Roktoys84
Active Member
Which reloading manual do you use and why?
Which Reloading Manual?
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longrange.270
Well-Known Member
Sierra 5th Edition Manual. Only one I've owned, might get a couple other ones later.
7mmSendaro
Well-Known Member
I use my 5th edition Sierra more than any other. I also have Nosler, Barnes, Hornady and Speer but always reach for the Sierra first.
maggragg
Active Member
Vihtavuori manual is what I use for now
Hodgen and Sierra ar my go to manuals most of the time.
BH
BH
boomtube
Well-Known Member
A Lyman #48 as my standard against maybe a couple dozen others, back to and including a Lyman #43, 1964 edition, purchased new.
Sierra, Hornady, Speer, Hodgdon, Lee, NRA, Barnes, Nosler and a small stack of pamphlets from the various powder makers are on my shelves. Each is "different", they use different equipment afer all, but I've never found any one to be particularly more "conservative" across the board than others.
Some thoughts on what the load book makers do:
First, powder makers don't arbitrarily "change" powders and primers over time to deliberately be hotter or cooler as some folks say. When they do make new powders they offer them as different types, not a sneaky change in an old type, so that change over time idea is a web fable. Fact is, power and primers are organic chemistry and can't be replicated exactly from batch to batch but the makers try their best to keep todays 4895 the same as it was in 1950, etc. Each lot IS a little different but it's a very little. We may need to tweek a good shooting load but we won't blow anything up if we just keep any good load without a new work up.
Each testing program provides the very best data they can but OUR gear isn't the same as theirs. Nor do they use the same gear between them, that's why we see differences between the books. Different books give us different powders AND some perspective on acceptable pressure/charge ranges. Everyone should understand that NO RELOAD BOOK can be the absolute gospel truth for all firearms, for all ages, amen.
I don't think any of them deliberatly strive to be more or less conservative than the others. It's OUR responsiblity to do as they tell us and that is, "Start low and work up ONLY if there is no over-pressure indication." Done properly, that rule allows us to accomidate ANY changes in cases, power lot number, primer, bullet, seating depth/OAL and temperature. If we KaBooM, it's our fault not the book makers!
Sierra, Hornady, Speer, Hodgdon, Lee, NRA, Barnes, Nosler and a small stack of pamphlets from the various powder makers are on my shelves. Each is "different", they use different equipment afer all, but I've never found any one to be particularly more "conservative" across the board than others.
Some thoughts on what the load book makers do:
First, powder makers don't arbitrarily "change" powders and primers over time to deliberately be hotter or cooler as some folks say. When they do make new powders they offer them as different types, not a sneaky change in an old type, so that change over time idea is a web fable. Fact is, power and primers are organic chemistry and can't be replicated exactly from batch to batch but the makers try their best to keep todays 4895 the same as it was in 1950, etc. Each lot IS a little different but it's a very little. We may need to tweek a good shooting load but we won't blow anything up if we just keep any good load without a new work up.
Each testing program provides the very best data they can but OUR gear isn't the same as theirs. Nor do they use the same gear between them, that's why we see differences between the books. Different books give us different powders AND some perspective on acceptable pressure/charge ranges. Everyone should understand that NO RELOAD BOOK can be the absolute gospel truth for all firearms, for all ages, amen.
I don't think any of them deliberatly strive to be more or less conservative than the others. It's OUR responsiblity to do as they tell us and that is, "Start low and work up ONLY if there is no over-pressure indication." Done properly, that rule allows us to accomidate ANY changes in cases, power lot number, primer, bullet, seating depth/OAL and temperature. If we KaBooM, it's our fault not the book makers!
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johnnyk
Well-Known Member
I use Nosler latest (#6). I have others from Speer, Barnes, Hodgdon and Lyman. Plus, in addition to all those, I have several internet sites that I have stored in my Favorites under "Reloading".
I probably shoot more Ballistic Tips than any other bullet. Nosler's information in usually spot on for me. I compare them all against each other when I first start working up a load. JohnnyK.
I probably shoot more Ballistic Tips than any other bullet. Nosler's information in usually spot on for me. I compare them all against each other when I first start working up a load. JohnnyK.
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
I use Hogdon's web site to find a range of powder burn rates for a particular cartridge, and a good start point. I look for the powder that gives the best vel w/ the lowest pressure, and a nearly full case.
Steve
Steve
Actually the correct answer would be,,,
All of them.
I own all the manuals because the data that you will get in each one will be with that companies bullets and there test gun. And I have and do read all the reloading information that they come with. You never know what and where you will learn from.
For me my favorite Long gun: Hornady
All of them.
I own all the manuals because the data that you will get in each one will be with that companies bullets and there test gun. And I have and do read all the reloading information that they come with. You never know what and where you will learn from.
For me my favorite Long gun: Hornady
AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
I chose other because I use several and always run the range of loads through Quickload. I suppose if I only had to choose one, it would have to be quickload and then just verify the load data via the free online powder/bullet websites.
AJ
AJ
I think, first of all, that its important to remember these are "guides". Swift, which my gun likes the best, is my book of choice. I do, like most I would imagine, tend to take a little information out of a lot of the manuals and find out what works best. The numbers provided in these books are good starting points, nothing will ever make up for performing your own RND.
Quick Load rules, it is very accurate and you can make almost any wildcat you want. Great for parametric load analysis.
Load from a Disk works fine, it has limitations though, good buy for the price.
The Hodgdon load manual magazines are very affordable and available at the grocery store, they have most everything one would need if they only shot Hodgdon powder (like me)...
The new Nosler book is pretty up to date and a good refernce for Accubonds ...
Is there a Berger load manual?
Load from a Disk works fine, it has limitations though, good buy for the price.
The Hodgdon load manual magazines are very affordable and available at the grocery store, they have most everything one would need if they only shot Hodgdon powder (like me)...
The new Nosler book is pretty up to date and a good refernce for Accubonds ...
Is there a Berger load manual?
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