Which Reloading Manual ?

[Welldoya]

I ordered a few Lee Loaders just because.
I know, according to the reloading gurus, I should have gotten a press but I’m just having fun and learning. I don’t need to turn out 100s of rounds. I’ve always wanted to try one.
I watched a YouTube video and it looks fun.
I got them in 9mm, .38, .44 and 30/06.
I did not overpay so if I decide to move on, I doubt I will lose any money.
I figure while I wait for components to become available I will do some reading.
So my question is, what is the exact name of the manual I should buy? I’ve seen Lyman mentioned several times on here.
Thanks in advance.

 

[SAWMAN]

One paper reloading manual for the beginner ould be Lyman. Pretty much all inclusive.
But there is nothing in any manual that you cannot get free from the interweb.
For the new reloader,for the questions that arise re. procedures or equipment,this forum is a great resource. Remember,there is several levels of reloading. From extreme precission to plinking with a canterfire pistol at <25yds. Your questions should be specific.
And when you ask me or JJ a question,immediately contradict our answer or recommendations . . . WE JUST LOVE THAT !! ----- SAWMAN

 

[bohica793]

Which reloading manual? ALL OF THEM! You can never have too much information.

 

[Fireball]

I would recommend the Lyman 50th Edition Reloading Manual.

Its hardcover, so it will last. The whole front of the book is a step by step primer on ammunition, components, and the process. The back of the book is a fairly comprehensive collection of data for a large number of rifle and pistol cartridges.

The Hornady, Speer, Sierra, Nosler, etc manuals are also very good but their data is limited to their components.

 

[kidsoncoffee]

Lyman is a good one. I also have Hornady because I shoot a lot of their projectiles. As Bill said, there's published data online for free for most all projectiles and powders you're gonna use. Find what you like to use and print off the data from the website. Make a binder of all your load data as well as keep records of what loads you used and how they performed. Whenever I start loading for a new caliber I scour all the powder and projectiles sites and start printing off all the data I can get my hands on.

 

[SAWMAN]

When looking for reloading data (loads),look at both powder and bullet manufacturers web sites also.
Places like Barnes are a wealth of info. You will find the sites you favor. Mine are the ones that list - -> bbl length,OAL/COAL,velocity,and bullet length for twist rate,also loading density.
I have a bunch of reloading manuals from the 1980's. Of course back then no internet reloading info was available. I actually bought these for a deployment. In my 13 months away from home I read thru them all and when returned home,tooled up to reload.
Nowadays I havent even opened an actual loading manual in some years unless I am looking for some very specific data. Some of my manuals have inscribed data with dstes.
I have kept careful notes of all my loads and other data including velocities,bullet length,bullet profile,powder lot numbers,shot groups,specifics on the weapon used,etc,etc.
My very first chambering to reload for was the 7mm Rem Mag. At my reloading "peak" I reloaded for 21 different chamberings in both pistol/revo and rifle,including 12 and 20ga. Now down to 8. --- SAWMAN

 

[kidsoncoffee]

When looking for reloading data (loads),look at both powder and bullet manufacturers web sites also.
Places like Barnes are a wealth of info. You will find the sites you favor. Mine are the ones that list - -> bbl length,OAL/COAL,velocity,and bullet length for twist rate,also loading density.
I have a bunch of reloading manuals from the 1980's. Of course back then no internet reloading info was available. I actually bought these for a deployment. In my 13 months away from home I read thru them all and when returned home,tooled up to reload.
Nowadays I havent even opened an actual loading manual in some years unless I am looking for some very specific data. Some of my manuals have inscribed data with dstes.
I have kept careful notes of all my loads and other data including velocities,bullet length,bullet profile,powder lot numbers,shot groups,specifics on the weapon used,etc,etc.
My very first chambering to reload for was the 7mm Rem Mag. At my reloading "peak" I reloaded for 21 different chamberings in both pistol/revo and rifle,including 12 and 20ga. Now down to 8. --- SAWMAN

DAYUM....21?!? I have trouble keeping up with my 8 or 9 chamberings.

 

[Ric-san]

I’m going out on a limb here... since you’re buying Lee Precision products, besides the Lyman manual, I’d get the Lee also. It has more specific Lee information as to reloading with their stuff vs others. All Lee reloading dies come with a dipper. All dippers work on volume vs weight per bullet powder. Lee manual has both volume and weight. It may or may not be the specific dipper volume you need, but they sell a set of dippers besides the free one you get with the dies. Try to get a current manual as older ones have different load data and may have info on powders that don’t exist anymore. I hope what I wrote isn’t confusing, I will upload a pic from the Lee manual after work.

