N340 alternative?

[Mcflyr]

I have been reloading 9mm for about a year. The guy that got me started used N340 and consequently I do as well. I get some weird looks when I tell other reloaders that I am using the N340 because of the price. Any thoughts on a comparable, lower priced alternative powder? Or should I stick with what is working. I am happy with it BTW. Shooting some nice soft, accurate loads with it. Using 3.5 gr of powder with a Berrys 147 bullet. Thanks in advance!

[noylj]

If you want a similar burn rate powder, try Silhouette or HS6.

I find WSF, which is supposedly slower then N340, to have a lot of promise (haven't tried much of it yet).

An accurate powder, from low to the high end, has been AA5.

However, if I was to buy just one powder, it would probably be Silhouette--provided you are shooting from mid-range to max. Great powder in almost any cartridge in the 25-45ksi region.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I use WW231 with 147 grain MG bullets -

very nice load.

Jack

[mizer67]

I just bought 12 lbs. of N340. I haven't found other powders that are as accurate in 9mm for me, except N330. N320 is softer, but not as accurate and no different on cost than N340, just less available.

TG can do well around 4.0-4.1 gr with a 124 JHP at shorter OALs, but it burns hot and some don't like the recoil impulse. Some like it with 147s as well, for our games. I keep 8-12 lbs on hand of TG also as a backup to N340, which I prefer.

I've tried WSF with my preferred 124s and 147s and wasn't that pleased with the results.

[MarkCO]

For the 147s, I have been very happy with WSF. Very accurate in multiple guns and meters well.

[GForceLizard]

If it ain't broke don't try to fix it. N340 is working for you. It's a highly accurate powder. I load Titegroup for my 9mm, FWIW. When using 147gr plated Berry's it's 3.4gr Titegroup at 1.145" OAL for me.

[acekc]

If you look at the cost of a jug of VV powder compared to a jug of another powder the VV seems very expensive but a little perspective may be in order:

VV's load data for 147gr 9mm is 3.1-3.9 so you're right in the middle. Silhouette (picked at random but other powders are probably similar in price) is 3.9-4.6 so let's say you'd use 4.3gr of that.

4 pounds of N340 is $96.70 @ Powder Valley while 4 pounds of Silhouette is $63. 4 pounds of N340 loads 8,000 rounds while 4 pounds of Silhouette loads 6,512 rounds. That makes the cost of N340 $12.09 per thousand rounds while Silhouette is $9.67 per thousand rounds. That's a difference of $2.42 per thousand or slightly less than one penny per four rounds.

I'm not getting into a qualitative discussion of N340 vs. Silhouette or anything else, I'm just saying that if you like N340 (and it sounds like you do) is it worth messing around for an extra $2.42 per thousand rounds?

[19852]

I've used Ramshot Silhouette and Competition, VV N320, N340. I started with N340 just by happenstance some years ago and worked up a load using a Zero 125gr JHP. It was accurate and controllable. Then I started experimenting with other powders and plated bullets sometimes with poor results. I have now come full circle, back to higher quality jacketed bullets and N340 because I like to hit where I'm aiming. N320 is still a great choice but if the price is the same I'm going with N340. Silhouette is good too, just a little dirty at minor PF. I still like RS Competition for .45.

[Mcflyr]

Thanks for all the input. Maybe, for once, I should leave well enough alone! The N340 does work well for me. Just get a lot of comments about the price. which if you break it down, really isn't a big factor. The two powders that always seems to be suggested are TG and WW231. I always seem to want to try something else...

Edited March 10, 2012 by Mcflyr

[polizei1]

You can try a different powder, no harm in that. The only powder I've used is Win 231, which is the same as HP-38 (this is cheaper). I would certainly like to run VV, but I find it sometimes difficult to find, and I can't get past the price. For me though, I just shoot to have fun. You can always buy a 1lb jug of powder and try it. Or, if someone is local you could trade some.