Over 15 Data Sources For Reloading Your Best Ammunition
Here is an ongoing list of various reloading data resources all lumped together in one spot for your convenience. If you ever need to look up a load or do not know where to begin, just start here and narrow it down by powder or projectile manufacturer. It is not a complete list, these are just some of the different sources I have found in my past research.
Make sure to bookmark this page to refer back here for future load developments! Please let me know what other sources we can add to the list or if any of the links do not work. I do not own any of these works listed below, I am only helping you find them. I am not responsible for your reloading practices. Most links are affiliate links, and while it does not cost you any extra to make a purchase, they give me a small percentage of the sale for referring you to the product.
Alliant Powder
The Alliant website is a little difficult to navigate. I’m pretty sure they haven’t updated the layout since the early 90s. You can find their load data two different ways – both of which are annoying and take several steps to get to what you are looking for. One option is by using their Reloader’s Guide. You first have to acknowledge you aren’t a complete moron and promise you aren’t going to destroy your firearm and/or life while using their data.
Next, you will see to a list of the many shotshell combinations you can search through. Following the shotshell data, you can find links to the information you actually want to look at; their “Centerfire Metallic Loads”. By selecting Cowboy Action Handgun Load Data, Pistol/Revolver Load Data, or Rifle Load Data you will go to a page listing all of their loads by Cartridge and Bullet Weight. This is my preferred method to navigate their strangely arranged reloading data.
The other option for finding Alliant reloading data is by first finding the powder you need data for on their Product page. Once there, you have to select between Rifle, Shotshell, Handgun, and Muzzleloader powders. After you choose your powder type, you will then pick a specific powder by name. From here, we can finally pick a cartridge and view the data they have matched for your powder of choice. You’ll get the data, but not in any order. The bullet weights are in a seemingly random order. You will be able to find what you’re looking for by using CTRL + F to search for specific text. This is another reason I rather prefer searching with the first method.
Their products are great, and the data is there, it is just very difficult to get to. I hope this helped you navigating their confusing design, and suggest using the other method first. Here you can find older versions of their manuals for download.
Barnes Bullets
Barnes Bullets have a ton of load data recipes available. They provide a wide variety of data for their projectiles, including but not limited to their Varmint Grenades, TSX, TTSX, and Tac-TX other offerings. Many are unaware, but they also offer a wide range of pistol projectiles, too. They list data for propellants from almost every major manufacturer sold in the States, so you’re bound to find a useful load.
Berger Bullets
Berger bullets are some of the best projectiles in the world. They are still being used to set many records, and win countless matches in National and International competitions. While they now produce and distribute a full length Reloading Manual, they only offer limited Reloading Data on their website.
Hodgdon Powder Company
Perhaps the Internets most accessible set of online loading data, the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center. Here you will find Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, and even Muzzleloader reloading data from the Hodgdon, Accurate, Ramshot, Winchester, and IMR families of powders.
Here you can find some old reference data, like the Hodgdon Cowboy Action Data. Complete with Pyrodex and other Black Powder Substitutes! This is also the only place I’ve found data for International Clays powder paired with 38 Special – though they do not list the load in their main Reloading Data Center! Hodgdon also shows some popular Shot Shell Bushing charts, Burn Rate Charts, and other data files for your pleasure.
Hornady Manufacturing
Hornady is another extremely popular manufacturer of reloading components. They also make some very fine reloading tools like presses, dies, and all the other hardware you’d ever need to reload. Online they offer limited reloading data where you can find “Basic Pistol Data” and “Basic Rifle Data” which only have their most popular bullets listed with a single powder to choose from. However, you can purchase a full physical copy of their manual, or you can download their app for almost $20/year from your favorite app store. Luckily, if you buy a physical copy of the newer 2021 manual, it comes with a subscription code for a free year to the app.
Lee Precision
Lee Precision have been around for years, and their name is synonymous with value and affordability. They also happen to publish a fantastic reloading manual that offers some of the widest arrays of data for reloaders of any skill level. Lee doesn’t make their own projectiles or powder, so they have to test everything!
You’ll see just about every bullet and powder manufacturer in their data collection. Lee also includes data for cast lead loads, though they don’t list which bullet, or provide data with their bullet molds. You will find that their reloading manual has some cartridges that aren’t technically SAAMI approved, but have a large enough following to warrant testing and adding the data entries.
With some proper sleuthing, you can find older versions of the Lee manuals and downloading those for your collection (for educational purposes, of course). I would recommend looking into those, as some of the older manuals have more cast bullet loading data and include some older cartridges that they have since redacted from their newest publications.
**Please be aware some of the powder formulations have changed over time. If you are using data that are decades old but are pairing it with a lot of powder that was made last week, you better check a few other sources and back off your charge! Always have more than one reference while doing a new load development, even with old components!**
Lyman Products
Lyman is a brand that has been around since the 1880s and needs no introduction. They have been making high quality equipment since day one and are very well known for their excellent reloading manuals and bullet casting gear. You can get their 51st Edition Reloading Handbook in either a Hard Back or Soft Cover.
Lyman, like Lee, show the reloader a wider array of data for components, in terms of projectiles and propellants listed. Furthermore, Lyman offers other manuals such as the Cast Bullet Handbook, Long Range Precision Reloading, Black Powder Handbook And Loading Manual, and a Shotshell Handbook.
If you’re good at the internet, you can search for older versions of their manuals in PDFs. They have tons of cast lead loading data and reduced rifle loads as well. Definitely some of my favorite manuals around.
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