Double Droptine

I am new to reloading and wanted to buy a manual. there are so many to choose from I don't know which one is best or doesn't it really matter.

I have a friend that has sevreral but which one does a preson go by?

Any wisdom you can share is appreciated.

Thank you!

handloader1

I think the best manual for beginners is a "Speer Reloading Manual" Good luck.

gonewest

I have 4 different ones and I like the Nosler 6th edition the best. Because it list which power is the overall most accurate that they tested for each caliber and also show what weight is the most accurate with individual powder types for that caliber. They all have a how to section in the front to get you going. You can learn alot here reading an asking questions and google other reloading forums for more info. Good luck.

homers brother

For the beginner, my vote's also for the Speer manual. It provides a good amount of "getting started" information that many of the other manuals don't.

Provided you start out with common propellants, you shouldn't need too many references to begin with. Once you start playing with less-common or new propellants, you'll often find that not all manuals include documentation for them. As an example, though Varget is becoming more popular, you won't find it in every manual.

Some information provided can be of relatively little use, particularly anything data-wise that might be influenced by the firearm (velocity, accuracy, etc.) I've one load for .223 that, by the book, should be running at 3009 fps which runs quite safely through my rifle and chronograph at nearly 300 fps higher. I've another load for .243 which is great accuracy-wise in one rifle, but which bombs in another.

The one tool I highly recommend you consider as a new reloader is a chronograph. Without it, you're only hoping to see the numbers your manual suggests, and you're otherwise oblivious to inconsistencies within your reloading processes that result in erratic (you'll be surprised) performance in your firearms. Once you start isolating out and correcting these variances, you'll see your group sizes shrink.

hometheaterman

I don't even know what to recommend, but I can say that have nothing bad to say about my Hornady manual or my Speer one. I use them both.

That said, I probably do use the Hornady manual more, but only because I load more Hornady bullets. IMO I'd just pick the one from the company who you plan to use the most bullets from.

Double Droptine

Homers Brother,
I know what a chronograph is but don't really understand why that is so important. Are you saying I should try to achieve the same numbers listed in the reloading manuals? I was thinking that I'd create different loads, try them out and the load that gives me the best group is the one I'd use. Why is it so important to know the velocity as long as my groups are good?

A friend told me that i should look at getting better brass (Nosler or Lapua vs Rem) and match grade primers, etc., etc., He does competition shooting and is very fussy about his loads. I do not doubt that fine tuning these little things can help me achieve tighter groups but for a hunting load how necessary is it?

Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you!

Pawildman

.... The problem with buying a bullet manufacturer's loading manual is that it will only give loading data for their bullets. You won't find data for loading Hornady bullets in a Nosler manual, etc., etc.
I DO have various bullet maker's manuals in my loading room, just for that reason. But I really think if you want a good, comprehensive loading manual with quality loading procedures and how-to instuctions along with lots of loading data per caliber/cartridge which lists MULTIPLE bullet manufacturers and powder producers, the current Lyman manual is, in my opinion, definitely the book to have on your bench when starting out.
..... As far as a chronograph goes, I have had one for years and rarely use it at all anymore. As was mentioned above, the velocities listed in the loading manuals are rarely representative of what you will find your loads actually doing on the range. Yes, it's nice to know your average FPS and std. dev., but what you want to strive for is the tightest group possible with the highest velocity. If you shoot a 4" group at 100 yds. at a gazillion FPS, what good is that? If you shoot a 1" group at a reasonably fast velocity for that bullet/powder combo, that is what you should be pleased with. It's nice to know how fast that load is traveling, but it is far better to know with some amount of certainty that you should be able to hit what you are aiming at. If you are shooting pretty tight groups, your loading procedures are probably reasonably consistent. If you can repeat those groups regularly, you're home free. Inconsistent loading will most always produce inconsistent groups.

Handloading can be a very rewarding hobby, but at the same time it can be quite frustrating as well. You will learn with time and experience that guns are individuals unto themselves, and what bullet/powder combo shoots well in one gun, another gun of the same make and cartridge may not shoot it well at all. I have found this to be true quite often. But come on in, get your feet wet, and ask questions. We all started sometime. Back when I started, there was no Internet, and just a few people around to ask. But here I am, still got both eyes, all my fingers, and can hear the dog bark to come in yet......

