Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Any reason to buy loading manuals now days?

Was thinking about this the other day. With everything online, is there any reason to buy manuals anymore? I have Nosler, Hornady, and Speer. Between those and Internet resources I would think I'd be covered even if I'm shooting other brands of bullets.

Can't remember the last load manual I bought, maybe one of those paperback Hodgdon Manual.

I buy them to browse in the evenings when I don't want to get involved in a book or magazine.

I have the hornady and sierra manuals. I end up referring to them a pretty good bit, but my biggest gripe is that most of the data is anemic. the sierra data, in particular, has to be taken with a grain of salt. it always seems to show unusually high velocities for unusually light loadings. i don't think they're being untruthful, but they are typically using a 26" barrel and federal brass, which will give noticeably different results from me using a 22" barrel and winchester brass.

i've actually found the online hodgdon data to be some of the most useful stuff out there, especially for getting started.

If I were to do it over again nowadays, I'd have the current Nosler manual, my loaddata.com account, and free online Hodgdon data.

I have the latest Hodgdon and the past 3-Nosler's, and old Sierra, and Hornady's previous. I will never buy another and if i did not have them I would not buy any since Nosler and Hodgon post the same thing online for free.

Ditto.

I need something in paperback when I sit on the john AND I'M NOT TAKING MY FRIKKIN' LAPTOP!

Of course, my wife hides my load manuals when we have company over.

They are a great bathroom read.

Lets not forget when you run accross some old powder that has no data anymore. Case in point, I'm always on the lookout for H870 and H450 which hasn't been in production in over 10yrs and data has in afffect vanished. Especially in regards to H450, excellent magnum powder that Hodgdon still has a gap to fill on their spherical side.

I don't own one, I just use the data I get online.

I buy the books. They have a lot more info in them, than is available online. PS: if you want H870 Use your search engine and type (surplus powder) in it. 8lb jugs of it are available. Take down powder.

I have the latest Barnes manual. Apparently they still don't know that they make something called the TTSX. Some of these are different weights than the old TSX so there's no data to start from. How long has the TTSX been out 4-5 years?

Waste o money.

I've got my old ones and I buy a new one occasionally. I've never had one 'crash', I can always get data from it. I find it easier to make comparisons if I have books to flip instead of webpages. As mentioned, there is other info in them also. But I use the online stuff too.

Dale

The Barnes manual could almost be a prize in a Happy Meal..

I just started reloading recently:

Speer Manual came with my RCBS Kit, good info on getting started

Plan to use the nosler bullets for my hunting loads since nosler will show their bullets expansion at different velocities which is extremely helpful information for a new reloader
Nosler's Manual is very good compliment to the Speer manual, speer gives a lot of good background and detailed how-to's Nosler gives you color picture representations of some things (cratered primers) and some easier ways to do some steps

figured I would use hornady bullets in the summer for target shooting & groundhogs so bought the hornady manual... not very impressed, doesn't seem as though they put as much effort into their testing as the other 2 did

A person can spend an hour or so wading thru the internet comparing loads.
I like to have 3-4 manuals available to compare the loads and it sure is slot easier when you get a new chambering to see what powders are more suitable for that particular cartridge.

I'm not married to the computer like a lot of guys.

I have a membership on loaddata.com and so far that's all I have needed.

Still consider them great reading, and a relatively cheap way to get a look at the "new" rounds that seem to be proliferating.
Also view it as a good way to get a perspective on the new powders that also seem to be proliferating.
That said, I'm not to quick to buy every latest edition, as after a point, redundancy sets in.
Did Loaddata clear up the use of bullet makers data that they hadn't permission to use?

9412 posts, you look to be engaged or going steady atleast...... I hear you and like mine, but now you can get the same info or the load data. My older ones have powder no longer available.