Those little colored reloading data books

[T.A.Sharps]

Would the best loading manual publication to get then be those little 4"x8" paper books that look like they have photo copied pages from every company's loading manual, for each specific cartridge?

I don't know what they are called specifically. But they always seem to have them in every gun shop and they are all different colors for different cartridges.

But they seem like the perfect thing rather than buying one brand's manual, limiting yourself to loading with just the components they promote.

I already have a Lyman manual, and one called "ABC's of Reloading", so as far as a publication I want something talking about as many brand component combos as possible.

[GAR700]

I have several of the books you are talking about. I think they are called "One book One Caliber". I think they are a great compliment to some of the other manuals. I would caution against using them exclusively because some of the info is not as up to date as some of the manufacturer's load data. New products are often not listed anywhere except in the manufacturer's book or website. I anticipate that the One book one caliber books update occasionally too.
Good Luck!
GAR

[farmerboy]

As Gar stated, A good compliment to add to. Really though, you have to stay up to date as well. Bullet companies are always producing new items. Each has different characteristics and powder companies do the same so to really stay up it is endless. Even manuals are revised ever so often for that reason. It changes ever so often and we have to also.

[Legionnaire]

These "Loadbooks" (available at Midway and elsewhere) are good, especially if you only reload a couple of cartridges. However, the several I have are somewhat dated, and don't include some particular bullets and powders. My most used sources are Lee's "Modern Reloading," Lyman #49, and the online data provided by the powder companies. Here's a link to a thread I started that includes a list of online sources:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=408683

[Sid]

The best way to get the latest data is to check with the major powder manufacturers on line. I do this about once a year to see if there have been any changes in the loads I am using or if I want to try out a new load. The Hogdon site, for example, lists loads for all of their powders and also Winchester which they own.

[flycaster]

All good advice. I started with one, but found it to be too narrow in its range. I still reference it from time to time, but rely more on my Lyman manual, and on-line manufacturers' web sites.

Chuck

[farmerboy]

I check powder websites from time to time myself. Most of my bullets are Hornady SST's for rifle, or FMJ's. Hornadys XTP's for pistol. Found what works for mine, use same powder and charge. So the last two years there's no change for me.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I used to use those books, also. Unfortunately, I don't believe that they have been updated in quite awhile.

I have all the major reloading manuals for any bullet/powders I might use, and have no need for those.

[rjrivero]

You can never have enough loading manuals. The One Cartridge One Book spiral bound deals are a good second source of information, but I perfer to have the load manuals on board. I recently got a copy of Quick Load for another source of information.

[Sevens]

I would take those load books if they were free or a buck a piece at a garage sale. Beyond that, they REALLY don't interest me. They seem to be a really cheap, quick bunch of photo copies of the already free material that powder and some bullet manufacturers publish and distribute for free. And indeed, they are dated.

I don't mind old stuff -- I keep all of my old powder guides, every single one of them. But I also have dates on them, and I know when they were published. Some of the stuff in those books? Not so much.

For $5 or $6 each, they don't impress me at all. In 20+ years, I've leafed through them a number of times when I've seen 'em for sale and haven't once though enough of one to buy it.

Better than nothing? Sure.

[FrankenMauser]

I used to use those books, also. Unfortunately, I don't believe that they have been updated in quite awhile.

I would caution against using them exclusively because some of the info is not as up to date as some of the manufacturer's load data.

Unfortunately, I don't believe that they have been updated in quite awhile.

And indeed, they are dated.

It's a matter of lazy retailers, mostly.

Loadbooks USA updates those books (booklets?) constantly. The problem is retailers keeping old stock on their shelves.

I bought a couple of these books last year for oddball cartridges, or cartridges that just aren't listed in my primary reloading manuals (and I was too cheap to buy the whole manual for one bullet/cartridge combination). All of them were absolutely current. Every bit of information came from the latest data from each manufacturer - and it's not the "free" pamphlets or online data. They use published data for the loads (ie: the real reloading manuals). If they can augment the published data with more recent online data, they do.

How do I know this?

Because I got a .220 Swift loadbook that seemed terribly out of date (the most recent reference was almost 15 years old).

So, I contacted the publisher, and they verified what I had been thinking: The retailer had a binding/printing that was more than 12 years old, but had kept it on the shelf. The gentleman on the other end of the line explained their process, and assured me his books are up to date with the current published manuals. He sent me a current version, and a SASE to mail the outdated book back.


And before you knock them too much - Remember, half the reloading manuals on the market are "outdated".
Lee's 2nd Edition: 2003
Sierra's 5th Edition: 2003
Lyman Pistol and Revolver #3: 2004
Swift #1: 2002
Norma (7th?): 2003
Lapua 2nd Edition: 2000
A-Square: 1996 (!)

We have had an enormous number of new powders and bullets introduced in the last 3-5 years.

The only major manuals to have been updated in the last 3 years:
Barnes #4: 2008 (Most shooters hate this manual, and have gone back to the "outdated" #3....)
Hodgdon: Yearly (But all of us know that bullet selection can be irritating.)
Lyman 49th: 2008
Nosler #6: 2007 (They dropped some calibers that were previously listed in #5, to make room for the mega-ultra-mags. Again, some shooters went back to "outdated" #5.)
Speer #14: 2007



If you're thinking about one of the loadbooks - pick it up. Open it. Look at the data. If it's outdated, complain to the retailer, and buy from a source with the current version (or directly from the Loadbooks website).

[Sevens]

Great info, FrankenMauser. I've picked these up on a half dozen occasions over the years and have never been impressed. I think you are dead-on and that many retailers have old versions on their shelf.

I may have to start taking a look at them again.