new to reloading reading list

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CQB45ACP said:
And you non-readers better make sure your mentor/guru/teacher/sage/shaman knows what they are talking about! But how will you know? When someone pretends to know what you need to know/what’s best for you run away!
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The exact same thing could be said about driving, ridding a bike or flying a plane.... some would say any Memphis driver mentoring a new driver is insane. The book tries to impart knowledge and all these activities are skills. Every senior NCO has stopped a young LT from killing the squad despite the LTs knowledge of the book. Well rounded is the key.
 
AJC1 said:
The exact same thing could be said about driving, ridding a bike or flying a plane.... some would say any Memphis driver mentoring a new driver is insane. The book tries to impart knowledge and all these activities are skills. Every senior NCO has stopped a young LT from killing the squad despite the LTs knowledge of the book. Well rounded is the key.
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Not exact as you’re talking about two highly regulated situations and a third run by mom&dad. But…Well of course and no one I’ve seen said don’t seek out knowledgeable/experienced people. Maybe it’s a chicken/egg type thing.

One needs foundational knowledge upon which to build and I for one trust a manufacturer’s book that’s gone through an editing and publishing (and probably legal) process waaay before a stranger on the internet. It’s hard to develop a BS filter under the best of circumstances but some ways are obviously less risky than others.

And BTW, I’ve commuted here in DC, in NYC, and few other areas, but Memphis is the WORST!
 
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Howa 9700 said:
As a relative newb (now about 2 years), you read the manuals to get the basics, but you will learn a lot more by the actual doing. Be very methodical, go slow and be thinking the "why" of it with every step. Be prepared to make mistakes, and fix them.

Eventually, you will chamber and with great trepidation, fire your first reload. It will go BANG and if you are still alive (you will be), you can take comfort in knowing you did it, and can do it. Keep going and you do get better over time. Just don't get cocky and at all times be aware of what you are doing and why. And once you have loaded a few rounds, go back and read thru the manual again. It will make a lot more sense the 2nd time.
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And whatever else, don’t listen to the self-proclaimed gods of reloading who were born knowing everything there is to know, except how to be humble. Those folks will get you in trouble fast and laugh while doing it. Worst advice ever is, “…don’t pay attention to the maximum load numbers, they’re just there because of lawyers.” Maybe some people really do start at the highest maximum load and work up and don’t have problems; but, I seriously doubt it and can’t see any reason to do that myself.
 
I like the load books that are a compilation of data for one cartrdige from various companies. Not a relaoding manual, but load data mostly. I admit I like to kind of study the data and look for patterns or variations, and see if I can figure out what variable affects the published data, bullet, primer - I guess to me that is education, you don't just want the data, but to really look at it and see if you can understand why the data is what it is. You don't need to know that or figure it out really, it is just interesting.
 
Airborne Falcon said:
I like reading books. Books are an essential part of my existence. I refer-to them often when I have questions or need guidance.

Not all books are the same. Some are more entertaining than others while others are more informative.

When it comes to handloading, the first book I ever read on the topic was my Grandpappy's 1st Edition of Handloaders Digest. He bought a new edition each year after that then my Dad did the same and I've since done the same so .... I think I have every edition ever published and they are, as a set, a wealth of information. (When it warms-up a but I'll go out to the man cave and take a picture.)

I've got a lot of books on handloading ... including some old originals of this and that my Grandfather owned. I cannot think of a single book in my reloading library that I would toss or otherwise dispose-of. I've learned something from all of them, some I refer-to more often than others.

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OMG! Have you seen anybody about this? In the interim there are people you can call & talk to.
 
AJC1 said:
The exact same thing could be said about driving, ridding a bike or flying a plane.... some would say any Memphis driver mentoring a new driver is insane. The book tries to impart knowledge and all these activities are skills. Every senior NCO has stopped a young LT from killing the squad despite the LTs knowledge of the book. Well rounded is the key.
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Good thing GPS has replaced maps and compasses. :cool:
 
AJC1 said:
Some books have decent "front matter" Lyman, and others just have a few pages western. Some have cartridge specific notes like Speer and some are just data like western. Lyman is the middle ground in most areas which is why I recommend it.
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I agree that the manuals don't set you up for specific firearm handloading/ benchrest shooting, but most give some basic insight to get you on the right path.
I don't see any issues with gathering as much knowledge as you can from the manuals, and once your "BS" filter has some knowledge-you can gain more specific info into the specific handloading principles from the forums and such...........there are a few members on this forum that I would consider to have "god-type loading knowledge" and use that info to my advantage............JMO...........
 
