Best hunting books according to redditors
We found 153 Reddit comments discussing the best hunting books. We ranked the 41 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 153 Reddit comments discussing the best hunting books. We ranked the 41 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Yeah, I have a CCW and I'm an attorney and I'm licensed in Oregon. I'm absolutely floored that you're an attorney without understanding even the basics of self defense law.
The required non-aggressor element of self defense isn't even remotely related to the concept of actual-cause. Criminal law has no concept of "well, he did nothing wrong, wasn't the aggressor, but since he initiated the contact, but not conflict, he's responsible."
That's such an absurd thing to argue. Not one single jurisdiction has that rule.
Suggested holiday reading
The first thing you're going to need is a good reference on the reloading process in general. The ABCs of Reloading is a very nice one, and it'll walk you through the basic steps of reloading.
You're then going to need your equipment. The Lee Challenger Kit comes with 90% of the equipment you'll need. Add some dies, a brass length gauge to complement the cutter included in the challenger kit, some calipers to measure... everything and lastly a bullet puller for the inevitable mistakes.
That should do it for equipment. You'll also need a load data book to tell you which combination of bullet and powder you need. The one by Hornady has a specific section about 7.62x54r.
Before you pick out your loads you'll want to slug your barrel so you know how wide of a bullet to use. Depending on your model and the level of wear in the bore, it should slug somewhere around .310 for Russian/soviet stuff and around .308 for old Finns. Make sure you know what that magic number is! a .308 in a .310 or larger bore will result in terrible accuracy. The opposite will probably result in a catastrophic kaboom.
Do I still have you? Good! Lastly you'll need bullets, brass, powder and primers.
Brass comes first. you can not re-use the milsurp brass available on the market the cases are made of steel instead of brass and aren't compatible with a reloading press. Also, they're primed with berdan primers, which, for all intents and purposes, can not be removed. I suggest getting a few boxes of Privi-Partisan commercial ammo and shooting it, then saving the cases. You can buy just brass casings, but they're very difficult to find.
Bullets:
You're probably going to want to shoot full metal jacket bullets. Just use the ones listed in your load manual with the proper diameter and you should be fine.
Powder:
I use H4895 personally. Again, look in your loading manual and do not exceed the amounts listed there. Powders are not interchangeable.
Primers:
I use CCI's large rifle primers. I can't remember if primers are specified in the loading manual or not but if you use the right kind and the right power level (magnum vs non-magnum) you should be fine.
That about covers equipment. If you want a rundown of the basic procedure I can write that up later today.
Quality of practice is more important than quantity. If you're just making holes and noise for 150 rounds, then that's all you're going to get. Practicing specific drills against a shot timer, augmented with a structured dryfire routine, and logging your progress, will show dividends fast.
https://www.amazon.com/Dry-Fire-Training-Practical-Pistol-Shooter/dp/1497319633/
I wrote a book specifically for people in your situation. Here it is on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Started-Firearms-United-States/dp/1475097301
If you don't want to spend $5 hit me up in a pm and I will send you a PDF version for free. And let me know if you have any questions - I used to live in Westchester County myself.
I would start with the Lyman 49th Edition and The ABCs of Reloading manuals. They give you a detailed break down of the reloading process and talk about different types of equipment. After you've read the manuals I recommend really thinking about if you are a good fit for reloading. While reloading can be a very rewarding hobby, it is a very serious hobby. You can end up severely hurt or even killed if you make a mistake. Being able to concentrate for long periods and be very exacting in the details are important. Not trying to scare you off, just reminding you that bullets are little explosions going off in your hands/near your face. Mistakes can turn a little explosion into a big one.
I also made a post about equipment here, but it isn't a replacement for a good manual.
Why are you interested in reloading? Looking to save money? Increase accuracy? Just because it looks interesting? Either way I recommend you read this post on the economics of reloading.
