Best reloading manuals for me?

T

TruthTellers

New member
Hey, I'm looking at getting some manuals for reloading. Currently I'm looking at loading for:

-.32 S&W Long
-.32 H&R Mag
-.327 Magnum
- .45 Colt

In the future I'm probably going to load:

-10mm Auto
-.308 Winchester


Bullets I'm going to be using will be Hornady XTP's for the pistol cartridges, probably Lasercast, Matt's bullets (.32 round nose and .45 wadcutters).

Also, powder's I'm likely to use will be basic stuff like Bullseye and Unique. Maybe Power Pistol for the .327 and Hurco if I have trouble getting the first two.

What do you fellas recommend?
 
Last edited:
I largely use and like the Speer manuals in hardcover book form in versions (editions) older and later. They give explanations/reasons when possible and non when appropriate. Pressure values are not given because that value is not a guide for making/estimating a load outside the given powder range.

Over time some loads have been eliminated from later versions of the manual. This applies to very fast powders like Bullseye and the less common 700-X. I prefer the latter 700-X because it's much cleaner although the manuals lack this info.

I also have a Sierra manual but the binder format does not holdup well over a period of years. Pages tend to rip out and get lost.
 
The only paper bound manual that I have that covers those is the Hornady manual.
I downloaded, Norma, Speer, Vitavhuori, Lyman.

Finding data for the 327 Fed is kinda hard to find.
 
I would get the manual published by the maker of your loading equipment.
That way the instructions and illustrations will agree with your bench.

Maybe the manual published by the maker of your preferred bullets, if you tend to freak out because you have a 255 grain .45 and can only find data for a 250. Lyman is good for cast bullets, they make moulds.

Powder data is cheap to free from Alliant, Hodgdon, and Western (Ramshot and Accurate.)
 
Bullets I'm going to be using will be Hornady XTP's for the pistol cartridges,
Click to expand...
Hornady and Speer both put out nice loading manuals. Also for a wide range of cast bullets or plated the Lyman 50th comes to mind and many of the Lyman 49th are still out there at reduced prices with the 50th out. Then there is always the Internet but a few good hard print and cover reloading manuals are hard to beat, not just for load data but the wealth of information most contain.

Ron
 
Another question that has been asked a MILLION times and answered.

Answer: Lyman #50 + whatever manual for the bullets you will load with.
 
One manual from your bullet maker and one manual from your powder manufacturer. Add to those any other manual you like. I have more manuals than I can use most of the time but every time they bring out a new powder or a new bullet I need a new manual that lists the data.

Oh, I hate it when they discontinue a bullet or powder that I use! :mad:
 
I see a lot of people say that the Lyman manual is very good. Quite a few say the 49th edition is more bang for the buck compared to the 50th. Between the two, which edition is better for me?
 
Get the Lyman 50th. If nothing else it offers loading data for quite a few more 6.5 mm calibers. And you may just win a 6.5 Creedmore (if you don't have one already). It seems that about everyone is giving away a Creedmore.
 
I would say neither. I know I am an outlier.

First and foremost get a Hornady of Sierra or both. Particular Sierra is easy to add your own pages into.

While they have a lot of good other data, they have both have as wide a variety of bullets anyone makes and they have SAFE data for those (some bullet grain sizes have a number of shapes and weights that vary up and down 5 grains).

What that means is you can find a close bullet type and have safe loads for that type even if a different mfg. I don't advocate going to the max at all, but good starting and I am not reluctant to start mid loads.

They also by far list more varieties of powder. That's big. Don't have to internet as much or cut and paste into your own book.

I eventually picked up a Layman's on sale to see what the fuss was. Well they have cast, hmmm. It didn't even tell you the difference between CUP and CIP though it lists pressure in both.

My wife picked up an older Lymans and it has a lot of good stuff in it, far more than current.

I think this is the thing getting passed on from generation to generation and more cast bullets done back in the day.

So, fine a gun place (Cabella etc) that has a book open to read and look them over. See which seems to resonate.

Eventually you are going to pick up some others, ABCs of reloading is one of the better ones.

Lymans, its ok, I don't mind having it, glad I got it on sale, won't buy another one.
 
With so many of the bullet makers going to monolithic bullets and away from cup and core you almost have to have a manual that covers the bullet you are using. 30 years ago you could just about use any bullet in the same weight and stay in safe pressure ranges. Barnes came out with their solid copper and then their bronze bullets and manufacturers started using thicker jackets for controlled expansion and now a lot of manufacturers are going to monolithic bullets in handgun as well as rifle bullets. You really need to have a manual for the specific bullet you are going to use. Even the Very Low Drag bullets have to be seated differently because they have such a long nose. You have to check the distance to your lands to make sure you can use them in your gun.

I can remember when you only needed to know if you were loading lead or jacketed bullets, well those days are gone and have been for a while. Keep up with the latest information and stay safe.
 
If you're going to shoot Hornady bullets get a Hornady Manual. Makes sense to get a manual for what you shoot. Later if you start using Sierra get that one next. That's how I did it.
 
Yeah, I'll probably get a Hornady manual in the future, but for now all I plan on loading is lead bullets in .45 Colt and .32 S&W/H&R Mag. What would be a good manual to start with those? The Lyman? Lee? ABC's?
 
If you know the mold # for the bullet you are going to use try the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook
4b73c2a4723793cd03df7f6761f3306a.jpg


Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
 
Yeah, I'll probably get a Hornady manual in the future, but for now all I plan on loading is lead bullets in .45 Colt and .32 S&W/H&R Mag. What would be a good manual to start with those? The Lyman? Lee? ABC's?
Click to expand...

With that in mind I would look toward the Lyman 50th or see if you can still find a Lyman 49th at a good reduced cost since the 50th is out. There is not a heck of a lot in the 50th that the 49th doesn't have.

Ron
 
Somebody else already said it, but get the Lyman 49 or 50 and get a manual for the bullet brand you shoot. Mostly I shoot Nosler, so I have their books.
 
I can get the softcover of the Lyman 50th edition for $18.

I'm not seeing anything for the 49th edition for less than that. So all these claims of the 49th edition for a low price isn't ringing true for me.
 
The 49th editions for low prices are probably selling out. I got one for a buddy for Christmas for $5.00

As far as manuals go, based on the bullets you want to use, I will add another vote for the Hornady 10 which I have and is very good. I also have the #9 and it's fine too if you can find it cheap.

The Lyman's #49 or #50 and the Cast Bullet Book is a great add on for cast (and Plated) load data.

Hornady #10
Lyman's #49 or #50
Lyman's Cast Bullet Book
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top