If you’re a woodworker you can’t have too many clamps and reloaders can’t have too many reloading reference books. But every library should have Sharpe’s compendium regardless of dated propellant info. The bullet manufacturer manuals are fine but frankly it’s take three or four releases to get enough fresh info to justify the cost. Otherwise they more or less rehash much of the same data and always with a preference for their product but generally with a few new powders or wildcats. Lyman has always been a cut above most of these but still a lot of redundant information. 

A real jewell are the two ‘ Pet Loads ‘ volumes by Ken Waters. Though again some of the powder specs are dated he supplies enough insight and testing for a serious reloaders to cross reference and find the answer. But all of his ‘Pet Loads’ provide great info on different gun characteristics and how to tailor loads for them. Great info on monitoring pressure signs and how to creep up without getting into trouble. Lots of info on bullet designs both cast and jacketed,  seating depth and case prep. Just lots of information the other manuals don’t offer. Waters was a life long experimenter and loved his big collection of single shots so he deals with them a lot.

Another very handy source is ‘ Propellant Profiles ‘ the only source I know of that addresses almost every powder out there with enough load data to give a reloader information on where different powders fit. Each powder is given some brief history, its chemical make up, relative burn rate, density etc. 

Ackley’s books push the pressure boundaries so need some discretion but he explains in depth case design, the question of overbored cartridges from a barrel makers view but remember it’s old powder data so he would, if still alive, have many different conclusions today.  He was alway fixated on cartridges that gave optimal performance per bore size or ballistic efficiency. Still to this day an ongoing debate. 

Rick

I’ve been reloading for close to 60 years, if only the internet and the AASRA forum had been available then. It is easy to forget the mistakes I made in the early days. I have Sharpe’s book, Nonte’s guide to cartridge conversion, and several reloading manuals.
Mike

One last comment ( maybe ) I have to say growing up in SoCal amongst a large firearms and drag racing community including my next door neighbor Frank Snow who built an obscure bullet making company called Sierra in two Quonset huts and many others who showed me more than a kid like me was was entitled too I’d have been stuck shooting mostly 22’s due to cost of boxed ammo. If it wasn’t for those WW II and Korean vets being so generous I doubt I could have been able to even imagine jumping into the world of reloading. 

Books are great, they don’t die or move,  but to me my old mentors were the true source of knowledge. Just going to a match and watching the wise is worth a shelf of books. I mean why do you think this forum is so valuable ?

Rick talk too much 
Rick

There is a newer book out by Fred Zeglin, Wildcat Cartridge Design. New to me, so have not read this one yet, but have read the earlier, and well worth the time.

craigster wrote on Sep 21^st, 2024 at 2:06pm:

Available to read free on Internet Archive 
Mike

Agree with Burntwater on the Wolfe Publishing books. The two Pet Loads books are gems. Propellant Profiles essential to understanding the differences In Powders and how they perform. 

Also agree about Ackleys books. Interesting reading and you will learn a lot. Just be aware Ackley was a hot rodder and pushed the envelope. 

Best gun and shooting library I know of belongs to one of our members. Won’t name him, don’t want to draw a crowd to his font door.

Boats

I have found that there's very little in the way of modern loading manuals that cover the vast majority of old single shots I shoot. Most don't even mention the cartridges I load for. 
Some of the newer cast bullet manuals have loads for .45-70 or .38-55, but even common cartridges like .40-65 or .32-40 aren't covered. 
I rely on old Ideal loading manuals from the pre WWII era, and a ballistic program I use. I sometimes find data for similar volume cartridges, and begin working up my loads using minimum data for those until I get a load that's accurate.

Glad to hear Cornell reprinted Sharpe’s Complete Guide. Will pass the info along our club

Boats