Fast Powder Loads

[Smitty79]

My current powder, 7625, is obsolete. I'm just cracked open my last jug. I've been picking up a pound of this and a pound of that as I see what's available at the LGS or on line when I can share hazmat with a primer order. Working up loads for most of the powders I have is easy. I could just buy a bunch of a "vanilla" appropriate powder. But I like working up loads. I did get some Clays and Ramshot Comp. These are real fast and I'm going to be above most book loads. Lots of loads available for both here.

I'm going to be loading Blue Bullets to 1.12 OAL in range pick up brass (I cull the stuff with the step like AMMOLOAD) using Federal primers. I will be shooting from an SP-01 Shadow for USPSA Production.

Here're are my work up plan for Clays and Comp. If I get to 132 pf, I won't shoot higher loads. I'm pretty sure I'm into +P pressures.

Clays
Source Internet Posts, Lyman manual
Components Blue Bullet 147 FP 1.12 OAL Fed Primers pick up brass
Weight
2.6 Lyman manual is at 1.058 OAL and says 2.8 is compressed.
2.8
2.9
3.0

Competition
Source Internet Posts, Ramshot web site, Lee manual
Components Blue Bullet 147 FP 1.12 OAL Fed Primers pick up brass
Weight
2.8
3
3.2 Probably +P around here
3.3
3.4

Last question. What makes N320 worth almost twice other appropriate 9mm powders?

[Garmil]

Nothing. I use n320 because I read how great it was on here. It's good but not worth the price difference. I'll use what I have left and buy something else.

[Steve RA]

I use 3.2 grs of Clays with 124/130 gr lead or coated in 9mm.

[JRM83]

It's clean, consistent, soft, and accurate. Yes, its twice the price. But that doesn't increase your cost per 1k all that much. It's a difference of $4 per 1,000 rounds. Or, its a difference of loading 40 extra rounds per 1k. Is that worth it? I think so

[Garmil]

Where does that math come from? Half price means twice as many rounds per $

Edited November 17, 2015 by Garmil

[Sarge]

I always like to point out that powder only makes up about a penny and a half of each round. Powder is cheap even when you think it's expensive. If you want to save buy cheap bullets for production and use good powder. When I was a production shooter I only used 320. It's by far the best thing going for minor 9mm.

[Garmil]

I made a mixed mag with n320 and another not knowing the positions of each and I couldn't tell a bit of difference. So not worth any extra to me. Ymmv

[Smitty79]

From a math standpoint, I shoot about 14k 9mm a year. At 3.5 grains, that's 7# of powder. 7# of N320 is about $250. 7# of Bullseye, American Select, Unique... is about $115. I picked these numbers off of Bullets.com and did the arithmetic in my head from the cost of 8#. So for a year's shooting, I save $135 a year using something other than Vit.

[PiratePast40]

TiteGroup is a fast burning powder and readily available if you want to try it. I've been having good luck with ETR-7 and 147g coated bullets.

[CeeZer]

TG compared to Clays burns hotter thus complaints re smoke with lead bullets, also TG will give muzzle flash while Clays won't; all with Minor loads.

[Smitty79]

TiteGroup is a fast burning powder and readily available if you want to try it. I've been having good luck with ETR-7 and 147g coated bullets.

Where do you get ETR-7?

[RDA]

I made a mixed mag with n320 and another not knowing the positions of each and I couldn't tell a bit of difference. So not worth any extra to me. Ymmv

Possibly, but tough to beat how consistent N320 meters and runs cool and clean, that won't show up in your testing but does in mine.

I also use Tightgroup (one of my least expensive powders) it costs about $5 less per thousand rounds compared to N320 (my most expensive powder), I prefer the N320.

[Garmil]

TiteGroup is a fast burning powder and readily available if you want to try it. I've been having good luck with ETR-7 and 147g coated bullets.

Where do you get ETR-7?

Expansion industries

Rda what is your test for how cool a load runs?

Edited November 17, 2015 by Garmil

[JRM83]

If you want a cheap alternative to N320 take a look at Vectan A1. Charge weights are almost identical in my guns for the same power factor, accuracy is outstanding. Little snappier than N320 and it burns fairly clean as well.

[PiratePast40]

Link to Expansion Industries and ETR-7: http://expansion-industries.com/reloading/powder.html.

[nwhpfan]

I use 3.0 Bullseye with 147 RN and couldn't be more pleased. I woudn't hesitate to use 3.0 RS Competition either. A few near me are using TG. All seem to be pretty available in large quantities on line.

[nwhpfan]

Here's some pretty good Ramshot Competition 9mm load data. I shoot the same section as the poster and I trust his information.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=218895#entry2435800

[RDA]

Rda what is your test for how cool a load runs?

A couple mag dumps out of a suppressed M-11 will give your answer pretty quickly.

[Suburban Commando]

2.6gr of Clays with a 147gr cast bullet started to flatten the primers. I load pretty long too. I stopped there, and started backpeddling. A lot of times, I think printed load data is too cautious. I don't know what happened with that one.

And, yes, loading cast bullets over TiteGroup results in lots of foul-smelling smoke.

[tcazes]

I like 2.8gr of n310 behind a bayou 147 if using a fast powder. Super soft, very clean, can load a ton on one jug

[TDA]

2.6gr of Clays with a 147gr cast bullet started to flatten the primers. I load pretty long too. I stopped there, and started backpeddling.

What OAL was that?

I've used 3.2 of Clays at 1.140 (RNFP) with no issues.

[Suburban Commando]

2.6gr of Clays with a 147gr cast bullet started to flatten the primers. I load pretty long too. I stopped there, and started backpeddling.

What OAL was that?

I've used 3.2 of Clays at 1.140 (RNFP) with no issues.

I had to look it up. OAL is 1.115"

Looking back at my notes, I decreased the length, because the bullets were sticking the leade of my M&P 9 Pro barrel.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Suburban Commando

[Beastly]

Happily using ETR-7 vs. N320 but interested in experimenting with E3.

[Garmil]

Etr-7 may be my next purchase. I believe it's the same as maxam csb-1 but cheaper. I had good luck loading csb-1 with 165.

[gregshin]

Funny how those were 2 exact powders i settled on using 147gr PLATED.

My buddy introduced me to Clays and i forgot his chrono results but i was using 3gr at 1.30 OAL and it was stupid fast and accurate enough for steel matches.

After clays dried up i went Ramshot Competition and settled with 3.6gr at 1.30 OAL as well.

My 10 shot string with mixed brass is below with a 5inch 2011 gun.

136 power factor

928 FPS average