180 rnfpgc in Marlin .357

[Thumbcocker]

I was going to whip up a batch of these over lil gun for the Marlin. Hodgdon says 13 to 15 grains for j words. Any experience or input is welcome.

[cwlongshot]

I dont like lil gun.

It burns real hot and if compressed at all has bad pressure spikes!


H110/296 works just fine and the 100 fps lose has never gotten a complaint from anything I shot.

Good luck,

CW

[T-Bird]

I used 14 gr Lil gun with the LBT 180 wngc in mine and got OK accuracy for hunting last year. I got about 2 1/2-3" at 50 yds and never chronographed the load. This year I switched to 13 gr H110 and am getting groups 1/2 that size. I clocked it at just over 1500fps. Mag primers in both loads. YMMV

[mattw]

Like others... I would run H110 or my favorite 2400. Lil Gun burns really hot, I have some of it and will not be stocking it after it is gone. The rounds I really wanted to use it in worked, but the guns got very hot externally very quickly, think 10 rounds! I run the RCBS 180 Sil. bullet over a nearly full case of an H110 variant that is a little faster than standard H110.

[FergusonTO35]

May want to try Blue Dot if you get a chance. Very underrated powder for the .357 in revolvers or carbines.

[bobthenailer]

I use the Lee group buy 180 gr WFN gc in my marlin as well as the Saeco#354 180 gr fpgc I don't use GC in my normaly used 4.0 gr of BE or 4.5gr TG load @1,040 fps.
.
I have used LilGun with success in my rifle using 15.5 gr LG with the 180gr WFN @ 1,700 fps

I have never found LG lacking in accuracy or velocity department compaired to 296/H110 in any ctg ive used it in but it does heat up a gun faster than the others! just shoot at a slower pace , for anything else than full power loads I would use more economical faster burning powder.

[curioushooter]

I used lil'gun. I've now moved over to 300MP. There is no data for that with 180s.
Lil'gun in my experience needs a heavy bullet to work well, so 180 should be good. I too have observed it is hot burning. The relatively thick barrel of my contender heated up rapidly with 21.5 grain charges of lil gun in 357 max. I've only shot a few rounds of lil gun in 357 in revolvers because of this concern. It didn't make any better velocity than 296 either. 300MP in my testing outperforms or equals all others in all platforms...rifle, pistol, and revolver...so that is what I use now.

[ReloaderFred]

With a similar bullet (185 gr. RNFP-GC), and 15 gr. of Lil'Gun, I averaged 1710 fps from one of my Marlin 1894C's. The accuracy was very good and the velocity was almost exactly 100 fps more than the maximum load of H-110/Win. 296 with the same bullet. I really like it for that particular bullet and rifle combination.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Pereira]

In my 24" barreled Rossi, I have found good accuracy with 9.5 grs. of Blue Dot and two different 180 gr cast bullets.

Took a nice little 8 point some years back, at around 90 yds.

RP

[Jeff Michel]

12 grains of 2400 and a 180 gr. WFN will run around 1470 fps.

[robg]

In my win trapper rcbs sil 180 boolit (195 grains with my lead) over 11.5 grains of 2400=1250 fps ,my most accurate load .

[cwlongshot]

300MP is a new one to me. I bought some couple years back for use in my 300 blk and found it pretty good. But took over a year before I used it in a ything else. Its been doing well in my Mag and Max loads!

2400 is another I forgot!! Its one of those powders I take for granted... I shouldnt as its so good for allot esp hot lead bullet loads!

Dont guzzle the inter webs koolaide about lil gun being your only option. (Sipping is ok other wise how will you develope your own opinions!! ) MANY other excellent choices out there!!

CW

Good luck!

CW

[Blammer]

I like lilgun in the 357mag with heavy boolits. Only thing is, I can't shoot a lot of them, as the barrel gets really hot quick. Few as in 3 or 4 with 3-5 min between shots.

I like other powders for the plinking and practice, then a few of the heavies for hunting.