Reloading manual

Shooter74

Shooter74

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Is there a reloading manual which list load data for cast bullets as well as jacketed handgun bullets, looks like the Lyman manual has some info, any others?
 
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I have a couple Hornady manuals (different years) that shows cast, and jacketed loads for 10MM, 44 MAG, and .38,

The books probably have others, that is the only data I have used.

There is LOTS of on-line data,, depending on what cartridge you are trying to reload.

Maybe not for the 22-357 Whelen Mag Short Case Improved,, :rolleyes:
 
The Lyman 50th edition will have the most of both jacketed and cast .
The Speer Reloading manual is next , they have some lead and it's "Cowboy " sections with cast and their regular sections with a lot of jacketed loads .
Those two manuals are good to have , some powders are covered in one but not the other and you can compare the loads .
If you can ...get both .
Gary
 
stansdds said:
The Lyman manual is probably your best bet.
Click to expand...

Don't listen to everyone else when it comes to reloading manuals, listen to me.

I cut my reloading teeth back in around 1980 with a Lyman reloading manual, and my handsome face is still here. :)
 
I still use my Lyman manual from the 70's. The Lyman was the best source for lead bullets back in the day. It sounds like it still is.
 
Lyman also has specific cast manuals of which I think #3 is head and shoulders above #4. Accurate listed cast loads in it's manual #1 but said it had made errors and asked all users to destroy theirs. RCBS had a cast manual they couldn't give away for a while that now sells for big $$$.
In general if you need a place to start with a cast load look in a manual for a bullet with similar bearing surface and a similar speed you want.
 
Shooter74 said:
Is there a reloading manual which list load data for cast bullets as well as jacketed handgun bullets, looks like the Lyman manual has some info, any others?
Click to expand...

You're headed in the right direction; you can't have too many manuals. Even the old ones are good for reference purposes. Many handloaders today can't imagine paying for a real paper manual when load data is available online. Some load data is certainly available online and some of it is complete, but much of it is not. Paper manuals remain the most useful source and they're far from expensive.
 
BRL40 said:
Don't listen to everyone else when it comes to reloading manuals, listen to me.

I cut my reloading teeth back in around 1980 with a Lyman reloading manual, and my handsome face is still here. :)
Click to expand...

About the same time I used the Speer #10 manual. I've added several since then, but I still refer back to it. By the way Speer disavows all information in the #10 manual, but a lot of it regarding cast bullets still appears quite valid. Ex: the 148 grain 38 Special wad cutter certainly works for me along with their data on the semi-wadcutter bullet.
 
Shooter74 said:
Is there a reloading manual which list load data for cast bullets as well as jacketed handgun bullets, looks like the Lyman manual has some info, any others?
Click to expand...
You want to look for the manuals that are put out by the powder companies.

They all have loads for both lead and jacketed of various manufacture

Manuals that are put out by the projectile companies are only going to have loads for their projectiles but will offer a broad range of powders to choose from

There are a few manuals, like the Lyman, which are not tied to either projectiles or powder that have a nice rounded election.

As has been said often, you can't have too many manuals
 
The general message here is "more manuals = better." I like to compare at least two sources for every load, especially in cases where I'm getting up near the max loading. A misprint in one manual can prove to be disastrous if not double checked.

Froggie
 
If you just load a few calibers there are some short jacket manuals made by Lyman that cover areas like;

380
9mm
40 S&W
45 ACP or

38 Spl
357 Mag
44 Mag
45 Colt

for as little as $6.50 on some sporting good stores......

but the "BIG book" is a very nice thing to have if you have the extra coins in your pocket.
 
I too use Lyman Manuals as "generic" info manuals (meaning both cast and jacketed data). The other manuals like Hornady, Speer, Nosler, etc. mostly use swaged bullets for their lead bullet data(of their own manufacturer) and usually just one lead bullet for a caliber. The Lyman is the best for a newer reloader as it offers data for many cast and jacketed bullets per caliber. And along with data, there is a lot more good info in the manual. Stick with a Lyman 50th or a 49th and you will have a very good start on your reloading library...
 
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I don't recall what edition Lyman manual I have, but I've referenced many times over the years.

I ordered a hardcover copy the 50th this morning.
 
I regret buying the Lyman manual because it has a lot of lead data and I never shoot lead (except 38 sp) so yes, it is probably a good manual if you shoot a lot of lead.
 
jag22 said:
I regret buying the Lyman manual because it has a lot of lead data and I never shoot lead (except 38 sp) so yes, it is probably a good manual if you shoot a lot of lead.
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Can you use any of the info in the "front half"? Are the charts useful? Does the jacketed bullet data pertain to any of your reloading? There's way more to a reloading manual than load recipes...
 
