Reloading Manuals

[littleguns223]

How many reloading manuals does everyone have? Which one do you use most of the time? I have several and I always go to my lyman 49 edition most of the time. Just curious

 

[rcmodel]

14 counting two Hornady two-book sets.
Plus probably another 20+ powder manufacture pamphlets dating back 40 - 50 years.

The Lyman #49, and Hodgdon manual are laying right here in front of me as I type.
They are the reference I use for answering THR reloading questions.

rc

 

[MovedWest]

I've kinda lost count. I'm guessing I have somewhere between 8-10. It depends on the components I'm working with as to which book I go to. Hornady and Lyman 49th manuals are my current go-to books. Ken Waters' Pet Loads is nice, but lots of the info is dated. Lee just seems to be a collection of mix and match info with little rhyme or reason - but sometimes has exactly what you're looking for.

They all have good info to pick through though. If you need to extrapolate and explore components that aren't well documented, it's good to have a larger pool of data to comb through.

-MW

 

[Salmoneye]

I have found a number online in PDF format...

Like RC, some of my paper and PDF's go back 50+ years...

 

[Craigman]

16 plus half a dozen mfg guides from 2008. I have only been reloading 4 years but I enjoy all the manuals I have, even if they were from before my time. You can never have too many IMO.

Ebay and gun shows are a good place to find older manuals. Usually around $10 shipped each

 

[rikman]

A lot, Lyman, Hornady, Speer, Nosler, Barnes, Vitavouhri...lots of great theory & how to info in all.

 

[ranger335v]

"How many reloading manuals does everyone have? Which one do you use most of the time? "

I haven't a clue how many everyone has but I have well over two dozen plus a lot of manufactor 'freebies' as well as on-line info. The one I go to first depends on what I'm looking for. Does that help?

 

[joecil]

I have at least 2 dozen 9 of which are books the rest pamphlets put out by powder and bullet makers. I also have information on given powders/bullet combinations that I use regularly. Though I have the Lyman 49th handbook I rarely use it since it seems limited on powder/bullet combinations. The current Hornady is also about like the Lyman in that respect but the last addition I use more than both. I probably use the Lee 2nd addition more than most however my favorites are mostly "The Complete Reloading Manual for the xxx" (name the caliber), I have 4 of them. I have added a lot of the web sites information from powder and bullet makers to my Complete Reloading manuals that I've printed out. I do find bullet powder combos that work across all and use them to cross reference as well as my own records of what I've loaded and how well it worked for a given application.

 

[Montana Griz]

....14 Manuals:............ including my 1st: SPEER "Wildcat Rifle Loads"...1956!!!
....Also Have :NORMA Reloading Booklets from the 1950s.

Just got my latest: LEE 2nd Edition (612 pages).

Those in between include: Speer, Hodgdon, Lyman, Hornady, Nosler, Sierra, and The HANDLOADER MAGAZINE all issues up about 5 years ago.......

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I only have 3 and I use the Lyman #49 most often.
I my books don't have it I get the info online. I don't mean from forums. I get it from the powder or bullet manufactorer.

 

[cfullgraf]

Sierra, Hornady, Speer, Lyman 49, Accurate #2, Hodgdon, and Western Powder pamphlets are the current editions of the ones I use the most.

I have previous editions of most of those as well as pamphlets from many of the powder manufacturers dating back to 1980.

 

[kingmt]

I have one that looks as new as the day I bought it almost 20 years ago. I use the computer some but most of the time I don't use any.

 

[littleguns223]

Thanks for the reply. Like I said just curious.

 

[FROGO207]

I have no idea how many I have cause I have never bothered counted them In the reloading room I have an accumulation that my grandfather started in the 40's to this years current data all in paper form. It spans a 4 foot shelf with some stacked on top. From old Belding & Mull books from the 40's-50's and Ideal handbooks up to #42 from the 30's-50's and Lyman manuals and everything from Speer, Hornaday, Sierra, Norma, Nosler, Remington, Winchester, Ramshot, Alcan, Handloader and a host of others that escape me just now. I think that reloading book collecting is a sub hobby of mine.

 

[jwrowland77]

5 right now but I just started back in March of this year. I have the Lyman's 49th, Latest Speer, latest Sierra, latest Hornady and latest Barnes.

 

[MARKMALL]

I only have 6 right now. I would like to get a couple more.

 

[cfullgraf]

I think that reloading book collecting is a sub hobby of mine.

Yes, I enjoy reading what the author(s) had to say about each cartridge back in the day if the book includes that information.

As an aside, I have a couple 1930s-1940s gunsmithing books that were my grandfather's. They are enjoyable to read. Of course, many of the processes have not changed if the firearm design is the same has not changed. (no articles on ARs.)

 

[Josh45]

6-8 books I believe.
I almost always end up looking towards the Lyman 49th as well.
then cross reference data from one book to the next and the online data as well.

