Sierra reloading manual

[gmerkt]

The hard copy version. If you are into the digital one, don't read any further.

I'm wondering if the Sierra reloading manual is a love it or hate it proposition. I dragged my feet for years on buying one of these. Finally, I found one new in wrapper at the Goodwill for next to nothing. 5th Edition. Published year 2003. The next updated version was 6th edition, which came out in Sept. 2019. That is a 16 year interval.

The Sierra manual has been loose leaf format for as long as I've been aware of it. Which I don't much like, because flipping the pages is awkward, they hang up on the binder rings, etc. BUT: I figured that the reason Sierra chose the loose leaf format was so that when periodic, partial updates were published, you could buy those and update your existing book. Wrong. They don't publish updates, they sell a whole new book.

Yes, you can go to the Sierra website and get data on newer products that are not shown in their published book due to the passage of time. Which as I said, can be lengthy. 16 years.

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[gmerkt]

Okay, I just visited the Sierra website. They no longer give data for new bullets that aren't covered in their manual. That's over. I've read that ownership of the company has changed twice since 2017 and that customer service is not longer a priority.

 

[Koda]

The Sierra manual has been loose leaf format for as long as I've been aware of it. Which I don't much like, because flipping the pages is awkward, they hang up on the binder rings, etc. BUT: I figured that the reason Sierra chose the loose leaf format was so that when periodic, partial updates were published, you could buy those and update your existing book. Wrong. They don't publish updates, they sell a whole new book.

Second Edition, 1978.
In the introduction they say the first edition was published in 1971, there was a supplement published in 1974 but they say their was too many changes between 74 and 78 to be "treated" as a second supplement.
Notice the binder made of string.

 

[gmerkt]

Second Edition, 1978.
In the introduction they say the first edition was published in 1971, there was a supplement published in 1974 but they say their was too many changes between 74 and 78 to be "treated" as a second supplement.
Notice the binder made of string.

Maybe way back when they decided on the loose leaf format, they envisioned continued updates. Then later realized that changes were too frequent to keep up with. Later, they've stated that the loose leaf format allows users to insert their own pages with notes, which avoids having to write notes in the pages of the manual. Most of my books are annotated here and there in the sections that I've used a lot. I don't think it's a great sin to write in a book that you own. Especially in a reloading formulary.

It is expensive to do the range/lab work, compile it and then publish it. This is a given. But it seems to be part of what it takes to sell bullets in a major way. Sierra is in the hands of JDH Capital now, a private investment firm. Which typically makes non-strategic purchases of businesses in order to focus on financial returns rather than make a good bullet and provide customer service.

 

[Camohunter]

These are 3rd edition dated 1989

 

[Bobbygun]

Sierra is definitely not my "go-to" manual. Mine is 30 years old (4th Edition 1995). I don't like the loose-leaf binder because the holes want to tear out. Also, I only have the rifle manual, the handgun manual was separate. I think I got a CD with some ballistic software with the rifle manual. Tossed the CD years ago when my Windows version would no longer support it.

I do like Sierra bullets, particularly for my .25-06.

 

[DizzyJ]

Agreed the loose leaf is a PITA