Lil' Gun load data?
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Wil Terry
Member
Hodgdon Has All The Appropriate Loading Data In
Any applicable cartridge. They have a wonderful loading manual. They have most of it on their internet site. I do NOT trust the latter without the former as people can mess with it.
Any applicable cartridge. They have a wonderful loading manual. They have most of it on their internet site. I do NOT trust the latter without the former as people can mess with it.
ReloaderFred
Member
I've been using Lil'Gun in heavy bullet .357 Magnum loads for my carbine. It's working out far better than H-110 or Win. 296 for this application. Outstanding velocities and great accuracy. By heavy bullet loads, I'm talking about 175 to 185 grain cast bullets, with a gascheck. I'll start experimenting with it in .41 Magnum someday soon.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
GooseGestapo
Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2003
- Messages
- 6,153
Hodgdon's Lil'Gun is as good as it gets in the .357mag.
No experiece with the .41mag.
Hodgdon lists 18.0gr as Max with a 158gr bullet. I use 17.8 as thats what my powder measure throws.
It chrono's at 1,520fps from my 4" Ruger Sec.6
and 2,055fps from my Win. M94 (20"bbl).
Pressures are much lower than equivalent loads with H110/W296.
Cases just "fall out" of the up-turned cylinder of the Sec.6.
This is either with Rem. 158gr SoftPt or Hornady 158gr XTP-HP.
One of the writers for HandLoader frequently lists 19.0gr with a 158. I've tried this and velocity is actually lower and accuracy worse than the 17.8gr load.
Hodgdon Lil'Gun is superlative in the .22Hornet also. I use mostly 12.5gr with 45-40gr bullets, and 13.0gr under a 33gr V-max.
For some reason, going above the listed max loads with the Lil'Gun gives higher pressures, but lower velocities, worse SD, and poorer accuracy. Just why I've forgotten, but when the Lil'Gun first came out, Hodgdon gave a technical explanation to the writer. I've found it to be true, whatever the reason.....
But, this powder is much more "flexible" than the H110/W-296 that it betters for both accuracy and velocity with somewhat lower pressures, IMO.
No experiece with the .41mag.
Hodgdon lists 18.0gr as Max with a 158gr bullet. I use 17.8 as thats what my powder measure throws.
It chrono's at 1,520fps from my 4" Ruger Sec.6
and 2,055fps from my Win. M94 (20"bbl).
Pressures are much lower than equivalent loads with H110/W296.
Cases just "fall out" of the up-turned cylinder of the Sec.6.
This is either with Rem. 158gr SoftPt or Hornady 158gr XTP-HP.
One of the writers for HandLoader frequently lists 19.0gr with a 158. I've tried this and velocity is actually lower and accuracy worse than the 17.8gr load.
Hodgdon Lil'Gun is superlative in the .22Hornet also. I use mostly 12.5gr with 45-40gr bullets, and 13.0gr under a 33gr V-max.
For some reason, going above the listed max loads with the Lil'Gun gives higher pressures, but lower velocities, worse SD, and poorer accuracy. Just why I've forgotten, but when the Lil'Gun first came out, Hodgdon gave a technical explanation to the writer. I've found it to be true, whatever the reason.....
But, this powder is much more "flexible" than the H110/W-296 that it betters for both accuracy and velocity with somewhat lower pressures, IMO.
pinkymingeo
Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2007
- Messages
- 591
My experience with Lil'Gun is that it likes heavy bullets and tight crimps. It does not like reduced loads. You'll wind up with unburned powder all over the place. Stay close to published max data.
FLORIDA KEVIN
Member
funny you mentioned the hodgdon web site ! i tried it today and it asked for a password for access ! never had that before ! i was using a link that was a shotcut ! i will try gong to the home page !
herohog
Member
Same here... where do ya get a ID/PW?
zxcvbob
Member
Has anyone tried Scot 4100 powder?
I have 2 pounds of it. The ballisticians at Accurate say it is about 10% slower than #9, and I can use #9 maximum load data as a starting point and work up from there just a little. I haven't gotten around to it yet.
From the tiny bit of load data available -- for any cartridge -- 4100 seems to like heavy bullets. I'm not sure that 158 (.357 magnum) and 255 (.45LC Ruger) cast bullets are heavy enough for optimum performance.
I have 2 pounds of it. The ballisticians at Accurate say it is about 10% slower than #9, and I can use #9 maximum load data as a starting point and work up from there just a little. I haven't gotten around to it yet.
