The Best Reloading Manuals

If you’re new to reloading you are probably feeling a bit overwhelmed. I know I was when I first started. Whilst there are many great reasons to start reloading and it’s a great hobby to have, it does require a bit of research beforehand to know what equipment you need, how that equipment works, and how to reload safely and correctly. Most importantly, reloading manuals offer you safe, effective, and proven recipes to create rounds in the caliber of your choice.

Luckily there are many great sources of information out there that can help you get your head around the process. The only problem is knowing which source of information is the most reliable. I would recommend every reloader to own at least one reloading manual.

The 8 Best Reloading Manuals

To help you find the best information without having to spend hours surfing the web, I have reviewed eight of the best reloading manuals that are on the market in 2020. This list will help you to confidently choose the best reloading manual for you, allowing you to get started with your new hobby straight away.

Why Do I Need A Reloading Manual?

If you are new to reloading, purchasing a reloading manual is not just helpful, but is vital. When learning anything new, a certain amount of study is required before you try to practice the skill. Even if someone has taught you the process, I would still recommend studying a bit before going it alone. Here’s why:

• Reloading manuals give you a great introduction to the hobby of reloading at a relatively low price.
• You will learn how to reload, and the necessary components needed to make loads for different purposes in each caliber.
• With a manual, all the information you could ever need is in one place.
• Reading a manual allows you to study and learn in a structured way, something that can be difficult when navigating various articles and videos online to learn a specific process.

I know many reloaders use the web to search for information about the process. While you can find many great articles and videos online, much of this information can be incomplete and it is difficult to determine how credible and reliable it is. However, all of the manuals on this list are composed and written by top industry experts with years of experience, therefore, you have complete assurance that the information is coming from a credible source.

Benefits of Investing in a Great Manual

Manuals are not just for beginners. They can be just as useful to experienced reloaders as they can be to beginners. Manuals don’t just teach you how to reload but they include much useful information for fine-tuning your reloading process. Here are the top 2 benefits of investing in a great reloading manual:

Provides safe load recipes

• While you could learn how to reload by watching Youtube videos, only a reloading manual will give you all the recipes you could possibly need.
• You can have much more trust and assurance in the recipes found in a manual.
• Due to the importance of safety when it comes to reloading, as shooters we need to ensure that the recipes we use to reload are completely safe.

Provides data you need to get the performance you want

• Manuals provide comprehensive load data on reloading any type of caliber.
• This data is given by industry experts and experienced reloaders.
• This allows you to fine-tune your recipes and reloads to increase performance levels.

Are All Reloading Manuals The Same?

As you can see from this list of reviews, every manual offers something unique and specific. The main difference is the brand that the book is from. The data listed in a manual from Lyman will be either mainly or solely Lyman products. This is the case for most reloading manuals.

Because of this, if you’re using reloading products or equipment from one specific manufacturer, it makes sense to buy the manual of that brand.

You can also get load-specific manuals.

• These reloading manuals are made for a specific type of caliber.
• They are a worthwhile supplement to the traditional load books but they tend to be updated less frequently, and some have not been updated in a long time.
• Because of this, I would recommend you check the load data found in these books with other references.

What to consider when choosing a Reloading Manual

When deciding which manual is the best reloading manual for you, there are certain things that you should take into account. Considering the four points below will ensure that you do not end up with a manual that’s not suited to your needs and to the type of caliber that you work with.

Personal knowledge

Different manuals cater to different expertise levels so consider what your level of knowledge and experience is.

If you’re a beginner:

• Some manuals are dense in load data but I would recommend that you look for one that has detailed sections explaining the basics of reloading such as how ballistics works and the types of powders that exist.
• When getting into reloading it’s tempting to overlook these things but they are what set the foundation upon which you will build your knowledge.
• You will also want to opt for a manual that is not too complicated or overwhelming.

Luckily, there are some very easy to understand manuals on this review list such as the Swift Bullet reloading manual and the Nosler reloading manual. As well as providing clear instructions that will allow you to reload your first bullet as smoothly as possible, these manuals feature great illustrations and photos, helping you to absorb the information quickly.

If you’re an experienced reloader:

• Make sure the manual you choose still contains important warnings and safety advice to refresh your memory on reloading safely.
• You’ll want to opt for a manual that is heavy in load details and just quickly recaps the basics.
• In general, what’s best suited to you is a manual that can serve as a handy reference book, where you can easily find information, load data, and recipes.

As an experienced reloader, I have found the Wolfe Publishing pet loads manual and Hornady’s handbook of cartridges to be valuable reference books that I keep by my bench at all times.

Caliber Variety

Honestly, this is one of the most important things to consider when buying a manual. To get the best reloading manual for your specific needs, you will need one that caters to the type of caliber you work with. Here are some points to consider:

• Some manuals cover a diverse range of caliber types which is great for reloaders that like to explore them.
• The downside to these manuals is that they do not tend to offer detailed data on the calibers they feature.
• Other manuals feature a smaller range of calibers but go a lot deeper into them.
• They provide data on various powder mixtures and explain the pressure and how to adjust the seating and charge.

