Minor PF with N320 & 147's

[TANFARM]

Josh, please share your chrono results.....I'm very interested to see what you find!!

If weather permits I'm testing some Montana gold 147's with a couple of different N320 loads and COL.....

Anyone give some input into variation on my COL???....I've been loading to 1.15 for my 9 mm Edge....seems to do ok..What is the relativity of overall length vs powder charge????....Can I increase my FPS by deviating my overall length. I'm just try to make a comfortable MINOR load,with 147 Xtremes for my Edge......Thanks in advance.....

[mjohn]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are mixing and not matching the same time of bullet. Montana's are jacketed and Xtreme's are plated. Therefore, the velocities from a plated will be different than the velocities from a jacket bullet and you will not be able to transfer the load data between bullets and expect to get the same results for a different type of bullet.

Go to VV loading data for 147 and you will see that for the same powder and the same weight bullet, different bullets (type of coating and style of bullet) yield different results.

Capish?

[TANFARM]

Mjohn...you are correct ....I'm just trying a Competiton option to Xtreme by using the MG...always searching for the best and most accurate match load. I'm still using the Xtreme 147 Hp for practice.....hope it's not to cold to run a ladder test today.....thanks!!

[teros135]

Buy the chrono it's worth every penny.

Maybe the person does not have a place where he can set up a chrono. Not everybody lives on multi acres of property. When I have shot at public indoor ranges, no one is ever allowed to go forward of the firing line. I think the person is asking a reasonable question and would appreciate a constructive answer to his question.

Using a chrono when you're handloading is a "best practice". You don't know what you've got until you can test it. Please don't put somebody down for suggesting that somebody might want to usè the usual tools.

For myself, I don't generally give load data to somebody who won't start below it and work it up, using the usual and proper tools. It works in my gun (and I've worked it up to get to that point) but will it work in his, safely?

[TANFARM]

Did a test on my test load of a Montana Gold 147 CJM and Vih N320 powder yesterday on my 9 mm Edge COL 1.147 :

3.4 grns. Avg 849 / 852 / 868 FPS

3.5 grns. Avg 873 / 876. FPS

3.6 grns. Avg 877 / 885 / 900 / 898 FPS

I guess the 3.6 load will give me a comfortable margin to ensure minor load.....

Does this seem correct....it was a little chilly yesterday 49 degrees....a factor ???

Sorry to beat a dead horse here ...just looking for folks that may have tried the same drill .

Thanks in advance !!!

[mjohn]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are on the right track. However something is wrong on your reporting data. At 3.6, how can the ave be 877 when the low is 885 and the high is 900? Hmmmmm........ 885 and 900 are above the average.

Anyway, my method is to keep increasing by 0.1 UNTIL ALL the rounds fired are +5 over power factor which would be 888 FPS.

Also, your numbers are very close to mine and I too do not get a large ES and ave about 20 for ES.

I am using 3.7 N320 @ 1.150 147 Zero jacketed. I am at 135 PF and never have to worry about weather, humidity, elevation or chrono differences.

You will not notice the additional 0.1 grains when shooting so it is worth the peace of mind to me. Also, if you nick a steel target and not a full center hit, you will have a better chance of the steel falling. Additionally, some say the the powder lots vary in consistency, and that is another reason to not cut it close.

You are there, so the choice is yours.

[TANFARM]

mjohn.....my bad..the first average was 887... Keyboard to small...lol

THANK YOU....this is excellent information...exactly what I was looking for......I'm sticking with the 3.6 at 1.147 for my match loads.

For some,reason I load 3.5 at 1.15 for my practice rounds ....got a,ton of Xtreme 147 HP to,use up ....thanks again !!

[t0066jh]

I'm a slow study.....the way I read the above reference on N320 is neither 3.4/3.5 grns will make minor power factor.

I'm using a 2011 Edge....to safely make Minor I'm loading 3.6 grns. 320 147 Xtreme HP at 1.15 COL.

It's very interesting to see the huge variation in loads that people use with N320.

For my batch practice rounds I use 3.5 grains in bulk......but load 3.6 to ensure minor ....any other experiences ???

While it yammering.......any experience with Titegroup using the same specs as above ?? Picked up some Titegroup and want to use it for minor match loads.....with Montana gldm147 CJM??

Thanks in advance.......great forum to say the least !!!!!!!

I was trying to develop a load for 3 different 9mm guns. An edge with 10k rounds, A Trojan with 20k and a new XDM. Same load, 3.4, same length 1.15, same bullet 147gr Frontier CMJ. All 5" barrels. There was a 50 ft/sec difference in the 3 guns from 860 ft/sec to 910 ft./sec. That's why it's important to get a chrono. In addition, you might make the power factor of 130 that you want but your gun might be much more accurate at 135 power factor. Once you know you'll make the minor power factor required it's time to find ot what's the accuracy sweet spot for your gun.

A CZ I had was crazy accurate at 135 to 140 pf and not very accurate for powder puff loads under 130. I thought maybe that the gun was designed for military and police and needed a higher power factor for their use. Just my guess. My problem was that my old broken bones didn't like the recoil. All of this is JMHO.

Edited May 19, 2016 by t0066jh

[IDescribe]

A CZ I had was crazy accurate at 135 to 140 pf and not very accurate for powder puff loads under 130. I thought maybe that the gun was designed for military and police and needed a higher power factor for their use. Just my guess. My problem was that my old broken bones didn't like the recoil. All of this is JMHO.

My 75 is the same. With 147gr bullets, there is a definite tightening of groups above a particular average velocity. With some 147gr bullets that's in the neighborhood of 920/925 and up, and with others it doesn't seem to happen until 930/935. I typically just target 935 feet/sec avg for 147gr bullets loaded for my CZ -- so a PF of 137, and if there are no issues to tune out, I'm good to go.

Edited May 20, 2016 by IDescribe