The definitive reloading book?

[fawksel]

Hi all,

Obviously there are lots of reloading books out there from either bullet makers or experienced reloaders.

What would you say is the 'definitive' reloading book according to most reloaders?

So many to choose from these days...

[Hardcast]

I have the Hornady, fourth edition, Vol 1 (648 pages) & Vol 2. (476 pages) of everything you need to know,.. except ADI powders.,
I also have an older Speer manual, that is very good, but I do think for Australia, we need the Nick Harvey book, even though there
are a few mistakes in the printing.

[Techc]

...of everything you need to know,.. except ADI powders.

Good thing they're so unpopular

[fawksel]

I do think for Australia, we need the Nick Harvey book, even though there are a few mistakes in the printing.

Load data errors? or other typo stuff which doesn't matter?

[on_one_wheel]

I lie my Nick Hrvey's reloading manual because he's a well known Aussie ledgend who shares in detail about all aspects of reloading whith plenty of good old Australian experance. Good selection of power types and brands covered in it to.

[Press]

What would you say is the 'definitive' reloading book according to most reloaders?

Depends entirely on who's opinion you take.

ADI obviously do their own factory data. Fair to say that the manufacturer should know best I guess...

Books like Nick Harvey's do often use load data ranges which are a bit higher than ADI.

I'm just making this up here but for example ADI data for a .243 load might 34gr - 37gr of a powder.

Nick Harvey's book might say the same load should use 35gr - 38gr or something like that.

Up to you which way you want to go. The 'safest' course is probably following the manufacturers specs, but plenty of people are using higher loads with no problems. Take proper care either way obviously...

Up to you which way you want to go...

[Hardcast]

Some printing errors in Nicks book.

My previous one had a blank page... Very helpful.

The new one which I bought because it had the .204 Ruger loads, has a mistake at the rear where he shows the maximum point blank ranges.

For Factory varmint loads, the range is stated for 2" and for the Factory Big Game loads, it says 4" in the script above, but on the actual data below it it says 2".

No big deal, probably got something to do with printing O/S if that's the case, and when things are copied from one edition to the next.

I wouldn't leave home without it.

[Aster]

My previous one had a blank page... Very helpful.

Let me guess...

The blank page comes right after the one that says

"but whatever you do, make sure you don't..."

[Baldrick314]

ADI obviously do their own factory data. Fair to say that the manufacturer should know best I guess...

Books like Nick Harvey's do often use load data ranges which are a bit higher than ADI.

That's mostly up to ADI covering themselves but also depends on the conditions of testing. Nick Harvey's loads would come from being fired in actual rifles whereas ADI's come from test barrels. That's also the reason velocity figures in reloading manuals tend to be different to what you get if you chronograph the same load in your rifle.

The ADI manual is still an excellent resource to have but as far as the 'ultimate' manual, the all offer something different.

[Press]

That's mostly up to ADI covering themselves but also depends on the conditions of testing.

True. But if you're starting out it doesn't hurt to use some conservative data.

Save pushing the envelope for later when you know what you're doing

[Baldrick314]

True. But if you're starting out it doesn't hurt to use some conservative data.

Save pushing the envelope for later when you know what you're doing

Oh don't get me wrong I've had great success with ADI loads

[Wheelbarrow]

Oh don't get me wrong I've had great success with ADI loads

As do heaps of people.

A few of Nick Harvey's fanboys are obsessed with bagging out ADI for their data for some reason

[Usurper]

A few of Nick Harvey's fanboys are obsessed with bagging out ADI for their data for some reason

Guys who are obsessed with max velocity instead of just good results

[Baldrick314]

Guys who are obsessed with max velocity instead of just good results

As has been said many times the pig won't know the difference between a bullet going 2300fps and one going 2000fps. And since I spend most of my time hunting paper what's the point of going for max velocity lol

[Rocker]

As has been said many times the pig won't know the difference between a bullet going 2300fps and one going 2000fps. And since I spend most of my time hunting paper what's the point of going for max velocity lol

We'll put you in the "not a tosser about reloading" column then

[Baldrick314]

We'll put you in the "not a tosser about reloading" column then

That may be the nicest thing anyone's ever said about me

[Blackened]

That may be the nicest thing anyone's ever said about me

You need some new friends

[Warrigul]

Guys who are obsessed with max velocity instead of just good results

I have an ex mate who used to rib me about the .303 being dangerous and how I should wear safety boots for when the pill drops out the end of the barrel at my toes as it travels so slow.

