Rufus The Bum Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Well I'm about to start reloading for Major 9, but have yet to decide on a powder. The general opinion on this board seems to be either 3n37 or 3n38. Would it REAllY matter if I got one or the other? OR are they basically the same powder? Having NO experience whatseover reloading Major 9, I'm just going on what all I have read here. I'd hate to get stuck with 8lbs of powder I couldn't really use (been there, done that) My barrel by the way is a Sheumann 5" 9mm with 2 small barrel ports and a 5 port comp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 3n38 looks to be a little slower. Burn Chart Don't know the answer to your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I have one of JL Hardy's Open Guns (commander length slide), and have used 3N38. It works well. With the shorter barrel, I do get some pretty significant flash from the compensator and hybrid ports. I've gotten to the point where I never notice it, but others around me usually comment on the flame thrower 3N38 meters well and the load seems very consistent. I am looking at other powders due to its cost though. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old shooter Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 I use 3n37 with a scheumann bbl on a short 9. I think you will find major with a 124 gr if you start in the high 7gr. and work up. 7625 and hs7,hs6 also work. I am really looking forward to sp2 when available sometime this year. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Both will work. 3n38 requires more powder to make major. I've been running 3n37 because I can't find 3n38 to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Meek Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 I tried HS6 in my Major Nine, not that thrilled. Recently been using 3N38, will play with some 3N37 and N340 next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 3n38 works the comp a lot more than 3n37, for the same velocity. Does require a little more charge weight. And every barrel/port setup is a little different. Something else might work better for you. Just my opinion, if you're going to pay the high price for VihtaVouri in Open, 3n38 is the one, hands down. Having said that I like Vectan SP2 better - 40% cheaper price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus The Bum Posted January 16, 2004 Author Share Posted January 16, 2004 Well I've been using 3N37 for 38 Super, so I might just keep what I already use and get some 3N38 to compare it with. Thanks to all for the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.L. Hardy Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 rufus, i have been working with 9mm major as much as anyone and there are a few reasons i don't reccommend 3n37. it has to do with about 6 or seven barrels hanging over my work bench that i have changed out for shooters. on each barrel they are missing the rifling from the chamber up to an inch down the bore. i had a lengthy discussion with wil schuman regarding this and am convinced that the reason for this wear is due to the fast burn rate and high flame temp of powders which are so fast. at the time of this conversation with wil,i was just starting to work up the 9mm guns and he agreed to make me a few of the new aet commander hybricomp barrels with the 9x19 chambers. he reccomended i try the 3n38 because it was developed specifically for small case capicity open class guns used in ipsc. it also had the proper flame temp and burn rate to help reduce the wear i had been seeing with long term use of fast powders. during the conversation he also mentioned another powder with the same charactistics. that powder was vectan sp2. as luck would have it i had an 8 lb jug that i had never opened on the shelf. i bought some 3n38 and compared the sp2 to it and found that both powders performed the same and used the same charge weights(not same charge volumes). sp2 is slightly denser. i located a bunch of sp2 real cheap and bought a bunch. due to the cost and the fact i like the way it performs it is my favorite. if i didn't have it i would be shooting 3n38 even though it is slightly more expensive than the other powders that can be used. i don't think that the extra cost involved would compel me to risk premature damage to a gun that i like. good shooting, j.l. hardy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 FWIW, at Area 2, Angus at Ghost Holster had a sheet listing various VV powders for sale. I think at the 55lb drum level, 3n38 gets down to a similar price as the others.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Please try IMR before you buy a keg of anything. 7625 if you like it snappy and smooth 4756 if you like it flatter. I like 'em both. SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 My experince with both as been to make major with my 5" tribrid using 3N37 was cases would stick very tightly where the gun wouldn't extract from the AET fluted chamber. My guess was high pressure. No such problems with 3N38 making major. The gun runs great and the primers show now signs of pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Were those six eroded barrels 9x19 or .38 Super? Were they the same brand of bbl? I would hardly consider 3N37 fast. I'm using 3N38 (.38 Super) now but I think I would like to go back to 3N37 when I run out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 I just got through with a bunch of powder testing in my short Dawson .38 Super with 121gr bullets. 4756 is close to 3N38 performance-wise, but is a pain to load, being so bulky-- there's no way you're getting enough into a 9mm case. 7625 had noticeably more dot movement than N350 or 3N37. 3N37 had more 'boom' than N350, but is less bulky and a tad softer. 