Hodgdon Longshot in 45 ACP

[Tennessee Reloader]

I am loading some 45 ACP brass (Win NT) that has small pistol primer pockets. The powder I have been using is Longshot, which I use for my normal 40 and 45 loads. I am not getting consistent performance. Some times it appears the power is not completely burned or burned real dirty (looks like grains of sand left in the case) other times the case just has black carbon in it. Has any one had ignition or performance problems using Longshot and small pistol primers in 45 ACP Win NT cases?

 

[Walkalong]

Off the top of my head, I would think Longshot is too slow for .45, but have not tried it. It would certainly need to be loaded at or around max to burn well.

Welcome to THR

 

[rcmodel]

I agree that Longshot would be a poor choice for .45 ACP.

Hodgdon doesn't list it's use in .45 ACP with any bullet weight.

It would appear to perform best at about twice the pressure level used by the .45 ACP.

rc

 

[Tennessee Reloader]

Longshot is listed if you will check their website for 230 grain bullets, here is a copy of their data.

Bullet Weight (Gr.) Manufacturer Powder Bullet Diam. C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

230 GR. HDY FMJ FP Hodgdon Longshot .451" 1.200" 6.3 848 14,100 CUP 6.8 908 17,200 CUP

 

[rcmodel]

O.K. so they do list it.
I only checked their 2009 Reloading Manual, and they don't list it in that.

I still stand by what I said in post #3 though.
It is a poor choice for use in the .45 ACP using normal Lg primers.

It would be even worse using Sm primers in your NT cases, as your inconstant results and poor burning seem to indicate.

rc

 

[Tennessee Reloader]

Thanks RC. That is where my confusion comes in. In other places on this site people have said "reload the cases using standard data....no problems" but you will loose about 50FPS which is not a big deal. I have used the same load of longshot with large primers and it performed great. Had no problems what so ever. But with the small primers I am having a problem.... So if other have not had a problem I am trying to figure out why. Also I guess if other are getting good prerformance out of these cases I would like to know their load.

 

[Walkalong]

I can almost guarantee you all the folks having good success using small pistol primer .45 brass are using the faster powders most often used in .45. Powders more in the fast to medium fast range in burn rate.

Longshot is on the ragged end of useful in .45 & the change to small primers was obviously enough for it not to be able to burn well.

 

[dwave]

I can't say anything about the small primers as my brass is LP. However, I will say that I have had excellent results with Longshot in .45 ACP. Good accuracy at 15 yards. That is in a .45 Taurus 1911. HOWEVER, Metro city .45 likes Universal better. Different guns...Different likes.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Longshot was developed fairly recently for use in heavy field shotshells. It is a fairly hard powder to ignite and does perform better at the top end of the pressure curve. If you have no choice but to continue using Longshot in the .45 Auto I would suggest using a Magnum primer especially when using a small pistol primer. Remember, it was developed for use with a 209 primer. If you look at the writeup on the Hodgdon site they do recommend it's use in the 38 Super, .357 SIG and 40 S&W calibers which are all high pressure pistol rounds, not a low pressure round like the .45 Auto.

If you're looking for a good target 45 powder give W231 a try. If you want something with a little more punch give AA#5 a try since it was developed specifically for use in the .45 Auto.