I have not pulled out my chronograph in ages as I tend to be lazy as of late.
Being sort of old school I have always used WW296 for my 460 loads (300 grain bullets) and my 500 (400-440 grains).
I am happy with the accuray but now I am wondering if this is the best powder for these two calibers?
All thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.
Thank you

YES, without a doubt. One powder I would never be without.
There are others for light plinking loads and fast powders that give fairly high velocities but don't fill the case. Why a large case if you don't fill it but 1/4 full? I am amazed at the number of guys that buy the biggest, baddest gun and shoot .38 loads----WHY DID THEY BUY THEM??? They were made for hunting, not tin cans at 10 yd's.
Maybe the reason is the recoil is too much or they don't hunt but want to brag about having the most powerful guns.
If you think you can get used to a gun by shooting whimp loads for practice and then step up to full power for hunting, you just fool yourself. Shoot what you are going to use!
Start someone by shooting a .22 and then hand them a .475 Linebaugh--guess what? It will scare the pants off of them. I have friends that love to shoot but when I try to hand them my revolvers, they say no way.
Then you have the reverse where someone want's the most powerful load without accuracy. They only brag about velocity but can't hit a thing. Macho man, tough guy stuff.
Accuracy will always be king even if you have to download a little.
Leave the chrono home and find the most accurate load first. Then just use it to see what you have. I have never seen any animal stop, look back at you and say "HA HA, you are 200 fps too slow."

I don't know if it's the best for the 500 but I've used it. I prefer H110 & H4227 for most of my jacketed loads. To date I think I've used somewhere around 15 different types with various bullet weights. I don't baby my guns and I've run everything from 223gr to 700gr through them.

All I use in my 460 and 500 mags are H110 and W296. I have not found anything better.

For my 460 S&W, I get my best accuracy with a hefty load (actually higher than any I've seen in a load book) of 2400 under a Hornady 250 gr. SST/ML bullet.

For my 500 S&W, H110/Win. 296 works great.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
I have not pulled out my chronograph in ages as I tend to be lazy as of late.
Being sort of old school I have always used WW296 for my 460 loads (300 grain bullets) and my 500 (400-440 grains).
I am happy with the accuray but now I am wondering if this is the best powder for these two calibers?
All thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.
Thank you

Lil'gun for the 500, for sure.

I have been getting excellent accuracy with 240 gr Hornady XTP/Mag and H110 in my 460 S&W.

What type of improvements did you see in velocity and accuracy with H110 and Lilgun over 296?

I saw no difference between H110 and 295, none. Between H110 and Lilgun using like charges, there was about a 200fps increase using Lilgun and much less flame. It does burn cleaner but keep in mind this was with the lighter bullets, 325gr and down. I use Lilgun when I want to make the lighter slugs scream
Accuracy for me was more acceptable with the lighter slugs, 350gr and down using Lilgun. Anything from 350gr and up shined with H110/296

I definitely concur on the use of Lil'Gun in the 500. I have used it from 275 gr bullets to 700 gr bullets and it provides fantastic velocities and very good accuracy. I have only really pushed the accuracy in the 275 to 350 range though.

I've used H-110, H-4227, AA9, and LilGun. Lilgun seems to provide the best velocities but it's also been the most sensitive in terms of temperature. One range trip it'll be fine... the next range trip it'll be too hot. I went ahead and loaded my hunting rounds for this season with AA9 because it hasn't given me any temp issues whatsoever... I do think it's on the weak side of Lil'gun though... but for now, it shoots.

H110 and 296 are the same powders but Hodgden gets a different burn rate batch then WW.
LilGun will make a gun super hot so you can solder with the barrel. Hot weather will effect it more. To gain a little velocity and torch the barrel doesn't appeal to me. It was made for the .410. It has never given the accuracy of 296.

quote:

H110 and 296 are the same powders but Hodgden gets a different burn rate batch then WW.

So, if they're the same powders how do they get different burn rates?

Each and every batch made is different. No way to control it close. After it is tested the powder for that batch goes either to WW or Hodgden per their specs for canister powder. Any outside the specified burn rates goes to ammo makers that have their own test equipment. Reloaders always get powder with set burn rates for safety.
2400 is a good powder too and I use a lot of it. That is nice shooting. I have been trying for years to get guys to shoot from 50 yd's out because accuracy with a good revolver doesn't deserve 25 yd's. You have shown them how.

Grumulkin, I'm sure I don't have to tell you this but that's some exceptional shooting.

I'm waiting for the 300 gr. Hornady SST's or whatever they're calling them to be available for reloading so that I can kick up the speed on my 500 at tad more and flatten out the trajectory... get it a little closer to the 460.