Reloading Manual?

S

shrpshooter9

Inactive
I posted this on another forum but would like to get a few more opinions. I am looking to buy a new reloading manual for my Fiancé to put with his gifts next week. He has an older edition Nosler Manual that he likes to use. Is this the best one? Should I stick with Nosler and get him the newer edition or is there a better one out there? We are reloading for 300WSM, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 and .338 Lapua.
 
While I have lee,lyman,hornady,sierra
I find myself using the sierra book more when loading their bullets, I look at hornady when using theirs, and lyman and lee when loading cast bullets.

But, I'll still cross check between hornady and sierra on rifle bullets.
 
I have them all and 99% of the time over the last forty+ years I reach for the Lyman first. It's the most comprehensive of them all.
 
Another vote for the Sierra. I have on older Lyman that spells out the processes well but the load data is very incomplete. I also have a Speer I will reference load data off of.

Any time I work up a load for a new bullet I pull out the manuals and check online to see what is recommended. The load data differs from source to source.
 
The best manual for him is dependant upon which brand of bullets he uses. If he primarily shoots Nosler then buy him their manual. If he shoots Hornady, buy that one. If he shoots cast lead bullets, then Lyman would make sense. Find out which brand(s) of bullets he buys for hand loading.
 
We use Hornady (he has that book but does not like it), and Berger bullets 99% of the time. We use Nosler or Lapua brass most of the time. I will look into the Lyman. Thank you gentlemen!
 
+1 for the Lyman and the Hornady. I shoot mainly Hornady bullets and some cast so both are good to have.
 
I am not sure why your beloved uses his older Nosler manual, but I suspect it may be because he likes Nosler's bullets in the cartridges he is currently loading. If this is true, then I would recommend getting him the latest Nosler Manual #8. This can be had at your local Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, Bass Pro Shops or many local gun / outdoors store or on-line at Midway (https://www.midwayusa.com/product/158738/nosler-reloading-guide-8-reloading-manual), Amazon, etc..

My secondary recommendation would be the Sierra Rifle & Handgun Reloading Data, Edition V. (https://www.midwayusa.com/product/9...tol-manual-of-reloading-data-reloading-manual) Thirdly, the latest Lyman 49th Reloading Handbook(https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1064217655/lyman-reloading-handbook-49th-edition-reloading-manual).

I hope this helps.

BP
 
The only issue with a manufacturer's manual is that it will have data for that manufacturer's stuff only. Whose brass doesn't matter. However, you can use other maker's bullets of like weights with the No$ler data.
The Lyman book is just more versatile. Has more loads using more bullet weights than any powder or bullet maker's book. Kind of partial to the Reference chapters too.
 
Lyman's 49th Edition manual is very good. However, it is a bit dated (2008) and does not have 6.5 Creedmoor data if that is important to you.

The Nosler manuals are very nice, as well as several others. The current Speer manual is also rather dated.
 
I agree the Lyman and the Hornady

But has a lot to do with what is being shot . Cast lead or jacketed Rifle or Pistol ????
 
OP says he currently uses an older Nosler Manual.
To me that is an indication he is probably not loading cast bullets. YMMV, though.
 
My two go to books are Sierra and Hornady.

Odd he does not like Hornady.

Both list a lot of different powder choices, good data.

Lot of good detail on powder burn rates as well as what firearm they used for their tests.

I have looked at Lymans and just don't feel the love but other like it a lot.
 
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