Soonerpesek said:
I agree that the manuals don't set you up for specific firearm handloading/ benchrest shooting, but most give some basic insight to get you on the right path.
I don't see any issues with gathering as much knowledge as you can from the manuals, and once your "BS" filter has some knowledge-you can gain more specific info into the specific handloading principles from the forums and such...........there are a few members on this forum that I would consider to have "god-type loading knowledge" and use that info to my advantage............JMO...........
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Without question there are folks here from whom I have learned a lot and discussions whose back & forth taught me just as much BUT if any of it is inconsistent with what I’ve read, I still ignore it.

For one simple example, I don’t care how much you like this or that load, if it’s not published, it’s nothing to me.
 
CQB45ACP said:
Not exact as you’re talking about two highly regulated situations and a third run by mom&dad. But…Well of course and no one I’ve seen said don’t seek out knowledgeable/experienced people. Maybe it’s a chicken/egg type thing.

One needs foundational knowledge upon which to build and I for one trust a manufacturer’s book that’s gone through an editing and publishing (and probably legal) process waaay before a stranger on the internet. It’s hard to develop a BS filter under the best of circumstances but some ways are obviously less risky than others.

And BTW, I’ve commuted here in DC, in NYC, and few other areas, but Memphis is the WORST!
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Orlando and Miami top my list of places not to drive in. And DC is on the list but way down. People there at least move with a purpose. The only reason I can think of to drive in NYC is to escape.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Orlando and Miami top my list of places not to drive in. And DC is on the list but way down. People there at least move with a purpose. The only reason I can think of to drive in NYC is to escape.
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Well Florida is kind of in a class of it’s own. You have lots of locals and even more tourists mixed into a big jumble. But at least the weather’s mostly better than elsewhere.
DC is similar but everyone is following the laws of their home country.
NYC trick I’m told is to never make eye contact or they’ll get you.
Problem with Memphis and other smaller cities is everyone is going to the same darn place.
 
You already have the best book on the Lyman. The Speer and Hornady multi volume sets may be good for xperienced shooters/reloaders but it isn't worth the xpense to me. I started with Lyman #47 and the process of safely reloading hasn't changed. Study the front part of your Lyman to understand the why behind the how. If just starting, I'd get a good single stage Rock Chucker or a turret press that can be operated as a single stage. Later depending on why you reload, you may move into a progressive. Everyone on here that has a progressive also has a single stage that they began with or aquired later for specific case prep.
 
CQB45ACP said:
Well Florida is kind of in a class of it’s own. You have lots of locals and even more tourists mixed into a big jumble. But at least the weather’s mostly better than elsewhere.
DC is similar but everyone is following the laws of their home country.
NYC trick I’m told is to never make eye contact or they’ll get you.
Problem with Memphis and other smaller cities is everyone is going to the same darn place.
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The problem isn’t Florida, it’s the destination cities. Nobody is from there, they drive like they’re back home, and they don’t know where they’re going but they’re in a big hurry to get there. Equating this to reloading, it’s like looking at a table of data and thinking you might as well start at the maximum because you’re going to get there anyway, and you remember seeing a video about loading up Grizzly type ammo and that guy was way over maximum so it must be okay. Besides, your V-Crown 147gr is close enough to an MBC 125gr so it’s all good. The internet said so.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
The problem isn’t Florida, it’s the destination cities. Nobody is from there, they drive like they’re back home, and they don’t know where they’re going but they’re in a big hurry to get there. Equating this to reloading, it’s like looking at a table of data and thinking you might as well start at the maximum because you’re going to get there anyway, and you remember seeing a video about loading up Grizzly type ammo and that guy was way over maximum so it must be okay. Besides, your V-Crown 147gr is close enough to an MBC 125gr so it’s all good. The internet said so.
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My quest is a compromise between what my pistols like best & what my aging hands will tolerate. I don’t do high loads since my hands will seldom tolerate.
 
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OFFGRID said:
working on a shopping list. the reloading sets dont seem to be well recieved and im thinking i can put together a budget kit with better stuff for less if i omitt the stuff i dont need in those kits, like a powder drop, silly priming attachments for the press, and a cheap beam scale. figure ill do fine with the scoops that come with the dies, and a digital scale at first.
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Not sure what cartridges you are looking at loading or whether this is a volume or precision venture on your part. Scoops and a digital scale (hopefully with a check weight) can get you started assuming you stick with only the recipes specifically listed with the dies.

Beam scales may seem antiquated but are much more consistent for duplicating an exact charge by setting a weight and trickling up.

I will second the idea of starting with a turret press. They can be used as a single stage without advancing, but offer the option of speeding up production as you gain confidence in the process. There is the added bonus of not requiring the dies to be reset constantly like a dedicated single stage.
 
CQB45ACP said:
My quest is a compromise between what my pistols like best & what my aging hands will tolerate
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CQB45ACP said:
My quest is a compromise between what my pistols like best & what my aging hands will tolerate.
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Had to quote it twice because that is a prime/perfect example of why we do this.............!!
 
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.
 
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