Pet Loads the Complete Volume Mass Market Paperback – July 1, 2008

This is the best book that I have found. The content is wonderful. Came in good time and new condition.

Ken Waters' collection of articles written over the years for Handloader Magazine is a treasure trove of reloading information on many, many firearm calibers. Waters' research covers the smallest of calibers to some of the largest. he covers a wide variety of handgun loads and rifle loads. He lists compatible propellants (powder), primers and bullets for each caliber he covers and indicates the potentially most accurate loads . He gives a little bit of the development history and background of each caliber he researched, I believe Pet Loads to be the most comprehensive collection of information related to the reloading of ammunition that can be found. In the years since Waters did his research, many new propellants and bullets have been developed and are not included in the data provided but that it no way detracts from the information included in this classic work. I highly recommend this book to anybody that has moved on from the basic, beginning stages of reloading and wants more advanced knowledge and information.

If you want more than the basic, internet load tables, this is the definitive source. These are a compilation of articles written for HANDLOADER, by Ken Waters.Waters delved into the science and background of each load covered, as well as in-depth safety info regarding what to avoid. NOT an easy read, and lacks recently developed calibres such as the 6.5 Creedmore, 50 BMG, and .338 Lapua. Some discontinued propellants are mentioned, however, these can be cross referenced. Safety is emphasised in each article.If you just want to ‘throw loads’ - look up tables on the net. If you want to expand your knowledge of handloading, buy this book!

At first I figured with all the load data on the internet who needs loading manuals. I was wrong. Waters gives a great history of each cartridge, great tips on bullet molds, powder to use, application of each bullet weight. Now I have or have access to most old Handloader magazines with his Pet Loads in them, so had already had most of his Pet Loads, however the convenience of all of them in 1 book was too great to pass up. Especially useful to me is the data for less popular cartridges that I like to shoot. He didnt cover all of them...I wish 33WCF was covered better, as well as 45-75. But at least there is some limited data there for these oddballs,unlike all other loading manuals, and a LOT of data here for other obsolete cartridges. And data for more modern cartridges too. Makes a great bedside reader too. One warning...reading up on cartridges you initially had no interest in will make you want to go purchase a gun in that caliber! Ken Waters writes in a nice way. By the time you read four or five articles, you feel like he is a good friend. All in all I would not be without this book. If guns are simply tools and you reload just so they can go bang, you wont really need this book. But if guns are art, history, mechanical marvels, and an extension of you and your way of life and you want to tweak them to their ultimate potential, I highly recomend this book.

GREAT resource!! Highly recommend.

Great Book. Tons of historical info and loads along with current information in the updates. Data comes from the best in the business, those that lived through the development and evolution of the information they provide.Provides load information and history for those of us that have firearms handed down from our fathers and grandfathers, all still as usefull and effective as they were in your fathers or grandfathers day.Have been loading since the 60's and have found only one caliber, using lead bullets, that has limited load data. Every other caliber I have reviewed, and there have been better than 40, have had all of the infor I needed and more.Excellent content, presented clearly, plenty of background / experience info, well stated usability and limitations info. Not quite good enough to be used as your only reloading reference, but very close.

Ken Waters best Pet Loads for all calibers, easy to find your own pet loads following his exhaustive search for the best outcome safety.

Title says it all. If you are interested in the thought processes along with some history and general development of reloading this is a good source but if you are looking for modern loads and techniques this is not for you. I bought it because it was noted as a must have for the reloaders library on several sites and have found it to be of little practical value. The data is old and, worse, the reprinting is poor with many of the pages, especially pictures, smudged.