From the tiny bit of load data available -- for any cartridge -- 4100 seems to like heavy bullets. I'm not sure that 158 (.357 magnum) and 255 (.45LC Ruger) cast bullets are heavy enough for optimum performance.
erratic results
My personal jury is still out on L'IL GUN, as I get significant feedback suggesting less-than-stellar results in certain combinations.
That said, I get reports of great results, too, but not like the across-the-board results with W296 / H110 / AA9 / 2400 / N110.
My 'go-to' in 357 includes 2400 (rarely), H110 (mostly), and AA9.
My 44 Magnum 'go-to' choices include AA9, W296, and H110.
I generally choose AA9 and W296 for 'heavies'.
NOT knocking L'IL GUN, but hard to argue with every-environment-tested-by-time-too W296 and AA9.
My personal jury is still out on L'IL GUN, as I get significant feedback suggesting less-than-stellar results in certain combinations.
That said, I get reports of great results, too, but not like the across-the-board results with W296 / H110 / AA9 / 2400 / N110.
My 'go-to' in 357 includes 2400 (rarely), H110 (mostly), and AA9.
My 44 Magnum 'go-to' choices include AA9, W296, and H110.
I generally choose AA9 and W296 for 'heavies'.
NOT knocking L'IL GUN, but hard to argue with every-environment-tested-by-time-too W296 and AA9.
Al Norris
Member
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Data from the Hodgdon Site for the .41 Magnum:
210 GR. HDY XTP 210 Lil'Gun .410" 1.580" 20.5 1505 23,500 CUP 22.5 1626 29,900 CUP
220 GR. SPR JSP 220 Lil'Gun .410" 1.580" 18.0 1431 24,300 CUP 20.5 1563 31,200 CUP
250 GR. WFNGC 250 Lil'Gun .410" 1.540" 17.2 1399 30,300 CUP 18.3 1474 36,700 CUP
255 GR. WFNGC 255 Lil'Gun .410" 1.660" 18.8 1424 26,600 CUP 20.0 1500 32,800 CUP
265 GR. WLNGC 265 Lil'Gun .410" 1.710" 20.0 1479 28,700 CUP 21.3 1558 35,400 CUP
As for the .357 Magnum, as said above I also find Lil'Gun works very well with heavy bullets in the .357 Magnum. (170-200gr) H110/W296 still works better with 158gr bullets and lighter IMO. With heavy bullets you get higher velocities with lower pressures without sacrificing accuracy.
Here is the data from the Hodgdon Site for .357 Magnum and Lil'Gun:
158 GR. HDY XTP 158 Lil'Gun .357" 1.580" 16.0 1504 24,100 CUP 18.0 1577 25,800 CUP
170 GR. SIE JHC 170 Lil'Gun .357" 1.580" 15.0 1422 25,100 CUP 17.0 1576 35,500 CUP
180 GR. NOS PART 180 Lil'Gun .357" 1.575" 13.0 1279 27,500 CUP 15.0 1422 34,500 CUP
210 GR. HDY XTP 210 Lil'Gun .410" 1.580" 20.5 1505 23,500 CUP 22.5 1626 29,900 CUP
220 GR. SPR JSP 220 Lil'Gun .410" 1.580" 18.0 1431 24,300 CUP 20.5 1563 31,200 CUP
250 GR. WFNGC 250 Lil'Gun .410" 1.540" 17.2 1399 30,300 CUP 18.3 1474 36,700 CUP
255 GR. WFNGC 255 Lil'Gun .410" 1.660" 18.8 1424 26,600 CUP 20.0 1500 32,800 CUP
265 GR. WLNGC 265 Lil'Gun .410" 1.710" 20.0 1479 28,700 CUP 21.3 1558 35,400 CUP
As for the .357 Magnum, as said above I also find Lil'Gun works very well with heavy bullets in the .357 Magnum. (170-200gr) H110/W296 still works better with 158gr bullets and lighter IMO. With heavy bullets you get higher velocities with lower pressures without sacrificing accuracy.
Here is the data from the Hodgdon Site for .357 Magnum and Lil'Gun:
158 GR. HDY XTP 158 Lil'Gun .357" 1.580" 16.0 1504 24,100 CUP 18.0 1577 25,800 CUP
170 GR. SIE JHC 170 Lil'Gun .357" 1.580" 15.0 1422 25,100 CUP 17.0 1576 35,500 CUP
180 GR. NOS PART 180 Lil'Gun .357" 1.575" 13.0 1279 27,500 CUP 15.0 1422 34,500 CUP
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