51st Lyman reloading manual
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I'm still waiting for mine.
RJ
RJ
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no wonder I got my 50th so cheap a few months ago. 
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Last "new" manual I bought was from 1970 and that was about a year ago. My newest is Lyman's 49th and it barely has any cartridges I shoot. But, that's me and I'm weird that way. If a fella shoots new cartridges and powders he better have a new manual!!!
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2,167 Posts
For cast bullet shooters, the Lyman manuals offer more data than any of the other 'standard' manuals, and if you are really 'nuts for lead', the dedicated Lyman Cast Bullet Manual is superb! The first manual I bought (and still have with tattered tabs) was the Lyman 44th. And, while it doesn't always work out for 'your gun', I liked Lyman's stated 'accuracy loads' showing what worked best in their testing, they were good starting points for me.
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I asked before ordering it if the new would have data for a 350 Legend.
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462 Posts
I presume it did?
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Modern Reloading - 1st Edition - by Richard Lee : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Modern Reloading - 1st Edition - by Richard Lee
archive.org
Complete Guide to Handloading (Sharpe 1937) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Complete Guide to Handloading (Sharpe 1937)
archive.org
the lyman 49th is a good load book, i have it.
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Just keep in mind that old sources were written when brass thickness was often greater (somewhere I have an old Peters 30-06 case that weighs 215 grains) in some cartridges, and primers and powder both were either differently formulated or were manufactured by different processes. Where manual maximum load data today is pressure-tested in SAAMI pressure and velocity barrels with chamber and bore dimensions held to within half a thousandth of an inch, the data in old manuals was developed by firing in productions guns with unreported tolerances and judged by reading the pressure sign tea leaves. In other words, cross-check against modern data wherever possible just to make sure what was published then isn't out in space somewhere as compared to modern data. The powder distributor sights generally have a good deal to compare it to that is free.
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306 Posts
Yup. As a case in point, back before we had electricity (mid 70's for you youngsters) I found Sierra's recomendations for the .357 Mag to be a bit warm. If I went more that ½ way up the chart I got super flat primers, hard extraction, & very short case life. Of course, YMMV, that was my personal experience w/a Colt 4" Trooper, (my 1st revolver & first reloading adventure, thank you Charlie the Snake). Weighing each charge. I backed off to about ¼ up the charts.
On edit: actually 2nd adventure reloading.1st was .30-06 w/a Lee hammer & dipper style reloader in college.
On edit: actually 2nd adventure reloading.1st was .30-06 w/a Lee hammer & dipper style reloader in college.
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462 Posts
I'm so new to loading I just fill up the case with whatever powder is on the bench and drive a bullet in until it fits. I guess that's why my cast AND jacketed bullets are mushroomed before I shoot them.........
I bought a copy of Phil Sharpe's book several years ago from Cornell publications. Even at 85 years old it's still very useful.
I bought a copy of Phil Sharpe's book several years ago from Cornell publications. Even at 85 years old it's still very useful.
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462 Posts
Historical information on old powders, loading processes and, information and some data that's still good for excellent cartridges long ignored and forgotten you won't find but in older publications. For those indoctrinated in "new and improved is better", that often isn't, it probably wouldn't be of much use unless they have an historical bent but, it is for me.
And yes, there is some pressure tested data that is useful for me.
And yes, there is some pressure tested data that is useful for me.
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462 Posts
I figure I have enough experience after 60 years of this game and 40 of working with old data and cartridges I know what I'm doing. That was long before Quickloads. Cartridges of the World evidently thinks so as they've published my work on 3 cartridges. Every firearm is an entity unto itself and regardless of the data being used one must pay attention to what's going on and make careful observations. That goes doubly so with old rifles and long out of production cartridges where the only data available, ever, is what one can extrapolate. Any of us who have been at this very long and worked with a lot of different cartridges and rifles have seen where published, pressure tested data is too hot and, vice-versa.
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And primers have changed a lot, too, since Phil's time. One of the interesting things about his book is the ups and downs of primer development during the move to non-corrosive primers in the sporting world.
But if someone is sitting on a stash of Hercules Hi-Vel #2, yeah, you can get load data for that in his book....
On a serious note, had I something long obsolete with very limited data, at a minimum I would measure case capacity and whip up some data in Quickload as a sanity check. That, and a chronograph, would be heads and shoulders above hundred year old data with powders that have been reformulated no telling how many times over the decades.
But if someone is sitting on a stash of Hercules Hi-Vel #2, yeah, you can get load data for that in his book....
On a serious note, had I something long obsolete with very limited data, at a minimum I would measure case capacity and whip up some data in Quickload as a sanity check. That, and a chronograph, would be heads and shoulders above hundred year old data with powders that have been reformulated no telling how many times over the decades.
Well................I'm pretty much of the old school and still use lead core jacketed bullets and the older IMR and Hodgdon powders. Have the manuals reaching back to the early 60's. They make interesting reading. However, the latest manuals (especially the Lyman 50 & 51 editions) are my go-to for load info and the chromograph to assure things properly go bang and not boom. Would like to think technology has advanced to help us protect ourselves from ourselves.
Black powder loading hasn't changed that much over the years. Still want as full a case as possible with the bullet seated and no air space remaining.
Black powder loading hasn't changed that much over the years. Still want as full a case as possible with the bullet seated and no air space remaining.
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Extrapolation, means there is no data; just someone's supposition of some signs that were experienced.
Cheers
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