I'm working up loads for my .454 and I'd like to work up some light target loads, some medium target loads, and some heavy hunting loads. I plan to work up to the heavier loads from the lighter loads so I am used to the recoil. From what I have read, Unique should be good for light loads, Lil'Gun for medium loads and low pressure, and H110 for the heavy loads. Does this sound about right, and should I be using any filler on the light loads, if so, what filler should I use. Fill me in, it's my first pistol loading experience. The gun is a 12" TC Encore
Yardbird

What you have said "is about right". I have used Unique and H110, but not L'il Gun! I use 2400 for hunting loads in my .454, a "mild" load of 28 grains of it with a 265-grain LBT gascheck bullet. It "only" clocks 1550 FPS, but with that bullet, I'd bet it would kill deer and black bear pretty well, and it is accurate. Not, of course, a really heavy .454 load!! I found that I had to weigh my Unique charges, since the grains (more like flakes) seem to "clump" up, and don't meter through my powder measure with much uniformity.

I don't know about fillers in pistol cases. I have never used any, and have had some pretty accurate .45 Colt loads with Unique and no filler.

[ 03-11-2003, 21:43: Message edited by: eldeguello ]

i can't speak for a middle of the road kind of load, but i do like the H110 for the top end and have used Bullseye for the lighter stuff. i don't know how light you need, but what I have done is seat a 185 gr. 45 ACP match bullet deep enough into the case to crimp over the shoulder of the bullet. push it with 10 gr. of Bullseye and you have an extremely gentle load that will help you learn the gun well.

gabe

is that in .454 brass or .45 brass, papaschmud?

have you tried any mild loads for 230 grain fmj's in a .454 shell?