I am fairly new to reloading and would like to get a newer reloading manual that has alot of beginner reloading tips and steps, as well as a variety of loads. Any recommendations?

Also, does anyone know any magagzines that I can request that sells reloading supplies. i.e. midway, cabelas, so on and so forth

Thanks.

I am fairly new to reloading and would like to get a newer reloading manual that has alot of beginner reloading tips and steps, as well as a variety of loads. Any recommendations?

Also, does anyone know any magagzines that I can request that sells reloading supplies. i.e. midway, cabelas, so on and so forth

Thanks.

I'm new myself. I have the Speer manual (OK) and the Lee Manual (I like this one).

You can get the Lee manual by itself or for a couple of bucks more it will come with a simple single stage press.

Modern Reloading Second Edition by Richard Lee

Always liked the ones that have lots of load data for the calibers that I load. Also like case dimensions, trim-to-length, overall length dimensions, components used to obtain data, and barrel length. A history of the cartridge is also interesting along with short and long range ballistic tables. Lyman's Pistol & Revolver Handbook provides loads equivalent to factory velocity, potentially most accurate load, compressed load, etc.

Have had good results using both Speer and Lyman handbooks but there are many other good books on the market. Best to thumb through a copy of what's available to you to see if it will meet your needs before buying.

You can email Graf's, Midway, Cabela's, any of the reloading companies, and they will gladly send you their catalogs. Once on Cabela's list, be prepared to receive big, thick catalogs several times a year.

Lyman's is very good. They've got several and the Reloader's Handbook is the one for both rifle and pistol data. I don't know about Lee's 2nd Edition, but his 1st edition was the worst I've ever seen, and I've got manuals back to Speer #6 (1966). Hornady, Sierra and Speer manuals are good, I'm a bit behind with Nosler.

The powder manufacturer's websites do not have anything on reloading techniques, but their load data is always up to date.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/
http://www.hodgdon.com/
http://www.imrpowdrer.com/
http://www.wwpowder.com/

Bye
Jack

A lot of manuals have a 'how to' section at the beginning.
I prefer to have several manuals to compare, as sometimes one manual shows different results than most other manuals. I would suggest, if you have a particular bullet brand you like, or want to use, buy their manual.
One tip: powder company manuals like Hodgdon and Accurate will list loads for lots of calibers. Bullet companies will list loads for anything they make bullets for- and often not cast bullet loads.

Thanks for the replies. I have been reading reviews online about a few of the books mentioned in this post and I think I will try the Lyman 48th edition. I found the Lyman manual on Cabelas website for $17.99. That seems like a good price.
I am pretty sure any manual will give me more information than I know now. Thanks for everyones help.

That's an excellent choice. The "How to reload" section at the front of the Lyman is very good indeed.

You'll also need at least two more books. ALWAYS use the loading manual and data put out by your bullet maker as primary loading data. The bullet has a great deal of influence on a load's pressure and velocity - and substituting data from another maker's bullet EVEN OF THE SAME WEIGHT can be hazardous.

Second, always crosscheck with the powder maker's data. Hodgdon in particular is good because they test a variety of bullets, and publish the load data for the bullet that gave the highest pressure. You can therefore use that data with almost any bullet and be safe.

Thirdly, a third source never hurts, and for that I always recommend the Lyman book. You already have that one, so you're ahead.

ps: I'm currently writing a "How To Reload" book but won't have it out until the end of the year. There will NOT be lots of load data, just the how and why of reloading steps.

Get the Lyman 48 and the latest Speer - 13?

Both will give you starter advice and good load datd. The Lyman book w

I've pretty well have them all. Find the Lyman 48th is always the first one I grab before checking the others for whatever loading.

The Sierra manual is a dandy, too.

The new Hornady is out now - will probably be latching onto it here shortly.

