Manuals and References
The published load data your handloads have to come from. BrassTracker is a logbook, not a load manual. Always cross-check charges against current published data before pulling the press handle.
This page links to the primary sources every serious handloader keeps within reach. Listed alphabetically so the page doesn't pretend to rank them.
Powder Manufacturer Data
The most current pressure-tested data lives on the powder maker's own site, free to read.
- Accurate Powders Reload Recipes, Western Powders' load library, cross-referenced by cartridge and powder.
- Alliant Powder Reloader's Guide, Bullseye, Power Pistol, Reloder series. Free PDFs.
- Hodgdon Reloading Data Center, Hodgdon, IMR, and Winchester powders together. The single most-referenced free data center in handloading.
- Norma Reloading Data, Premium European data, especially good for non-US match cartridges.
- Ramshot Powders Load Data, Western Powders' second imprint. Often pairs with Accurate.
- Vihtavuori Reloading Guide, Finnish single-base powders. Industry-standard for 6mm and 6.5mm precision rifle.
- Western Powders Handloader's Guide, Combined Accurate + Ramshot + Norma manual in one PDF.
Bullet Manufacturer Data
When the recipe starts with a specific bullet, the bullet maker's published data is usually the cleanest fit.
- Barnes Bullets Reloading Data, TSX, TTSX, and LRX all-copper bullets.
- Berger Bullets Load Data, Hybrid, VLD, and target bullets. The reference for mid-range and long-range precision rifle.
- Hornady Reloading Data, The biggest free bullet-side data set. All Hornady bullets across nearly every common cartridge.
- Nosler Load Data, AccuBond, Partition, Ballistic Tip, RDF.
- Sierra Bullets Load Data, MatchKing, GameKing, Tipped MatchKing. Sierra's manual is the precision rifle touchstone.
- Speer Reloading Resources, Hot-Cor, Gold Dot, TNT.
- Swift Bullets Loading Data, A-Frame and Scirocco big-game bullets.
Specifications and Standards
When you need the engineering specs (chamber, headspace, max pressure, max OAL) instead of recipes.
- CIP Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers, European equivalent of SAAMI; covers cartridges that never went US.
- SAAMI Cartridge and Chamber Drawings, The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute drawings. Authoritative on US cartridge geometry.
Community References
Forums and wikis where serious handloaders compare notes. Always cross-check against published data; community recipes are starting points, not load data.
- 6mmBR.com, Precision-rifle deep dives. The 6mm BR / 6 Dasher / 6 BRA data is the most referenced.
- Accurate Shooter Forum, Long-range and benchrest community. Wind reading, load workups, gear reviews.
- Cast Boolits, The cast lead bullet community. The reference for anyone running plain-base or gas-checked cast bullets.
- Snipers Hide, Practical / tactical precision rifle. Frank Galli's house, mostly.
Ballistics Tools
External calculators that handle drop, drift, and atmospherics. BrassTracker's solver is for the bench and the truck; these are for desktop deep-dives.
- Applied Ballistics Library, The reference solver in modern long-range. Custom drag models for individual bullets.
- Hornady 4DOF Ballistic Calculator, Free 4DOF calculator with axial drag.
- JBM Ballistics, Free, no-account web calculator. Reliable G1 / G7 trajectory tables.
- Strelok Pro, Mobile solver, popular with hunters and PRS shooters. BrassTracker's DOPE export targets the Strelok JSON format.
Safety Reading
Required reading at least once. Bookmark, re-read every winter when the bench gets quiet.
- NRA Reloading Resources, National Rifle Association's published handloading guides.
- SAAMI Safety Guidelines, Industry-published safety practices and warnings.