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Older reloading Manuals

Adkhunter3

Sergeant of the Hide
Minuteman
  • Jun 16, 2020
    264
    78
    Earth
    I was given a bunch of older reloading manuals. Are they worth keeping if you have a newer version? They don’t seem to be worth much on eBay, but I’d hate to just toss them.
     
    older — how old?

    yes keep them — you have load data before lawyers and insurance companies dictated the powder charges.
    There’s quiet a few so it varies but some volume 1, 2 from Hornady off the top of my head.
     
    They may also have load data not included in newer manuals like cartridges popular at the time or cast bullets, etc.
     
    I have an older Sierra manual, and it's data has served me well as a "max load" guideline when I'm comparing various specs. It was definitely pre-pussified-era
     
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    Reactions: mtrmn and lash
    hoard em all you never know when you want to load something that's not in print anymore . Unless it's a crazy large collection like Abraham Lincoln's collection that actually killed 8 people keep it .
     
    Don’t sell or dispose of them (unless you are desperate and then pass them along to a fellow like LetltGo)
     
    They also list powders that may no longer be available but are still out there.

    I traded for some IMR 4227 that isn't in the new manuals. With today's availability you never know what you may have to make due with. I've also read/heard of you are using older powder you should use published data form that time frame. Right or wrong it's worth double checking.
     
    I pulled a few of the older ones out from each mfg. I posted the rest for sale on here awhile back. I don’t have any older powders, or cartridges so I figured having one of each for what I do is probably more than enough. Thanks for the advice. Definitely are a lot higher listed powder charges in the older manuals.
     
    They also list powders that may no longer be available but are still out there.

    I traded for some IMR 4227 that isn't in the new manuals. With today's availability you never know what you may have to make due with. I've also read/heard of you are using older powder you should use published data form that time frame. Right or wrong it's worth double checking.
    IMR4227 was the goto powder for the .221 Fireball. I have done some amazing things with that cartridge and powder. I suppose there are more modern/better powders available, but as long as that little round can take down 65 pound rams at 200 meters using bullets no one lists and powder charges no one lists using 4227, I will hang on to my stocks and if needed buy more. (The basis for the load was found in a IHMSA manual published in 1980.)