L'gun/H110

[Ranger J]

I am looking for a substitute for H110 in my 44 mag rifle loads.  H110 works well but does not work in my powder measure well.  I find loads for pistols from the manufacturer but not for rifles on its on line manual.  Is this  powder not suitable for the longer barrel of a rifle or what.  Of course I can always use good old 2400 which meters  great.

RJ

[teddy12b]

Have you cleaned your powder meter?  H110 runs like a champ in mine, and usually most powders don't.  I use H110 in my Puma 92 rifle and it's fine.
 
I bought one of those little reloading books specifically made for the 44mag a couple years ago.  It has plenty of rifle & pistol data in it and it's a good read.  I highly recommend it.

[skb2706]

You can and you should check with Hodgdon but H110 and ww296 are the same powder. Not similar, they are the same. WW296 runs thru my powder measure smooth and very precise.

[huntswithdogs]

Ranger,
Go to the Hodgdon site and click on rifle data. Depending on what you're loading, looks like ya got all kinds of choices.

Be sure to compare data between rifle and pistol. If you load 44s for a handgun be sure to keep them apart if the loads are different.

HWD

[Graybeard]

NOTHING meters better than H110/W296 thru a measure. You need to tell us the problem you are having and see if it can be worked out. You are NOT gonna find a powder that will meter better.

[Ranger J]

I guess I should have been more specific.  The H110 meters fine but it leaks.  After a few loads it also starts to make the charges hard to throw.  I know there are a lot of loads on Hodgdons on line but it shows the use of l'gun for only pistol loads and it is conspicuously absent from the rifle loads.  That's why I questioned its use in a rifle.  H110, on the other hand is listed on both the 44 pistol and rifle loads.  I am looking to load 240 XTPs for hunting in several 44 rifles.  2400 meters fine and does not cause my powder meter to stick.  I usually load 23gr of H110 for my 240 gr jacketed loads and I can load 2400 at 21.5 grs which according to the Hornady manual should also give me around 1700 fps. in a rifle.  In the Hornady manual L'gun is also listed under pistol loads but not rifle loads??

RJ

[BCB]

Ranger J,

From the details you give on your powder thrower "leaking", I might guess it is a Lee.  I have one and it will bind-up with super fine powders--AA#9 is the worst...

BUT, if you tighten the drum so it fits snuggly it won't let the H-110 escape around it.  I really can't explain it with the limited time, but if it is a Lee, that is the problem...

I use 44 Magnum, 357 Magnum, and 45 Long Colt data for handguns or rifles.  Each is a cartridge designed for a certain pressure and the handgun or rifle is designed to handle that pressure.  Just be sure that you are using the recommended handgun/rifle for the pressure that is listed with the data.  Example:  Ruger/Contender data as opposed to using that data in S&W or Colt handguns...

Good-luck...BCB

[Ranger J]

You guessed right it is a Lee.  In the past I have tried tightening  it up but that has done no good.  Again does it have significance that L'gun is only listed by its maker and Hornady for use in a pistol and not in a rifle while H110 is listed by both for use in either firearm?

RJ

[Graybeard]

Just one more reason I do not recommend Lee products other than their Auto Prime and their shell holders. I know many say they use and like them. I'm just not one who does.

[Steve P]

I had problem with ball powders binding in a red powder measure.  Threw that red $%^& in the garbage.

Get a Lyman #55 powder measure and never look back.  It will throw about anything.  Ball powders are near perfect, every time.

So will the RCBS measure, the Redding, the Pacific, and any of the other powder measures made out of "metal".  About every plastic powder measure I have seen in use eventually went bad (or was bad from the start).

Steve  

[BCB]

Ranger J

Much of the advise will tell you to get another powder thrower.  Well, you can do that if you want and if you have the extra money to spend...

I am really not a fan of Lee products but I do have some and they work fine--but they mostly need tweeking in many instances...

I have an RCBS powder thrower and it works fine, but I mostly use the Lee just because it is hooked to my reloading bench all of the time.  The RCBS has drill holes to mount it, but I have had good results with the Lee thrower...

What I did do was to put some powdered graphite on the drum.  That way you can really tighten it up and that helps avoid the leaking of the really fine powders but it helps eliminate the friction when the drum is tighned...

Maybe that will help a bit.  Other powder throwers can be quite expensive.  Luckily, I purchased all of my reloading equipment nearly 40 years ago and it was doable then.  The same stuff I have today would be almost unaffordable...

Try to make the Lee thrower work until you can spend the money for an RCBS, Lyman, or Redding...

Good-luck...BCB

[stubshaft]

Look on the various websites in the reloading classified sections.  You can probably buy a used Lyman/RCBS/Redding measure for a song.

[Steve P]

(5) Lyman #55s right now on Ebay.  Probably 3x that many RCBS Uniflows.  Good equipment will last several life times.  Poor equipment will lead to stress and frustrations that will shorten your lifetime.  Been there......spend the few extra bucks and get the better equipment.  It will save time, gray hairs, and you will, more likely than not,  get every penny back out of it if you decide to sell it later. 

Steve

[dpe.ahoy]

I have a couple of the Lee powder measures, and yes H-110 does leak out.  In my Lyman DPS1200, that powder will make it almost grind to a halt by binding it up.  I have started using LilGun and don't have the problem in the Lyman or the Lee.  Just use the pistol load info in your rifle and don't worry about it.  You are talking about 2 slow powders for pistol loads so they will work just fine in the longer barrel.  I still like H-110 and will use the rest that I have, 4-5 lb, but use more LilGun now for 357 mag and hot 45 colt rounds.  Will be trying it in 44 mag also, just have a bunch still loaded with the 110 to burn up first.  DP

[Lloyd Smale]

im one to say to get a new measure. Right now you can get a horndayd for around 60 bucks and it comes with a 100 free bullets so that takes the price down to about 30 bucks. You cant go out to eat for that much money and the hornady will be around long after you die. Rcbs makes a good measure too. I wouldnt give up on a load because a second rate powder measure wont cooperate. I toss it in the trash and move on. When i used lees they leaked with 110/296 and also with aa9 and they are couple of my most used powder