Best Reloading Manual
 

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!:fighting0007:

I think the best manual for beginners is a "Speer Reloading Manual" Good luck. :fighting0007:

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.

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.

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.

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!

.... 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......

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.

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.

The Important Reloading Manual
 

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.

The more I know about reloading the more I realize I don't know about reloading. I am only a beginner and want to learn alot on the subject but will need to take it one small step at a time.

I still don't understand the full importance of a chronograph IF I am careful and I keep consistent with my other aspects of reloading.

My current goal is to become accurate with my hunting loads. Most of my shots will be under 200 yards and rarely up to 400 yards.

I currently use only the same type brass, same primers, clean inside and out of the flash holes, measure length of brass and length of finished load, use the same powder, and trickle charge every load.

I thought once I found a weight in powder that gave me the best group I stay with that. I would also compare different powders against each other to see if one powder would work better than another in my gun.

If I trickle charge every load and if my brass, primers, etc are consistent shouldn't the veolcity be roughly the same and therefore not need a chronograph?

I was also considering picking up a concentricity tool but wonder about the importance of that.

I understand how important the chronograph and the concentricity tools plus the Lapua brass and the match grade primers, etc. are if I'm shooting for competition or want 1/2" groups at mega yardages but are they really needed for developing a good hunting load to put that bullet in an elk's boiler room at 350 yards.

I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts on this. Thank you!

Maybe a better question would be, "How do I make sure that the care and consistency I strive toward in my reloading practices are effective?"

For most of us, we measure that effectiveness in group sizes. Unfortunately, and as I've stated previously, there are other influences on group size besides just your ammuntion. The only way you can isolate out variances caused by ammunition is with a chronograph. How are you ensuring you're isolating out or mitigating those other, non-ammunition-related sources of variance?

Without a chronograph, there's a fairly high probability that you'll end up adjusting the load when the problem might be in your sight picture, stock weld, or something else.

You'll probably find less shot-to-shot variance than if you don't, but you're only able to assume to what degree they have any impact on group sizes. I did all of those things at one point and still found variances above what cheap factory loads performed at.

I paid more for my concentricity gauge than I did for my chronograph. Concentricity is important when you're shooting at extreme ranges or target shooting, but it's a minute detail if all you're doing is hunting at less than 400 yards.

Just for the record, my brass is either plain old Winchester or Remington. On one hand, I'm getting more performance out of those than I'd probably gain in the extra expense of Lapua or Nosler brass. I get 1/2" groups at 200 yards (1/4" at 100) because my ammunition is rock-solid consistent. If I miss, it's not because of my ammunition or my rifle.

When I started reloading 30-some years ago, there really wasn't any "premium" ammunition available from the factories. Hornady (Frontier) was possibly the one exception. Realistically, if all one desires is to shoot premium bullets today, you have far more factory offerings than reloading makes economically feasible. You can buy quite a few boxes of premium factory loads with what you'll spend on a good press, scale, powder measure, trickler, manuals, dies, etc. - and that's just to get started.

I managed to kill game cleanly with my poorer reloading attempts for 15-or-so years, do you need 1/2" groups? Certainly not. It's entirely the perogative of each shooter. Myself - if I'm investing time and resources on reloading that I could be spending on my family or other pursuits instead, I'm making it count for everything I can.

Good posts by homers brother! May be a bit to detailed for a beginner and I have an idea it could get even more detailed. There is one thing true about reloading. Just about the time you have it figured out something happens you can't explain. Example is the standard deivation. Without a doubt the smaller that number, the more consistent your ammo should be. But not always true. I have one rifle. a 30-06, using cast bullets that will group under an inch at 50yds and has a standard dieivation of over 100! Don't ask me how that works, I'm stumped. I have a couple rifles shooting jacketed bullet loads that also shoot better than they should judging by the standard dieivation.

All those things are theory that can be proven right, the vast majority of the time. But now and then something happens and the theory gets thrown out the window and I haven't a clue why!

The bottom line in the whole shooting game is what do you get on the target. Your shooting at most 400yds, you can get by without a chronograph nicely. You won't have a clue what your velocity might be and often it's better you don't know. Your best loads may be under some velocity you think you need. For what your talking about, all you need to see is what's on the target at the different ranges you shoot.

Really good break down by homers brother though! When you get to that point you'll probably be answering the questions rather than asking them.

..... Yep. Absolutely correct. A great synopsis of why a chronograph is definitely NOT a NEEDED piece of equipment for a reloader who is starting out. Worry more about getting it tight on the paper first. I also have a 7-08 Rem. CDL that shoots both 140 gr. Accubonds and Ballistic Tips interchangeably, both just about 1". The SD of both these loads would make you cringe. But there it is, right on the paper. Go figure.....

I started out with the old "Lee Loader", which is still on the market, by the way. Never comfortable with the safety of the "scoops", I bought a scale (RCBS 5-0-5) not long afterward. That'd be an investment of about $150 in today's dollars, which I could probably make it pay for itself in less than 100 rounds.

Truth is, no one NEEDS anything beyond very basic tools if all you're doing is resizing the neck, replacing the primer, replacing the powder, and replacing the bullet. But we WANT....

We want speed. We want volume. We want easy.

A single-stage press gets us quite a bit more speed and volume for not a lot of money. I switched to an RCBS Rockchucker Kit in 1987 and still use many of its components yet today (sold the scale that came with it). For quite some time (almost 20 years), it was all that I NEEDED... I was getting 1 to 1-1/2 inch groups, hunting at less than 200 yards, ...

Until I wanted accuracy (enter the prairie dog town).

There are a LOT of tools and operations associated with putting together precision ammunition, and I probably spent another $700 on those tools before I landed on the one data element that had escaped me from the very beginning - velocity - which was provided by the chronograph. Once I'd corrected that omission, all the pieces of my reloading bench started falling into place and working together. Had I bought the chronograph earlier?....

There are a lot of guys out there who are perfectly happy lobbing premium projectiles at game and thinking they're saving money reloading them over buying them from a pretty box. As long as they don't assume their premium projectiles will achieve the same accuracy as the pretty box rounds, there probably isn't a reason in the world for them to do anything differently.

Reloading is a lot like an internal combustion engine. Yeah. It'll run with things not quite working together, but it's not going to be efficient and may not get us where we want it to go all of the time. Tuned, things are a lot different. The question is, when you're ready to tune it, do you buy the right tools or do you replace the stereo?

Of those I have the Lee manual has the most load data and costs about half what I paid for Nosler' and Lyman manuals.