What are you looking to reload? Rifle? Pistol? Shotgun? What are your time, space, and budget constraints? Knowing this we can help you pick equipment to fit your needs. Overall the basics are:
Manual
Scale
Calipers
Press
Dies(Sizing/Decap, Expanding, Seating)
Shell Plate
and probably a chamfer/deburr tool
There are different levels of each of these so knowing what your requirements are will help determine which level you should be looking at.
This is my first reloading press, and it’s setup for 9mm.
Here’s what I bought:
And this is what I’m loading:
9mm Luger
I fired my first 25 round last Saturday. They were soft recoiling, and from my novice reloader’s perspective, indistinguishable from 115 Grain Federal Champion I was comparing them to. I didn’t notice any smoke, and I had zero issues with my M&P9mm FS. Right after I got home from the range I loaded 300 more.
All in all, I love the press and haven’t had any major issues with any of the equipment I purchased. The DVD that came with the press was excellent and made setup simple. The only issues I had came from using the large primer tube with small primers (inconsistent priming), using the rifle metering insert (gave me inconsistent powder throws), and static giving me sticky powder (grounding the press seems to have fixed that).
Taking it slow, looking at every step, and confirming that I am moving in the right direction has made this pretty easy and so far successful.
Edit: Here's my cost breakdown.
Edit2: The reason I felt comfortable going this route is I did my homework, and I check my powder, and over all length constantly (every time for my first 100 cartridges or so, and now about every 10th round). Going the progressive route first take tons of concentration, and you need to be in a zero distraction environment. You need to triple check everything, makes some rounds, and then check everything again. You have to be aware that if you mess up, you will hurt yourself and destroy expensive equipment.
I started /r/Reloading over a year ago to learn about reloading. I've read tons online, watched many video on the subject, and read a couple of books. Before you start reloading, make sure you know exactly what you are doing and make sure you are doing every step correctly.
Grab yourself a copy of the ABC's of Reloading (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440213968/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and a reloading manual. I like my Lyman 50th (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HH08L1A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Looking at two pages in Lyman shows that .308 needs large rifle primers while .223 needs small rifle primers.
I really can't recommend the ABCs book enough. The author lost his hands in an accident, so he's committed to safety, haha. Reading through that will, at the very least, let you know what you don't know.
/r/reloading is going to be your go to source for specific questions. Like you I've wanted to get into reloading, and before I make any purchases I will finish reading this:
http://amzn.com/1440213968
Buy the ABCs of Reloading, you won't be sorry.
http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395151635&sr=8-1&keywords=abcs+of+reloading
> I mean I'm in a Castle Doctrine state so someone on your property fucking up your shit is legal to shoot.
That's not any existing US Castle Doctrine I'm aware of. We have two, one is just a "no duty to retreat from your dwelling" which I refer to as the weak form, and a strong one which allows you to assume a home invader is a lethal threat without first proving it, since there's no safe way to do that.
Separate from that, Texas is the only state to have not (yet) judicially or otherwise nullified a right to use lethal force in defense of property. As I recall, if someone is, say, carrying away your stereo system, you can use lethal force after they ignore a verbal warning.
Be warned, you need to know the case law as well as statutory law, many "good" self-defense laws have been nullified by judges, like my state's strong Castle Doctrine, and Oklahoma's on defense of property. The best resource I know for that is Self Defense Laws of All 50 States, but it's getting pretty stale now 4 years after publication.
As for riots, they have an old saying about the Texas Ranger Division, "One riot, one Ranger".
/am I missing a step
Yes. You are missing the step of buying the ABC's of reloading and reading it twice.
Making wild guesses and fumbling your way through the reloading process is a good way to ruin your gun and important body parts.
Buy these books and do the stuff inside of them. These are the only sources you will need, and if you put the time and effort in you will become a good shooter.
Practical Pistol Reloaded
Dry Fire Reloaded
Skills and Drills Reloaded
Breakthrough Marksmanship
It would be best to read them in that order. They are all short and to the point.
