Topic:
Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition

Anyone who loads lead bullets regularly or even on occasion will want to purchase this manual. This is the first load manual I have seen that I'm completely happy with and as of right now, I see nothing I would change. It is money very well spent IMO.

This manual is not a rehash of the 3rd Edition manual which was published in 1980. It also contains additional data than you can get from the Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th Edition. (more on that later)

While it's true that some of the lead bullet data in the Reloading Handbook 49th Edition and the Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition is identical the real value is in the added data provided in the Cast Bullet Handbook. For the first time in Ideal/Lyman history Lyman has included load data for lead bullet cast from molds other than their own! Besides the load data for Lyman molds which is included in the Reloading Handbook 49th Edition the Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition includes data for RCBS, Lee and Seaco bullet molds. They even have data for a few Hornady lead bullets within it's pages. For example, for the .38 Special the Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th Edition has data for 7 lead bullets, the 4th Edition Cast Bullet handbook has load data for 10 .38 Special lead bullets because of the addition of bullets from other company's molds. Considering many commercial bullet casters use those molds we now have accurate load data for the exact bullet profile we are loading instead of using data from bullets that are "close" in shape and weight.

Now for powders listed in the new manual. Even though I feel Lyman manuals are probably the best all around manuals to own one of my problems with Lyman is limited powder selection in their data. In the past they have stuck mostly with purely mainstream powders and if they listed data for a caliber/bullet combination using IMR powders they wouldn't list data for the Hodgdon powders of the same number. While that is still somewhat true here it seems to be less than before. The big change however came with handgun calibers. There is a HUGE amount of data provided for all the new powders that have come out in the past 30 years including data for Ramshot powders and even Vihtavuori Reloading Powders which are becoming very popular. Even if you don't use those powders more data is always better than less. If you change your mind and want to give those powders a try the data is there.

The caliber selection has also increased considerably. There is data for big bore rifle calibers like the 40-65, 56-50 Spencer and the 43 Mauser. They didn’t forget the 32-40 or 38-55 either. Where the previous manual stopped at the .45 Colt in the handgun section this manual has load data for lead bullets in the 454 Casull, 460 S&W Magnum, 480 Ruger, 475 Linebaugh, the 500 S&W Magnum and the 50AE.

Oh, and I almost forgot, Mike Venturino wrote the first 15 Chapters of this manual! That is great along with the fact the color of the page highlights is Blue instead of that Lyman Orange we are so used to seeing. I think it's much easier on the eyes...

Sorry if I seemed to ramble on a bit, I'm not used to writing reviews but I gave it my best. I hope this helps you decide whether or not to buy this manual.

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