ohioshooter
Member
Anyone ever use it in pistol reloading?
Lil gun powder
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buck460XVR
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I've used it for .357mag, .44mag and .460mag. I prefer it for the .460 with hunting ammo and with 170/180s in the .357.
camoman33935
Member
I use it for my .357 Mag with real good results. I like it alot especially with 180gr Remington SJHP's and 158gr Hornady XTP's...
454PB
Member
Lil'Gun works great in everything from .357 to .454 Casull in my experience. Close to H-110 in burn rate, but without the load density problems.
dubbleA
Member
Not exactly a true handgun round today but I use it in the 221 REm Fireball.
ReloaderFred
Member
It's an excellent powder for heavy bullet loads in .357 Magnum, and other magnum calibers. It delivers great velocity and less pressure. I've also found the accuracy with this powder to be very good.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
Bigdog57
Member
I have come to really like Lil Gun for my .357 Magnum handgun loads, as well as my .22 Hornet rifle loads. It uses more grains per load than many other powders, so you won't be 'double charging'! Felt recoil is lower in my wood-gripped Ruger Security Six than factory Remington loads of the same bullet weight, and I still clock 1500 FPS on the chrony. Load data shows significantly lower pressure than other powders for the same velocities. Makes the .357 Magnum a joy to shoot.
Tequila Mockingbird
Member
I have heard that it burns very hot, and can cause forcing cone erosion with heavy loads. Haven't seen anything to back this up, though, although it does seem to heat the barrel more than say Accurate #9 or 296 (unscientific observation...
).
Anyone else heard the same thing?
). Anyone else heard the same thing?
+1 on the 460Mag (330 grain GC cast bullet) and 45 Long Colt (260 grain HP). Never heard of an erosion problem. You've got my curiosity and I may have to try with 357 mag loads. Have been using H110 for these but I like the idea of being able to load down with LG.
Barbarian
Barbarian
ChristopherG
Member
Works great for pistol caliber carbines--at least in .357 & .41 mag, which are the only ones I've got. I've shot hundreds of 158 gr XTP's over 18 grs of Lil' Gun. Fast & accurate.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I have also found it to be an excellent powder for heavy bullets in the .357 Magnum. (170gr & 180gr) Lil'Gun will deliver the same or higher velocities as the other "Magnum powders" while producing less pressure. I don't know how that happens but any time I can put less stress on the gun and myself without sacrificing velocity or accuracy, I'm in...
I now use only Lil'Gun for 180gr bullets loaded for my Carbine. (both jacketed and lead) I might even start using Lil'Gun for 158gr bullets in the future but only after more testing. I like W296 and 2400 with a 158gr bullet and you use less powder than with Lil'Gun with that weight bullet but there are no advantage gained except for the lower pressures. (which just might be worth it if accuracy is better too)
I now use only Lil'Gun for 180gr bullets loaded for my Carbine. (both jacketed and lead) I might even start using Lil'Gun for 158gr bullets in the future but only after more testing. I like W296 and 2400 with a 158gr bullet and you use less powder than with Lil'Gun with that weight bullet but there are no advantage gained except for the lower pressures. (which just might be worth it if accuracy is better too)
ohioshooter
Member
I have 125 grain lead 9 bullets and 230 grain hornady xtp and 230 lead of .45? just wondering what some people's recipes were. I've heard alot of good things about using Universal or titegroup in all pistol calibers, but wondered if lil gun was as versitile.
Action_Can_Do
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I use it in 475 linebaugh and I've noticed that it burns very cleanly and has less muzzle flash than h110.
Gryffydd
Member
I've noticed this too. I've heard the bit about forcing cone erosion, but every time I hear it it's always "I heard that.....but haven't seen any proof." Kind of like that silly weak .45 Colt brass idea.
I use it in .357 for bullet weights 180gr and up, and the .45 Colt for 300gr and up. At lighter weights in both calibers you get more velocity with less pressure from H110. At those weights you get better velocity with lower pressure from Lil-Gun (for the most part), at least according to Hodgdon's data.
It's also great for carbine loads.
ChristopherG
Member
No, it's not as versatile (though in appropriate uses it is a great magnum powder). It's not recommended with .357 mag bullets lighter than 158 grs, and not really suitable for .45 acp at all (think H110 or W296--just not the right powder for the job).
Just to add the thread here, YES Lil'Gun works well for me using .44 cal 240 grain soft points for both my S&W 629 and my Marlin 1894. I use the exact same loads in each gun with great velocity and accuracy. Same as H110 as best as I can tell.
ohioshooter
Member
Thanks...I bought 4 pounds of universal for $67...will use it on all my pistol reloading.
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