It’s a well-known fact that most manuals’ load data is focused on their own products. If your products are all from the same brand this makes your decision easier, but if you use multiple brands this can be a bit annoying. Therefore, it’s worth doing some research to find the manuals that are best suited to the calibers you shoot.

I have found Hornady’s handbook of cartridges to have one of the biggest ranges of caliber types, however, the data is all from Hornady products. Lyman’s manuals feature powder and caliber data on other popular manufacturers. This makes mixing easier and means you don’t have to stick with just one brand.

Read our guide on the Best Powder Measures here!

Actual Raw Data

This is something many reloaders will not think to consider, and something I’ve only thought about recently myself. Many manuals provide data of tested bullets but it’s not clear if this is raw data taken from an actual test, or if it’s copied from other manuals.

Of course, if we’re looking for the best reloading manual on the market we want one that uses data from tests that they’ve done themselves.

As most manuals produce multiple editions with updated information, comparing the data shown from the same tests in older versions will make it clear how accurate and up to date, the data is. Tests carried out at different times should show at least a slightly different result, even though the same caliber and powder were used.

One Is Never Enough

I’m sure most experienced reloaders will agree with this. In fact, most fellow shooters I know have a handful of manuals. If you are new to reloading it’s certainly best to start with one manual. As already discussed, buying one complete reloading manual targeted to beginners gives you more than enough information to begin with. Following just one handbook will also prevent you from getting overwhelmed.

However, once you have been reloading for a while, you will naturally want to purchase a second manual, especially one from a different brand and author. Even experts will advise you to do this.

Although each manual has it’s own data to display, it’s always best to compare information from multiple sources and cross-check between manuals. This will also help you analyze the best charge to use based on the load data and thereby create more effective loads.

Why Are There So Many Editions?

Manufacturers create newer and better ammunition every year. Releasing new editions of their manual every couple of years allows them to update the load data in the book, listing their most current, up to date products.

However, sometimes the new editions do not appear to be much different in the rest of the content. Sometimes it is only the load data that is updated, and the other sections are only slightly updated. If this is the case it can seem a bit pointless to keep buying the new releases.

Personally, I do not think it’s worth owning all editions of a manual, especially if you are using the same products and reloading your ammo in the same way. Sometimes there will be a new release where the majority of the book is updated and there is lots of fresh information. In this case, I would be keen to own the new edition.

If you purchase newly released ammunition from a manufacturer, of course, you will want to be able to find the load data for it somewhere. If the new edition features detailed load data for your products, it is certainly worth buying it. But if it is just load data you are after, you may be able to find this information online instead.

Can a brand-specific reloading manual be used generally?

The answer to this is yes and no as many sections of the book can but certain parts cannot.

The sections that can:

1. General reloading information
2. ‘How to’ sections
3. General safety advice
4. Technical articles
5. Theory and history of reloading

The sections that cannot:

1. Load Data

Load data can vary significantly across brands. This is due to differing bullet-design and different tolerances as well as other factors. So, specific instructions exist for particular bullet brands. This is why manuals tend to list and focus solely on their products and do not advise you to use that data for other manufacturers’ products.

What are the most important reloading safety precautions?

1. Wear safety goggles/glasses with side shields to prevent injury from accidental primer explosion.
2. Ensure you are free from distractions and able to focus fully on the process.
3. Always use a reloading scale to reload and do not try to guess measurements.
4. Use a scale designed specifically for reloading purposes and not a kitchen or postage scale.
5. Check that the scale is zeroed before weighing any powder.
6. Carefully read and follow reload data instructions from your manual.
7. Be cautious of lead exposure as most primers and bullets contain lead. Always wash your hands with soap after handling ammo to avoid exposure.
8. Wear a dust mask when vacuuming and emptying your vacuum cleaner to prevent exposure to lead particles.
9. Preferably reload in a carpet-free room or at least away from any carpet as lead residue can gather in the carpet fibers.
10. Keep your reloading area tidy and store all equipment, powder, and primers away safely when not using them.

Which is the best reloading manuals?

After reviewing all eight books, I do not feel that there is one specific best reloading manual for every reloader, but there is definitely one for beginners and one for experienced reloaders.

If you are new to reloading, the Nosler Reloading Manual, 8th edition will be your best choice. Without a doubt, this is the most beginner-friendly manual on the list thanks to it’s easy to read layout and informative illustrations. Its beginners’ how-to section along with the detailed explanations and helpful recommendations will arm you with a wealth of knowledge and safety tips. This will give you the confidence you need to get started with your new hobby.

For those who already have some experience, Wolfe Publishing’s Pet Loads: Complete Volume will take your reloading to the next level. This book is aimed at you as it skims past the basics and goes in-depth into the history of every one of the 150 cartridges it features. Additionally, it offers a lot of science-backed information and emphasizes the importance of safety, something that we can forget as we become more used to the process.

Lastly, as I previously mentioned, consider who most of your ammunition products are from, as a manual from the brand name you use the most will be of the most use to you.