Must have reloading manuals?

[Disposable Heart]

The one caliber books are awesome. Older data, but sometimes manufacturers will drop off loads that are still good to go due to liability concerns.

I have a Speer and Nosler book, from the early 70s and early 80s, respectively. They were given to me by my grandfather before he stopped loading all together. The must have reloading manual? The one with the notes scribbled in the margins. I pull them out and look at the dozens of notes per page of things he tried, didn't like, things he liked, etc... Brings a warm feeling to my heart and saved me a TON of trouble when I first started loading.

On a side note: The preambles they used to write about the cartridge, it's history, etc... are always entertaining. My Nosler book has stories about a hunt using a cartridge, or the history. I may not load for that particular cartridge, but the essay before the data makes me want to.

 

[autogun]

+1 on what Disposable said. And, powder last almost forever so those old books come in handy when western powder starts selling powders that have not been produced for a decade for 10 or 20 % of their normal cost. Keep em forever, they will come in handy if you reload long enough.

 

[stern1]

1911ly, Thanks

 

[1911ly]

1911ly, Thanks

YW.

 

[E7Wrangler]

Great information guys. Thanks for sharing all this.

 

[Fullmag]

Really no, unless you like to read books. With the internet has changed this but with loss of power or web the books will be there always. Myself prefer books and reading history of cartridges that well popular at different times and the development evolution. Always keep records of what worked and didn't, along with mistakes and likes and dislikes. Be surprised what is forgotten and in the winter it is interesting reading going over data.

If shooting rifle at distances books with trajectory data is very useful. Seirra used have binders that was easy to add pages with bullet weight/velocity drop in yards with sight zero data that I often wish I would kept it.

 

[Notalentbum]

Fullmag, Sierra still sells that binder with load data and trajectory info. I saw it on Amazon yesterday for about $28.

Matt

 

[oldpink]

Really no, unless you like to read books. With the internet has changed this but with loss of power or web the books will be there always. Myself prefer books and reading history of cartridges that well popular at different times and the development evolution. Always keep records of what worked and didn't, along with mistakes and likes and dislikes. Be surprised what is forgotten and in the winter it is interesting reading going over data.

If shooting rifle at distances books with trajectory data is very useful. Seirra used have binders that was easy to add pages with bullet weight/velocity drop in yards with sight zero data that I often wish I would kept it.

Yep, I have that Sierra binder that I bought in 1989.
You're also right about documentation, and this little thing from the good folks over at MTM is a good option for keeping things neatly documented - Reloading data handloaders log by MTM
The pages in mine are yellowing a bit, but it's nice to be able to flip it open and read old notes for reference.