Lee Loader

October's Question of the month. (Ok I'm late posting it but I didn't realise how time flies by. It happens when retired and everyday is a Saturday.

What do you consider to be necessary references for your reloading requirements? Are there books, manuals, online sites, instructions that you feel are necessary to be a competent handloader? Do you use a computer as a resource as a part of process? What do you consider to be the minimum requirement for your "bookshelf"? If you had some "free" money what would you want to add to your library?

All of it. Get as many books as you can (people pretty much give "old" ones away). Don't be all old and scared of the Internet but take irresponsible posts for what they're worth. Keep friends you can trust.

I have lots of books and use online sources. If I had "free money" I would have quickload and a strain gauge.

Okie poking RD

I'm an "all of it" guy like GG.

I do like Lee's Modern Loading as far as a reference aimed specifically at their products but do not like their load data as it is not specific enough. My problem with their data is that they don't identify the bullets and bullets of the same weight are not created equal. They do provide a minimum OAL but without the bullet's specs, the data provided is immaterial or invalid.

As a subscriber to Load Data, I find issue with about 90% of their data for the same reason. They, like Lee, have collected data from a large assortment of sources. They are a bit more specific about the bullet but typically provide no specifics of minimum cartridge OAL. Each data page has the SAAMI cartridge image, like Lee, but you need that little bit extra specific of bullet and minimum COAL.

My problem is that I don't shoot many jacketed bullets so I'm on my own. That is what drove me to the Pressure Trace II hard & software. After that, you need a source to get you started. I tried Load From A Disk and it is nothing short of dangerous but QuickLoad is another matter. When used with the complete specifics of your components, it is a very accurate forecast tool.

When I use Quickload with a cast bullet that is going to approach a max load for the cartridge that is at the limit of the firearm, say the 30-30 Win in a Marlin 336, I shoot that load with a strain gauge on the barrel. If a max cast bullet is shot from a cartridge like the 308 Win, I just shoot the QL suggested load as the bullet is going to fail long before you reach the cartridge's maximum load. That saves a $35 strain gauge.

When I do shoot a jacketed bullet, I use the manufacturer's data, most of which is available online. In fact, whether the data is available online or not will drive my choice of bullet. In that I shoot so few jacketed bullets, I'm not going to buy a manual just to support that single choice.

I have published reloading manuals, most manufacturer specific (Hornady, Nosler, Speer, Hodgdon) that I believe are essential. I have been loading for a while and don't think I'd trust my memory for load data (but that's not counting my 3 binders of load records). So I guess my answer would be Reloading Manuals are a must. One thing I found very handy when starting reloading was reloading stuff vendor's catalogs (Herters, Cabela's, Midway, Mid South, etc.). I was able to research tools and equipment and components to see what was available to the reloader.

Today, and I suggest this to new reloaders; I pay very little (no) attention to any forum expert, pet loads website, range rat, gun counter clerk or gun shop guru when it comes to load data. Occasionally I have used powder manufacturer's websites for info. but 99.9% of all my load data comes from published reloading manuals...

Yep me to, all of it.

Manuals change for no other cause than fear. Yes, same powder isn't later but ...

I have 4 Lyman manuals,a Hornady,a Speer ,a Sierra , a Hogdon , and an app that is fed by powder and bullet manufacturers web data .

I suggest a Lyman manual to everyone in addition to the kit manual.

The 50th Lyman and the shot shell manual are on my Christmas list.

Use every source you can .
Shot shells can be especially fickle . I've seen data demonstrate a primer change and jump pressures from 8800-15300 . Identical loads in FC gold metal and low bass Fiochi show 9900 and 14750.
Back in metallic cases S&B 9mm gives me no shoulder flat primers with the same load in Win brass a soft hold (limp wristing) has fail to feed . I'd venture a change of 5kpsi . That is why the lab that used FC vs Rem vs Win brass have different load data . I don't recall a cartridge but I have seen book to book difference of over 3 gr for max loads in 06 or x57 cases.

I use 5 physical manuals and about 20 full books in pdf form that I found online. I also use vendor supplied data from their websites. I have printed out all the data on every cartridge I reload and put this into two 2in ring binders. I have load data pages recording every load that I make behind all the published data.
I sometimes find large differences between the manuals, particularly the older ones.
I do not think that I need any new manuals.