You could also become a member at Practical Shooting Training Group, it is about $25/month and up, but there is great information there as well.
The ABCs of reloading is a good place to start, or you can buy a load book and it will usually cover the basics of reloading. I believe all the reloading books run about $20-30
Here is an link to a copy of the ABCs of reloading on amazon, it is $16.58
http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372064847&sr=8-1&keywords=ABCs+of+reloading
Another good read is The ABC's of Reloading
https://www.amazon.com/Dry-Fire-Training-Practical-Pistol-Shooter/dp/1497319633
I learned everything via youtube and reading The ABC's of Reloading.
https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968
Iraqveteran8888 had some good videos on reloading that helped me out a lot. https://www.youtube.com/user/Iraqveteran8888
A good way to increase your knowledge base is reading. Here are some books I have read and would recommend.
A. Navy Seal Shooting by Chris Sajnog.
Probably the best book to learn about the fundamentals. Chris covers the mental mastery of shooting better than any other book I am aware of.
B. In The Gravest Extreme by Massad Ayoob.
If you own guns for self defense I would recommend this book. While this was written in the 1980's it is still relevant today. It is the definitive work on deadly use of force law in the United States.
C. Combat Shooting (Or any other book) by Massad Ayoob
Ayoob has established himself as perhaps the authority on defensive handgun use through his extensive use of case studies.
D. The Book of Two Guns by Tiger Mckee.
This was written primarily revolving around the AR-15 and 1911. However, It's principles are applicable to any fighting rifle or handgun.
This. And god forbid that it’s someone from a different race or economic class and the media gets a hold of it.
Self Defense
Dry fire practice is great! Check out Dry Fire: Reloaded by Ben Stoeger. It has lots of great dry fire drills to gain proficiency.
Now practice. https://www.amazon.com/Dry-Fire-Training-Practical-Pistol-Shooter-ebook/dp/B00QLK3A6Y/
> I'm curious to know if they are worth the money.
They work. As does Refinement and Repetition, the Ben Stoeger book, the SIRT pistol, and many other products.
The critical part isn't the fancy book/tool/gizmo that gets you do to the regular practice of 15-minutes per day, 5-6 days per week. The critical part is doing the 15-minutes-per-day of dry practice.
Two-handed frontal targets. Draw and fire. Turn, draw and fire. Step and fire. Left-hand only. Seated (including seatbelt) draw. Etc. Etc. 15-minutes per day.
Give this book a read: http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Pistol-Shot-Albert-League/dp/1610045718
I've heard .40s are snappy but maybe it's your grip not the gun?
As for more comfortable guns. My G19 is not the most comfortable gun but I'm most accurate with it of my handguns. I have a slim Walther PPS M2 and that feels great in the hand, I'm just learning how to shoot tiny guns well. I've always felt the M&P9c is a super comfortable gun to hold.
Good luck in your quest for the perfect carry gun.
If we are diving into history...why forget Fairbairn
Start with a reloading manual.
Something like this
I hate to say it, but Wikipedia is a decent source for information on calibers. For example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62_mm_caliber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62x39mm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-06_Springfield
A good book or two would be a wise purchase however:
http://www.amazon.com/Cartridges-World-Complete-Illustrated-Reference/dp/0896899365/ref=pd_sim_b_1
Only round that book is likely missing is the 300AAC Blackout, a new .30 round designed to be fired from a 5.56mm AR with only a change in the barrel.
EDIT: Supposedly the 12th edition of Cartridges of the World isn't as good as the 11th:
http://www.amazon.com/Cartridges-World-11th-Frank-Barnes/dp/0896892972/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324274889&sr=1-2
Archives for the links in comments:
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The ABCs of Reloading is great. I happen to like the Lee manual and use it in conjunction with manufacturer websites when I am developing loads.
