Manual Reloads
As far as manuals go, bullet manufacturer's manuals are generally very good, but they only cover their one brand of bullet. The powder manuals, on the other hand (like Hodgdon's) are very good, and they also provide data for most of the popular bullets and other manufacturer's powders. I recommend two or three good manuals, most of which have a section up front on the "How To's" of reloading. You will want to get at least a couple manuals from bullet and/or powder manufacturers. These will give you a better insight into the variances in data between the different manufacturers, as well as good tips on techniques. Additionally, some of these reloading manuals are available on-line, and there is also plenty of load data available on-line.
Here's something that I neglected to discuss initially ... And shame on me. An important component of good reloading practice is record keeping. I have done this from the very first loads I assembled. This is a very important task, as it allows you to REPRODUCE or AVOID any load you create at a future date. If there are problems regarding components, you can inquire or alert a manufacturer and reference a specific LOT #.
You really should discipline yourself to keep detailed records of EVERY batch of ammunition that you make. It is not a difficult thing to do, and it can really pay off in the future. All that is required is a notebook (I use a quadruled engineering notebook) and pen that you should keep at your reloading bench. If you desire, you can enter the information into a computer into a spreadsheet or database, and later on, sort and search on different data. However, I highly recommend initially entering the load information in your log book when you're at the reloading bench FIRST. The data can be entered into your computer at a later time.
I record information such as :
DATE, MY LOT # (a sequential numbering of each batch from session to session), CARTRIDGE ID, Bullet Weight, Bullet Type/ID, Bullet Brand, Powder Brand, Powder Type, Powder Lot #, Powder Charge Weight, Powder Throw Setting, Primer Brand, Primer Type, Primer Lot #, Brass Brand, Brass # Times Trimmed, Est. Velocity, NUMBER of Cartridges Loaded, Actual Velocity (recorded off a chronograph), Cartridge OAL, Group Size, and General COMMENTS regarding the load (e.g.. Bullet seater setting; comments after firing, like - this load is too hot!, 'dirty' load, 'clean' load, ...). Then I write the "MY LOT #" on a sticker in the cartridge box to identify the ammunition for correlation purposes.
