I generally load my target rounds.. 180gr fmj.. with 10.4 of Bluedot. Seems to be the most accurate in all my guns.
But I have a fairly large supply of Longshot that I want to start using up.
Whats the general consensus for the most accurate Longshot load?
I can find a lot of info on speeds for different loads but not much on accuracy.
Quote from: ottoman on March 15 2018 12:27:03 AM MDT
I generally load my target rounds.. 180gr fmj.. with 10.4 of Bluedot. Seems to be the most accurate in all my guns.
But I have a fairly large supply of Longshot that I want to start using up.
Whats the general consensus for the most accurate Longshot load?
I can find a lot of info on speeds for different loads but not much on accuracy.
I find it amazing that at least five 10mm forum members here say the same thing about Blue Dot. This is, by my estimation, beyond a random experience. It may be statistically significant and warrants my further evaluation. I look forward to responses to your inquiry about Longshot.
Morning,
8.5 – 9.5 grains of Longshot (if I'm not mistaken) is the manufactures recommendation for a 180gr XTP. I don't have my data in front of me, but believe 9.1 is what I have used under the 180 XTP, or HAP bullet
8.8gr of Longshot over a 180gr fmj is the most accurate load I have found for most of my 5" barreled 10mm guns.
Longshot is very dense powder and it seems to work best when using full charges where the heat and pressure help it to burn more completely. I would suggest trying 8.4 to 9.6 grains of LongShot to see how your gun performs. 9.2 seems to be a sweet spot for some of mine where I get a cleaner burn for the yield in performance. Keep in mind these are all hand weighed for match grade consistency.
As you get above the 9.2 grain load the performance can become erratic with flat spots in velocity or even spikes in velocity depending on bullet fit and seal.
Longshot can also benefit from hotter primers to impart more flame an brisance to the dense powder charges...
I have had mediocre success with Longshot in the 10mm, but I buy it by the 8# jug for the 480 Ruger, 45 Colt, and 454 Casull, does pretty well in the 357 and 44 Magnums too. I will have to give the 8.8 under a 180 X-treme a try, the suggest of 10.4 Blue Dot was the Bee's knees.
Quote from: High Desert Hunter on March 15 2018 07:53:24 PM MDT
, the suggest of 10.4 Blue Dot was the Bee's knees.
That makes six. ::)
Quote from: sparkyv on March 16 2018 06:21:19 AM MDT
Quote from: High Desert Hunter on March 15 2018 07:53:24 PM MDT
, the suggest of 10.4 Blue Dot was the Bee's knees.
That makes six. ::)
Interested to see if you get good accuracy with the X-treme projectiles. I spent a year trying different longshot loads in 10mm with x-treme projectiles with mediocre results. The switch to fmj's halved my group sizes. II don't even bother with plated projectiles anymore.
I will let you know, I load the heavy plate, and they are excellent with the 10.4gr Blue Dot load.
Quote from: Azrckcrawler on March 16 2018 07:10:44 AM MDT
Interested to see if you get good accuracy with the X-treme projectiles. I spent a year trying different longshot loads in 10mm with x-treme projectiles with mediocre results.
On Friday, I tried 5 loads using 180gr X-Treme RNFP HPCB over Longshot. Best group size results came from 9.0gr load...no chrony. Very pleased with these heavy plated projectiles with Blue Dot and Longshot.
You're not the first one to post questions about Longshot. http://10mm-firearms.com/reloading-10mm-ammo/powders-for-accuracy/msg51667/#msg51667
The only 180 gr bullet I could get to group with it was Speer's Gold Dot. Like Sparkyv, the most accurate load was 9.0 grains.
OTOH, 10.4 grains of Blue Dot was more accurate with every 180 gr bullet I tested, in all three of my 10's. With Xtreme's 180 gr HP being the big surprise, equaling the XTP and Star JHP's.
Jeff
Last weekend I finally shot the 180gr X-treme over Longshot, the 8.8 grain load shot very well, but not as well as the Blue Dot load.
I love Longshot, but I only use it in "full" power loads. If I want to down-load I have 40SW for that ;)
I actually use Missouri coated bullets, I find they don't lead in my 1911 even at full power. Recovered bullets are still fully coated.
It IS interesting. Same bullets, just over max loads with Longshot, #9 and BlueDot.....in my 10mm AR - makes really no difference in accuracy.
Hmmm. Looks like I need to buy a pound of Blue Dot for 10mm. I kind of lost interest in it 30 years ago when gave me a scare in a Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Magnum.
For some reason Alliant put out a warning for Blue Dot, no use in the 41 Magnums and also not for the 125 grain bullets in 357 magnum.
I had run many loads using 125's in 357 magnum using Blue Dot with no issues...
Shadow, it may have been others' experiences like mine in the 1980s that led Alliant to issue that warning in .41 Magnum. The warning has been out there a very long time. I had used it with great satisfaction in .44 Magnum.
Loaded some Blue Dot in Starline brass under the 180-grain Gold Dot -- 10.0, 10.4, 10.7 and 11 grains. Will try them out after I get the KKM barrel and ZEV trigger installed. The stock trigger seems to be the coarsest factory trigger I have had on the five or six Glocks I have fooled with in recent years.
My factory G20 gen 4 trigger isn't half bad, or should say, it's much better then the my G30 trigger, still looking into the Zev for the 20
My Glock 20L trigger sucks. I tried the polishing, new bar, etc.....still feels like crunching sugar cubes with a fork. It really is the only thing I don't like about the gun and I have shot thousands of rounds. I need a real fix.
Hate to drop what Zev is asking, but am looking forward to getting one