Revisiting 10mm powders... N350?

[78Staff]

Getting ready to start loading some 10mm for my new Delta Elite.  Searching back on various boards it seems the preferred powders are Longshot for full power loads and WSF for general plinking, range time, etc, or even Clays in a pinch.  I did see some recommendations for N350 as well, so was curious who had loaded up N350 under some 180's and your impressions?

Will be starting with new Starline brass, and either Zero Jacketed 180's or maybe some BB coated 180's (or both) and WLP primers.  I read a very nice summary on a dedicated 10mm board, with Longshot performing excellent with 1250 fps level loads, however it did create smiley's in brass out of a Delta Elite due to the chamber.  While I won't shoot as much 10mm volume as I do other calibers, at the same time I don't want to be throwing away brass after one loading either, so figured i would do a bit more research...

 

Edited October 27, 2016 by 78Staff

[thormx538]

Quickloads is showing for a sample load of 34k PSI with a 185gr in a 6" barrel, Power Pistol gets 1296fps and N350 gets 1240fps.

 

3n37 gets 1248, and Unique gets 1228.

 

I personally use Power Pistol for plinking loads (close to full power) on my 550B, and 800X for individually loaded thermonuclear stuff. 800X is very commonly known to generate great velocity at low pressures in 10mm.

Edited October 28, 2016 by thormx538

[78Staff]

800x...hmm ok will check into it as well - thanks.  I have a 1lb of PP so can try it out also.

[thormx538]

800X is great, but it's a shotgun powder so the flakes are very large, which makes it inaccurate in powder drops. I only use an electronic powder dispenser for it.

[78Staff]

Revisiting the smilies, I inspected my Sig Sauer 10mm FMJ cases and saw no indications of case bulge with the Delta Elite barrel.    This is the new version of the DE, not sure if they changed anything dimension-wise re the throat/support area from the previous model, or if the SS is not hot enough to create a bulge, but is reported to be one of the last full power factory 10mm loads from a big manf at 1250fps.

Also that quickloads app looks pretty nice, but the demo download link is broken :(.

Edited October 30, 2016 by 78Staff

[thormx538]

I bought a bunch of once fired 10mm brass, and after processing ~1600 pieces so far, I'd say the most common once fired stuff I find that is bulged is Starline/Underwood with a Glock firing pin strike, and the yellow brass Sig stuff with a round 1911-style (or P220) firing pin mark. The Sig nickel stuff is usually fine.

 

Not full on "pregnant guppie" style bulges, but just a noticeable amount of effort required to get it through the push-through sizer.

[fltbed]

If all your after is velocity, defiantly stick with Longshot or hand weighed charges of 800X.  If you prefer accuracy, look into Blue Dot.

My go to 10mm load is:

10.4 gr Blue Dot

Xtreme 180 gr HP

Starline brass

CCI #300 LP primer

 

It only chronos around 1200 f.p.s. in my 10's and it's quite flashy but it is definitely the most accurate load I've tested.

These are 50 yard groups shot off sandbags.

 

Jeff

[78Staff]

I've picked up a few powders to try - Blue Dot, AA9, Longshot, plus the Power Pistol and WSF I already have.  Still deciding on a chronograph ( pro or G2) but did load up some lower end PP loads to exercise the press a bit :).

[Smokecloud]

My 3 powders for 10mm are 800x, Blue Dot and Longshot, but I got away from the LS for a while because I couldn't hardly get it.  New Starline Brass and 180gr Hornady XTP, I run about 9.0 of 800x, which runs about 1250 out of my G20.  That load doesn't tear up the brass too bad, but is right below the power level that my glock started to give me fits.  After I shoot good jacketed bullets through the virgin brass, I reload them with 180gr home cast bullets that I make and powder coat.  I run them with 10gr of Blue Dot, which runs about 1200 to 1210 fps.  Love the fireballs from the BD on practice/plinking rounds and it shoots very accurately.  I have reloaded some of the cases now 8x and 9x.

 

800x is the preferred powder of some of the manufacturers of the hotter 10mm loads.  All of that stuff is out of the book specs though and I don't go there, especially with my shorter barrel.  I have been getting weak though and I believe that a 6" version will eventually follow me home some day.

[ScubaGary]

I use WST for stupid soft target/competition rounds with 180gr to 220gr

[SOA1911]

I use AA No. 7, Longshot, and Unique in my 2016 Delta Elite and in my Sig P220, and all have performed to my expectations. One of my favorite loads is 7.0 gr. of Unique under a 150 gr. Nosler JHP at an OACL of 1.255". Another is 10.5 gr. AA #7 under a 180 gr. Hornady XTP or HAP at an OACL of 1.255". Also, as much as I like 1911s, I much prefer shooting my Sig P220 (best 10mm that I have shot).

[Croomrider]

I haven't heard anyone mention CFE-Pistol. It may not work as well for heavier bullets, but I get about 1400 fps from 155gr HP's out of my Sig-P220.

 

 

[DukeEB]

17 hours ago, 57K said:

For your higher velocity loads, AA #9 is tough to beat. The original "standbys" were Blue Dot and AA#7 both giving excellent results while #7 won't flash nearly as bad, if that is undesirable. Any double-based Flake powder comes with the price of muzzleblast/flash. There are, however, single-based powders that can be excellent without the 18" fireball coming from your muzzle. Unfortunately, and even though they seem slow about doing it, Hodgdon stated some time back that 7625 and 4756 are being discontinued. Both are single-based where 700-X & 800-X are double-based.

 

If you want to see some impressive flash, just make some warm loads with Blue Dot & Power Pistol and shoot them at night! Might want to have a cameraman handly as well!

 

N350 or 3N37 work great. Probably Vectan Ba 7 1/2 as well because it is their version of N350. Vv and NobelSport/Vectan are owned by the same entity. Really, any spherical from say N340 down to AA #9 is going to work pretty well. I'm particularly fond of Ramshot True Blue and Silhouette and even Enforcer can be used if you have the data. It and #9 are very close in burn rate and AA 4100 is the same powder as Enforcer. Just in case you want a powerful pig sticker. Then there's Vv 3n38 that does very well in 10mm and just slightly faster than Blue Dot/AA #7 as is LoudShot which won't give as much load density.

 

I've seen some guys raving about how hot there loads are using 800-X. I never have and never will use any. It is a double-based flake as mentioned and probably the worst metering powder you can use in handgun loads with its very large flake size. IMO. AA #9 is a much better choice, particularly if the loads will have any defense application. AA #7 also, and even Silhoutte because it's chemically treated to give very low flash.

 

For the softer stuff, you also have plenty of choices where Lyman talks about very good results coming from W231. Ramshot ZIP is very close and cleaner burning. just to name a couple.

 

 

AA9 is also very good for an AR in 10mm.