7 deer versus his nil when hunting together and he no longer talks to me(no great loss as it has turned out) after I said it was a good thing they were willing to come and lay down at my feet so I could shoot at them.

He may have a .300 WM running past ADI speeds but it hasn't done him any good...

[Hardcast]

I did see a new ADI book the other day, it may have been around for a while, don't know, but it was certainly a better thing than the old style.
Bigger with more info. $15.95 at the LGS.

[Baldrick314]

I did see a new ADI book the other day, it may have been around for a while, don't know, but it was certainly a better thing than the old style.
Bigger with more info. $15.95 at the LGS.

I thought they gave them out for free? I didn't pay for the 4th or 5th edition

[Old Fart]

I did see a new ADI book the other day, it may have been around for a while, don't know, but it was certainly a better thing than the old style.

Came out about 2 months ago or something from memory...

[Old Fart]

I thought they gave them out for free? I didn't pay for the 4th or 5th edition

You can download it from the ADI powders website for free, gotta pay for a paper one.

[chilliman]

what about the books by Reloading for Handgunners (Patrick Sweeney) or ABCs of Reloading (James) or Hornady 9th Edition or Lee's Precision Modern Reloading or Lyman 49th Edition etc, any worth getting? (they're all in my ebay watchlist and seem to rate well on Amazon)

[Apollo]

BTW guys. ADI do not do any Load Testing what so ever. All their data comes from Hodgdon in the USA. If you look at the Hodgdon Data for the powders that are supplied by ADI you will see the information is exactly as printed in the ADI Reloading Manual.

The only testing ADI do is to check a new batch of powder manufactured to see if it performs the same as the batch run it replaced.

[Techc]

So Hodgdon have done the testing instead of ADI.

Not a big deal, it's still been tested.

You're comment sort of implies that the ADI data isn't safe or something, like there is actually no testing done at all?

Which obviously isn't the case...

[Apollo]

My comment does not imply anything and certainly not that ADI data isn't safe.

Hodgdon have the extensive facilities and equipment to test powder loads. They import all of the ADI line of powders and do the load testing. As said by my friend at ADI, why duplicate expensive facilities and increase the costs involved in manufacturing powders.

The ADI powders that are re-named by Hodgdon to their own brand names are not touched, they are exactly the same as we purchase here. One powder that is not sold in the USA by Hodgdon being Benchmark 1 is still tested by Hodgdon, it's just they choose not to supply it locally in the USA.

I use the Hodgdon Reloading Data quite often as it gives me the facility of having just a section that includes a lot of other powders for a specific calibre to print out and compare how different powders perform not only the ADI range of powders.

[Techc]

Yeah fair enough.

I've read quite a few people (not you, just saying...) bagging ADI saying their data is untested and unsafe and all that. Not the case IMO either.

Didn't mean to sound like I was having a go at you or anything in my other reply...

[Chronos]

The closest thing you'll ever get to a definitive reloading manual is one you put together from your own experimentation in your own rifles.

No manual can account for your chamber size, brass condition, length to lands, barrel length and twist etc so most recommendations are always conservative.

Only you can find the real maximum load in your rifle and chances are the most accurate load is below that anyway.

Chronos.

[Blackened]

I reckon that's right.

Obviously there is some essential information to have before hand...Starting and max powder loads and COAL for example so you don't do anything obviously dangerous.

Outside of that though it's largely fine tuning stuff which can all be cautiously experimented with on your own rifle to find the right cartridge.

[Chronos]

I reckon that's right.

Obviously there is some essential information to have before hand...Starting and max powder loads and COAL for example so you don't do anything obviously dangerous.

Outside of that though it's largely fine tuning stuff which can all be cautiously experimented with on your own rifle to find the right cartridge.

Thanks mate,

Once you (a shooter in general, not you specifically) get beyond the initial stages of reloading you find the only thing you look at in a reloading manual is the powders listed for a bullet weight and their safe charge range.

Then it's a matter of measuring COAL for that bullet in your chamber, comparing that to magazine max length and making a call on starting seating length for load testing then choosing a powder for the bullet weight and starting load testing starting at the lower end if the range for that powder/bullet combo.

The only time I go back to the load manual is if I consider an alternative powder.

For most of my guns I have a file with notes on load testing and some targets marked with loads for each group. And it's this I refer to when I set up to load another batch of ammo.

Chronos