N320 Bayou 180 Chrono results today

[jtrump]

Got the powder in today and sat down to make 15 of each charge, I figured 4.5 was going to be hitting major from my previous experiences with other powders.

Gun: DVC Limited 5"

Start load 4.3g VVN320

Bayou 180g, 1.180oal, Light crimp but enough so you wont get setback. 75 degrees

Federal SPP

15 rounds each-

4.3G VVN320

AVERAGE: 914fps. 164.5PF

SD: 14fps

4.5G VVN320

SD: 12FPS

AVERAGE: 936 168.5PF

I shot last 13 days ago at a local club match using my titegroup load @ 4.2g making 944fps, and maybe it's because I haven't shot since then almost two weeks???? But this powder does not feel as soft as titegroup running at a higher power factor.

Going to load up 50-60 rounds, and go out and side by side compare them.

However... It's very clear... No un-burnt powder, no smoke even in the humid Florida afternoon, and after 30 rounds I had a 1.5inch hole cut in the target placed at 25 yards, this was without shooting off of a bag, But I figure as long as I'm putting the bullet through the same spot of the chrono every time, it's accurate.

Edited March 12, 2016 by jtrump

[turbopower18]

Thanks for the info. Im waiting on a keg of N320 to test now using Blue Bullets. Some fellow shooters ive talked to stated that N320 was the softest shooting powder theyve used but i guess to each their own. I cant wait to give it a try

[Hi-Power Jack]

Light crimp but enough so you wont get setback.

30 rounds in a 1.5inch hole at 25 yards, offhand

Spectacular shooting - don't think I could do a 1.5" hole with 30 rounds

off the bench. :bow:

Crimp doesn't affect bullet setback - but if they feed and are that accurate,

I wouldn't change a thing. (Except, I'd push a few as hard as possible,

and see if they "setback").

[jtrump]

haha I made a typo jack, That wasn't offhand it was both hands but standing and not on a bag. I don't think i could pull off that group offhand @ 25.

I did mash them about as hard as I wanted into my bench and then re Mike'd them, no setback.

Turbo, I've also heard it's the softest shooting powder there basically is.... and if you look at the latest Front sight magazine, hell it's the most popular.. Maybe it was just my placebo, and I need to go run my TG loads next to the 320 and see how it feels.

Also tempted to play with springs, 14lbs is to heavy, I feel I may try a 12lb non variable instead of a variable spring, not sure I like the way it "stacks"

Edited March 12, 2016 by jtrump

[Erttactics]

I am interested to see your side by side comparison with tite group, always wonder if it would be worth trying. I have a DVC as well, I didn't like the 14lb.spring either, I run an 11 with a aluminum shock buff.

[jtrump]

^^ I'm considering trying an 11lb spring also, it seems I always get new things and so much to test before a damn match. I will report back tomorrow, I'm going to re-chrono both loads just to make sure they are what they said they were the first time, and then I'll run a perceived recoil test side by side with them. Accuracy for both of the loads of phenomenal and I haven't had to change the gun's zero with either powder.

[Erttactics]

Awesome, I like my tite group load, but softer and cleaner us always appealing. I started with 12lb, felt OK but 11 tightened my double taps up.

[jtrump]

Just finished loading, will report after the range tomorrow for side by side comparisons of a few powders, N320, TG, HP38

[jtrump]

Range test this AM went well.

Re-chrono'd some things I had loaded and wanted to see how they felt side by side.

VVN320 @ 1.180, bayou 180g bullet

4.5g

Average: 937fps 168.6PF

Titegroup @ 1.180, bayou 180g bullet

4.2g

Average; 917fps.. 165PF on the dot... sketchy

W231 @ 1.180, bayou 180g bullet

4.8g

Average: 939FPS 168.6PF

By far, shooting from a rest the w231 is the most accurate, however it has a lot of bark and isn't very manageable....

So I shot the titegroup loads first and then the N320, I would come to the conclusion that felt recoil is maybe a little less with the N320, however If i bump up the titegroup like I need to another .2 grains, I would imagine it would be more significant.

So to be safe, 4.4g titegroup and 4.6g N320 for chrono matches should put me in there. The SD with the N320 is very consistent, if they were to grab random rounds of titegroup it could go either way... with the larger SD.

All in all... I think they are both great feeling powders, I kind of like the feel of TG better, but it's dirty... and N320 is clean and doesn't feel much different.

[Dirtchevy841]

Great info. I've been loading n320 and are loading at 4.8 grains. Think I'll drop to 4.6 grains. I am at about 172-175 but my buddies chrono isn't all that great. Thanks for the info

[jtrump]

No problem!! I like sharing info, so many do it freely for me and it's helped me greatly.. Without this forum I wouldn't know what to do in all honesty. 4.8 seems like it would be pretty stout, given the fps I gain from .2 grains it would put some rounds up near the 1k mark @ 4.8g out of my gun, Would take me dang near 180PF

[turbopower18]

Thanks for posting updated results comparing the two. I picked up a keg of N320 myself. Must be something to it if alot of the top shooters are using it so we'll see!!

