Cast bullet loads with lil gun

[WAYNE]

Hello,
Was wondering if anyone uses lil gun for cast bullet loads in their 357 mag and 44 mag.Most loads are going to be used in handi rifles.If someone could give me a starting load or point me to someplace on the web it would be great.The bullets are 150gr. 180gr. and 205gr. for the 357 mag, 44 mag 240gr. 255gr.265gr.300gr. and 310gr.
Thanks,
Wayne

[Crass Whackwords]

I use Lil Gun in a 357 rifle and it works quite well, though no better than H110/WW296.

Powder charges for revolver cartridges depend on the bullet seating depth. Since cast bullet designs vary so much, resulting in different seating depths, load data for a particular cast bullet cannot be used with another cast bullet of the same weight.

In other words, you are on your own.

[Heavy lead]

Hello,
Was wondering if anyone uses lil gun for cast bullet loads in their 357 mag and 44 mag.Most loads are going to be used in handi rifles.If someone could give me a starting load or point me to someplace on the web it would be great.The bullets are 150gr. 180gr. and 205gr. for the 357 mag, 44 mag 240gr. 255gr.265gr.300gr. and 310gr.
Thanks,
Wayne

http://www.hodgdon.com/

I use Lil' Gun in some cast boolit loads, here is the link.

[454PB]

Lil'Gun is one of my favorite powders for .44 magnum and .454 Casull. All the advantages of H-110/WW296 without the load density problems they have.

[Junior1942]

IMHO, there's no better powder for heavy cast in 357 mag than Lil'Gun. See my series of 357 mag Rossi articles here: http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/shooting.htm

[Heavy lead]

454 and Junior are spot on here in my experiences, I like the powder a lot, and it really shines in the 357 as Junior said. I also use it in the 475 Linebaugh with cast and like it alot and have found the accuracy sweet spot to be a lot bigger than 296 or H110.

[WAYNE]

Thanks for the info.I am trying to find a load for the 357 for this years deer season.I just ordered a few 360 dan wesson brass to try to pick up a little more power.I was thinking of reaming it to 357 max but the gun shoots so good the way it is I hat to mess with it.
Thanks again,
Wayne

[BrianB]

Wayne,
have you tried the 360 brass in the Handi yet? Does it fit? I thought about doing that, but wasn't sure if it will fit and my .357 Handi won't be in until this week, so I have not been able to try it. Has anyone else here tried it? I will second the motion on the Lil' Gun. I can shoot 1" groups out of my GP100 using a 158 gr. bullet and 16 grains of Lil' Gun at 30 yards. (haven't tried it any further out than that) When I say 1" groups, I mean three shots (inside) a one inch circle, not one inch center-to-center. All the formulas I have read say use 15 grains with a 180 gr. bullet, and it does not appear to matter what type of bullet.

[WAYNE]

Wayne,
have you tried the 360 brass in the Handi yet? Does it fit? I thought about doing that, but wasn't sure if it will fit and my .357 Handi won't be in until this week, so I have not been able to try it. Has anyone else here tried it? I will second the motion on the Lil' Gun. I can shoot 1" groups out of my GP100 using a 158 gr. bullet and 16 grains of Lil' Gun at 30 yards. (haven't tried it any further out than that) When I say 1" groups, I mean three shots (inside) a one inch circle, not one inch center-to-center. All the formulas I have read say use 15 grains with a 180 gr. bullet, and it does not appear to matter what type of bullet.

No I have not tried 360 brass in my handi yet,But in most handi's it will work.Here is a link to a great forum for the handi rifle.http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/board,126.0.html Do a search for 357 magnum and 360 dan wesson you will find loads of info .Your 357 handi will become one of if not your favorite guns .I have some 205 grain cast that were for a 35 rem. that I can shoot 1" groups at 35 yards.Can't wait to take it to a 100 yard range.I load these boolits with 2400 wish I could find a load with lil gun.
Wayne

[WAYNE]

Here is another link on the 357 mag handi.
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,125780.msg1098446320.html#msg1098446320

[BrianB]

Thanks for the links, Wayne. Let me know how they work. I'm scared to order any 360 brass for a couple of reasons. One being that I can only find it from Starline and the minimum order is 250 cases, which runs almost $60. Another is that I don't know if I can size them in my RCBS .357 dies, and I'm not sure it's worth buying a new set to load 3 more grains of powder. But, boy, the 2,000 fps with a 180 gr. bullet out of the Handi sure is immpressive and tempting!

[leadeye]

I have had good luck with Lil gun in my Marlin 44 behing the RD 265.:-D

[WAYNE]

Thanks for the links, Wayne. Let me know how they work. I'm scared to order any 360 brass for a couple of reasons. One being that I can only find it from Starline and the minimum order is 250 cases, which runs almost $60. Another is that I don't know if I can size them in my RCBS .357 dies, and I'm not sure it's worth buying a new set to load 3 more grains of powder. But, boy, the 2,000 fps with a 180 gr. bullet out of the Handi sure is immpressive and tempting!

Brian,
I called reeds ammo http://shop.reedsammo.com/main.sc;jsessionid=4B6EB7130DEAD0730ED0DA9DAF367D6 1.qscstrfrnt04
They sold me 20 pcs to try for 24 cents each plus postage.I also got a couple of 357 max to try and 2 pieces of 445 supermag brass to try in one of my 44 mag handis.I am thinking of haveing one of the 44 mags reamed to 445 to take on my first Canadian bear hunt late this summer.When I talked to the gentleman from reeds ammo he told me that I could use my regular 357 mag dies on the 360 dw,I have the same dies as you .
Wayne

[MT Chambers]

When working up loads for my .300 Whisper, pressure spiked very quickly and without warning using Lil Gun, no other powder i worked with reacted that way.

[BrianB]

Thanks Wayne, I'll give them a call. I ventured out out in yesterday's monsoon to check my dies in my workshop. You're right, the RCBS dies are .38/.357mag/.357 Max...they are certainly long enough.

[WAYNE]

Thanks Wayne, I'll give them a call. I ventured out out in yesterday's monsoon to check my dies in my workshop. You're right, the RCBS dies are .38/.357mag/.357 Max...they are certainly long enough.

I am hoping my brass shows up today .I would order from reeds again in a heart beat.
Wayne

[WAYNE]

IMHO, there's no better powder for heavy cast in 357 mag than Lil'Gun. See my series of 357 mag Rossi articles here: http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/shooting.htm

Great reading, thanks for the link.Put it on my bookmarks.
Wayne

[freedom475]

Lil Gun is great in a 22Hornet.

It is very scary in magnum revolvers. Although quite accurate, it reaches a piont where noise, muzzleblast and recoil will make a real noticeable change but the Chrono will not show this change???? not sure what is going on but it is scary when this happens.

It is by no means a replacement for good old 2400 or H110.