Why use a Reloading Manual?

A reloading manual is the most important piece of equipment on the loading bench. Reloading cartridges without the guidance of a manual is simply asking for a disaster to happen. Reloading is a highly technical endeavor where seemingly small mistakes can have potentially life threatening implications. That isn’t to say reloading is dangerous, because it is not, but reloading carelessly or outside proven limits can be. Before beginning to reload, read one or more reloading manuals published by either bullet or powder manufacturers. Reloading manuals provide an overview of the basic steps involved in reloading as well as specific load data for each cartridge listed. Load data provides guidelines for loading a particular cartridge as well as an indication of which powders or bullets to use to achieve the desired results from your firearm.

The number one reason to use a reloading manual is safety. Just as with hunting and shooting, the activities themselves are not inherently dangerous, but carelessness and unsafe behavior can have potentially fatal results. The greatest danger to a handloader would be over charging a case to the point that it would cause a catastrophic explosion in the chamber of the gun. The chamber of a firearm is designed to contain the pressure of a round being fired, but it does have a maximum limit. Even though modern firearms are extremely strong, it is possible to exceed the limits of a chamber’s strength by using too much or the wrong type of powder. This is why a manual is so important. A manual will list minimum and maximum loads which have been tested and proven to be safe. Working within these limits insures that your loads will be safe as well. Loading outside the limits of published data is not only unsafe, but also unnecessary. The performance levels that can be achieved using published load data are perfectly adequate for any use of a particular cartridge. Potential increases in velocity and energy that could possibly be achieved by exceeding published maximums are not worth the risk to yourself or those around you. Consistent use of maximum pressure loads will also result in a dramatic shortening of the life span of your brass as well as the barrel of your firearm. It is far better to use the appropriate cartridge for the desired task than try to hot rod a smaller cartridge and turn it into something it isn’t. If you desire more velocity than can be safely achieved with the cartridge you are currently using, step up to the next cartridge in that caliber.

Realize that the maximum load listed in a manual may produce excess pressure in your firearm. Never start loading at the maximum charge level. Always begin at the minimum and work your way up slowly. If no minimum charge is published, reduce the maximum by ten percent and use that as a starting point.

Although it seems counter intuitive, using too little powder can be just as dangerous as using too much. Reducing powder charges below suggested minimums can create an over pressure situation that will be equally catastrophic to your firearm as an over charged load. Always start loading with the listed minimum powder charge for the cartridge and bullet/powder combination that you will be loading.

A loading manual published by either a bullet or powder manufacturer represents years of research and development performed by extremely talented engineers and ballisticians. Both bullet and powder manufacturers load and fire hundreds of test rounds every day to verify that their products are performing properly. It would be impossible for even the most avid handloader to achieve a level of experience and expertise on par with the people who make their livelihood gathering the data contained in a loading manual. Load data from a published manual can be trusted to be completely safe as it has been tested and proven within safe limits. The data in a manual is compiled from measurements taken with extremely precise and highly advanced instruments over thousands of firings. The companies that publish load data have a vested interest in you being a safe and effective reloader, so you know you can trust the data published by bullet and powder manufacturers.

When you look at a reloading manual, you will notice that not every possible bullet/powder combination is listed. This isn’t because they weren’t tested, if a particular combination isn’t present, it is probably because it didn’t produce results as good as the other combinations that are listed. There is limited space available in a manual, so only the bullet/powder combinations that produce the best performance are printed. This is one of the reasons a manual is helpful, as a lot of trial and error testing has already been done for you. While the published loads may not be perfect for your rifle, they are a good place to start. Using published data will save you considerable time and money assembling an effective load for your rifle.

Be sure to always consider the source of load data before using it in your own loads. Load data from powder or bullet manufacturers that is published either in print or on the web can be trusted as safe. Load data that you receive from friends, or forums on the internet, may or may not be safe. Loads that are safe in one rifle may be dangerously over charged in another. Being cautious and conservative in the use of powder has never blown up a gun, using untested data from dubious sources can. If a company has gone to the expense of testing and publishing data, you can feel confident trusting it. Load data posted on the internet by individuals hasn’t necessarily been tested or proven safe.

Compared to the rest of the equipment necessary for reloading, the cost of a reloading manual is minimal. Having several manuals in your library will enable you to check and double check loads before trying them. Load data in published manuals can be trusted, if you find the same data in multiple manuals you know doubly sure that it can be considered absolutely safe. Reloading is a highly technical, but fun and rewarding hobby. By using load data from reputable sources and following safe practices, you can reload safe and effective ammunition for your firearms.