I've come to consider most reloading manuals as a gimmick to sell you bullets. But for the life of me, I can't remember when I bought Speer bullets last, maybe in the late 80s? Can't even find them on the shelves anymore, unlike Hornady and Sierra here locally.

About the only thing I use a manual for now is a starting point when I'm developing loads. After that, it's off to the range, find one that shoots well, chrono it, and if I'm really curious run it through an exterior ballistics program with the BCs provided by the bullet manufacturer. And now, you can find lots of load information online. So, the old reloading manuals are really becoming a thing of the past.

There are a couple Alliant powders that I like, but I'm pretty solidly in the Hodgdon camp now, too (particularly Clays, Varget, and IMR4350).