Best Loads

[Texas Sheepdawg]

I bet you could squeeze more FPS out of them. Im getting 2500 out of the 230 grain FMJs. I bet there is a thread on here somewhere with data.

[Hoot]

I bet you could squeeze more FPS out of them. Im getting 2500 out of the 230 grain FMJs. I bet there is a thread on here somewhere with data.

I've said this before, but reading that you get those 230s up to 2500fps without all kinds of pressure signs makes me once again wonder if my chamber is screwy. I get all kinds of pressure signs just struggling to get 200s up to 2500fps, let alone 230s.

Hoot

[Texas Sheepdawg]

I posted pictures of the brass afterwards. It's on one of my threads.

[simpleman]

I am not sure of the speed on them. I am just guessing. I do get sooting all the way down the case. I will chrony them this weekend. Probably won't mess with this load much if it continues to shoot groups like this.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

That sooting is a sign that the brass is not expanding enough to seal. Sooting is bad. I'll let WC or Hoot elaborate.

[Hoot]

I am not sure of the speed on them. I am just guessing. I do get sooting all the way down the case. I will chrony them this weekend. Probably won't mess with this load much if it continues to shoot groups like this.

You might be surprised at the speed. Depending upon the bullet, top accuracy often does not translate to top, safe load. The sooting is because you need to use a faster powder, hotter primer, more neck tension, or a combination, to get the chamber pressure up before the bullet starts moving. A simple shift from W296 to Lil Gun can accomplish that. Going even faster to 2400 even more so, but my experience with 2400 has been that it can transition from just right to over the top in a 1 grain step or large temperature transition, even with lightweight bullets like the 200. The speed change from Lil Gun to 2400 is much more pronounced than from 296 to Lil Gun. YMMV

Hoot

[simpleman]

Can someone give a max load for Lil Gun and 200gr FTX? I am at 38 grain now with REM 7 1/2 primer. Not sure how to get neck tension any better. I am cleaning brass inside with good high flash point cleaner using modified crimp die and taper crimp and not using expander die. I will try to post pics ofbrass after range this weekend.

[Hoot]

Can someone give a max load for Lil Gun and 200gr FTX? I am at 38 grain now with REM 7 1/2 primer. Not sure how to get neck tension any better. I am cleaning brass inside with good high flash point cleaner using modified crimp die and taper crimp and not using expander die. I will try to post pics of brass after range this weekend.

If by modified crimp die, you mean the Lee FCD modified to make a stab crimp, I'd say you are already in a position to get the maximum neck tension available. Initially, I thought you were using just the taper crimp. I have taken the 200gr FTX up to 41gr of Lil Gun, but that was using just the taper crimp. With the addition of the stab crimp, that may be too much Lil Gun for safe loading. 38gr with the combo crimp is an excellent point to work with. The FTX bullets expand at fairly modest speeds, so you could very well work at 38gr and be fielding an effective load. You can work up from there with an eye on the cases for signs of trouble. Do not go immediately to 41gr. Others will chime in, no doubt with their experiences.

Hoot

[simpleman]

Here are the cases from this load.
200 ftx 38 LilGun
Thoughts?

[Hoot]

Soot Happens.

It happens more with lighter projectiles and Lil Gun. It happens with medium projectiles and not enough bullet retentivity. It happens with brass that has been reloaded too many times and never annealed. It has no bearing upon accuracy as far as I've seen. My best group came upon sooty cases. In their case, they did not have enough retentivity. Though it's not nice to see, you get used to it after a while.

To keep it out of my tumbler, when I pick up each spent round and add another micro-dot to track how many times it's been reloaded, I wipe it off with a paper towel I keep on the shooting bench before returning it to the cartridge box.

Hoot