Newb with a warning

[GuamSAR]

Ok, first of all I would like to thank all the folks here that have enlightened me without them even knowing it about reloading. I have been sucking up as much information as I can about reloading for a couple months now. My wife, last Friday, saw me looking at another post here about reloading and she told me to go ahead and get my fathers day present. I ended up ordering the Hornady LNL single stage classic kit from Midway. Great company by the way, but I digress. So, I swallow the little red pill and start my journey down the reloading rabbit hole "to save money". Ya, right.

But to the warning point...If I've read once, I've read it a 100 times to not blindly follow recipes for loads on the internet without checking the book to check the sanity of the person posting the recipe. Here is the glitch if you are new. What if the book is wrong? I found on the Hornady website that there are errors in their manuals and the corrections. I'm sure other reload manuals are the same way, I just have the one for now though. No reloading for me yet.

Here is Hornady's website for corrections:

http://www.hornady.com/support/handbook-updates-errata

I really hope this helps other new folks out.

[stilly]

Heh. That is why you crosscheck loads in two different trusted published sources to be safe if you are NEW.

Honestly though I was not aware that there were errors that were published and corrected. Good for Hornady for doing that, but I want to say that they are the only ones.

I could be wrong though I have never SEARCHED for errata from reloading companies.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Yeah. Some of these things just come from experience. I can show you Blue Dot loads for 41 Magnum in my Dad's 44th (or something) edition Lyman manual that have been shown to be unsafe. I use 2 manuals and cross check with online resources, if I'm unsure. You'll find that there are often idiosyncrasies between resources. Use your best judgement and when in doubt, start off at the lowest "suggested starting grains". Another trip to the range is cheaper than a new weapon, or a trip to the hospital.

[GuamSAR]

You are both right, second book is key. My Lymans 49th is on the way as I look for powder, bullets, dies, tumbler, trimmer, ect, ect, ect. The list goes on, the money doesn't. I am just getting started, as I said, but I am looking forward to it. Working on my bench right now. I'm refinishing a two inch maple top right now, I have been looking at some of the other setups in the bench pics thread. I hope mine can come out half as good as others here. I figure I will start with 40 then move on to 223 once I'm more comfortable.

[BruinGuy]

Yes indeed always cross reference your load data with multiple sources, and never start with max loads.

The greatest risk, though, isn't incorrect data in the manual, it is user error. Undercharged or overcharged cases, improperly seated bullets, etc. The good news is, user error is entirely preventable. Load with care and diligence!

Have fun and enjoy your new press!

[chevy95]

Just got started myself and I bought the same kit. I did not know the standard powder measure rotor and metering assembly that comes with the kit is for rifles NOT pistols. I just thought 'well, everybody says take your time' but it was taking me 1 to 1.5 hours to do the powder drop for 50 rounds!! Asked a forum member about it and got some schooling. Called Hornady. They said most pistol folks buy progressives not single stage and I should just buy a pistol rotor from Midway for $33. If it hadn't been for folks here I'd still be dropping powder at that sssslllllloooooowwwwwww pace!

[ElDub1950]

I'm fairly new also, and only have one book, but then always go to the powder mfg site + the bullet mfg site + the chart that came with my die set and last I'll compare the info to load data for other powders to see of anything is way out of whack. I actually got the book primarily for education, not load data, although I look at it.

I keep a spread sheet for the loads for powder I have and includes the powders I might get. The main reason for that is, since powders a becoming easier to find but it's still hard to find a specific brand in any store on a particular day, I want to have a list of suitable powders I can work with.

For me, it's pretty easy to find data because I'm only loading fairly generic 9mm & .40 with mid-range loads.

[bigbossman]

Data changes, as well.

If you look in older shotshell reloading data books, you will find published loads for 28ga and 700x. It was an established load, and "well known".

It dissapeared a few years back, as the manufacurer now considers 700x unsafe to use in 28ga shells.

[robert101]

So you haven't reloaded yet but you are issuing a warning? Ok. We all have a vastly greater chance of making a mistake over a reliable sources like Hornady, Speer, Sierra, etc. What others have stated is true regarding checking multiple sources. I personally have not heard of one person being injured as a result of bad manufacture's reloading data.

[desertjosh]

Welcome OP I have the same press and its been great.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

So you haven't reloaded yet but you are issuing a warning? Ok. We all have a vastly greater chance of making a mistake over a reliable sources like Hornady, Speer, Sierra, etc. What others have stated is true regarding checking multiple sources. I personally have not heard of one person being injured as a result of bad manufacture's reloading data.

That's because you don't shoot 41 Magnum...

[robert101]

CED, you are making a claim you know nothing about.

[JMP]

If I relied on Hornady, I wouldn't be shooting. Their most recent manual has a bunch of nonsense to load any type of cartridge that has been developed this millennium.

[mark501w]

I like the books . I can spread them out it front of me for comparison . I've seen mistakes in the Hornady web sight. I just throw the unusual data out.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

CED, you are making a claim you know nothing about.

Yeah, actually I know more about it than you do...

But if you want to start a pi55ing match, here goes: 41 Mag load data was given for Blue Dot in old manuals for 41 Magnum. Due to a very low margin for error, and a difference in shape of the various 41 Mag projectiles (which increased bearing surface), loaders were developing unsafe loads, based on published load data. A couple of Model 58s were destroyed because of it. But don't take my word for it; here's what Alliant had to say:

• should NOT should NOT be used in the 41 Magnum cartridge (all bullet weights).

Thank you. You're dismissed...