Speer Reloading Manual 14

[moosie]

I am new to this forum and my question has perhaps been addressed, but I cannot find it in the discussions.  I would like an opinion on whether I should dump my old Speer Reloading Manual #10 and buy the new manual (#14)?  I understand it has expanded greatly but I would like to know if the expansion is not only valuable, but necessary for a hunter  / plinker.  What say you guys who have purchased the new manual?  Is there a manual that is better than the  one Speer puts out?
Moosie

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

Welcome moosie!

I can't help ya with the Speer info but I bet there will be some here that will have some input.

The Lyman 48th Edition Reloading Handbook is a good one to try if you are looking for something new.

Bill

[victorcharlie]

A fellow can't have to many reloading manuals......

I like sierra about as well as any, but if I'm going to shoot Hornady then I buy a manual from them.....Speers quite good too......

I had a fellow tell me to diversify, diversify, and diversify........I figure that's pretty good advice about reloading manuals too!

[Old Syko]

Lyman 48th is excellent and well written and like VC I stake a lot of faith in Sierra and use a lot of their products but I presently own every manual that I've been able to find since I started loading and still on occasion use even the oldest ones as a reference for components I still have from the same era.  Diversification is key to a well rounded knowledge and knowledge is key to both safety and success.

There are those who will tell you to discard the old for the new.  They are WRONG!  Keep the old around and at some point in the future you will call on them for some little tidbit that is available no place else.   

[beemanbeme]

I never throw away old load books. Most of the info in them is still good.  I like to have several books from different companies around to compare as my cartridges seldom match exactly the recipes shown in the book(s). 

[Kurt L]

I am like others and keep my old ones if I get new ones.
Most of all I like bullet manufactures manuals as they give loads for the bullet they make and they have a section on specs for each bullet they make as hogdon and others don't they are fine books and I have them also. in most cases the load data does not relay change a great deal other than adding new powders or cartridges. I have used loads for things i can't remember off hand but they was not in the new book so it pays to keep the old ones.

[Graybeard]

To me my Speer manuals (I have three or four of them) are about the least important of those I own. I seldom use Speer bullets so really mostly use it only as a cross check in verifying the safety of load data obtained from other sources. It is never my primary data source unless it's one of those rare cases where I actually use Speer bullets and that almost never happens.

To me one should have the Lyman manual first as it to me has the very best how to section of them all and a lot of good data to include cast bullet data. Then get all of the various powder maker's (mostly free but not always) manuals. Next have the manuals from whatever bullet maker you will be using. That to me is the absolute minimum manuals to have on hand before reloading ammo. Yes I have many more to include old manuals going back 40 years or more in my collection.

[jwisecarver]

I have Sierra, Lyman, Hornady, Barnes, Hodgdon and a couple years ago stumbled across Loaddata.com great resource and you can print what you want. As one of the other gentlemen said diversify, you can't go wrong by having to much information. By the way I just ordered a copy of the Speer #14 manual.

[Questor]

Some of the load data has changed since #10. Also, several new powders have been introduced. You really can't go wrong with that manual, especially if you use Speer bullets. Their velocities are very close to what you can expect from your firearms. I've got #13 and will probably replace it when #15 comes out. I really like Speer bullets. They work great and they are reasonably priced.