Combat Shooting with Massad Ayoob.
Go fast
But seriously, check out Practical Pistol Reloaded and Dryfire Reloaded.
This is a good place to start.
Take a look at Rifle Marksmanship with the M1 Rifle.
Also if you can find a copy of Practical Marksmanship it's worth its weight in gold. I was able to get it through inter-library loan.
Well then heres a great place to start on your own - ABC's of Reloading
You need to read some books on the subject. This one is my favorite. I advise you read it before attempting to load your first round.
The lee anniversary kit is a good low-cost single stage kit. You may be able to find them on sale for $100 if you are patient. You will also need a set of ~$30 dies for any caliber you wish to load.
Also check out /r/reloading once you get started. We like to help keep new reloaders safe.
Upgrades never hurt. I just have seen so many people get equipment tunnel vision so I harp on it. Sounds like you have your priorties straight. If you have extra cash buy this
https://www.amazon.com/Dry-Fire-Training-Practical-Pistol-Shooter/dp/1497319633/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524539065&sr=8-2&keywords=ben+stoeger+dry+fire
It's cheap, and if you stick with it you will improve.
http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332711862&sr=8-1
Go read To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth. It'll open your eyes.
Dry Fire Reloaded will give you a good handle on dry fire.
First,
Read this book cover to cover:
https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968
Then read it again.
Once you have done that, you should understand the basics of working up loads and what to look for in much more detail than you will get in a post from here.
Thanks for sharing. I made this video, as many people that shoot USPSA/IPSC use dry fire training. Typically you just stick something like a zip tie between the slide and bore keeping it out of battery. This was something I stumbled across this after hearing that Bob Vogel, arguably the best Glock shooter, recommended it.
There were not any videos other than from the manufacture about it. All were from very far away and extremely low resolution.
This actually gives you approximately the same feedback as the actual trigger will when fired live. Combined with training regimes that you can find online or outlined in books like Stoeger's you can step your game up without spending as much time and money on the range. https://www.amazon.com/DryFire-Reloaded-Ben-Stoeger/dp/1542880246/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493316220&sr=8-1
$100 is definitely steep for casual shooters, but I'd recommend it for competition guys. $100 of ammo will be burned up in less than a month of training or matches for me.
This book is good for getting all the info you'll need on how to not kill yourself and figure out what you'll need. No loading data really, get a lyman's manual for that. This is more of a beginner's guide. http://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418410032&sr=8-1&keywords=the+abc%27s+of+reloading&pebp=1418410025785
The ones I always suggest are Way of the Warrior, 400 Things Cops Know and then pick up a book on shooting techniques. I recommend Combat Shooting by Massad Ayoob. Another one is Verbal Judo, though I haven't read it yet.
/u/FlynnRetriever I'm going to tag you too so you definitely see this because I looked up links and everything for you fam.
you'll need a powder measure, scale, dies, shell holder, some callipers, a bullet puller, and consumables of course. Not necessary but reloading manuals and the The ABCs of reloading Personally I'd get the Lee 50th Anniversary Kit that comes with most everything you need, and upgrade as you see fit.
[This] (https://www.amazon.com/Law-Self-Defense-Indispensable-Citizen/dp/0988867702) is probably the best summary you can get on how it works in the US.
I'm only a C-class scrub, so take that with a grain of salt. Many of the things I'm pointing out are things I'm trying to improve on myself.
Overall, good stuff. The stages look fun, you've got lots of video for your own analysis, and you're clearly analyzing yourself and looking for feedback.
If you want to continue with USPSA (and you should!) I highly recommend Ben Stoeger's Practical Pistol Reloaded. It is the best book on pistol shooting fundamentals and USPSA shooting out there.
Well, for your sake, I really hope you are never in the situation where you have to test that, because you are likely to be in some trouble.