 

[FrommerStop]

A lesson that I learned the hard way about the 30-06. For the -06 there are military cases and commercial cases. If you are using GI military cases that at one time were quite plentiful. Originally the GI case where of thicker brass that was softer also.. Thicker means a reduced case volume. Use a full load of some powders intended for larger volume commercial case in the thicker GI case will give elevated pressures above what was safe. I was getting loose primers and I did not know why. Later on I learned that one must reduce the charge it if it was military case. The garand and apparently the browning MG was intended to use a load of 150 gr bullet at 2700 fps instead of the higher velocity of commercial loads with the same bullets. A 165 grain bullet at 2800 fps is a good load for an 06 with a 1 in 10 twist.
I suggest that one consult several different reloading books for each load and pay close attention to the components like cases, bullets, and primers specified.

 

[SAWMAN]

At one point I was weighing most all of my brass. Did not weigh pistol or large bore rifle.
The difference in Rem ,Win,and Fed,is somewhat close for the non precision reloader. But the difference between that and mil is sometimes quite a bit. I found some as much as 6grs. As stated above,most mil brass is thicker. Remember also, it is not intended to be reloaded. I once had a professional benchrest shooter tell me that he used any brass if it did not vary in weight by more than 2%.
If you do a search you will also find that with some mil brass both QA and longevity is not the greatest. 5.56/TW being an example.
If I were a new reloader I would stay away from mil brass UNLESS I were going to load a whole bunch of ammo. Remembering also that you gotta deal with the primer crimp on most of it. How you choose to effectively remove that crimp could leave you with excessively loose or tight primer pockets.
I have also found some mil brass short (OAL) and must be tossed.
HOWEVER - -> in times like this,mil brass could be a real lifesaver or something good to stockpile. --- SAWMAN

 

[FrommerStop]

At one point I was weighing most all of my brass. Did not weigh pistol or large bore rifle.
The difference in Rem ,Win,and Fed,is somewhat close for the non precision reloader. But the difference between that and mil is sometimes quite a bit. I found some as much as 6grs. As stated above,most mil brass is thicker. Remember also, it is not intended to be reloaded. I once had a professional benchrest shooter tell me that he used any brass if it did not vary in weight by more than 2%.
If you do a search you will also find that with some mil brass both QA and longevity is not the greatest. 5.56/TW being an example.
If I were a new reloader I would stay away from mil brass UNLESS I were going to load a whole bunch of ammo. Remembering also that you gotta deal with the primer crimp on most of it. How you choose to effectively remove that crimp could leave you with excessively loose or tight primer pockets.
I have also found some mil brass short (OAL) and must be tossed.
HOWEVER - -> in times like this,mil brass could be a real lifesaver or something good to stockpile. --- SAWMAN

I think you are referring to 5.56 that is normally loaded to high pressures by the military. A larger portion of the case is annealed on many batches of it. Most of mine is intended for 300 blkout .
The GI 150 gr 30-06 ball load was a lower pressure load compared to commercial. It was supposed to do 2700 fps, but often it was a little less when fired in a M1 Garand. Proper Nato spec 5.56 as loaded in the USA is hot. I am surprised at some claimed velocities. I am not surprised that for some services it is a standard procedure to change out the bolts at about 10,000 rounds. IIRC the cycle life of a Garand action is close to 100 K. The failure is more often a crack in the receiver versus failure of the bolt from what I have read.

 

[Baddog 0302]

I ordered a few Lee Loaders just because.
I know, according to the reloading gurus, I should have gotten a press but I’m just having fun and learning. I don’t need to turn out 100s of rounds. I’ve always wanted to try one.
I watched a YouTube video and it looks fun.
I got them in 9mm, .38, .44 and 30/06.
I did not overpay so if I decide to move on, I doubt I will lose any money.
I figure while I wait for components to become available I will do some reading.
So my question is, what is the exact name of the manual I should buy? I’ve seen Lyman mentioned several times on here.
Thanks in advance.

online Hodgdon manual
This covers every round you listed.
If you want something you can hold in your hand, I have a couple of manuals that are taking up space, that you can have, PM me.