250 grain FTX with Lil Gun

[GaCop]

Picked up a box of 250 gr FTX and a pound of Lil Gun Thursday. Worked up some loads and hit the range yesterday. Long story short, 33.7 grains and 34.1 grains produced the best groups so far. I need to go up a bit on the charges as I'm getting a bit of soot at the mouth of the case. 33.7 grains yielded 2129 fps and grouped three into 1.003" at 75 yards. 34.1 averaged 2114 fps but only grouped three into 1.139". My replacement stock finally arrived that has the varmint weight barrel channel so the barrel is free floated all the way back to the barrel nut. The original stocks barrel channel was tight on the barrel even though I opened it up as much as I could. Groups should get even better now.

[Decoy Defender]

Be careful with those loads. Hodgon data shows a min charge of 35gr of LG and a max of 38.5 with that bullet. 38.5 was the sweet spot for my gun and that weight bullet.

[plant_one]

Be careful with those loads. Hodgon data shows a min charge of 35gr of LG and a max of 38.5 with that bullet. 38.5 was the sweet spot for my gun and that weight bullet.

according to hornady's 10th... min charge for lil gun is 25.2 grains... with a max of 37.9 under the 250 ftx.


although like many folks, in my bushmaster 20" upper - as well as two others i've helped friends do load developement on (another bushy 20" and a BCA 18")... 38 grains is the sweet spot.


so while those min loads are relatively light, they shouldnt be anywhere in the range of dangerously low.


HTH

[Decoy Defender]

https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

[Decoy Defender]

Be careful with those loads. Hodgon data shows a min charge of 35gr of LG and a max of 38.5 with that bullet. 38.5 was the sweet spot for my gun and that weight bullet.

according to hornady's 10th... min charge for lil gun is 25.2 grains... with a max of 37.9 under the 250 ftx.


although like many folks, in my bushmaster 20" upper - as well as two others i've helped friends do load developement on (another bushy 20" and a BCA 18")... 38 grains is the sweet spot.


so while those min loads are relatively light, they shouldnt be anywhere in the range of dangerously low.


HTH

that sounds way too low of a starting charge.

[plant_one]

you're more than welcome to have that debate with hornady.



you dont have to believe me... feel free to check your copy. i also referenced hornady 8th... same info ... i assume 9th follows but i cant verify that since my copy is out at my cousins for him to utilize for7mm and 30-30 data since i have 10th here.

i'm just sharing the info THEY provide. i'm also not saying that i would start there either. i dont see a reason to start that low, i'm just suggesting that if its published, repeatedly, by hornady - its at least *safe*

[Texas Sheepdawg]

Picked up a box of 250 gr FTX and a pound of Lil Gun Thursday. Worked up some loads and hit the range yesterday. Long story short, 33.7 grains and 34.1 grains produced the best groups so far. I need to go up a bit on the charges as I'm getting a bit of soot at the mouth of the case. 33.7 grains yielded 2129 fps and grouped three into 1.003" at 75 yards. 34.1 averaged 2114 fps but only grouped three into 1.139". My replacement stock finally arrived that has the varmint weight barrel channel so the barrel is free floated all the way back to the barrel nut. The original stocks barrel channel was tight on the barrel even though I opened it up as much as I could. Groups should get even better now.

With the 250 Grain FTX, I continued to have sooting all the way up to 40.0 grains of LilGun. after that it diminished. After much research for all three of my 450 bushmaster‘s, I have found that 39.5-41.5 grains of Lil Gun is my sweet spot for most of the 250 grain pills from Speer deep curls to Hornady Shockwaves and the FTXs. A .474” taper crimp is good. Add the LeGendre side crimp to that taper crimp is even better. But my guns are not your guns. My chambers may be different than your chambers. YMMV

[Hoot]

.
With the 250 Grain FTX, I continued to have sooting all the way up to 40.0 grains of LilGun. after that it diminished. After much research for all three of my 450 bushmaster‘s, I have found that 39.5-41.5 grains of Lil Gun is my sweet spot for most of the 250 grain pills from Speer deep curls to Hornady Shockwaves and the FTXs. A .474” taper crimp is good. Add the LeGendre side crimp to that taper crimp is even better.

No two 450b rifles are exactly the same so remember: YMMV

Hoot

[Texas Sheepdawg]

.
With the 250 Grain FTX, I continued to have sooting all the way up to 40.0 grains of LilGun. after that it diminished. After much research for all three of my 450 bushmaster‘s, I have found that 39.5-41.5 grains of Lil Gun is my sweet spot for most of the 250 grain pills from Speer deep curls to Hornady Shockwaves and the FTXs. A .474” taper crimp is good. Add the LeGendre side crimp to that taper crimp is even better.

No two 450b rifles are exactly the same so remember: YMMV

Hoot

Exactly.

[plant_one]

No two 450b rifles are exactly the same so remember: YMMV

Hoot

no two barrels of ANY caliber, even two back to back high end custom order ones - ordered to IDENTICAL specs - will be exactly the same. Obviously those two mytical identical spec ordered custom ones will be light-years closer than two standard production grade barrels, but still...

its just the nature of the game we play, and why its important for EVERYONE to do proper testing and load development when loading for your individual firearm