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Old June 8, 2012, 04:36 PM   #1
marklyftogt
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Why do so many people brag about Lyman's manual?

I just dropped money on this thing and there are hardly any loads for 38 spl/357 mag. Not even the standard bullet wt/types.
9mm is sparse too.
I just wasted $40.

I have the Lee Modern Reloading Manual and it has a lot of loads.

Any other good pistol books?

Last edited by marklyftogt; June 8, 2012 at 04:48 PM.
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Old June 8, 2012, 04:42 PM   #2
Arizona Smithshooter
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I use a Speer manual, but I get more up to date information from the Web. All powder suppliers have loading information on their web sites....and it's free!

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

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

http://www.accuratepowder.com/load-data/
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Old June 8, 2012, 05:06 PM   #3
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There have been many complaints about the latest Lyman cast bullet manual. Most of the complaints stated that it is nowhere near the resource that the older manual was. There have been enough complaints that I will continue to use my old one and not buy the new.
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Old June 8, 2012, 07:20 PM   #4
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For me, the best resource is Load Data which has all normally available loads and loads from years and years of data from Handloader magazine.
http://www.loaddata.com/home/index.c...TOKEN=97196542
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Old June 8, 2012, 07:50 PM   #5
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CAUTION: SOME OF THE LOADS IN THE LINKED MANUALS BELOW ARE CONSIDERED TO BE OVER PRESSURE AND CAN BE DANGEROUS TO USE

CROSS REFERENCE ALL DATA, AND WORK UP LOADS SLOWLY, METHODICALLY, AND CAREFULLY


Dunno nuthin bout no 'new' "Lyman"...

The ones I use are a bit older...

http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/OM/IdealHandbook38.pdf

http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/OM/Lyman44.pdf

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Old June 9, 2012, 01:10 PM   #6
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Extra Hot Loads Warning Needed

Some of the loads in the old manuals from Salmoneye's links are WAY over modern data, and were NOT pressure tested. For example, the .357 "Factory Duplication Load" using Herco for the .357 Magnum on page 117 of the second link is a potential "gun buster."

I think Salmoneye needs to add a warning to his post.

And, in general, there seems to be some need for a warning about using load data from scans of old manuals that are appearing ever more frequently on the Internet, these days. The data in too many of those manuals from the 1960s and earlier was either not pressure tested, or was pressure tested with some dubious techniques. (No, I don't just mean the old copper crusher method, I mean eroded test barrels, no temperature controls, etc.)

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Old June 9, 2012, 02:28 PM   #7
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I mostly use Speer, but then theres the internet and my friend just gave me about 10 different brands but I like Speer because I cut my teeth on it so to speak about 18 years ago.
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Old June 9, 2012, 03:09 PM   #8
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I apologize for not having seen that load, and I agree it is not safe...

As I do not use Herco, it had not crossed my radar...Looking at other of the .357 loads containing Herco, and they seem dubious also...
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Old June 9, 2012, 09:01 PM   #9
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Which Lyman manual ? The one I have is fine and has lots of loads.
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Old June 9, 2012, 09:06 PM   #10
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Quote:
Which Lyman manual ? The one I have is fine and has lots of loads.
Yeah, wha chew talkin bout? The lyman 49 th or the new cast bullet manual?
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Old June 9, 2012, 10:11 PM   #11
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I've got the Lyman 49th, and the 46th and 48th. And, I'll buy the 50th version when it comes out.
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Old June 9, 2012, 10:21 PM   #12
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I have the Lyman Pistol & Revolver 3rd Edition. It has 12 loads listed for .38 Special, and 14 listed for .357 Magnum. Both jacketed, and lead. with lots of powders listed as well. It cost me less than $15 a couple of years ago. If you want loads listed for handgun round check it out. Mine was, and still is worth every penny I paid for it.
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Old June 10, 2012, 06:43 AM   #13
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Midway has Lyman 49th soft cover for $20.00 & Amazon has it for $23.00.
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Old June 10, 2012, 06:45 AM   #14
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How many loads do you want??

My Lyman 48 lists about 120 different powder bullet combos for the 38 Special and the same for the 357 Mag! Are you serious, 240 pressure tested loads is "hardly any"?

BTW Lee has no reloading data of their own. It is all copied form other sources.

If you think you wasted money on the Lyman manual, take a good look at the data in you Lee manual. Might just be able to find all that wonderful data for free at your favorite powder manufacture's web site.
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Old June 10, 2012, 07:10 AM   #15
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What a great idea, down load all the powder/bullet manufacture's free load data and publish it.
No testing lab's or ranges needed!!
Just make up your own book and sell it.
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Old June 10, 2012, 07:57 AM   #16
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All I can say is using old manuals can be waay dangerous. I know Accurate changed their No2 & No5 to lighter loads some yrs back...enough to make a big boom if using old loading publications with the new stuff. Anymore I call the powder mfg everytime I buy powder to double check loading info. I also mark the date on the powder container to match the loading manual date for a reference. To bad the powder mfgs (Accurate anyway) don't put a revision number/letter on the container to keep people straight. Using out dated manuals is an accident waiting to happen.

bc
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Old June 10, 2012, 08:56 AM   #17
steve4102
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Quote:
What a great idea, down load all the powder/bullet manufacture's free load data and publish it.
No testing lab's or ranges needed!!
Just make up your own book and sell it.
Then give it a name like "Modern Reloading Manual", by Richard Lee.
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Old June 10, 2012, 11:15 AM   #18
BDS-THR
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marklyftogt
Why do so many people brag about Lyman's manual?
I just dropped money on this thing and there are hardly any loads for 38 spl/357 mag. Not even the standard bullet wt/types. 9mm is sparse too. I just wasted $40.
I do not think you wasted money on Lyman #49. IMO, If a new reloader had to have only one manual, it would be Lyman #49. Why?