LA
Not to be redundant,but I have several manuals and the Lyman books are used the most.
Frank

I have a 2nd edition Lee manual and a Lyman's 48 th edition. I also have a Hornady also. It would also help to get some loadbooks specific to the calibers you have. They only run about 6 or 7 dollars apiece. And you can get them from midway. I usually get my stuff from midway, but every now and then I check cabelas and the like. Sometimes, there is a sale and you can get stuff a little cheaper. But I got my loadbooks from midway :D
tommy

I agonized over which reloading manual to start with in Feb '06 for a long time. I ended up choosing the Speer #13 because I shot Speer/CCI ammo exclusively 20+ years ago. I like it for the technical stuff, but it is virtually useless for my cast reloads. I did not realize at the time that each bullet maker focused on its own product. I have a Hodgdon mini manual from '05, and a regular Hodgdon from '06 that I use alot for cross reference. I'm statisifed with my Lee reloading equipment, but I think I'll buy the Lyman manual next because I have a Lyman #44 that was published in 1967.

Which one is "best" does depends on your needs. Bullet makers, of course, focus on their product. If you load only Speer bullets, the Speer book is dandy. Ditto Hornady, Sierra, and others. Powdermakers are the same way. If you load only Accurate powders, buy an Accurate book. Lyman's book covers different powders, and different bullets, and gives a wider choice of companents than most others, and includes, as pointed out, cast bullets. Lee's book is more "how to" rather than a true loading manual. Their data is copied from other sources, which isn't nessesarily a bad thing.

. . . Their data is copied from other sources, which isn't nessesarily a bad thing.

Actually, a lot of the Lee book's data is limitied to loads that match their powder measuring tools. Good information to have, though. To remain as general as possible, I'll toss in another vote for the Lyman manual as a starting point. I've also heard a book called the ABC's of reloading is good, but I've never read it and don't know what its recipe information limitations are?

I have a number of the powder and bullet maker's books. Good for cross-referencing and settling disagreements between them on where a starting load should be (always use the lowest of the bunch).

Unclenick, the late Dean Grennel's classic book "The ABCs of Reloading" is very good for instruction. I'm not sure how much load data (if any) it contains, but it has been out for many years and all such data would be obsolete now, anyway.

I would not have dreamed of trying to one-up Dean, but now that he's gone, I intend to write my own version of his wisdom.

Lyman 48th ed is a good one. I also have Lee's 1st ed., Sierra 50th anniv. ed., Speer 13th ed., the latest Nosler edition and Hornady's second to most recent in addition to Ken Waters Pet Loads.

Loads do vary by bullet manufacturer. Bullet bearing length has a lot to do with pressure so loads will vary. The Very Best advice that everyone gives in each manual is to work up slowly looking for pressure signs no matter what the load, as your firearms is not the one "They" were using to test their loads.

Get three and read them all. Lyman and one for eachbullet manufacturer you like using their bullets. Then go from there I guess. Good luck, have fun and be safe.

I am fairly new to reloading and would like to get a newer reloading manual that has alot of beginner reloading tips and steps, as well as a variety of loads. Any recommendations?

Also, does anyone know any magagzines that I can request that sells reloading supplies. i.e. midway, cabelas, so on and so forth

Thanks.

Buy all the reloading manuals you can afford--a guy can't have enough. Each offers a another little tidbit of info.

Nosler has a good section on reloading steps.
Lyman is good.
Sierra uses more different powders for a given cartridge/bullet weight than others.
ABC's of Reloading is good, goes into more discussion.

Do a search for "reloading supplies" and other variants--a bunch will come up.

Casey

I am fairly new to reloading and would like to get a newer reloading manual that has alot of beginner reloading tips and steps, as well as a variety of loads. Any recommendations?

Also, does anyone know any magagzines that I can request that sells reloading supplies. i.e. midway, cabelas, so on and so forth

Thanks.

The advice given so far pretty much covers it. However, I will also add the new Hornady 7th edition. This manual includes the new WSSM and has quite a few wildcats and some of the older offerings as well. This book is selective to Hornady bullets, but there is a lot of good cross-reference info you can use with other manuals. It also gives a brief history of each cartridge and drawings and measurements of the casings.

My suggestion of manuals (in order) would be:
1. Lee, 2nd edition (Lots of data to cross reference and most loadings/cartridge of any manual)
2. Hornady, 7th edition (New and improved)
3. Lyman (Has its good points, but limited on powder listings for Hodgdon powders - which I use most of)
4. Nosler (Great manual if you use their bullets)
5. Sierra (Although I don't like their manual format - 3-ring binder)
6. Speer (Ok if you use their bullets)

As mentioned previously, you can also access the powder and bullet manufacturers websites. They will provide the most up-to-date and old data for their product. They can be a good resource if no other data can be found. Hornady especially has been very helpful with some of my pistol cartridges that I could find no data on. Give 'em a call and talk to some of the loading techs and you will find a wealth of information unavailable via web or book.

