Reloading Manual Number 4

What Reloading Manual Number 4 Actually Is

Reloading Manual Number 4 is a data book published for handloaders who want a consolidated reference for cartridge loads. It is not a single manufacturer's proprietary work in most cases — it is typically an independently compiled compendium that pulls data from multiple sources and presents it in a standardized format. The exact scope depends on which publisher released the version you are looking at, but the general structure remains consistent across editions. The manual covers powder selection, bullet weights, seat depths, and corresponding velocity and pressure data for a wide range of cartridges. It is designed primarily for the shooter who wants one book rather than five different manufacturer sheets pinned to the bench. The data is organized by caliber, then by bullet manufacturer and weight, then by powder type. This is different from a single-brand manual, which only shows loads using that brand's powders. With a multi-source manual like this, you get cross-brand comparisons, which is useful when a specific powder is out of stock or priced out of the market. I use Reloading Manual Number 4 as a starting point for most new load development. I do not treat any single entry as a final answer. The data here is compiled, and compiled data always sits somewhere between accurate and outdated depending on the source year.

How to actually use it without wasting brass

Start with the lowest recommended load in the manual, not the mid-range number. Every manual I have seen, including this one, lists a minimum and a maximum. That minimum is usually where the powder burns cleanly but the velocity is low. It is also where your pressure signs will be most visible when you start climbing. Work up in one-grain increments. After each step, check for primers flattening out, case head expansion, and ejector marks. These are the real indicators, not the velocity numbers on the page. One practical issue I ran into with this manual involved the .45 ACP section. The published maximum charge for a particular bullet and powder combination listed a velocity that seemed high for a 230-grain lead round-nose in a 4-inch barrel. I loaded a single test round at the max charge and fired it at a distance I could safely observe. The primer showed slight cup distortion, and the case head expansion measured about .002 inches over my baseline. I dropped the charge by two grains from the manual's listed maximum and got clean ignition with zero pressure indicators. The velocity dropped from 890 feet per second to about 830, which was still above the standard pressure rating for that cartridge. I adjusted my seating die to account for the slightly deeper overall length and moved on. This is the kind of thing the manual cannot account for: your specific gun, your specific brass lot, and your specific powder batch.

Where the manual falls short

The biggest limitation is age. Data is only as good as the testing it came from, and modern powders have changed formulation over the years. A powder listed in Reloading Manual Number 4 may no longer be manufactured under the same specification. Hodgdon, Alliant, and Winchester all make adjustments to their burn rates periodically without always announcing it. When you are working with older data, you are essentially guessing whether the powder in your can matches the powder in the manual's testing. This is why I always start at the low end and verify with pressure signs before trusting the velocity numbers. Another limitation is that some calibers are underrepresented. Handgun rounds get solid coverage, but certain wildcats and less common magnum rifle cartridges get abbreviated sections or skip entries entirely. If you are reloading for something niche, this manual will not fill the gap. You need to supplement it with manufacturer-specific data or consult with a load development specialist.

What beginners miss about this manual

Most people treat the data as gospel and skip the verification step. That is the mistake. The manual gives you a range, not a recommendation. The range exists because different barrels, different brass lots, and different chamber dimensions produce different results even within the same cartridge specification. A SAAMI-compliant rifle might shoot a load perfectly safely while the same load in a different rifle shows early pressure signs. The manual cannot know which firearm you are using. A second thing people overlook is the footnote and revision notation. Some editions include small print at the bottom of pages that indicate which data comes from which source. This matters because one source might be testing with a different chronograph or a different pressure system. Cross-referencing the same load across two different manuals helps you see where the data converges and where it diverges. If two independent sources agree on a charge weight, that gives you more confidence than a single data point in this book.

Getting a copy

You can download Reloading Manual Number 4 from most major reloading supply websites and from the publisher's own page. I usually grab the PDF version so I can search by caliber or powder name rather than flipping through pages. If you prefer a physical copy, it is available from large ammunition suppliers and from the publisher directly. The print version tends to be more durable for a reloading bench since PDFs on tablets occasionally get thrown off by shop lighting or sweaty fingers. The manual is not a replacement for a good reloading press, a reliable scale, and a chronograph. It is a reference that saves you time by giving you a starting point that is already close to safe. From there, you do the work that makes the load yours.