I would strongly recommend you read this.
https://www.amazon.com/Law-Self-Defense-Indispensable-Citizen/dp/0988867702
Now, you might be able to argue that you believe that anyone who breaks into your house is there to harm you. But that is where the reasonableness part comes in.
If an 8 year old breaks into your house, there is no way any reasonable person would believe that you were in physical danger.
Of course, if by this
>anyone I deem a threat that unlawfully entered my house.
you are simply taking a short cut to the Reasonableness and Proportionality aspects, that's fine. But if that is the case, why are you arguing?
I'll shill a bit for a fellow Redditor and suggest Nick Leghorn's book "Getting Started with Firearms in the United States". I've been shooting for a little over 10 years now I have a copy that I loan to people who are interested in getting into shooting/guns. It's really a great primer on the subject.
Buy Mr. Hookhands Book ABC's of Reloading. Best book out there for anyone who reloads. Your press will come with the 9th or 10th Hornady book too.
I was just checking into this subreddit to see if anything had ever been posted about whether folks here do IPDA/IPSC, and I find that something was just posted 18 hours ago. That's great, but I'm really puzzled why you posted two completely unrelated topics in the same post? And with a totally non-descriptive title?
I checked out my local IDPA meet's website and they basically said that before you compete you should (1) come and observe, and (2) have attended a training at something like Front Sight Academy.
A 2-day course at Front Sight is $1,000, so there is no way I am doing that, sorry. I'm sure the course is great, but there is nothing they can teach me that is worth $500/day. Anyone know some reputable yet cheaper alternatives?
I am currently waiting for this book to arrive in the mail. Several types of competition interest me in the long run...3-gun, IDPA/IPSC, bullseye, silhouette. Even some long-range rifle competitions (although I'm really a newbie to that type of shooting). But the first type of competition I'd like to get into, say in the next year or two, is definitely defensive pistol (IDPA/IPSC).
I've read a few marksmanship books, I feel that I am progressing to the point that in the near future I will have sufficient basic marksmanship skills to be ready to move from indoor pistol ranges, and shooting at non-moving paper targets from a non-moving position, to shooting at moving targets and/or shooting on the move. That said, I've only been shooting my own gun for a little over a year, so I'm pretty new to all of this. In his book The Perfect Pistol Shot , Albert H. League III states that the goal of a shooter who has the fundamentals of marksmanship down should be
I do all my shooting within 20 yards...usually within 10. I can't say that I always get three shots in one ragged hole at 7 yards, but when I really focus, I can get pretty darn close to that. But that's with about 10 seconds between shots, so even if that accuracy were good enough for IPSC/IDPA (which it probably isn't...), the speed would have to improve by an unbelievable amount.
Would be interested to hear the feedback of anyone who has competed.
Do yourself a favor and borrow/buy a copy of this book.
Or, if you feel you're enough up to speed to start, take a visit to this site and do some shopping. See what you're willing to spend or do without.
As a starter, this setup/kit is a popular and common setup for what you're describing. Except for the 12ga stuff - that'd take a shotshell press and unless you do a LOT of that, may not be worth the expense/hassle. Up to you.
As for your question about die-setting: dunno but nothing about a "pressroom", so can't say for sure - but it could be.
edit: added 3rd link
Ordinarily I wouldn't recommend a progressive as a first kit, since there's quite a bit of reloading that I prefer to do on a single stage: Fine-tuning rifle loads for accuracy being one of them. Starting out on a single stage gives you the opportunity to see in detail what each die is actually doing and how to adjust them. But I'm sure you can still learn on a LnL AP. I use a Dillon, but in the end it's the same general idea.
This is what I always recommend to people who start out reloading:
If you take the metallic reloading class, a lot of that stuff will be covered. But if you learn how to reload in the benchrest environment and then start reloading for some kind of autoloading rifle like an AR15, G3, M1A/M14, M1 etc then you are playing with fire unless you approach it from a different angle.
Sure!
I use this android app and do a couple of the drills that come with it.
