Nemesis Lead Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I am building a long loaded (1.21 OAL) .40 major load for my SVI 6 inch gun. I will probably shoot 180 grain Montana Gold jacketed bullets. I am wondering about the differences between VIHTAVUORI N310 and N320. To anyone that has used both..... Which is the softer shooter (or how is the recoil different)? Which is cleaner? Which is more temperature sensitive? Which meters better? Which is cheaper? Which is more available? Other differences? Any sage advice is greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I am building a long loaded (1.21 OAL) .40 major load for my SVI 6 inch gun. I will probably shoot 180 grain Montana Gold jacketed bullets. I am wondering about the differences between VIHTAVUORI N310 and N320. To anyone that has used both..... Which is cleaner? Same Which is more temperature sensitive?Same Which meters better?Same Which is cheaper?Same Which is more available?310 because 320 is so popular it sells out all the time Other differences? Any sage advice is greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latech15 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 310 was way more snappy in my 6" gun than 320. 320 is always sold out because everyone uses it. Everyone uses it because it is an awesome powder. That being said, pick one and shoot a ton of it. You will get used to which ever one you shoot a lot of and then anything else will feel awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 310 is not even recommended for any 40 load with any bullet. I tried some in a 45 and it was snappy scary with a 230gr Moly. 320 is not even recommended above a 165gr 40 bullet. For a 170gr it is N340, N350 & 3N37. Downloaded the chart 12/8/11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67 LS1 Camaro Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 N320 for 9mm and .40 N310 for .45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Try a 165gr bullet loaded to major with your gun with 320. It doesn't get much better than that. Regards, DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 (edited) 4.7-5.0gr of N320, is a clean soft accurate load. Try some 180gr BayouBullets and drop the load down to 4.3-4.5gr. N310 might be ok but will be hard to find since it isn't popular. If you run out of N320 WST works good as a backup powder. Edited December 10, 2011 by CocoBolo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH45 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I've been playing with 310 for the last couple of months. It is the weirdest powder I've ever loaded.If you try to download it, velocities are all over. I tried it in 9mm, .40, and .45. The only caliber I've gotten consistent velocities in is .45, and that only happens at the high end of recommended loads. For 9mm minor and .40 major, 320 is probably the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjs375 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I use N320, havent tried N310, but am more than happy with what I have...might try some 165's down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsashooter45 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 I had case problems with 310 loaded for major, switched to solo 1000 and problems went away. In minor 310 is all I use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braxton1 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 N-310 is scary fast powder. I haven't used it since I tried a 147 grain 9mm load for Production. 2 case blowouts in 1000 rounds on 130 Power Factor ammo. Enough for me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowrider Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Like Braxtion, 310 is too fast for me in .40 Major. For minor I might use it, even loading long I'd be skeered for major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david s Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) Try www.lapua.com, should help. Have them send you Reloading Guide, Edition 9 ( 70pg VV knowledge manual ). Doug might have given you the nugget of the week. Edited December 17, 2011 by david s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbcm Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I’m new to the form and use a lot of purple lid powders. I’m not an expert by any means. N310 is way to fast for my liking in a 40. N320 works great all across the board and the lone one that gets over looked is N340 A little slower then N320 and works great with 180’s. The only thing I found with N340 is you need a little more crimp for better burn. