My newest reloading manual is Lyman’s 48th Edition. I’m considering picking up the latest 51st edition manual, but I don’t want to get it and find that, for my needs at least, it offers nothing new. I’m primarily interested in .44 Special, .45 ACP, .45 Auto Rim, .455 Webley, .303 British, 30-06, and 8mm Mauser. Can any of you guys who have both tell me if there’s anything new and exciting in those calibers in Lyman’s 51st edition? Many thanks!

I find it's useful to update manuals every one in a while because the newer manuals usually have loads for using the newer powders that have surfaced in the last few years. So, if you are having trouble finding your favorite old time powder you and can find a newer produced powder and keep on reloading.
SWCA 892

I bought Speer #15 in 2018 due to the changes and my previous Reloading Manual was Speer #12 from 1994.

When I first started reloading I likely had six different Manuals and eventually reloaded 40+/- handgun or rifle calibers. Now it is mostly 38 Special, 45 ACP and occasionally 44 Special.

I am current on Lyman reloading manuals, both cast and regular. If you look you can find on the internet old reloader manuals in .pdf format (doesn't help with with your initial question btw). You can also go to the powder manufacters websites for specific cartridge data.

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Steve
The Lounge Rant Master

You can't have too many paper loading manuals. While there is a lot of data on the Internet (bona fide data from reputable sources) much of it is not available online.

I have been accumulating reloading manuals since 1bout 1958. I have never found one that I didn't learn something new from.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Every manual has something different in it ...
something always changing ... new cartridge , new powder , new bullet ...
I have never regretted buying any new manual .
If you have Lyman #48 ... I would advise getting Lyman #51 ...
there have been some changes ... it will not hurt to have it !

I honestly believe that a published and printed reloading manual you can hold in your hands beats internet reloading information Seven Ways To Sunday ... but I'm so old school it Hurts !
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

Data refresh is probably a good idea at this time.
The field has changed dramatically. Many of the powders we used to lean on are either discontinued or jacked up in availability. We need to adapt and we need the data that goes along with that adaptation.

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it just needs more voltage

I doubt you will find any new data on 455 Webley in Lyman #51!

You will find loading data on Creedmoor Cartridges, Big Hornady target rounds, and AR compatible rounds.

Guys with old guns are not their target audience!!

I like Hodgen's annual magazine and have around 12 of them. I notice they have dropped several of the less popular old timers, so never throw old reloading data away!

My favorites are not limited to:

375 H&H 1912
22 Hornet 1922
303 British 1896?
38 Special 1898
45 Colt 1873
45-70 1873
44-40 1873
44 Russian 1874
44 S&W Special 1904 ?
44 Mag 1956
264 Win Mag 1958
300 Win Mag 1963
338 Lapua 1989
45 ACP 1903
45 Schoefield 1872
221 Fireball 1963
and many more!

Many published loads on older cartridges are only light or Cowboy loads!

Ivan

I would get the new one if it has newer powders listed.
It looks like the older powders most of have used for years are not going to be nearly as available at reasonable prices for the foreseeable future, and if a few newer powders are available you will need data on them.

I say buy the new one, they have been adding new powders and improving ways to check pressure and have adjusted load data accordingly. Never a bad investment to buy a new edition.

My lyman 48th grew legs and walked when I loaned it to a friend.
I took a look at the 51st at Bass Pro and decided to pick it up.
It was worth it to me for the $25 give or take.
Was a better value than the latest Lee manual which appears to cut and paste from the major mfrs website data.

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Romans5:8

I have a half dozen Lyman manuals going back into the mid-1950s. All have recipes using only the Stone Age propellants. Which is fine with me as those are the main powders I use like Bullseye, Red and Green Dots, Unique, and 2400. Or sometimes I use newer propellants which perform much like the oldies. I also have numerous other old manuals, mainly from the bullet makers such as Sierra, Speer, and Hornady. Those are all I need.

It is no secret that the Lee manual is a compilation of recipes gathered from many other sources.

I'd buy it with the caveat that you may not find much new data on old cartridges.

I find the newest manuals helpful. I tend to collect older ones too; they often contain information on loading ammunition for obsolete calibers that I am currently loading for.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

I got Lyman 46, 47, 50, Lee, Speer, Hornady and some manufacturer's loading guides. Some manuals list powders that are out of production or nothing that I have for some cartridges. Some older ones have powders that are very popular that are overshadowed by the newest options. All the manuals are limited to a relatively small list for a given cartridge. Thus if you have only a limited stash of powders, you want to see alot of options offered so you can find something that works well without having to buy current prices for experimenting. The only beef I got with some manuals is their unrealistic long test barrels for velocity. I guess they figure the higher numbers are more popular! Like you got 4 inch revolvers and they test with an 8 barrel or something. Or a 26 inch rifle barrel. Oh and I got a huge thick book, Ken Waters Pet Loads. Now there is some interesting vintage info in that.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!! I do have some older reloading manuals:
Ideal #38 (1951)
Speer #3 (1959)
Lyman 42nd (1960)
Speer #10 (1979, third printing)

I enjoy leafing through them all. I actually refer to Speer #10 regularly as there’s lots of good Greendot pistol loads. The older manuals are a treasure trove of info for obsolete ammo! There’s even some .455 Webley AND .455 Colt loads published in the 42nd Lyman manual. It’s interesting to see some of the super heavy loads published in these books. Like 17 grains of 2400 with a 255 gr SWC in 45 Auto Rim…dang!! Great load, 1040 fps I think, but that’s hot!! Certainly wouldn’t see that stuff published today.

Since 45 Schofield is one of those obsolete rounds that wasn’t in Lyman’s 48th but was brought back for the 49th, I was hoping that some more older rounds had been brought back by Lyman’s 51st, ala the .455 Webley. It would be neat to see some modern loads for it with newer bullets and powders, along with the pressures. I’ll pick up Lyman’s 51st and see what’s there.

Sadly many of the standard powders used for decades are “ not available” now for whatever reason the mfg’ers say so new manuals listing all the new powders is a good thing to have.

I have a mix of old and new manuals, like them all. A few years ago a local guy had a Speer & Hornady manual from the 60’s I think. I bought them both.

I like to look over a few before starting a new project. I recently started with the 32 H&R mag, soon a few 327 Federals. For the H&R one go the Lyman manuals was helpful. I settled with Win-231 powder.

Win 296 is an excellent powder for carbine but only one of my manuals mentions it for some reason. They all have 2400 which is OK but not if you want factory equivalent MV. Then a bunch of foreign or oddball powders that is not helpful in most of them. And H110 is always too hot at the listed loads for factory equivalent loads over 1900 fps. So you need a loading "library" of your own unless you trust internet posts!

<broken record on>
The bullet manufacturer data is #1 for me, followed by the powder distributor.
<broken record off>

I have an old Lyman manual that I got for lead bullets. Neither the bullets or the powder have changed for me in 20 years. However, LeveRevolution is a very useful new powder. There are lots of new bullet designs - I think developments in the past 10 years have been remarkable. I got a new Hornady manual and want a new Speer book.