.44 Mag. Powder Choices

[smirker]

Alright guys, I have for the last 35yrs. of loading used 2400 for Lead Bullets and H110/W296 for Jacketed Bullets. I recently cut some .44Mag. cases down to load Hornady's 225gr.FTX bullet to shoot thru a Rossi Carbine and loaded them with Lil'Gun powder. Load shot well, cases were fairly clean out of the chamber. Overall satisfied.
My question is this, what do you guys think about Lil'Gun as a replacemnt powder in the .44Mag. with 200gr. bullets and up in revolvers? Does it work as well as H110/W296?

[Encore64]

I will not use Lil Gun in any revolvers. It has a nasty history of destroying forcing cones...

[potatojudge]

I think most of us would echo encore64's sentiment here

If you want a common load, pick another powder. AFAIK lil gun is fine in carbines and gives great velocities if you don't mind keeping loads separate.

[Encore64]

I love it in pistol caliber Carbines and TCS. It's been my 25-20 powder of choice for many years.

I varmint hunted with a TC Contender Carbine for a lot of years. Used Lil Gun and 75 grn V-Max Bullets. Barrel still in excellent condition.

It is THE Powder for 357 Magnum Rifles...

[lar4570]

Lil-Gun works great within prescribed powder charges, but when the pressures go high it can get pressure spikes in a hurry. It's not like 296 that runs fairly linear to 60kpsi.

[jeffh]

2I used Lil'Gun in a 357 Mag Rossi 92. The only thing I didn't like was that the barrel go so hot, it would burn you. I try to keep my sweaty arms off my blued steel, but I got it against the inside of my left forearm and it left a red mark. Had to make sure you were holding onto wood and not get your fingers on the barrel.

For the 44 Mag, I shot a lot of Unique, but for real Mag loads, WC820 was my preference, back when you could get it ($54/8#), and H110 when I couldn't.

During the last drought, I couldn't find H110 or 2400, but stumbled onto Alliant 300MP at pre-drought prices. I've not used it in the 44 Mag, but I've used it in the 357 Mag and 357 Max in carbines and it's been good. Just have to use a little more of it than H110. I've had 190 grain RDOs doing almost 1800 fps out of an 18.5" barrel with it and could not for the life of me detect anything scary, pressure-wise, which was scary in itself. Chronograph was telling me it wasn't up to its preferred pressure yet, due to double-digit SDs. It shot very consistently accurately to 50 yards with 180s and 190s from a carbine over a range of charge weights. Very, very little residue left in the bore, hardly any smoke at all. According to the guy I spoke with at Alliant, it is basically H110, but a little slower.


There is not a lot of loading data available for this powder, but it's worth trying if you can still find it at a discount, like I did.

I've not shot it in a revolver, but I'd almost bet the fireball will be impressive at dusk.

EDIT: This is all cast bullets.

[cr390gt]

300mp gives great velocities in magnum revolvers and not as big of a fireball as h110

[Encore64]

Ramshot Enforcer is a good choice as well...

[JM]

AA#9?

[bigbore5]

Shooters World Heavy Pistol works great in many of my magnum loads

[pleadthe2nd]

Oct 21, 2022 20:15:05 GMT -5 JM said:

AA#9?

I was going to recommend this one, works very well in revolvers

[jeffer]

Another vote for AA#9

[ea]

I also heard about forcing cone problems using Lil’Gun. Try N110 or N105, they burn cleanly with less “heat” (they’re single base powders I believe) compared to Lil’Gun and other double based powders.

[jgt]

4227

[blackmamba]

Another vote for Enforcer, or in my case Accurate 4100 (same powders). For more economy with just a little loss in velocity from top loads I like VV N105. Very accurate and clean burning.