any opinions on Lil Gun powder for mag revolver loads?

[Dand]

I picked up some Lil Gun to load heavy cast and jacketed bullets in my 41 mag.  The pressures and velocities listed in the Hodgdon manual made it attractive.  But   when I look at other caliber recommended loads( say 44 mag, 45 colt, 454 casull)  for an idea of how this powder performs, there seems to be a really big variation.

What are folks finding with this powder?  Is it a forgiving powder or touchy?  I'm messing with some 250 gr jacketed bullets in the 41 - not common - so I'm on very uncertain ground. Some loads that were fine at 10 degrees F split my cases at 60 degrees.  I've contacted Hodgdon but they didn't offer much help.

Any comments or suggestions for this powder or loading the 250 jacketed are welcome.  Dan

[Graybeard]

I tried it, wasn't impressed, went back to W296/H110. I'm now using it to load my .410 skeet loads.

[Slufoot]

Hello Dand, I really like Lil'Gun Powder and bought an 8# jug because I use it in my 241 Slufoot(6x221), 357 mag, 357 max, 44 mag & 454 casull.

Good Shooting!
Slufoot

[Lloyd Smale]

its an odd powder. It seems to burn at differnt rates in differnt calibers. velocitys and pressure rises are hard to predict with it and it seems like the bigger the case the more tempremental it is. Where i have excellent luck with it is in the 32 mag and 3220. It seem like in the big cases when your developing loads you can fnd something that shoots great but if you vary the charge up or down even a half a grain accuarcy goes away. If you have patients though you can get some good really fast loads out of it.

[Questor]

It was a flash in the pan (pun intended) a few years ago. Today, Winchester 296 and Hodgdon H110 are the top powders for full power 44 magnum loads. Alliant 2400 is still excellent for its versatility.

[Lloyd Smale]

personaly i prefer aa9 to anything for heavy 44 mag and 45 colt loads. It can be safely downloaded a bit more then 110 and will come within a hair of 110 for top end loads.

[LaOtto222]

I have had SOME experience with Lil'gun. I think you need to have the case full/near full for it to perform properly.  I am not sure if it is position sensitive or pressures get erratic when not full. It seems to be THE powder in 22 Hornet, but I have not found it to be the best in a 221 Fire Ball. I found that IMR 4198 and Reloader 7 to perform better. I have not done a lot of shooting with the 221 Fire Ball, but it does not fill the case, while the Reloader 7 and IMR 4198 come a lot closer. When you put in the recommended amount into your case (41 Mag) and if you get a near full case, I think you will get good performance out of it. If it does not fill the case or near full, then you may get erratic results. Just my 2 cents.

[LaOtto222]

One more thing...I can not prove it, but I think that Lil'gun is more sensitive to primer changes than some other powders. What I mean is that you may get erratic results with one primer, but may get more even results with another make/type primer. In the newest Speer loading book, they recommend small pistol primers in the 22 Hornet. They said if you are going to use rifle primer, then drop back the charge weight, because small rifle primers will increase pressure.

[Dand]

Well thanks folks all the comments are real helpful.  I agree that it seems like a less predictable powder than others, just looking at Hodgdon's data for various cartridges.  Might just use it up and stick with H110 and other standbys.

Also I just emailed Alliant and encouraged them to come up with hand gun data for some of the new powders they are coming out with.  I wonder if this new 20/28 shotgun powder will have any application.

thanks again for the insights. 

[Lawful Larry]

personaly i prefer aa9 to anything for heavy 44 mag and 45 colt loads. It can be safely downloaded a bit more then 110 and will come within a hair of 110 for top end loads.

I use a mil sup powder (WC820) which has the same load characteristics of the AA9 powder.  I can get an 8# jug for less then $60 and love it.  I load my 44 mag and .45 Colts with it and it gives very satisfying results. 

I also use this powder to reload my .22 Hornet cartridges and get 3000+ fps with a 35 gr. Vmax bullet (I am shooting a CZ.)         

[Lloyd Smale]

Larry thats what i use too. I just called it aa9 to avoild confusing someone who doesnt know surplus powders. I wish i knew where you could still get it for 60 bucks a keg though!!! Everywhere i look its up to 80 bucks. Ive got 7 full kegs and the one im using now so im all set for at least 2 years but if i could find it at that price id buy a bunch more for the future before its gone. Its the best dammed mag pistol powder ive found at any price.

personaly i prefer aa9 to anything for heavy 44 mag and 45 colt loads. It can be safely downloaded a bit more then 110 and will come within a hair of 110 for top end loads.

I use a mil sup powder (WC820) which has the same load characteristics of the AA9 powder.  I can get an 8# jug for less then $60 and love it.  I load my 44 mag and .45 Colts with it and it gives very satisfying results. 

I also use this powder to reload my .22 Hornet cartridges and get 3000+ fps with a 35 gr. Vmax bullet (I am shooting a CZ.)         

[Cayoot]

If it's that good, I'd really like to know where I can get it for $60 or $80  per 8 lb keg!  I'd get in on one or two of those!

Bary

Larry thats what i use too. I just called it aa9 to avoild confusing someone who doesnt know surplus powders. I wish i knew where you could still get it for 60 bucks a keg though!!! Everywhere i look its up to 80 bucks. Ive got 7 full kegs and the one im using now so im all set for at least 2 years but if i could find it at that price id buy a bunch more for the future before its gone. Its the best dammed mag pistol powder ive found at any price.

personaly i prefer aa9 to anything for heavy 44 mag and 45 colt loads. It can be safely downloaded a bit more then 110 and will come within a hair of 110 for top end loads.

I use a mil sup powder (WC820) which has the same load characteristics of the AA9 powder.  I can get an 8# jug for less then $60 and love it.  I load my 44 mag and .45 Colts with it and it gives very satisfying results. 

I also use this powder to reload my .22 Hornet cartridges and get 3000+ fps with a 35 gr. Vmax bullet (I am shooting a CZ.)         

[Lawful Larry]

Hey Bary, go to  this site and go  nuts:

http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm.


Hey Lloyd,
The $54 dollar price was for pull down powder and not the virgin powder.  The virgin  powder is going for $79 now and id still a great  price.  The  website above sell brass and bullets also.  There is another  site that we used in the past, a place  located in the northeast but can't find the website. 

Hope this helps guysl.  Good hunting and shooting!!!     


PS:

I found another place.  This one in in Kentucky.

http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html

This guys sells pull down for $72 for an 8# jug. 

Cheers!

[Cayoot]

Thanks much Larry!