Don Fischer

Buy a manual by the company who's bullets your going to use. Ya can't have to many manuals. You can use anyone's manual for the same wt bullet. Just start down low and work your way up. Bottom line on manuals is they are all good, I say that having never looked in a Barnes manual; I never have used Barnes bullets.

I have a Pact MK IV chronograph and I chronograph every load once I find one I want to use. My chronograph Has a built in Trajectory system. By feeding it info on the bullet and letting it know how I want to sight in, it will give me complete trajectories out much farther than I will shoot. Can be done in very small increment's of yds. also. I have shot my rifles against the data I get and it is right on. It also gives remaining velocity at every step. With a formular for ft lbs e, you can figure remaining energy where ever you want.

Figuring energy:

velocity times velocity devide by 64.32 (specific wt of gravity) devide by 7000 ( number of grains in a pound) times bullet wt in grains equals ft lbs e.

homers brother

Velocity isn't important in the sense of duplicating what you see in the manual. While numbers representing "average fps" might be good if you're building yourself a trajectory chart from an exterior ballistics program, the numbers you should most be concerned with are in regard to the statistics associated with that average.

Basically, your groups won't be good if you have inconsistencies in velocity from shot-to-shot with your ammunition, even if you apply the "8 Steady Hold Factors" perfectly every shot. If you can't apply those hold factors, inconsistent ammunition will make poor groups even worse.

Just for illustration, when I started using a chronograph, I tested it using a load I'd worked up for .223 some years before. Although its average came close to what I'd intended it to from the manual (3000 fps), its standard deviation was 39.6 fps. I also chrono'ed some factory loads at about the same time. Those indicated a standard deviation of 19.9 fps. Though an apples-to-oranges comparison then, it demonstrated to me that I needed to raise the bar a bit on what I would view "acceptable" in terms of shot-to-shot variance. As a sidenote, the factory loads also "shot better" in my rifle (1-1/4" reloads versus 1/2" factory loads from a benchrest).

The first thing I did was to check my powder measure. I found it wasn't exactly throwing correct charges, in many cases as much as 0.2 grains off. I added a baffle and started weighing charges individually, trickling the last 0.2 grains into the pan. I went back to the range with the chronograph and that action ALONE reduced the standard deviation to 27.8 fps and brought the load to ALMOST shoot as well as those factory loads did (5/8" reloads versus 1/2" factory loads from a benchrest).

Given I was using these on coyotes, I was satisfied with the reloads at that point. I spent a day over a prairie dog town though not long afterward and found that even those 1/2" factory loads weren't consistently accurate enough on dogs beyond 300 yards. Back to the reloading press.

Paying close attention to case consistency, length, powder charge, using BR4 primers, using a Stoney Point (Hornady today) OAL gauge and also a Hornady Comparator, checking for runout, the current lot I'm using turns in a standard deviation of 12.5 fps - better than the original control set factory loads. These are "cloverleaf accurate" - 0.19" center-to-center for three shots at 100 yards from a benchrest.

Had I NOT had a chronograph and the ability to compare that first lot of reloads against a lot of factory loads, I wouldn't have known to look for problems within my equipment or reloading processes. Instead, I'd just have assumed that my rifle "didn't like" that load, and would've kept fooling with new ones trying to tune something I'd never be able to quantify or validate other than on paper and potentially influenced by other factors (tired eyes, haze, etc.)

For hunting purposes, you don't need to change your brass. If all you're hunting is big game, even a 1" group is acceptable. If you still can't justify a chronograph, borrow or rent one. Put your reloads up against factory loads or even another lot of reloads and run them through the chrono, see which lot prints better groups, and then compare the data for each from the chronograph.

Valentine

I only used the one that had information on the reloader I used.
As for reloading powder, I relied on the information from the powder companies. Use to get that info free from the gun stores; now it's available on the internet. I still have printouts on the computer printer from the late 90's.

Of course, I like to save money. And I don't try to overload the case. Start with recommended lows and worked up to within recommended maximums. If you wanted to shoot a 300 Win magnum load, buy a 300 Win. Mag. rifle.