Can I make 40 minor with Longshot?

[Cy Soto]

A very good friend of mine has recently begun reloading and the only powder he was able to find in stock was Hodgdon Longshot. Earlier today he loaded some rounds following the data found in the Hodgdon site but it turns out that they were a little bit hotter than what he was expecting.

For 165gr bullets (he is using Rainier plated bullets) they recommend starting out with 7.3gr of powder. He loaded a few rounds at 7.1gr (bellow the recommended minimum), another few at 7.3, and finally a few at 7.5gr.

The 7.1gr averaged out at 1,050fps (out of a SW99 .40S&W pistol), the 7.3gr chronoed at 1,067 and we didn’t chrono the 7.5gr. He was hoping to end up with a plinking load that would be closer to 850fps to 900fps but, by what we have been reading on the Internet, it doesn’t seem like is possible; am I right to assume this? Has anyone here tried putting together a load that is bellow the recommended load data in the Hodgdon site?

[joecichlid]

For a plinking load you might want to go with one of the faster powders. For this combo of bullet and powder I don't think you would want to try and run it at a lower velocity (in the range of Minor) as you can get lower velocities using something like Clays and cut your powder cost in half. Although I haven't heard of any issues with Longshot and very light charges I know that some of the faster powders tend to have bad things happen with light charges. For a light plinking load you might want to hit up the gun shows and see if you can come up with some Clays or even HP-38.

Joe W.

[Justsomeguy]

Hi Cy Soto... I have played around with Longshot, but you're not gonna make minor with Longshot! If you go too far below the minimum you will start to get a standard deviation figure that rivals the number of needles on a Christmas tree. That is... the powder won't be burning properly and will be spitting out the end of the barrel and give erratic results. You need a certain amount of pressure to fire up any powder, and slower powders like Longshot build pressure slowly with a light bullet so you need a certain amount to burn at once or you get poor results. Longshot is a great powder for moving the bullet along at brisk velocities with low pressure peaks... but not for plinking loads at minor velocities. For really lazy velocities you gotta have a fast powder because they are meant to light up at lower pressures more efficiently. Save the Longshot for making major or for defense loads for which is it hard to beat, but get some Titegroup, bullseye, Clays, or Solo1000 if you want to go that slow (850fps with a light bullet as you mentioned).

[DougCarden]

Probably a bad idea. I tried the same thing with AA #7 years ago...lots of unburnt powder and gunk all over, and the gun quit running after about 100rds...Too slow for what he wants to do.....

DougC