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Thread: Which Reloading Manual

  1. #1
    phil384's Avatar
    phil384 is offline Likes to eat trifle wearing scuba gear
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    Which Reloading Manual

    I'm probably going to get either the Lee or the Lyman reloading manual.

    Which is best or is 6 of 1, half dozen of the other?

    I figured I'd go for one which isn't from a bullet/powder manufacturer.

    Ta
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  2. #2
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    ABC of reloading.

    Most excellent book.

    And then get the loadall books for your calibre as it has loads from all the powder and bullet manufacturers.

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    phil384's Avatar
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    Ta, I shall have a looksee.
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  4. #4
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    Manual

    I have a lee and Sierra. Lee has more load data. Open source internet is good as well. Some good videos on YouTube and other sites for load information/ development

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    Buy the manual for the bullet manufacturer you are using!

    That said I've always found the Nosler manual to be good as it gives the most accurate powder and most accurate load found data which can be useful as a starting point

    Mark
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    harry mac is offline You can't say muntjack without saying mmmmm
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    Start with a manual that has a good, comprehensive "how to" section. Lyman, Sierra, Speer and Vhit all fit that bill, but the Vhit manual only has data for their powders.
    Just about everything you will read in "how to" books like "ABC of Reloading" and the Lee "Modern Reloading" will be covered in these manuals, with the added advantage that you dont then "have to" buy an additional book if you start of with a manual as opposed to a how to book.
    Manuals by bullet manufacturers are more flexible because they cover a range of powders by different manufacturers, and you'll find that starting loads for one 150grn bullet are interchangeable to another 150grn bullet. However, loads are not interchangeable between cup and core type bullets and the lead free, all copper types.
    I'm glad to see at least one potential reloader asking about getting a manual, rather than jumping straight in and asking "who has a load for.....?"
    Manuals are published sources and are 99.99999% guaranteed to be correct and safe. Some bloke on the interweb who calls bullets "heads" or refers to primers as "caps" wouldn't fill me with confidence.
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    Quote Originally Posted by foxshooter View Post
    Buy the manual for the bullet manufacturer you are using!

    That said I've always found the Nosler manual to be good as it gives the most accurate powder and most accurate load found data which can be useful as a starting point

    Mark
    What happens if you want to use bullets from more than 1 manufacturer?

    I bought the Lyman Manual and The ABC's of reloading and read them both thoroughly, I now use load data from the powder or bullet manufacturers that have data available on line, it is more up to date; for example the max load 140 gr bullet / N160 load data has been revised by Viht and Nosler and is 3 gr - 7.5% - LOWER than that given in my Lyman manual.

    Alliant, Ramshot, Nosler, Hodgdon all give load data on line I'm sure there are others.

    But don't be tempted to skip straight to website without a book, the books will explain all of the safety procedures and these really are important, especially if you like your face!
    Last edited by 223AI; 27-02-2017 at 06:06 PM.
    Thanks for looking

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    phil384's Avatar
    phil384 is offline Likes to eat trifle wearing scuba gear
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    Bit the bullet and bought the Lee manual. Thanks for the advice
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    I'd recommend the Hornady manual, especially for the new reloader.
    You may find that the Lee one is pushing their reloading equipment a bit too heavily. The step by step description of the process in the Hornady manual certainly made things much clearer to me. Unless it's changed in the last 35 years or so(!) I'd have a look at that as well.

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    Buy the "one calibre-one book" for the cartridge & you will have the data from both multiple bullet & powder manufacturers to suit that cartridge.

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    I bought the Lee manual in preparation for getting into foxing. Although it has loads of data in it, I notice that it does not differentiate between jacketed bullets and ballistic tipped bullets. Are they treated the same or do I need to get a different manual? There is one section labelled "Frangible" bullets but that doesn't apply to all bullets.

    I haven't started reloading yet as the permission fell through so I am back to square one.

    It will come though.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boydy47 View Post
    What happens if you want to use bullets from more than 1 manufacturer?
    Buy another manual lol

    I have Hornady, Barnes, Berger, Nosler and Sierra Infinity software to play with..... Most of the data doesn't change much unless you're shooting a 'new' bullet.

    The one calibre books are good but the info is getting quite old and there are a lot of new stuff that isn't included

    All of them only offer an approximation or starting point and will usually require tweaking to suit your own rifle

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  14. #14
    phil384's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Albert View Post
    I bought the Lee manual in preparation for getting into foxing. Although it has loads of data in it, I notice that it does not differentiate between jacketed bullets and ballistic tipped bullets. Are they treated the same or do I need to get a different manual? There is one section labelled "Frangible" bullets but that doesn't apply to all bullets.

    I haven't started reloading yet as the permission fell through so I am back to square one.

    It will come though.
    I noticed that. The list shows almost entirely 'jacketed bullet' but mentions solid bullet and A-Max so I'm guessing ballistic tipped are treated the same as jacketed bullet as that's essentially what they are but with soft tips.

    Also, I may have made a boo-boo in buying N150 powder which is more suited to heavier bullets. I really want it as a fox round so bullet weights up to 80gr would be preferable but N150 doesn't appear in the list until 77gr upwards whereas N140 appears from 58 gr upwards.

    You live and learn. And spend money
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    Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.....

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