The reason why I recommend Lyman #49 to new reloaders is because all the powder manufacturers have their current load data available online and bullet types and weights not covered by powder manufacturers' load data are often found in the Lyman #49. Especially for lead pistol loads, between current online powder manufacturers' load data, 2004 Alliant load data and 1999 Winchester load data, and Lyman #49, I could load just about all of the popular and not so popular pistol calibers and bullet weights.

If you are loading rifle cartridges with specific brand name bullets, bullet manufacturers' load data manuals may be the way to go. For pistol cartridges, if you do not always use the brand name bullets used in the currently available published load data, I find using powder manufacturers' and Lyman #49 load data more applicable when I am trying to match bullet nose profile. It would be nice to shoot brand name jacketed bullets but I shoot a lot of pistol loads and to save money, I often shoot bulk jacketed/plated/lead bullets that were not used for published load data pressure testing.
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Old June 10, 2012, 11:23 AM   #19
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Hard to have too many manuals, old ones helpful sometimes as well. I like the Lyman 49th and their cast bullet manual as well. I generally consult 3-4 manuals when I'm looking for a new load.
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Old June 10, 2012, 02:08 PM   #20
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I have a Lyman 48 and I like it. It's what I started with, and the good part is the introductory chapters, not so much the recipes.

That Herco load in #44 is a proof load or higher! I wouldn't shoot that in a rifle or even a Redhawk. (Maybe in a Freedom Arms) Some of the others using Herco are almost as bad. The other loads look reasonable to me for the most part.

8.0 grains of Herco with a 158 grain cast bullet is a great load, BTW.
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Old June 10, 2012, 02:13 PM   #21
Salmoneye
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Quote:
I have a Lyman 48 and I like it. It's what I started with, and the good part is the introductory chapters, not so much the recipes.

That Herco load in #44 is a proof load or higher! I wouldn't shoot that in a rifle or even a Redhawk. (Maybe in a Freedom Arms) Some of the others using Herco are almost as bad. The other loads look reasonable to me for the most part.

8.0 grains of Herco with a 158 grain cast bullet is a great load, BTW.
As I said...Never having used Herco, I never mentally processed any of those loads, and never compared them to anything else more recent...

The other stuff I have used from that manual, I have compared to more recent references, and they have been in line with what I expected to see...

If people were actually loading Herco to those levels, no wonder many nice old Smiths were rattled apart long before their time...

Again, I apologize for having posted that without a disclaimer...
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Old June 10, 2012, 02:21 PM   #22
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I wonder if they got Herco confused with Blue Dot?
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Old June 10, 2012, 05:01 PM   #23
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Quote:
I just dropped money on this thing and there are hardly any loads for 38 spl/357 mag. Not even the standard bullet wt/types.
9mm is sparse too.
I just wasted $40.

I have the Lee Modern Reloading Manual and it has a lot of loads.

Any other good pistol books?
I wasn't very impressed with the Lyman 49th Edition, or the 3rd and 4th Editions of the Cast Bullet Handbook (got them both for free). It never hurts to have more data, but those books will never be a starting point for me. ...Far too limited in bullet weights and powders. It makes me feel like I'm looking at a Barnes manual.


Nearly all of my handgun loads come from, or are derived from, the Hornady 7th or 8th editions.

My other resources that get used often are: Speer #14, Hodgdon (website, 2008-2012 periodical style manuals, and/or an early '80s hardcover manual), and Alliant's data (which can require a bit of interpretation and adjustment, since they only use Speer and Federal bullets - but I rarely do).


Whatever the company may be... if I use their bullets or powder, I have their manual (or other forms of their data). But, I don't always consider it to be the best source of data for any given load. The Hornady and Speer manuals are great compromise manuals, that can get you started on nearly anything (so long as your powder is listed).

I do check my Lee manual, occasionally, but it is outdated. It lacks data for a fair number of new(er) powders, many new(er) cartridges, a large number of new(er) bullets, and most of it is compiled from other sources, anyway. Why not go straight to the source, instead of having to try to figure out exactly what "130 grain Copper" bullet Lee might be referring to?
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Old June 10, 2012, 06:49 PM   #24
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When I started reloading almost three years ago, Lyman's 49th was my first reloading manual I purchased. Since then, I've acquired Hornady, Lee and Speer manuals along with the Lyman Cast Bullet one. I think each manual has something special to offer, but my default go-to manual is still the 49th.

Yeah, those Herco loads in the 44th are much too hot. I've used Herco for MBC 140 TCFP's around 7.5 grains and my SP101 seems to really like the combo. I just wished Herco metered better- Next time I'll try WSF...
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Old June 12, 2012, 02:08 PM   #25
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I find the 49th Lyman manual to be very useful, but I still refer to the older Lyman manuals, Hornady manuals and powder supplier manuals as well as online data. All good resources for suggestons. As always, you start low and work up for your firearms.
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