I focused mostly on the IDPA String drill (draw, 2 to the body, 1 to the head), then a drill where you take one shot, do a magazine change, then a second shot.
I then moved the targets into a "mini" classifier that is sort of like CM 13-01 Disaster Factor (although with smaller top targets instead of no shoots) and then practiced doing that classifier - including the turn, draw, and shoot.
I also bought Dryfire Reloaded from Amazon and have started reading through
NO!
The 45 headspaces on the case mouth, so it hardly needs any crimping, just a bit to roll back the expanding that was done for the bullet.
These rounds no longer have a case mouth, so they will fall right through into the chamber. Which means that some of the case can get pinched in the throat, which may lead to overpressure.
Before doing anything else, get a good book on reloading, for example, this: http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968 - and read it before proceeding any further.
As some one already suggest The Art of the Rifle, I will suggest another Jeff Cooper book, To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth.
Also Shooting To Live by W. E. Fairbairn and E. A. Sykes is also a interesting read.
EDIT: Also if you are interested in reloading, start with The ABCs of Reloading.
And dry fire. This book has a lot of great drills and general pistol shooting advice.
I have that exact kit. I would recommend buying the stuff separately, though. The scale is finicky at best. I struggled with it for a year and finally replaced it in December. Head over to /r/reloading and read the FAQ. There's a ton of good information.
The ABCs of Reloading is regarded as THE beginner's guide. You'll also need a reloading manual. I'd recommend Lyman's 49th as a starter.
For dies, I'd get the Lee Ultimate Die set for 308. It'll come with everything you'll need to reload for semi auto and bolt guns. The Lee Factory Crimp die and Collet Neck Sizing die are second to only $150+ die sets.
If you'd like me to build you a reloading setup with links, let me know.
A little reading is also recommended. Check this out. Very good read and recommended quite a bit, especially for those who think they will be going into competition shooting.
Just did my first build with a Palmetto State Armory Rifle kit and an Aero Percision lower from local gunshop. I bought a bunch of tools since I had no idea what I was doing and I like tools, but only needed a couple things.
Only thing I forgot to get that would of been a huge help is a roll pin starter set. Took me about 4-5 hours to put together. The book was awesome, highly recommend. It's not hard just requires patience.
9 mm isn't really cost effective to reload, but it is a lot more forgiving than 7.62x54r to learn on and you can basically get started reloading for 9mm with just a $30 hand press, a set of dies, and some basic components. Maybe start simple and then move on to rifle cartridges as skills and budget grow? I learned on .44 mag and branched out from there. I think straight wall revolver cartridges are the ideal "beginner" cartridge, but you already own a 9mm so that's probably the next best thing.
Highly recommend reading this book if nothing else. It'll help you figure out what you need to get started and covers most of the basic essentials.
The ABCs of Reloading is the book I recommend for people who are new to reloading. No load data, but a lot of info on many different aspects of the process.
I believe this book actually covers the topic "defense of a third person" thoroughly. I know, like swalsh411 mentioned below. It can be risky. http://www.amazon.com/Self-Defense-Laws-States-Edition/dp/0984505873
I wouldn't say that it is something to be taken lightly (you are making cartridges, after all, and if you make a mistake you could lose a body part or worse), but it's not rocket science, and I would argue that if you take it slowly, educate yourself, don't get distracted while reloading, and don't push the boundaries of the stated load data it is fairly safe, much like shooting and driving a car are fairly safe if you are smart about them.
As for reloading manuals... I am the wrong person to ask. I've done some shotgun reloading in my apartment and will be buying a turret press to load .357 Magnum and .38 Special rounds shortly. I've been reading the ABCs of Reloading and Reloading for Handgunners in preparation for my coming foray into handgun reloading, and they have been helpful. I'll also be getting manuals from the major powder manufacturers before I begin, as well as probably the Lyman and/or Hornady manuals as well. I'm sure others will chime in with their favorite books, and if not, check out /r/reloading.
