VV320, Xtreme 125gr FP, no chrono though

[chibern]

Wanted to see if anybody has any insight on my load data:

The VV load manual lists 3.8gr N320 @ 1.142" OAL for a 124gr plated bullet will give 1000fps out of a 4" test barrel.

I loaded 3.7gr N320 @ 1.080" OAL, 125gr Xtreme plated FP. Shooting out of a 4.9" barrel (Beretta 92), it feels really soft and was quite accurate but I'm afraid it might not make minor PF.

From what I have read, the difference between a 4" and a 5" barrel is around 40-50fps and it looks like if I interpolate the load data, each 0.1gr of powder is roughly 20-25fps. So, THEORETICALLY (my theory at least) is that I should be around 1015-1030 fps (1000- 25 + 40)which would make PF, barely. However, I don't have access to a chrono to actually verify this.

Has anybody loaded something similar and can provide some insight?

I also loaded some at 4.0gr N320 which had much more recoil and didn't seem as accurate.

[Classic_jon]

I loaded some Bare lead 130gr bullets with 3.6 gr of N320 and they were uber soft and barely made power factor out of a 5" M&P Pro in the 1.15 and 1.16 OAL range.

...but that load may not make power factor or be accurate in your gun.

My suggestion is this, Ask to use someones Chrony and check them as well as test them for accuracy. I found that even though I could load down to just above power factor, I lost accuracy and the difference in recoil was tiny. In my M&P I found that if I load to around 140PF I get the best accuracy at 25+ yards and a good controllable recoil.

Remember, each gun and barrel are different so her on the forum, we can point you in a direction and narrow things down, but without testing for accuracy with a specific load and using a chrony to see what the actual FPS is *in your gun*, it is all guesswork.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Classic_jon

[RH45]

There were two of us that were running vv320 in 9mm at last year's, state IDPA match. Both of us were using Zero, 125 grain, jhps. I was running 4.2 grains of 320, with OAL of 1.12" out of my M&P, 9mm Pro, and I'm pretty sure that my buddy was running 4.1 grains of 320, with an OAL of 1.14, out of an STI Spartan. I don't remember the exact results of the "official" chronograph, but, I do remember that neither of us passed by much.

[Hi-Power Jack]

The VV manual lists 3.8gr N320 @ 1.142" OAL for a 124gr plated bullet will give 1000fps out of a 4" test barrel.

I loaded 3.7gr N320 @ 1.080" OAL,

Big difference between 1.142" and 1.080".

As noted, you cannot tell if you're making minor without

a chronograph.

Jack