450Bushmaster.net

I have some Speer .451 225 gr magnum JHP bullets that I want to try in my 450.
I was thinking of using around 30 grs Lil Gun, should give me around 2000 fps.......sound ok?

randyf wrote:I have some Speer .451 225 gr magnum JHP bullets that I want to try in my 450.
I was thinking of using around 30 grs Lil Gun, should give me around 2000 fps.......sound ok?

Randy-
That load should be "ok" in terms of pressure. Hornady's load sheet shows 29.9 grains of Lil'Gun producing 1900 fps with Hornady's 240-grain bullet. The max listed load is 38.3 grains with the 240.

However, your 225-grain bullet is 15 grains lighter than Hornady's, and measures .451" instead of .452" dia. So, your bullet will have less starting inertia, and require slightly less energy to engage the rifling. This may result in the primer ignition pushing the bullet out of the case just a bit more than the 240, while the powder is starting to burn. The result is that your load could act somewhat as a "light load" discussed in the light load thread.

If you try the load, and get anything like a hangfire, however slight, it would probably be prudent to cease fire and think about things.

Be sure to report back on the results of your trial. If you have a chronograph available and can use it when you try these, so much the better.

(It's possible I've messed up the above; if so, the true gurus will be along soon to straighten me out.)

--Bob

You could also try a slightly faster powder.
Hoot

Hoot wrote:You could also try a slightly faster powder.
Hoot

Next thing hotter that I have on hand is Blue Dot.

Anybody try using it?

randyf wrote:

Hoot wrote:You could also try a slightly faster powder.
Hoot

Next thing hotter that I have on hand is Blue Dot.

Anybody try using it?

Might be too big a jump. I'm using 2400 for the 200 gr FTX. Jury is still out though. Had to hold up while waiting for a set of risers.
Hoot

randyf-

I posted my experiments with Blue Dot on a thread in July 2009. Here's a link: 185-gr SWC, Chap. 4: Blue Dot? Well, Maybe

There are a couple of references in the first post there to some other trials. I'm sure Wildcatter has tried it, altho I don't know whether he's used the 225-grain bullet you're using. He might be able to tell you if it will work in the AR rifles. In my bolt gun I reached a pressure limit before I ran out of powder space in the case. It's likely to happen with the heavier bullet, too.

Be careful.

--Bob