Book index of loads is hard to use, lacks color photos of many shells and index does not match chapters or subject matter. Spend your money on something more useable.

Book index of loads is hard to use, lacks color photos of many shells and index does not match chapters or subject matter. Spend your money on something more useable.

After 4 once-per-decade editions of the Lyman Shotshell Handbook, I was disappointed to see them miss their 2005 deadline to produce another. A lot of changes had happened, the famous Win AA Compression formed hull is gone, lots of other powders and components introduced and obsolete, and no Handbook to guide us through it.

Well, this 5th Edition is now "Reloading for Shotgunners" and it turns out is the heir apparent to the dynasty. After I figured this out, I ordered it quickly, because I had lots of hulls gathered up that the 4th Edition simply was too old to identify.

Big disappointment #1- Where's the hull identification guide? You know, the one with cross-sectional drawings and detailed descriptions of each hull? This book, like every other, constantly warns you NOT to substitute components arbitrarily. Unlike metallic reloading, where a thicker shell case can lower a max load a bit, swapping out different hulls (of the same manufacturer, name and make) can make the difference between a good load and a blooper or a shattered shotgun. So why did they eliminate the single most important chapter in the previous four editions?

Well, so it's not worth the list price, so on to the loads. With 3 years since the demise of the (much belove) Win AA Compression-formed hull, the editors had PLENTY of time to test and roll out lots of good loads with the new 2-piece hull. Oh, no! Hundreds of (obsolete, useless) AA Comp loads, and None, Zero, zip loads for the new hull. A 2-piece Polyformed hull is listed, but this is the old hunting hull, and not compatible. Of course, there is nothing in the way of hull identification in the book to help you figure this out, you just have to "know."

On to a personal favorite, the 16 gauge. Maybe I can find some good hunting loads. Oh, no! More Win Compression hulls, those have been gone for what, 5 years now? And WAA16, ditto, obsolete and no longer available.

Well, there are some loads for W452AA, oops, no longer available, and hey! some Winchester X-Pert Plastic, wait, it gives you no clue, since a couple years before the book went to press, Winchester has been subsituting Italian, French, and Australian hulls for X-Pert, and they all have different capacities and none are compatible with the old X-Pert that the book is probably using.

I'm sure there's some useful loads in here somewhere, the trap shooters using all Remington components are probably well served. But then again, they can get by with the free loads offered by the powder companies. Which leaves me asking the question, why buy this book?

I am new to shotshell reloading and needed a manual to get started. I consider myself lucky to find this newly-updated edition. The title says "Complete", and I agree; the amount of information was at first intimidating. The first chapters were very helpful to a beginner like me, going step-by-step through components and equipment before diving into the recipe tables. It can take a while to get used to the way the tables are arranged, but after a little time and patience you will find the proper loading information. I am very happy to see new components/data listed in the tables (i.e. Alliant's e3 powder, non-toxic shot) - although it means more recipes to test! This book has been an invaluable tool in getting me up to speed in reloading.

This book has a large amount of data for powder, primers, and wads that are no longer produced. I cannot reccomend it.

Rick Sapp's Reloading For Shotgunners, 5th Edition provides an updated fifth edition to include data for lead and non-toxic shot, and from .410 bore to 10-gauge magnums. What differentiates Reloading For Shotgunners from any other is its expanded coverage: virtually anything that can be fired in a shotgun is covered, with charts including notes on powder type, wads, maximum pressure and special load notes. With its numerous black and white photos and gauge-specific charts, Reloading For Shotgunners is a 'must' for both novices and advanced shooters.

Reloading for Shotgunners is a well written and comprehensive primer for anyone who wants to know more about the subject, or plans on taking on the task of loading shotshells. As is the case with most good handloading manuals of the metallic cartridge type, Reloading for Shotgunners addresses each component of a shotshell, defining its purpose, the variables on is likely to encounter and where each type best fits a specific application. The book is not manufacturer biased in terms of components and equipment, there are plenty of specific illustrations in support of MEC, Lee, RCBS, Hornady, Spolar, Ponsness-Warren, and Dillon equipment and components are representative of every popular supplier.

One third of the book is dedicated to the selection and application of equipment and components, the remaining two thirds is dedicated to reloading data for every shotshell from the .410 to the 10 gauge; all lengths and load types for each, including slugs. A lot of ground is covered within the books 288 pages. I've only recently expanded into shotshell reloading after many years of handloading metallic cartridges, and Reloading for Shotgunners answered many questions.

While shotguns handloading shares a good number of common elements, it also has a good number of differences. I'm not so sure the book contained enough information to clear all of this up for me. In fact, if there is one area I felt the book was lacking, it was defining the variables of shotshell loading extensively enough to lead to custom loads with personal selection of components. The book did not ignore underlying theory, it just didn't go far enough to pass more control to the individual handloader.

Overall, it is a good book and certainly fulfills the name. The info is clearly written and well organized and expansive enough to address virtually any issue that would arise when beginning with shotgun reloading. The load data is extensive with lots of unique and alternative loads to choose from. I'm glad I added it to my library and I am sure I will use it frequently.