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokken Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 N320 is all I've ever used in .40, I'm at 4.9/1.220 with MG 180's and make 169PF out of my 5" Edge. N340 is perfect for the 200gr bullet, I have no load data, but know a couple of people who have made this their primary load. N310 with a 165 maybe, no load info. As others have said, it's a clean burning powder, also the powder is not temp sensitive, like many others. I just bought a pound of Solo 1000, have heard its burn rate is very very close to N320 and it's $17/lb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbo76 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I run solo 1000 bit have not been successful making a major load. 4.7 grains got me to a 160pf (very soft feel) but im hiesetent to go to the max of 4.8 on a 180g mg. Tg made major with 4.7 out of the same gun. (5" dawson limited) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaster113 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 N320 is expensive and often sold out cause it works so well in major/minor pf loads. Runs cool, clean and recoils softly. I love the stuff. Solo 1000 is pretty soft, cheap and clean and is my back up for N320. major pf practice load for my old 5" gun was 4.7/4.8 grains of Solo with a 180 grain BBI at 1.180 and 1.20 oal. Used to get pfs in the 168-170 range. tried some 165's with my new 6" gun, feels like the gun was built around them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I like 320. It's all I've ever used in competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perrysho Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 FILE or FLUSH ! On the HODGDON burn rate chart VV N310 is in the numger 3 Three spot for fast. For a guide info Hodgdon Clay is number 10 ten, and Titegroup is number 14 fourteen, The list has 144 powders on same at the latest printing. The above posters gave good advice. If you gonna play with fast powders buy a good Chrono and use it. A lil Hillbilly - Work loads up slow and don't do dumb POOP. Be SAFE, Perry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGinIdaho Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I use 4.5gr of N310 behind a 200gr lswc in 45acp. Accurate and consistent. It's a very fast powder. I'm not sure that I would try it in the .40sw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38superman Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 (edited) My feeling is that you are asking the wrong question. Try "Vihtavuori" N320 vs N340? N320 is extremetly popular in long loaded .40 with the 180 grain bullet. I have shot a bunch of it with 5.1 grains behind Montana Gold 180s. That said, ...... IMHO, even 320 is almost too fast. The difference between loads that are hot enough to make major and loads that produce high pressures, is a little too thin for my taste. The fact is that even with powders that meter well like N320, there is always some weight tolerance in thrown powder charges. Combine that with a powder scale thats a little out of calibration, or any other handloading mistake and things can get pretty dicy. I once had a batch that seemed pretty hot when I shot them. I decided to pull a few of them and discovered that what I meant to be 5.1 grains, acutally weighed out at around 5.3 - 5.4. They were hot but I really didn't think they were unsafe. I was too lazy to pull a couple of hundred rounds, so I decided to use them up in practice. Before I got through 100 rounds, my gun stopped running and I discovered I had a cracked breechface. Now, before 50 people jump on me and say: "You're full of crap. I routinely use that much 320 in my loads with no trouble", let me state that I'm not saying the powder is unsafe. Lots of our shooters burn it every day. I just think that its borderline fast for .40 cal. As stated, its a short trip from barely making major to scary high pressure. 310? No way. Since repairing my breechface, I'm becoming a big fan of N340. Tls Edited February 5, 2012 by 38superman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Do NOT use N310 for .40 Major. It is too fast and is not safe. I have a lot of experience with it in the past and gave it up for N320. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSCaster2 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 N310 + 230gr LRN in .45 is a very consistent, soft, clean choice for .45 ACP. I use 3.7-3.8 gr for a 169-ish PF. N320 for .40's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TISCHLJ Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) I've used almost 20 lbs of VV 310 in the last few years with no problems in .40 major. Right around 4.5 gr with MG or Zero 180 JHP or FMJ bullet at or near 1.200-1.210, depending on case. 170 pf+out of my Edge w/new bbl, Eagle with worn bbl, Trojan with new bbl . . .No blown primers. But they are flat! 172 PF is highest I have chromo'ed at a major match. Primer used were WW SRP and Wolf SRP. No breechface erosion eviidence as excessive. at this time. Usually 925-965 fps from all these guns . . . Also used it for .45 with great results in 200gr as well as 230gr bullets. It is my favorite powder- meters well (in Dillon 650) , and chronos well. Very consistent always. Last purchase last year 8 lbs- still working great in all guns. Call me a heretic, but it works for me! YMMV . . . . Edited February 28, 2012 by TISCHLJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braxton1 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I'No breechface erosion eviidence as excessive. at this time. <snip> Call me a heretic, but it works for me! YMMV . . . . Dear Heretic, With those flattened primers, you are definitely getting a tight seal between the primer and the pocket; hence, no breechface erosion! Honestly, I "liked" 310 in my 147 gr. 9mm loads for Production, but case blow-outs are not high up on my list for recreational occurrences. But they felt GOOD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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