LAHUNTER - In addition to the reloading books recommended, you can get reloading info and data from the various bullet and powder companies by going to their "web" sites. ("Google up" Barnes, Accurate, Hogdon, Lee, etc.) Some have online catalogs, like Lee, who shows you "how to" information on reloading. You're going to like this reloading "stuff". Good luck and good shooting! Riley

Another vote for the Lyman manual. I have a case full of various manuals and use them all but if limited to one I would opt for the Lyman. I like the fact that the Lyman gives data for cast as well as jacketed bullets. I have often used the cast bullet data to work up reduced loads with jacketed bullets. This practice should be approached very judiciously as pressures will be higher with jacketed bullets of the same weights. That said I've fired thousands of 222 Rem and 223 Rem loads reduced to 22 Hornet velocities with perfect results.
I'm sure you will find a Lyman #48 a nice addition to your library.

The manual names have been pretty well covered. There is also a fair amount written just on the general subject of how to reload. A general one, not currently in print (mine is copyrighted 1981 and 1986)), is the NRA publication, Handloading. You may be able to find a used copy. It covers some specifics not in other manuals. It includes things like plans for a loading bench, a range loading kit, and a case tumbler. It defines terms like "brissance" in primers. It may not cover the latest rounds, but as book of principles it is very good.

Also worthwhile is Glen Zediker's, Handloading for Competition (http://www.zediker.com/attractions/handloading/handloadingmain.html). It is about 4 years old now. It covers a lot of details about equipment and techniques for building match grade ammunition. It is not for beginners, and Zediker is not always the clearest writer, so if you don't have any experience reloading, some parts will be confusing. Nonetheless, it has a lot of information gems in it that I haven't seen anywhere else.

I am fairly new to reloading and would like to get a newer reloading manual that has alot of beginner reloading tips and steps, as well as a variety of loads. Any recommendations?

Also, does anyone know any magagzines that I can request that sells reloading supplies. i.e. midway, cabelas, so on and so forth

Thanks.

Like everyone else, I started out with a reloading manuel from either Hornady, Nosler, Speer with instructions on how to do it.
Now with all the information on the internet, I have gone to the smaller Loadbooks format.

These are smaller binder manuels on just the caliber you want.

For example, "The Complete Reloading Manuel for the .243 Winchester", has information from all bullets, and powders available for that caliber.
When reloading, I think they are easier to stay focused on just that caliber. They sell for about $6.00 to $8.00 each. I have one for each caliber on my bench.

hppt;//www.loadbooks.com

Like everyone else, I started out with a reloading manuel from either Hornady, Nosler, Speer with instructions on how to do it.
Now with all the information on the internet, I have gone to the smaller Loadbooks format.

These are smaller binder manuels on just the caliber you want.

For example, "The Complete Reloading Manuel for the .243 Winchester", has information from all bullets, and powders available for that caliber.
When reloading, I think they are easier to stay focused on just that caliber. They sell for about $6.00 to $8.00 each. I have one for each caliber on my bench.

hppt;//www.loadbooks.com

try that again.
http://loadbooks.com

try that again.
hppt://loadbooks.com
I messed it up yet again.
Heck just google it.

I am surprised no one has mentioned Midways now discontinued LoadMaps. These were great single caliber load data booklets that allowed you to compare powders together using the same bullets with actual pressure data. Unfortunately handloaders did not understand what a Gold mine these were.

Only problem Slim, was that they didn't make them but for a few of the most common cartridges.

Sierra has a CD with information. I have a manuel for each brand of bullet I plan to load, as well as the Lyman manuel, and Hodgdon manuels and the yearly Hodgdon updates in magazine form. They own IMR and Winchester now, so quite a bit more info this year(2007). The updates usually have several articles on various subjects pertaining to reloading/hunting etc.
As said befor you can never have too many reference manuels. I also purchased Pet Loads from Handloader magazine and update the information from all my monthly subscriptions.
Also the NRA has a reloading class available along with training manuels.