HELP..Is Lil-Gun Bad??

[450pwr]

THANKS for the kind replies and information from everyone.....!!! Happy Holidays...!!!

[BillytheKid]

As a matter of fact, do you guys know what you call the guy who wants to sit down and shoot our cartridge, all day long, at the range??? For myself, I'd call him "Sir"!!

..t

This makes me wanna do that! LOL

[MarineThumper]

wildcatter wrote:As a matter of fact, do you guys know what you call the guy who wants to sit down and shoot our cartridge, all day long, at the range??? For myself, I'd call him "Sir"!!

Newbie here. I could do that, but then again, I have a very long length of pull and have modified a Limbsaver slip-on recoil pad so it could be attached to my collapsible stock. Now it feels more like I am shoot my .223 AR instead.

That was some useful information on Lil Gun.

[dogsniper]

About the Lil' gun....I have been using that in my Ruger Blackhawk 45lc for several years now...loads are not "full tilt bozo", but darn close! Accuracy is what I consider acceptable...2-3" group at 50 yards with a scope and good rest (i.e. sandbags). Recoil is what you would expect....not for the timid...not as bad as a 454 casull, but more than your standard 44 mag. I have not notice any kind of erosion in the barrel or cylinder in my revolver, but then again, since my scope has been sighted in, I only shoot about two cylinders worth before hunting season to check my scope, then hopefully get a chance at a deer within 60 yards or so. At that rate...should take a very long time (I HOPE) for any type of noticable erosion.

I am certain the other responses to this question are from people far more educated than me about the other powders they suggested. I do know this however....Hornady's website offers load data for the 450bushmaster, and their recommended powder is Lil' Gun. Clearly they also give data for other powders, but their wording actually states something to the affect of Lil' Gun being their powder of choice. With that being said....does anyone know if this is the powder they use in their factory Hornady loads???

[pitted bore]

... Clearly they also give data for other powders, but their wording actually states something to the affect of Lil' Gun being their powder of choice. With that being said....does anyone know if this is the powder they use in their factory Hornady loads???

dogsniper-
Wildcatter has posted in the past that Hornady is using WC297 in their factory loads.

For example, see his post from a couple of years ago on 20 Feb 2010 in this thread: Surplus 297

WC 297 comes in a variety of flavors. Just like Hornady, handloaders have to work up loads for each lot that they obtain. This is one reason why they tend to purchase it in multiple-container batches of the same lot.

Perhaps Hornady has altered their powder choice since then. Wildcatter will probably know about this.

--Bob

[kottke_35]

Somebody wake up WC cause I gots to know...is Big Red still loading 297 in Thumper's diet?

B.

[wildcatter]

Somebody wake up WC cause I gots to know...is Big Red still loading 297 in Thumper's diet?

B.

Coommmeeee-ooonnn (done in a whining voice), here I sit Asleep in the comfy chair, half asleep, and my cage is rattling.

As far as I know they are still using 297, haven't heard otherwise, but then again, I haven't asked lately either.

How about our 450pwr, thinking he might get FlAMED, here???? No-Way!!! In fact, he gave us some data, that is very good fuel for thought. There prolly has been problems in some Handguns, but for us, lil-gun, has been a real success. What are the differences, heck-if-I-know. But I for one thank 'Ol 450pwr, for giving us a heads-up..

..t

[BayouBob]

Heat sink is one word mentioned. The 16 and 20" barrels on Thumper offer a whole lot more heat sink volumn and cooling area than a 6 or 8" handgun barrel. The screwed on aluminum handguard also acts as a heat sink. Recoil aside, most of us are tinkerers so we take Thumper to the range and shoot a mag or two and then start fideling with something like the chrongraph or the target or whatever else distracts our feeble mind so we don't usually burn 50 or 100 rounds in rapid fire. Any powder will eventually get a barrel hot enough that erosion is a problem if too many rounds are poured through it before it cools. Remember the .264 Winchester Mag? It got a reputation as a barrel burner that it was never able to overcome. It is probably the finest long range 6.5mm ever to hit North America but guys using it for a super varmit gun were putting so many rounds through it in a session that they were burning their barrels up in a season or two.

[dogsniper]

... Clearly they also give data for other powders, but their wording actually states something to the affect of Lil' Gun being their powder of choice. With that being said....does anyone know if this is the powder they use in their factory Hornady loads???

dogsniper-
Wildcatter has posted in the past that Hornady is using WC297 in their factory loads.

For example, see his post from a couple of years ago on 20 Feb 2010 in this thread: Surplus 297

WC 297 comes in a variety of flavors. Just like Hornady, handloaders have to work up loads for each lot that they obtain. This is one reason why they tend to purchase it in multiple-container batches of the same lot.

Perhaps Hornady has altered their powder choice since then. Wildcatter will probably know about this.

--Bob

Thank you for the info....I had not seen that post, so I appreciate you pointing me in the right direction! It appears to me however, with the info I have read here, that Lil Gun does not seem to be a problem with this cartridge, not anymore so than any other hot powder (just don't burn your own barrel up shooting too many consecutive rounds). Considering I already use Lil Gun, I'll probably use it to start with, and maybe play around with something different if accuracy, or speed isn't what I am looking for.

I enjoyed the statement about the 264 win mag also....one of my favorite (under used) rifle cartridges. And for two reasons....the rumor that it was a barrel burner, and the factories quit putting 26" barrels on 'em. That round excells with a 26" barrel, shorten it, and it's not much more than a 270win. Remington is, or was, producing the Sendero SF II (I think that's what they called it) in a 264win with a 26" medium/heavy contour and that awesome stock. Limited production I think...couldn't talk the wife into letting me spend the $1300. Dang it!

[Handgunner]

Hello all
Wildcatter I liked your talk about language. I wrote on a forum about the language that was being used. I had purchased a Leupold VXR Zombie scope. I like it, it is a Leupold with a cool reticle. I may never get a chance to shoot Zombies (hope not) but it will make a great deer scope at the range I have from my blind.
Anyway every other word was the F word about how stupid this scope was. I wrote that I did not see any reason for the vulgar words. Boy did I get slammed from some of the people who used it. Don't get me wrong I unfortunately use that word sometimes but certainly not on a forum that discusses likes and dislikes about some product someone purchased..
I too have a Bushy upper, have not shot it yet. I left a message earlier today about using my Colt lower with it..
I have used Lil Gun since it came out. Use it in my 454 Freedom arms, Ruger 44 and 45 Bisley Vaquero,460 Smith and TC, and 500 Smith. I like it.
When I was younger back in the 70's-80's I used 2400 in my Smith and Ruger 44's. I felt it was a dirty powder, always has unburned powder left in the bore and cylinders. Also Lil Gun,H100,296 all meter much better and more accurate in the powder measure,since they are a ball or spherical powder.
Handgunner