 

[Tim the student]

I think 5, maybe 6.

 

[AndyL51]

A bunch. The current Sierra and Hornady 6th edition are the two I go to the most, I use the Speer manual a lot also, good general information in the Lee manual, but I tend to stay within the guidelines of the bullet manufacturers for my loads. I don't have the Lyman manual may have to buy that also.

 

[Clark]

"Accurate Smokeless Powder Reloading Guide Number One 1994"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 1996 revision 1"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 1997"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 1999"
"Accurate Smokeless Powder Reloading Guide Number Two 2000"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2000"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2001"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2002"
"Accurate Reloader's Guide 2003"
"Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders vol I" P.O. Ackley 1962
"Pocket Manual for Shooters and Reloaders" P.O. Ackley 1964
"Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders vol II" P.O. Ackley 1966
"Reloader's Guide for Alliant Smokeless Powders" 1996
"Alliant Powder Reloader's Guide" 1998
"New 6th Edition Handloader's Digest" 1972
"The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions" John J Donnelly 1987
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 1999"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2000"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2001"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2002"
"Hodgdon Basic Reloader's Manual 2006"
"Hodgdon Reloading Data Manual #19" ~1964
"Basic Loading Data for Hodgdon's Modern Powders" 4895 is 10 cents/lb, so ~ 1952
"Hodgdon Annual Manual 2002"
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 22 Data Manual" 1974
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 23 Data Manual" 1979
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 25 Data Manual" 1986
"Hodgdon Powder Company No. 27 Data Manual" 1998
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading 1967"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading third edition 1980"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading fifth edition Volume I 1980"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading fifth edition Volume II 1980"
"Handloader's Guide for Smokeless Powder Dupont 1980"
"Handloader's Guide for Smokeless Powder IMR 1990"
"Handloader's Guide for Smokeless Powder IMR 2000"
"Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges" Ken Howell 1995
"Reloading Handbook First Edition" Richard Lee [Has Alcan, so pre 1971]
"Modern Reloading" Richard Lee 1996
"Lyman Reloading Manual 39th edition" 1953
"Lyman Reloading Manual 40th edition" 1955
"Lyman Reloading Manual 41st edition" 1957
"Lyman Reloading Manual 42th edition" 1960
"Lyman Reloading Manual 43th edition" 1964
"Lyman Reloading Manual 44th edition" 1967
"Lyman Reloading Manual 45th edition" 1970
"Lyman Reloading Manual 46th edition" 1982
"Lyman Reloading Manual 47th edition" 1992
"Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook" 1980
"Lyman Pistol and Revolver Reloading Handbook" 1994
"Modern Reloading" Nonte 1972
"Basic Reloading" Nonte 1978
"Nosler Reloading Manual number 3" 1989
"Nosler Reloading Manual fifth edition" 2002
"9mm Luger Loadmap" Midway 1998
"357 magnum Loadmap" Midway 1998
"44 magnum Loadmap" Midway 1998
"45acp Loadmap" Midway 1998
"Pacific Rifle/Pistol Cartridge Reloading Manual" 1967
"NRA Handloader's Guide" compiled from 1950-1968
"Handloading" William C Davis 1981
"Cartridges of the World 9th" Barnes 1965-2000
"RCBS Cast Bullet Manual" 1986
"Precision Reloading Handbook 10th" Gravatt and Sinclair 1999
"Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual first" ~1970
"Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual second" 1971
"Sierra Handgun Reloading Manual 4th" 1995
"Sierra Rifle Reloading Manual 4th" 1995
"Speer 3" 1959
"Speer 5" 1962
"Speer 6" 1964
"Speer 7" 1966
"Speer 8" 1970
"Speer 9" 1974
"Speer 10" 1979
"Speer 11" 1987
"Speer 12" 1994
"Speer 13" 1998
"Wildcats I" 1992 Wolfe
"Wildcats II" 1992 Wolfe
"The Benchrest Shooting Primer" compiled 1982-1996 Precision Shooting
"Ammo Encyclopedia" Bussard 2011
" VihtaVuori Reloading Manual first" 1994
" VihtaVuori Reloading Manual third" 2000
"Reloading Guide for Rifles and Handguns" VihtaVuori 2000
"Complete Book of Practical Handloading" Wooters 1976
"Winchester Components Catalog" 1999

And then there is Quickload, so I don't use the manuals anymore.

 

[FROGO207]

^^^OUCH^^^ My head hurts!

 

[Byron]

I have 4 with Speer #10 being my all time favorite.

 

[slayfire]

I have 4 but also have a loaddata account and get probably 90% of my data from http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp. It is really nice to check printed manuals and websites against each other.

 

[flashhole]

Anyone care to donate one to a youth who is trying to get into the hobby? I will be mentoring him. Maybe you have a duplicate you can part with. Prefer one that has explanations of the reloading process and steps. PM me if you care to send one.