3N38 was snappier with less flip and nice to load, but expensive. N105 was even flatter and snappier, but bulky and pricy again. I did discover that there's no magic powder-- they're all not that different, so 'pick one and practice' is probably better than agonizing over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 I agree with everything Shred just said. I've shot at least 3lbs of each of those powders. N105 will make Major at the published load (SAAMI specs) but only in a pretty long OAL of 38super. Compressed load. 3n38 and Vectan SP2 can give you a "safe" Major load even with less case capacity. How much less, I don't know. For how flat it shoots, 3n38 probably has the least amount of excess, or 'rocket effect'. It's a softer slap in your hand to go with the minimal muzzle rise. It also *moves more air*. I don't know why, it just does. I find that very cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.L. Hardy Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 eric, all barrels were 38 super. all according to the shooters were used almost exclusively with 3n37. the case mentioned above with brass sticking in the chamber is an example of the higher pressure i refer to. to go along with it flame temp is high. if you get a chance try loading up some different powders and going to an indoor range where you can turn out the lights and have someone else fire the gun. watch the flame colors coming out of the ports. what i saw was yellow and blue flames out of most powders except sp2. sp2 seemed to give off dark grey gas. 3n38 gave off just a little yellow flame. if you have ever gas welded then you know that the color of a neutral flame is blue with a yellow tip. i prefered to have gas and not flame coming out of the ports. my information on the powders also came from extensive conversations with wil schumann who claims to have tested the powders or has extensive knowledge of their properties.good shooting, j.l.hardy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 The 5" TriBrid mentioned in my last post was sent back to Wil because it wouldn't shoot a group and was fiercely sticking cases. He found metal from the hibrid posts had liquidified and run down in the path of the bullet. I sent the barrel with an explaination of my load work-up using 7625, 4756 and 3n37. Be said they were the cause of the problems due to such high temps and pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmon Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 ouch, gas actually melting the hybrid ports?? you using acetylene for gun powder?? i have never heard of that kind of stuff happening. wierd. im looking into a tribrid major 9,, 6 inch tribrid shouldnt have any trouble making major in 9mm with 3n38 and or SP2??right fellas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtr Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 I'm using 3n37 on a major 9 open gun, just started shooting it and reloading, seems to work fine so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRamsey Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 Please try IMR before you buy a keg of anything.7625 if you like it snappy and smooth 4756 if you like it flatter. I like 'em both. SA Steve, Where are you getting your IMR? Can you give me the short version on how burn rates effect the equation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 David, Some of the local sporting goods around our area carry the IMR's but 7625 might be a little tricky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeter Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 38..... 37 hmmmm well one has an 8 and the other a 7 hope this helps.heheheh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Snyder Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 In referance to the Tribrid ports melting. A year and a half ago I had an open gun that had the Tribrid II 6" barrel in it and I had heard the horror stories but then started experimenting. The barrel was chambered for 9supercomp and I was using 115 gr bullets and what I found was that the only bullet that would shoot thru that barrel without spitting pieces out of the ports was a JHP. The reason behind this is that all the other bullets would expand under the pressure to make Major and as they passed the ports they expanded into the ports thus shearing off pieces. I had a lengthy conversation with Wil about this and I am surprised that he doesn't remember that using anything other than a JHP in his barrels destroys those ports in short order. I think that is why the accuracy goes to s$%^t using FMJ's. IMHO it is not the powder at fault. I am surprised that a 38 super barrel would be erroded the way that has been described as they operate at a far less pressure area than 9 supercomp. In 9 supercomp I used 3N38 and N-105 only and that gun still has the same barrel in it today and is still a Tack Driver! In working up loads for my new Benny Hill STI shorty 9mm Major I found that 3N37 with a 115 FMJ was far flatter shooting and easier to make Major with than 3N38 which I would use if I choose if I went to a 125gr bullet. I could not get enough 3N38 in a 9mm case to make Major with the 115's. I also use Federal Small Rifle primers as they have a lower temp ignition and can handle the pressure far better. My gun is set up with a 3 port comp and 2 bleeder holes in the top of the barrel. Do not try this at home unless you work up to it first. My load that works my gun is 8.4grs of 3N37, FC once fired case, FSR primer, 115gr FMJ seated to 1.155 and chronos at 1498fps and is flat as a pancake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmon Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 sounds like a hot cake...many folks like a touch heavier bullet than 115, especailly if you go outside of uspsa. 124s seem to be the best major bullet made. all JHPs,, FMJs blow apart, it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted August 7, 2004 Share Posted August 7, 2004 3n37 3n38 what ever it takes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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