How old is too Old? Reloading manuals

[SevenSixTwoNATO]

So, I'm sitting here with a Speer No 12 manual and I'm thinking about getting the 15th ed when it comes out.
How old is too old to trust these manuals? Of course, you might need to reference an old load for a rare caliber, but with all the data coming out now, are these book relegated to the burn pile?
The only loads I would use and trust are based on the Piezo transducer, and I never follow the CUP standard any longer.
other than that, powders are changing formulas, new powders and calibers available will be the reason to get a new manual.

[highpower790]

Hang on to the old manuals.Recently A friend brought to the range three boxes of old powder.Some powder I had never heard of.Shotgun ,pistol,rifle powder,it was all there.
Some were in small square containers made of a heavy cardboard,others in 1lb imr containers from the 80s-90s.A box of H4895 which I bought ,was full sealed and marked $3.65
Hang on to the old manuals.Powder will last a long time if stored properly.You never know when something will come into your possession .IF it smells good,looks good and is not rusted ,and the container is in good condition,buy it cheap.

[popeye4]

If you can compare the data you are looking for before you buy, you might find that the loading tables often don't change. Often the manuals are revised to add new cartridges but they don't retest the existing ones.

[robert101]

Look all reloading manuals are a guide as to how a powder, primer, bullet and brass combination is to work under certain a controlled environment. I use (and refer to) many resources before staring a load. The old "start at 10% under max" or start low and work up is suggested for this very reason. All components and chambers are slightly different. So my opinion is that it is all relevant to the reloading process. The new data is good and powder lots do change but I rarely shoot max loads anyway so the differences are closer to negligible. Keep in mind that most powders are noted for their general characteristics for a given cartridge combination. Some powders just work better whether for density, peak pressure, and other various considerations.

[micro911]

I keep old ones for reference. New ones have new powder info, but old ones may have obsolete powder info that you may need.

['ol shooter]

It's too old when they don't make that powder any longer. A good load is a good load, if all the components match the spec.

[Bumslie]

some of my favorite go to manuals




lyman 42, too

[Revoman]

I say keep em. I have some older manuals that have Blue Magic shot shell hulls included, none of the new ones have those hulls included, they have not bee available new for a long time. However once in awhile a guy runs across a deal on old Blue Magics and guess what, you still have a manual that is valid.

[CSACANNONEER]

You really should get rid of your old manuals by sending them to me. Why would you get rid of an old manual that might have great load data in it? Hell, I had to call Barnes because, they removed some older load data from their last few manuals and, I needed it. At least, I know that Ty, at Barnes, will gladly email any old data that he has if I request it. I think I still have a Lymans #1 shotshell manual around here somewhere.