Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Shopping for a new reloading book

I have an old Speer manual, but it is missing many of the powders and bullets available today. I would like to buy one good manual. Any recommendations and why? Leaning toward Hornady.

Thanks

Much of the data is available online from Hodgdon, Alliant, and Western powder companies, and from Speer and Nosler. It's generally enough for me. I think the next "loading manual" I get will be Quickload, since the manuals were only ever a rough guide that nearly never matches my firearms for velocity or barrel length or some other variable. And the cartridge platform has more to do with how I load than any particular set of data. Modern bolt actions handle the pressure of the most powerful cartridges, so there is no point in being limited by the platform the cartridge was originally chambered in. This is the case in other platforms as well. I load to the platform, not the original cartridge specs.

As HnS said, lots of info on the web. Hornady is one of the better published manuals being fairly new and with lots of less common cartridges. Probably won't be long until everybody goes digital (seen a big Cabela's catalog lately?) but no one will ever have the latest powder/bullet combos because of the time it takes to amass the data and publish. I might add that it is always a good practice to have manuals from multiple sources just to cross check data.
The way I look at it, reloading manuals are one of the least expensive things of all the equipment and supplies.

HuntnShoot, I was digging through some old posts and saw a post where Mule Deer made pretty clear his position on QL is not necessarily a replacement for manuals..

I wont try and convey his thoughts but if you do a search for keyword "Quickload" and user: "Mule Deer" in the 6-7 year ago range you will probably find it pretty quick...

I read his post. He's not wrong. You have to know how to use it. You also need to know how to use the reloading manual data. And just like the reloading manual data, you have to know what to do when your results don't match QL predictions. A lot of people don't have that level of understanding of what they are doing.

We are all free to pursue our hobbies exactly as we see as proper. I am not going to point to some authority and claim that said authority has blessed the way I do things through agreement. I have nothing against Barsness, and respect his perspectives on hunting, shooting, load development, and firearms, but I also don't read what he writes as scripture. Rather, I read his writings as simply the way he did things and the conclusions he made. Your results will differ, as will mine. Is your view of things really "what Mule Deer said"?

Thanks guys. I may just continue to look online for what I need. My old Speer will do for much of what I need. I may wait for the new 11th ed. Hornady coming out this year.

A new loader may like the instructions in a manual....

If an experienced hand loader is just looking for new load data, it's hard to beat the internet.

A source that's not free, but worth the meager cost is Load Data. They have the latest data from powder and bullet companies, loading rags and individuals. I pay the yearly fee and us it as my go to for any new round, new bullet I may be interested in.

Another great resource is Hodgdon's load data and their ballistic calculator. Speer has a good data site. And, there are others that don't cost anything.

DF

Lyman's or Sierra manuals are hard to beat IMHO.

They already have. Just depends on what you want to pay.

https://press.hornady.com/release/2019/10/21/hornady-launches-free-reloading-app/

Included with the free download are hundreds of pages of reloading information, bullet guides, tips and techniques plus limited free data on recent offerings like the 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC. Beyond that, reloaders only pay for the information they want and need. Reloading information is available for download in three ways: A la carte, purchase the entire handbook or subscription based.

A la carte allows users to purchase the cartridge or cartridges they need for 99¢ each.

If a user decides to purchase the entire handbook, they will receive the 10th edition Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading in app form for $19.99.

Lastly, is the subscription option where users pay $19.99 per year for full access to the 10th Edition data, plus all the new data developed for the next edition and automatic updates as more data is developed. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll receive a printed edition of the 11th Edition of the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading when it’s released (estimated fall, 2020).

http://www.appresoure.com/p/sierra-reloading-manual-edition-vi.htm

Subscription required for full functionality

App features include: Reloading powder weight calculator for all the cartridges found in Sierra Bullet's paper manual. History about most included cartridges. Bullet details for all of Sierra Bullet's current and many older bullets. Exterior Ballistic paper. Technical contact information. Answers to Frequently asked questions about reloading. Firearm care and maintenance information. Ability to view in dark or light mode for easy reading.

The free version has a reduced amount of data so users may see a sample of how the program operates. A subscription in-app purchase includes more text for key sections of the app including The Bullets section, The Reloading Section, and the Ballistics section. The most important feature a subscription adds is the full set of current cartridge data for hundreds of cartridges.

Sierra Bullets LLC is constantly adding more data as new bullets are developed, the app will be updated as new data is available. Sierra Bullets has been producing hard cover manuals for over 50 years but using an app allows more functionality for the user.

I kinda like the Hornady ala carte deal..

The Big Book of Gun Gack vol #1 and #2 by John Barsness

Both are fantasic handloading books

If you shoot a lot of Hornady bullets, then yes, that is a great choice..

The Hodgdon annual magazine type is very comprehensive. I got my 2020 in late December so had to order it from the magazine publisher. Before then it was on stands and at dealers.
Nice thing is with that one it is a new one every year for $6 or so

He's a man, has a lot of experience. The same can be said for many other guys here..

I do have a few of the Cliff's notes version of books for a single cartridge. I really like those, but they are only available for a limited number of cartridges. I was also thinking of QL as a backup source. I've been given some data for my 375 Ruger and the expected velocity for a given bullet and powder was spot on in three of my rifles. I didn't know about the Hodgen annual magazine. I look or that. Thanks to all.

For such a recent development the range of published data for the .375 R is pretty extreme. Those who have Hornady 10 and Speer 15 know what I mean. My GG chronos pretty close to the Hornady data. Don't know what to make of the Speer data, even allowing for a 4" difference in test barrel length.
I load their bullets - just more conservative on powder charge.

I started buying the little paperback caliber specific manuals years ago and they have worked great for my reloading needs. They have loads listed from the majority of the manufacturers for one caliber in one book. Data that I can't find in them which isn't many I can generally find online.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012856166

If I were going to buy a new updated hardback manual it would be either Sierra or Nosler.

I like the Lyman 50th..they don't sell any of the components in the recipe section, they use real life firearms with common barrel lengths, they seldom use "universal receivers" with special test barrels, they tend to list bullets that you and I buy and hunt with, they use powders most frequently available in stores near us. What's not to like?

Not at all,
But since the OP was seeking "the one manual" I thought John's points were relevant.
John has also posted (carefully worded) criticism of one or two of his predecessors, which I initially took with a grain of salt, but looking at trajectory data I can see how one predecessor might have tended towards hot loads. But given his position on sighting I can see why he might have done so.
I have been looking at others quickload data recently and come to the conclusion that the barrel time data is only as good as the velocity data. I don't know the program well enough to understand it's process, but I do know a bit about people, and how they often look at software as a "black box" .
It sounds like you understand the risk-reward of it. I do like John's point that physical manuals are often easier to dig out explanations behind some of the load data....
But you clearly know that.

I couldn't agree more..
And there is a lot of good information that you need to move past the default "last one year" setting on the search utility to find..