Loading Manuals

[hooligan1]

Loading manuals on the way, Berger, and the new Nosler.
We load Berger bullets and don't have a manual, all info has come from Berger or Internet loadin cites.
So now that we will have the new Nosler, this should give us updated info on Long Range Accubonds .....if not it was cheap enough to purchase anyway.
As of now I have an updated manual for all bullets that we regularly purchase and handload..list as follows in no certain order;
1. Berger
2. Sierra
3.Nosler
4.Hogdon
5. Hornady
6.Speer

 

[ms6852]

If you collect old reloading books, hornady put out a two volume set "Handbook of Cartridge Reloading". Volume one is almost 900 pages and volume two contains a pretty comprehensive of ballistic tables for its time I believe it was 2003 or 2004. Contains drop tables to 1000 yds , and includes calibers from .17 cal to the 750 gr 50 cal.

 

[flashhole]

I never considered Hornady an authoritative source of information. Too many times did I find their information in conflict with other well established sources.

My advice is get as many sources as you can and cross reference. It will show consistency across a load range for the specific bullet you are interested in.

FWIW - I find reloading data from powder manufacturers a better source of information than bullet manufacturers. It's a relatively simple matter to equate bullet weight/design to powder choices as long as you use a bit of common sense.

I edited this post to add this ... folks who publish pressure data are your best sources of information. I select powders for their performance with a given bullet based on velocity/pressure data. My optimized powder selection is generally the one that has the highest velocity with the lowest pressure for a given bullet type/weight.

 

[us920669]

There is a full size soft cover called Nick Harvey's Practical Guide, doesn't have a lot of the newer carts but does have very many carts and powders, bullets only by weight. Some of his max loads seem way off-the-chart hot, but a good book anyway. I think all of them are only good for giving you a general idea. You are going to end up fine tuning for your gun, your components and your loading techniques.

 

[Clark]

I have these load books;

"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 II 1973"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading third edition 1980"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading fifth edition Volume I 2000"
"Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading fifth edition Volume II 2000"
"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][c.1965 per cornell pub.]
"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 Ball Powder" 1973
"Winchester Components Catalog" 1999

I started handloading in 1999.
By 2000, I had Quickload and mostly don't use any of the books any more for the ~65 cartridges I reload.

 

[AzShooter]

My go to manual is the Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook. Covers all the bullet styles and weights I use.

 

[flashhole]

Clark - I'm impressed you typed all that out. You must keep a running list.

 

[hooligan1]

Where would you case all those books???
I like the bullet manufacture manuals mostly, because when I choose a certain bullet, they have likely tested it using more powders and components then I can..
I also have a Bob Hager book "Game Loads and Practical Ballistics for the American Hunter..it's 1978 era.
Clarks handloading reminds me of this book...

 

[Clark]

flashhole
Clark - I'm impressed you typed all that out. You must keep a running list.

That list might not have changed since 2002.
I can't remember making it.
But I have spreadsheets of dies, guns, and scopes that are a constant effort.
Barrels and stocks are out of control, and relegated to piles with labels on the parts.
Socially acceptable hoarders have things categorized, boxes, stacked, and they can go right to a part. Socially unacceptable hoarders have random piles and maybe paths through the junk. I have a foot in both worlds.

 

[Longshot4]

Clark that looks like that's all there is. I'm surprised you don't have Ken Waters' Pet Loads and Handloaders Digest. Although not to say you need them. I would expect that you just missed them. It looks like you are a BIG believer in Quick Loads. I assume you still use the manuals for cross reference?

 

[Gunplummer]

Somebody still uses books. You rarely see load manuals at flea markets, auctions, or gun shows.

 

[Clark]

Longshot4,
Coincidence, I am looking today at piles of Handloader magazines, and thinking I will never look at that stuff again, and it taking up space. I only subscribed to a Handloader for a couple years when I started. The heaps come from gun shows or ebay.

 

[Kosh75287]

Another online source worthy of examination (while bearing in mind that some data is quite old) is Castpics.com.