I'll probably be getting a Lee Turret Press to start. Given that I already have a good scale for shotshell reloading (which I can do for $3/box, loading for low cost), which saves me $70, I figure I can get into handgun reloading for another $200 or less, plus the cost of consumables, and load light .357s for a ~$6-7 per 50 with plated bullets, vs ~$20 a box for commercially loaded .357 ammo and $14 or so for cheap commercially made .38 Special ammo.
THIS and THIS
Yep, depending on how hot you load them and the quality of the brass. Check for signs of case fatigue like cracking, splitting, worn out primer pockets, etc.
I'd recommend the book The ABC's of Reloading, there is a ton of information on how to find signs of failing brass with photos of each type of warning sign:
http://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419913730&sr=8-1&keywords=abcs+of+reloading
This will answer all of your questions:
The FAQ on /r/reloading has good info. I'd also get The ABCs of Reloading and read it through before buying any equipment.
I just got started a few weeks ago loading for .38 Special and it's a surprising amount of fun. I'm already planning to expand to include 9mm and .223.
Practical Marksmanship: The Technique of Field Firing by M. M. Johnson suggests this. It also goes over some on pistol firing, field maintenance, external ballistics and adjusting by strike (Kentucky windage) and using adjustable sights. very useful.
Depends on where you live: http://www.amazon.com/Self-Defense-Laws-States-Edition/dp/0984505873
To help you research it I would start with
Gun Laws of America for federal
https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B00ECDZEEI&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_2SoOAbM1E3A2G
Gun Laws By State 2018 Edition: Reciprocity And Gun Laws Quick Reference Guide (Volume 7
https://www.amazon.com/Gun-Laws-State-2018-Reciprocity/dp/1946208760/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Might be useful:
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Violence-1-Getting-shot-ebook/dp/B00O1DGQZU
[The ABCs of Reloading is currently on sale for $2 at the Amazon Kindle store.] (http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-ebook/dp/B004GUSBP6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1334835938&sr=1-1)
This one. Not a reloading manual in the sense of being a bunch of load data, but is an entire book just about the process. It's fairly cheap on Amazon as well.
My source is
The Law of Self Defense By Andrew F. Branca (Attorney at Law)
(This is gonna take a while for me to type...)
>Burden of Production
>You do not have an automatic right to tell the jury you acted in self defense. Yes, you read that correctly
>If you want to say to the jurors "it was self defense" then there must be some evidence that you were defending yourself. And the job to get that evidence, called the burden of production, falls squarely on you. If you fail to meet this burden to the jury will here about a body, a gun in your hand and not one word about self defense.
So, my point with the above is that there can be cases where important information is omitted. I am not a lawyer, I just recalled this and inferred, perhaps incorrectly. I am not lawyer, just saying what I think. Which is the point.
I just wanted you to know I wasn't making crap up.
A link to the book, so you know what I am talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Law-Self-Defense-Indispensable/dp/0988867702
I'd say it's a perfectly serviceable set if you're just getting into the handloading game. What it comes down to is what you're hoping to achieve by handloading, and buying equipment that supports that need.
Personal opinion time: I'd steer clear of using the factory crimp die. If you have your dies set up properly, you'll never need to use it. It can be used to coerce out of spec handloads back into shape if you've messed them up, but don't expect to see any repeatable results in accuracy after using it.
The Hornady and Sierra reloading handbooks are the two I go to most often, with the Lyman following close behind. I would highly recommend you get a copy of the The ABCs of Reloading by C. Rodney James and read that cover to cover just to see if there's any tidbits of info that you might not already know. It's a worthwhile read.
EDIT: I was corrected by /u/flange2016 on how the Lee FCD works on rifles. Please see his reply to me below.
sex toys
Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:
Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394210797&sr=8-1&keywords=ABC%27s+of+Reloading
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