I preferred the Lee manual to the areas you are referring to. I've been reloading for over 30 years so I seldom look at the front of any manual. Looking at the 49th Lyman manual for 9mm info, probably the most reloaded round there is, I see data for four different lead bullets. For 9mm FMJ round nose I find, uhm, none. For 38 spcl. where I would expect to find a lot of lead data, 158 gr. round or flat nose, none. For 148 grn. DEWC, another popular round, none. All their lead data refers to specific dies for those that cast. Maybe for some people it has great info. I have four manuals and can't remember the last time I looked at the Lyman, until today. It will go back upstairs into storage.
 
jag22 said:
I preferred the Lee manual to the areas you are referring to. I've been reloading for over 30 years so I seldom look at the front of any manual. Looking at the 49th Lyman manual for 9mm info, probably the most reloaded round there is, I see data for four different lead bullets. For 9mm FMJ round nose I find, uhm, none. For 38 spcl. where I would expect to find a lot of lead data, 158 gr. round or flat nose, none. For 148 grn. DEWC, another popular round, none. All their lead data refers to specific dies for those that cast. Maybe for some people it has great info. I have four manuals and can't remember the last time I looked at the Lyman, until today. It will go back upstairs into storage.
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The Lee book is a good reference source for the experienced handloader. It's a poor choice for a beginner; far too many components are unidentified throughout the data section. The experienced handloader can sometimes figure out what unidentified jacketed bullet is used because that weight may be unique to a particular bullet manufacturer. There are other shortcomings. As mentioned many times before, the data was not shot by Lee, it comes from many other sources.

I haven't looked at the front of the book in a long time, but as I recall, it does contain some information not available in other load manuals. Again, a good reference work, but a less-than-experienced handloader is much better served by other manuals. Several are better. I guess I have close to fifty manuals that I've accumulated since 1965; the old ones are still used for comparison purposes, but the newer are used the most.
 
Great job on collecting that many manuals. Didn't know there were that many. I fear I would lose too much time trying to remember where I saw something. In fact, I do that with just four.
 
I've been reloading for a very long time, and know that I don't know everything about reloading, so I keep my manuals and I can refer back to the "front half" when I feel the need (refreshing some process I haven't needed info on for a few years). I cannot commit to memory burn rate charts, alloy data or specific load data/charts found in the "info section" of my manuals.

BTW; while I have a Lee reloading manual it is the last manual I'll look at for any load data. I did enjoy the "front half" as it was very entertaining and informative, but I found the load data to be sketchy and lacking (yes I know they just use data from others' testing). Not a "Lee Hater" just my experience...
 
Another vote for the Lyman manual. Great cross section of powders and bullets. They even publish a cast bullet handbook, if you want to stick strictly with cast data.
 
A real hold in your lap and read it reloading manual is the most important piece of reloading equipment you can have, that is, if you actually read it.

Have a blessed day,

Leon
 
The Midway "LoadMap" looks interesting, but I only found some in pdf downloads. I googled but was sent to the "one book, one caliber" load books. The ones I've seen are just cheap photo copies of reloading manual pages and of unknown age...
 
mtgianni said:
Lyman also has specific cast manuals of which I think #3 is head and shoulders above #4. Accurate listed cast loads in it's manual #1 but said it had made errors and asked all users to destroy theirs. RCBS had a cast manual they couldn't give away for a while that now sells for big $$$.
In general if you need a place to start with a cast load look in a manual for a bullet with similar bearing surface and a similar speed you want.
Click to expand...

I happen to have a copy of the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual #1.
It is my least favorite manual, and I have hardly ever used it. Why would anyone want one of these?
 
Warren Sear said:
I happen to have a copy of the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual #1.
It is my least favorite manual, and I have hardly ever used it. Why would anyone want one of these?
Click to expand...

I also have the "RCBS #1 and only" and probably bought it when it became available thirty or more years ago. It's thin with limited data and certainly not the best cast bullet book, but I still refer to mine occasionally. For me, it remains another reference source when comparing data or maybe looking for data no one else has.
 
rockquarry said:
I also have the "RCBS #1 and only" and probably bought it when it became available thirty or more years ago. It's thin with limited data and certainly not the best cast bullet book, but I still refer to mine occasionally. For me, it remains another reference source when comparing data or maybe looking for data no one else has.
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30 to 40 years ago there was one source of cast bullet data ...Lyman ...that was it , the RCBS manual offered at least some additional data and it had data on bullets cast from RCBS moulds ...Lyman wasn't about to publish any information on the competitions products !
I use RCBS #1 just as much as any other manual . It has loads with some powders that Lyman doesn't give .
Cast bullet shooters had to get info where and when it was published ... it wasn't exactly growing on tress for the taking .
And no internet web site load data centers back then either, it was a printed manual or nothing !
Gary
 
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