leam Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 The VV load page seems to recommend N330/N340/N350/3N37 for heavier (147 gr) bullets. I know folks seem partial to N320, but for those of us not wanting to push SAAMI specs or load Major, are the above workable? Using a SIG P320 full size with about a 4 inch bbl. Thanks! Leam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmo2011 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I cannot comment on 147 projectiles however n330 under a 124 precision delta is my favorite 9mm load. Very acurrate in multiple pistols. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg2648 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I load 3.2 to 3.3gr N320 with 147gr SnS coated bullets. Easily makes PF. Very soft and accurate. I also loaded as little as 2.9gr and the gun worked flawless. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Of those n330 is best. But n320 is a good option too. The others listed are fairly slow burning and better suited for major pf loads in an open gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 An extremely broad rule of thumb with a boatload of caveats is generally that at the same power factor, ammo that uses a faster burning powder (such as N320) will recoil less than ammo that uses a larger amount of slower burning powder (such as N340). Of the ones you have listed, N330 or 340 will be most appropriate, while the others may be basically overkill. Side by side, my ammo made with N320 or Titegroup is more pleasant than ammo made with Power Pistol or Silhouette (which are closer to N340/N350), but honestly if you just need something to shoot, it's not going to be so massive a difference as to fret about it too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo86cj Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I load 3.2 to 3.3gr N320 with 147gr SnS coated bullets. Easily makes PF. Very soft and accurate. I also loaded as little as 2.9gr and the gun worked flawless. Good luck. Same here with Berrys plated 147's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiratePast40 Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) With so may respected people giving advice, it's had for some of us to decide which way to go. My understanding, about faster powders like titegroup and N320, were that they may not be appropriate for heavier bullets (147) since they build pressure very fast and it takes longer to get the heaver projectile moving down the barrel. My impression was that these were more appropriate for 115 and 124g bullets. Power Pistol and N340 were, what I thought, more appropriate for the 147s because they build pressure slowly. At the same time, the slower powders may be still unburnt by the time that a lighter projectile leaves the barrel and produce more smoke and flash. I'm getting the impression that many mixtures work, just that some are more safe that others. As for me, I'm just not comfortable with fast powders for heavy bullets. I've seem some calculations that show you can get really high pressures with titegroup with a small reduction in OAL or just a few more grains of powder. I messed up some 124's with titegroup and a short OAL. Someone did some cals and showed I was at 45,000 cup. For someone like me, shooting production minor, I just don't see any need to go there. Edited October 11, 2015 by PiratePast40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 There's heavy and there's HEAVY. 147 handily makes minor with Titegroup and N320 (I've checked several thousand times) but may not do so with Clays or N310 (which are crazy fast). .45 ACP, on the other hand, Clays and N310 will both make major with a 230 all day, and that's heavy in the ACP. Anymore, I shoot 147s with 4.4 grains of Silhouette or 4.2 of Power Pistol because after a winter with the 625 everything else seemed like a squirrel fart. There are a great many variables in play. I wouldn't shy away from combinations that others use with great success because of the reduced possibility for error. Any error has the potential to be a gun-ender: the key as with any reloading practice is to not screw up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leam Posted October 12, 2015 Author Share Posted October 12, 2015 I wound up with a pound of N350, supply in these hinterlands is iffy. The plan is to load a few and see if I can test this winter, and then start cranking out loads for the spring season. Since I also shoot a 45 ACP with 230s, the N350 can go there if it doesn't work for 9 MM. I appreciate all the advice, thanks! Will let you know how things turn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost21 Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 If you can find it !! N330 is and will be the best 9mm powder you can use for soft loads! I shot many GSSF matches with the Rem 147gr Match FP bullet. Over 3.7grs of N330 and if I remember correctly OAL was 1.100 I would load the rounds as long as I could in glock 9mm mags and not have them hang up in the mag.( never had a feeding problem with these loads) I just wish I could find N330 now! It as scarce as hens teeth. I now am using TG . N340, and unique. All work ,But only if I could find the elusive N330! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiratePast40 Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 Going a little off topic here, but ETR-7 works well with Acme 147g flat points. At a PF of 135, I'm getting really good accuracy out of my M&P Pro, 5 inch 9mm. Right now, it's available at a decent price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21 shooter Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 A friend used N330 with a 147 and said it was great. I've looked for N330 for the last couple of years with no success. Not sure they even import it now. I'm using N320 with a 147 Bayou bullet and it works great. It's in and out of stock, just keep watching and you will find some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlockCanMan Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Using 3.1-3.2gr of N320 with the 147gr bullet is far from pushing SAAMI specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywatcher Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 i use N320 and WST as Titegroup is just to snappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Beware temp sensitivity of WST. It slows WAY down in high temperatures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MemphisMechanic Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 On 10/14/2015 at 7:46 PM, GlockCanMan said: Using 3.1-3.2gr of N320 with the 147gr bullet is far from pushing SAAMI specs. A sidenote if you're looking for the cleanliness, softness, and consistency of N320 but don't like the price or can't find it? Nobel Sport Prima V. Powder Valley runs "free hazmat if you buy X pounds" on it regularly. Feels just like N320 and runs almost as clean. At half the price. And grafs and powder valley generally have it stocked. My loads with it have always had an SD of less than 10 (usually 6 or 7) through a Dillon measure on a 650. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsauerfan Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 i'M a v user in and out.load 40 and 9 with most of the ones mentionned . i save my 320 for my 40's and i use 340,3n37 which are slower powders . i'm curently loading my 9mm rounds with VV340. 3.7grs with a jacketed FMJ -RN is enough for production PF while it gets you a little more recoil than the 3.5grs of VV320 i used to shoot before deciding to save my 320 for my fourthy's. i'm also going to get a 4 pounder of VV310 .after trying 3.1grs at 1.130 under a 147 i'm definitely goin to work a load with it....it's faster than 320,so one must be carefull with 310 ; at 3.1grs i haven't seen a flatened primer,and the feel is great to me. very fast slide action with less perceived recoil and muzzle flip. however, there's no data for 9mm and vv310...so it's all research while the 3.1grs load was suggested to me by a user of this site and it worked fine with nothing to worry except the very dry bang lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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