Book Review: The Practical Guide to Reloading

by
posted on January 15, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
bs_2015_fs.jpg

The Challenge
There are plenty of books, articles, web posts and nasty rumors regarding the "best" reloading methods. Much of that information has simply been rehashed again and again, with little actual scientific method being applied to it. How does the new or even experienced handloader tell good advice from birdcage lining?

The Author
Nathan Foster is a New Zealander who may be the most data-driven hunter and shooter on the planet. He is a prolific author and blogger whose research on terminal ballistics is staggering. Foster has taken over 7,500 head of game animals in the steep New Zealand landscape and painstakingly records the results of every shot and subsequent necropsy. Apart from his exhaustive wound research, Nathan performs accurizing and load development services for customer rifles—a task that has given him a tremendous knowledge base of which handloading methods work, and which ones don't.

The Book
"The Practical Guide to Reloading" is the fourth book in Foster's Long Range Hunting Series—all of which are worth adding to your collection. Available in a 328-page paperback or as an eBook, I consider this one of the best books on the market for learning how to assemble extremely consistent and accurate handloads with minimal effort. How-to books can be very dry and painful to read—but this one flows well and is easy to read; Foster's writing style is such that you feel like he's explaining it to you standing at your bench rather than in some professorial tone. The book features valuable information for the beginner as well as the experienced loader; I've been handloading for 20+ years and I learned plenty.

The Price
The paperback ($34.95) and the eBook ($29.95) are both available from Foster's site.

The books don't ship from New Zealand so you won't wait more than a week for them to land in your mailbox.

The Call
This is a great book on handloading and I don't think you'll be disappointed if you add it to your library. The money you'll save in wasted powder, primers, and projectiles will pay for this tome in no time.

Latest

LEDE LCO Pro F2
LEDE LCO Pro F2

New for 2026: Leupold LCO Pro F2 Red-Dot

Leupold & Stevens, Inc. has launched its LCO Pro F2 red-dot sight, combining optical clarity, reliability and purpose-built features in a full-sized red dot.

Member's Best 2026

I am heartened by this year’s entries. In addition to fabulous photographs, almost all of you delivered exceptional narratives of your hunts. We used your very words wherever possible because it’s an honor to see you all rise to such an occasion as sharing a special moment with your fellow hunters. You now know a little bit about what drives an outdoor writer. —J. Scott Olmsted, Editor in Chief

New for 2026: Vortex Crossfire II

Available with either a red or green dot, the Vortex Crossfire II Red Dot lineup brings added function to the Crossfire series.

USFWS Proposes New Grizzly Bear Management Rule

On July 17 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a proposed rulemaking change on the Federal Register that, if approved, would allow western states to better manage their grizzly bear population. Despite their burgeoning population the big bruins remain on the “endangered” list under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a fact that has paralyzed regional conservation efforts, impacted other wildlife populations and dramatically increased human/bear conflicts.

Gear Roundup: Summer Shooting Fun

Looking to up your marksmanship skills this summer, or just plink around for fun? Check out this roundup of gear tailor-made for summer shooting fun.

New for 2026: ALPS Mountaineering Micro Air Pump

ALPS Mountaineering has released its Micro Air portable air pump. Compact and convenient, this pump packs a punch of inflation and is small enough to be hooked to a keychain without sticking out. This air pump delivers plenty of power without worrying about a battery going dead because it is connected to an external power bank.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.