[Cherryriver]

Went two seasons plus with 320 and got results as you describe. Very satisfactory.
Then I goofed around with 310 (and 200gr SnSs) and hit on a load that has so little recoil it makes people giggle when they shoot it, and makes almost no noise. Truly weird. But excellent extreme spread on the chrono. 3.9gr gave about 835fps in our slowest barrel, 855 with a faster 5". No chrono results yet for the 6" guns.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Cherryriver

[Erttactics]

Thanks for the update!

[jtrump]

Went two seasons plus with 320 and got results as you describe. Very satisfactory.

Then I goofed around with 310 (and 200gr SnSs) and hit on a load that has so little recoil it makes people giggle when they shoot it, and makes almost no noise. Truly weird. But excellent extreme spread on the chrono. 3.9gr gave about 835fps in our slowest barrel, 855 with a faster 5". No chrono results yet for the 6" guns.

Wow, that sounds fun... Id like to shoot it ;P

Now a guy that goes to our local match's he's an A class limited shooter.. I shot some of his loads and its a 200g Bayou bullet with 5.0g silhouette, and it felt like a mouse fart like literally a mouse fart... Swore he made major with it.. So I picked up a lb of silhouette and got up to 5.8g and was still at 159PF with a fast barrel and the same bullet just 180g. I wanna put me on the spot with the chrono

[DukeEB]

I use vv 320 for my 45 loads. 5.2 for a 230, averages 795 fps. I like this powder a lot.

I tried 5.6 silhouette for 40/180, but it didn't even come close to making major.

5.4 gr of silhouette for 9/115 is super accurate for me, at 1175

i'm using 4.7 gr TG for 40/180.

[jtrump]

I use vv 320 for my 45 loads. 5.2 for a 230, averages 795 fps. I like this powder a lot.

I tried 5.6 silhouette for 40/180, but it didn't even come close to making major.

5.4 gr of silhouette for 9/115 is super accurate for me, at 1175

i'm using 4.7 gr TG for 40/180.

Yea silhouette just doesn't seem to be a good choice, I would probably go to 4.4g of TG if i were to use it in a match to ensure making major, Since I'm at a 165PF on the dot at 4.2g

[Targetpractice]

Got the powder in today and sat down to make 15 of each charge, I figured 4.5 was going to be hitting major from my previous experiences with other powders.

Gun: DVC Limited 5"

Start load 4.3g VVN320

Bayou 180g, 1.180oal, Light crimp but enough so you wont get setback. 75 degrees

Federal SPP

15 rounds each-

4.3G VVN320

AVERAGE: 914fps. 164.5PF

SD: 14fps

4.5G VVN320

SD: 12FPS

AVERAGE: 936 168.5PF

I shot last 13 days ago at a local club match using my titegroup load @ 4.2g making 944fps, and maybe it's because I haven't shot since then almost two weeks???? But this powder does not feel as soft as titegroup running at a higher power factor.

Going to load up 50-60 rounds, and go out and side by side compare them.

However... It's very clear... No un-burnt powder, no smoke even in the humid Florida afternoon, and after 30 rounds I had a 1.5inch hole cut in the target placed at 25 yards, this was without shooting off of a bag, But I figure as long as I'm putting the bullet through the same spot of the chrono every time, it's accurate.

wow I'm shocked you are making major with 4.2gr of titegroup. One of my major loads is 4.6gr of titegroup, 1.135, 180gr xtreme, and it's making avg of 950fps out of 5.4 inch barrel. I'm loading much shorter and have a longer barrel.

[jtrump]

I think I got really lucky with my barrel, I checked it with two separate chrono's on different days and still making 936-944fps.

[Chutist]

Great thread guys... I haven't had time to get out and chrono anything.

Seeing the velocity's you guys are getting with the Bayou's, I really think I need I need to get some coated bullets to try!

I've got some new Clay's loads to test and some VV-N320 that I need to load up!

[jtrump]

Range yesterday!!!!

1.180OAL

.422.5 crimp

mixed brass

Fed SPP

Gun- DVC 5" bull

powder: VV320

Bullet: Zero 180g JHP

charge: 4.7G

High 970

Low769 " I got super faced- old case separated"

Tossed out high and low of 15 shots anddddddd

932fps 167.7PF Probably go with 4.8g, SD was very low this time, single digits from my results with those silly plated bullets

[mjohn]

Range yesterday!!!!

1.180OAL

.422.5 crimp

mixed brass

Fed SPP

Gun- DVC 5" bull

powder: VV320

Bullet: Zero 180g JHP

charge: 4.7G

High 970

Low769 " I got super faced- old case separated"

Tossed out high and low of 15 shots anddddddd

932fps 167.7PF Probably go with 4.8g, SD was very low this time, single digits from my results with those silly plated bullets

I am confused..............is the 932 fps for the 180g Zero JHP or those silly plated bullets?

[jtrump]

That was with the Zero's.. With the plated bullets my SD was all pretty bad.

[JohnH556]

4.8 Gr N320

180 Gr Bayou

1.19 to 1.2 OAL

Mixed Brass

Winchester Primer

Sig Max

167 Average PF.

[MKitzmiller]

This thread is awesome.

I know you're mainly discussing major loads.

However, I'm looking for some load data for a soft minor load for a .40 DVC LTD. I'm always hoping to acquire data for the powders I'm currently running, (TG and Autocomp for my open SteelMaster), but I'd love ANY feedback as I'm new to competing with a .40 SW..