hodgdon longshot

[EWILKE]

Has anyone worked up a .45 ACP load with longshot. I would like to load some barry's copper plated 200 grain swc. and what is a good OAL with 200 swc. Thanks.

[J-cat]

Load them so that about a sixteenth of the bullet shank sticks out past the case mouth.

[sargenv]

Um, Longshot is really too slow to use in the 45 acp. I did some work with it in 38 Super +P and it works the comp pretty well, but you want something faster like 231, Bullseye, or Clays. Likely it will produce all kinds of blast and a lot of unburned powder since it is meant as a magnum shotshell propellant and not a 45 acp target load powder.

[J-cat]

Some people like flash and blast.

Ken Waters (Handloader Magazine/Pet Loads) found Blue Dot to be extremely accurate in the 45 ACP. Perhaps LS has similar properties?

[sargenv]

Eh, if you want to.. I used to be of the mindset that anything could be loaded with Blue Dot (old or new formulation) but I found that the slow burners tend to cause fire, flash, and in most cases did not work as well as the faster powders meant for those cartridges. Longshot when used as a 38 Super +P powder is known as "Loudshot". Still in a cartridge such as the 45 acp with it's low chamber pressure limit, I don't know why you'd want to use a powder that likes higher pressure to burn right. Just seems punishing to the gun and brass. If it's what you have I'm sure you can find a load for it, just that I wouldn't use it. YMMV.

The Blue Dot Ken Waters used was likely the old Hercules formulation not the current Alliant stuff.. They have recently delisted 357 magnum data with 125 gr JHP's for Blue Dot and I think some other magnum loadings of it. Blue Dot is very high in nitro-glycerine and has a reputation for cutting topstraps when pushed to the limits.. there are better powders out there for pushing velocities with lower chamber pressures.. Don't get me wrong, I like the slow burners for their uses, just not for a 45 or other semi-auto cartridges. In a revolver or heavy lead and steel shot loading in a shotgun and I'm there.

Ok, so this one was bugging me, so I went looking for data on Hodgdon's web site. They have it listed.. and I simply cut and pasted.. www.hodgdon.com is a great site for data.

180 GR. LFP Hodgdon Longshot .452" 1.140" 6.5 788 9,800 CUP 8.0 1015 16,900 CUP
185 GR. HDY JSWC Hodgdon Longshot .451" 1.195" 7.2 919 11,300 CUP 8.2 1044 17,000 CUP
200 GR. SPR JHP Hodgdon Longshot .451" 1.155" 7.0 918 13,300 CUP 7.8 1013 16,900 CUP
230 GR. HDY FMJ FP Hodgdon Longshot .451" 1.200" 6.3 848 14,100 CUP 6.8 908 17,200 CUP
230 GR. LRN Hodgdon Longshot .452" 1.200" 6.0 747 12,000 CUP 6.8 875 16,800 CUP

[EWILKE]

Thanks for that I just a little confused by what 200 grain swc load and OAL should be there is no listing for that bullet.

[freonr22]

Give hodgdon a call

[EWILKE]

I sent a e-mail waiting for a reply. look like my 1911 likes a OAL of 1.240 feeds smooth. I see a lot OAL of 1.225 that was to short for my feed ramp hit the barrel opening.