Load Manuals....

[TonyK]

Been looking at manuals lately till I am blue in the face. Finally found one that lists more than 5 or 7 powders and uses a real world OAL to start with!

Hats off to Sierra Bullets. The data for 230 grain RN FMJ lists no less than 23 powder options. Pretty important in this current era of powder availability

All data came from a 5" Colt 1911 too.

Also they list a usable length of 1.27 for the OAL. While 1.20 may be Sammi minimum I have about as much use for 230 RN rounds that short as I do for data collected out of a pressure barrel that is twice the length of my 1911's. (Yes I know Hollow points and some other rounds take short OAL's and I have used them but I found what works for some of them on my own...)

While it would not be practical to test all powders and every brand of bullet I believe Sierra provides a nice baseline of powder info. (Load data from Alliant/Western Powder/Ramshot seems to have the best variety of bullet types and brands but only for their powders)

It is also the first time in writing I have found someone saying you have to adjust the powder charge if you change the OAL. While anyone who has reloaded for awhile already knows this as a new guy (me) all the manuals usually do is list minimums and maximums and tell me not to exceed max regardless of OAL. This is implied in a lot of places but Sierra comes out and says it.

Sure wish I would have found the Sierra manual earlier...

So not sure what manuals others may be using but it would be nice to know who's manual and why....

The point of this is not to pick on any one else's manual but to find out who is putting out really good data.

[Steve RA]

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=183919&hl=

[TonyK]

Steve

Is there a particular manual you prefer to use for your starting data?

[ZackJones]

I have the Lee reloading manual second edition and I like it but from what I understand Lee simply collects the data from other sources and puts it in the book which is kind of disappointing if that's true.

For .38 Special with 158g lead bullet the book lists 24 different powders.

For .45 ACP with 230g lead round nose the book lists 28 different powders. Most show min OAL of 1.200 but others show 1.230, 1.267, or 1.270.

I will have to invest in a chronograph before too long that's for sure.

[Steve RA]

Not really, the Sierra is good but so are most of them. Mainly I look at one from the standpoint of finding a safe starting load, find the best OAL length using it (accuracy wise) and then work to whatever velocity/PF that I'm looking for. If I don't care about PF then I look for the best accuracy whatever the velocity by varying the powder charge slightly, up or down.

As I said before, you won't ever match a published velocity. If you should then go buy a lottery ticket immediately !!

[GregJ]

My go-to manual is consistently the Sierra manual. I have Hornady, Lyman, Speer, etc. Keep going back to the Sierra.

[ZackJones]

Would those of you that have loading manuals other than Lee please look up 230g lead round nose in .45 ACP and see if the following powders are listed:

Trail Boss

Red Dot

Bullseye

I'd like to see what loads the the other manuals recommend.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I find a safe starting load, find the best OAL length using it (accuracy wise) and then work to whatever velocity/PF I'm looking for.

+1. Manual is Just a Start. Now the work begins. And OAL may vary from one bullet type to another.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Hi-Power Jack

[GregJ]

Would those of you that have loading manuals other than Lee please look up 230g lead round nose in .45 ACP and see if the following powders are listed:

Trail Boss

Red Dot

Bullseye

I'd like to see what loads the the other manuals recommend.

I've found that for generic bullets, like lead RN, it's sometimes better to look to the powder mfgr's load recommendations. Bottom line, you will eventually need a chrony, or borrow one. I remember it can be very confusing starting out.

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/index.aspx

[ZackJones]

Greg,

Thanks for the links. I've already been there . I was wanting to see if the manuals had anything different that what I can find in my Lee book or online. Santa should be bringing a chronograph.

[TonyK]

Greg,

Thanks for the links. I've already been there . I was wanting to see if the manuals had anything different that what I can find in my Lee book or online. Santa should be bringing a chronograph.

Pretty much every manual I have lists data for Red Dot and Bullseye, Only place I have found trailboss data is the Hodgdon website.

I have the Sierra and Hornaday books, and copies of data from Lyman, Speer, an old NRA manual, plus some old data I have come across. Strange how even with the same powder and bullet the data varies from one manual to the next.

The data from Western Powders (Alliant and Ramshot) seems to have the best variety when it comes to brands of bullets if you have any of their products.