Got some new powder - Lil Gun - what is it great for?

[Tall]

I have mostly revolvers but a few autoloaders in various calibers. I have been reloading for years and find that often others know more than I do. So I am here to ask what is your favorite load for Lil Gun?

Thanks in advance.

[R-71]

The only thing I've used it for was obtaining max velocity in the 357 Magnum, I also tried it in my 480 but my hands can't take that type of abuse anymore. Its said to burn too hot for revolver loads will cause excessive flame cutting in the top strap, I have not experienced this but shoot the Lil gun loads sparingly.
It's pretty good in the 300 BO.

[Tall]

I read that on the internet too. Back in the 1980's I bought my Smith M19 new and proceeded to shoot thousands of rounds of 110 JHP and 115 JHP through it backed by loads of 2400 that would make Elmer Keith proud.

My experience - the nickel plating above the cylinder to barrel gap was burned away. No cutting of the back strap. None.

I didn't have the internet back then so I guess I was not informed enough to have a problem?

[willie]

I have mostly revolvers but a few autoloaders in various calibers. I have been reloading for years and find that often others know more than I do. So I am here to ask what is your favorite load for Lil Gun?

Thanks in advance.

You did not specify which cartridge(s) you're reloading. The manufacturer's website presents reloading data. Many say that Lil Gun shares a trait with Win 296 in that both perform best in high end loads. Some reloaders report that it's difficult to ignite and recommend magnum primers.

[Tall]

You did not specify which cartridge(s) you're reloading. The manufacturer's website presents reloading data. Many say that Lil Gun shares a trait with Win 296 in that both perform best in high end loads. Some reloaders report that it's difficult to ignite and recommend magnum primers.

I load for a lot of cartridges - 32 S&W Long, 38 Smith & Wesson Special, 357 Magnum, 41 Long Colt, 44 Special, 44 WCF, 45 ACP, and 45 Colt are all favorites.

[Rick R]

FWIW Lil Gun runs very hot, I tried it in .300Blk and even though I was slow firing off the bench you couldn’t comfortably hold the brass in your hand for several minutes. Using W296 you can immediately pick up brass to examine the primers and not get blistered.

[LittleLebowski]

Works great for me in .300BLK.

[358156hp]

I used it for low-end 5 cyl loads in one of the first 45 Colt Redhawks made. Lil Gun definitely frosted the forcing cone and blasted the end of the barrel. I used Lymans 452651 a 325 gr gas check design with two crimping grooves. I loaded it above the factory data, and worked up from there with the bullet seated in the lower crimping groove to take as much advantage of the Redhawks long cylinder as possible. Freedom Arms issued an advisory to their customers about hot Lil Gun loads causing throat erosion over time, and posted pics of guns they were replacing barrels on at that point.

I stopped using it at that time and sold the gun to a friend with full disclosure. He unnecessarily recut the forcing cone, lapped it, and called it good. The Redhawk was, and still is a very accurate revolver. At the time I stopped, I was corresponding with Veral Smith of LBT over what to do next to get even more performance from the revolver. We were talking about a 350 gr LFN GC design with the crimping groove set to allow the maximum use of the cylinder length and still allow plenty of room for powder. Somewhere around here I still have perhaps a half pound of the three I initially bought for the project. I was getting a little nervous about the long-term effects of using those loads in a gun not specifically designed for such antics.

Recoil was magnificent in that gun, and the guy I sold it to was no stranger to hard kicking DA revolvers but he only fired two rounds of the ammo I supplied him and pulled the rest down for components. I may still have the chrono data from the Redhawk around here somewhere, and I don't remember what the velocities actually were. I've tried many times to buy that revolver back but the guy won't sell it. The 44 Redhawk I bought to replace it sits here as a Safe Queen.

So to answer the original question, I've only used LG in revolvers, and my experience with it suggests that the internet "tales" are not "tales" at all. Use it if you like, but I'd be sparing with its use.

[BKS]

Works GREAT in the 50 Beowulf but I haven’t used it in anything else.

[Flamingo]

It is a good powder for 22 Hornet as well.