Lyman 50th Edition Reloading Handbook

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RicinYakima posted this 04 December 2017

 

Lyman 50th Edition Reloading Handbook

 

Just to set the stage, I have nine lineal feet of book shelves devoted to reloading material. It starts from the 1890’s and ends with the Lyman 50th. Everyone should have a copy of this edition for several reasons. First is expanded data to cover the cartridges from the last ten years. Yes, I know some of the older ones, our old favorites were dropped, but they were not going to shoot new data for them anyway. Second is that they used currently available powders plus their older data, powders that are no longer made, or will be dropped within a few years. The powder industry for reloaders is changing at a rapid pace, old style powders are falling by the wayside. The problem with the internet is that as soon as a powder is not longer made, the maker rips it from their website never to be seen again. The data just disappears. If it isn’t on paper and you can hold it in your hands, it is just electrons on the ether-net. At last they have arranged the calibers into a logical sequence, at least to me, after 50 years of flipping back and forth trying to find the right cartridge. Why have 38 S&W after 357 Magnum (?) at least since 1960 and the 42nd edition.

 

The basics of handloading is pretty much the standard, still clinging to “batch reloading” with two loading blocks. The only two rifles I have seen destroyed were with reloaders who used two blocks; empty cases neck up in one and powdered cases neck up in a second. Both times the reloader swore they looked in every case, but had a case with no powder; primer fired a bullet into the bore, and then fired a full load into the bore obstruction. The safe method is cases neck down in a loading block; add powder, looking into the case, seat bullet. Cartridge then goes into storage box. Other than that, it is nit picking, but generally great for the newbie.

 

I found the “specialty” articles very well done, especially the history of the Handbooks, plus, unlike the 4th edition of the Cast Bullet Handbook, not all by one “writer from Montana”. The metallurgy article alone was worth the price of the handbook. The Contender section was included which was good, as they tend to have cast bullet loads that work very well in rifles also. As cast bullet shooters, we wish they had used other brands of bullets, like Redding and RCBS, the same as done in Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition, but you can always pick up a copy of it also. We understand that there are only so many pages you can print. I also noted that the Cast Bullet Association is listed second as an organization of interest, ahead of the NRA. (Maybe because “C” comes before “N”?)

 

One other tidbit is that if you can, buy a “hardbound” copy. While not really a bound book, it at least is like a children’s book from grade school. That copy will last twice as long as the paper bound version. I know, as I have bought several copies of my favorite editions of the Lyman Handbooks. They just seem to wear out after ten or twenty years.

 

Congratulations to Tom Griffin and the crew for making a very worthwhile addition to every reloader’s bookshelf.

 

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BigMan54 posted this 04 December 2017

Ric,

Your right about Hardcover. My old LYMAN cast bullet handbook 2nd ed. is held together with a roll of scotch tape & about 25ft worth of GORILLA TAPE.  HARDCOVER in 49th & 50th ed. Softcover back to 38th ed.(1951). I started collecting them back about 1967, when my Dad let me go off on my own at gunshows.  My 4th ed. Cast Bullet Handbook soft cover was almost immediately reinforced with GORILLA tape. It is some GREAT packing tape. Got all the shotgun books too.

And yea, they should've had at least a couple Cast Bullet Handbook articles from that old guy in TEXAS and that guy from Wyoming that thinks his **** doesn't *****.

I've managed to collect all the SPEER, HORNADY & SIERRA (Damned loose leaf binders, what a dumb ass idea) .

The old books have much more detail than anything published today. Answers to questions you didn't even know existed. And sometimes you'll find a special treat: notes from previous owners of the handbook.

 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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GP Idaho posted this 05 December 2017

I like the Lyman books . I have six of the newer versions. More than any other brand. Gp

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M3 Mitch posted this 04 May 2018

Ric, I strongly agree with you about "batch" reloading.  I have, since first getting into loading, always taken an empty case, charged powder, and then seat the bullet IMMEDIATELY, without passing "Go", nor collecting the $200.  310 tool, single station, turret press, Dillon - whatever.  The powder goes in, then the bullet gets seated. Have had exactly zero issues with no powder or double charges.  And I am not a guy who is inherently immune to mistakes, either. 

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BigMan54 posted this 05 May 2018

I remember batch loading from the "olden days" with a "C" frame press. A loading block on each side. Once the cases were primed you picked up a case from the left, charged it from the powder measure, stuck in a bullet, and seated it. Then put it in the block on the right.  "O" frame presses changed all that. And MAACO/Akro bins.  

Not every change is for the better. 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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