’t respond? Do they then “jump” up when sufficient amount is added?

I can't explain all the physics but it has to do with the type of strain gauge they use. The essence is that they don't show a difference on the readout until a certain amount of change has been made, sometimes far more weight has been added than the minor change on the readout shows. Best thing I can say is when you get the scale dump a scoop of powder in and see the weight than slowly trickle powder in until the display change most likely you will see that you can add quite a bit of powder before it changes. If you were to do this same exercise on a balance beam scale you would see the needle move after just a few kernels of powder were added. Don't take this to mean I am anti digital scales, I have 2 and use them for most of my work.

Yup. My wife went through a couple of baking digital scales and ended up with a less expensive model recommended by King Arthur baking. For a while she used my Lyman digital but it wasn’t accurate enough for her. I have to say, the King Arthur is a really Good scale! It can detect a single granule of salt!

 

[illinoisburt]

...
i reckon i may give up...

That's the spirit!

Yes, sir. That internet is full of good stuff. Anyway, I'll give you a little advice worth precisely what I'm being paid for it .

Everyone says start slow to learn the process, hence read books & use single stages. What they are really referencing is that each step in the reloading process is an approximation. We have known good values for a given reload however there are ranges involved so you will find different values as you look at sources and need to experiment a little to find what works best for you. That applies to components, equipment, and process. Some precision loader run tests to find the perfect combination for a specific gun, setting up equipment to measure in thousandths of an inch and hundredths of a grain. Other people make perfectly safe and serviceable ammunition simply following a middle of the road recipe without getting into minutiae. Both are right. The problem is a mistake in either person's process can produce a very bad result (squibs, overloads, ammo that won't chamber).

So the first piece of the puzzle when searching for advice is to decide what you are after. Volumes of plinker 223, super long range 338, light cast 7.7 jap, who knows unless you declare. I can guess from the previous posts here that maybe it's some inexpensive hunting or plinking ammunition. I also *think* we are looking for lowest up front cost to get started. The most basic set up from Lee generally work fine for that. A basic press, dies set with scoop & instructions, and some case lube can get you out the door around a c-note. So long as you aren't looking to hotrod the cartridge you can make perfectly serviceable rounds which may surprise you with better than factory accuracy if your process is consistent. Contrary to popular belief this is exactly how a great many folks operated for decades before the internet.

 

[savagelover]

ok so as the thread directs, the very first thing i ordered was books. im gonna tell you right now the ABCs of reloading was a terrible book.
really, im not interested when gun powder was invented and what it was made from. secondly i dont feel a newb needs ten whole chapters in detail about every reloading tool ever made and last, HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU GONNA PRINT THE SAME STORY ABOUT THE PRIMER AND CHAIR LEG?!? lol, not to mention how he just kinda blows right by important safety issues and barely touches on them. the only thing i took from it was the ability to catch a cratered or flattened primer.

it was a pain to finish and honestly i ended up skipping the chapters on handgun and shotgun loading because i dont have any plans of doing that anytime soon....and maybe i just couldnt muster the fortitude to read them and not take a bath with a toaster afterwards.


so on to the next book recommended by a friend who reloads. its the lyman book and i find it alot more informative with less suicidal tendency from reading it. it seems to be very focused on safety, working up loads safely, and spotting issues with brass before something bad happens. im not finished with it yet but i feel like its been very informative.

next on the list is the lee book. it should be here in a couple days. are there any other good books i should read?

I got lee's number one reloading book..

 

[Blkhrt13]

I am a big fan of reading to learn. I’m good at things that way. I wish I had access to a mentor but I don’t. On the recommendation of the good people here I have the ABCs of reloading. I have a gun digest book and a hornady 13th edition. I realize as much as I have a desire to shoot cast bullets I should buy a Lyman next. Should have got it before the hornady. But I found it at my favorite used bookstore and it needed to come home. I will start reading the ABC book. I still have this darn cold so I’m not unboxing the press yet. Besides that my first five hundred MBC cast bullets haven’t arrived yet.

 

[higgite]

ok so as the thread directs, the very first thing i ordered was books. im gonna tell you right now the ABCs of reloading was a terrible book.
really, im not interested when gun powder was invented and what it was made from. secondly i dont feel a newb needs ten whole chapters in detail about every reloading tool ever made and last, HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU GONNA PRINT THE SAME STORY ABOUT THE PRIMER AND CHAIR LEG?!? lol, not to mention how he just kinda blows right by important safety issues and barely touches on them. the only thing i took from it was the ability to catch a cratered or flattened primer.

it was a pain to finish and honestly i ended up skipping the chapters on handgun and shotgun loading because i dont have any plans of doing that anytime soon....and maybe i just couldnt muster the fortitude to read them and not take a bath with a toaster afterwards.


so on to the next book recommended by a friend who reloads. its the lyman book and i find it alot more informative with less suicidal tendency from reading it. it seems to be very focused on safety, working up loads safely, and spotting issues with brass before something bad happens. im not finished with it yet but i feel like its been very informative.

next on the list is the lee book. it should be here in a couple days. are there any other good books i should read?

Jeez! After that rant, I'm afraid to recommend anything.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Jeez! After that rant, I'm afraid to recommend anything.

Yeah, hasn’t learned anything yet but already knows what he doesn’t need to know. Sounds like me talking to my Dad once. Just once.

 

[JFrank]

https://www.accurateshooter.com/

Search the far left column of the main page for the caliber your interested in, if it’s there you’ll find plenty of caliber specific information.

 

[reddog81]

Reading 3 different reloading manuals isn't really going to help that much. The reloading process is straightforward once you know what you are doing. I'd read the die instructions and set those up before reading another manual. Any questions that arise during that process can be researched in your manual.