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Shooters World Major/Lovex D037.1 powder


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Hello. Has anyone have experience with Lovex D037.1 powder in .38 Super/Supercomp major loads? Reading some articles that it may be a viable,lower cost alternative to VV3n38. Reported to take up less case volume with similar burn characteristics to work the comp while being clean. 

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Hello: It takes about 10 grains of it for my 9mm 115 loads to make 171PF. So that tells me it is like AA7 and shoots like it. Little harder on the hand but tracks good and has lots of gas to work the comp. Worth a try if you like AA7 or 3N37. I like their other powder that is called Ultimate Pistol more. It loads like Auto Comp. Thanks, Eric

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4 hours ago, teros135 said:

Convenience is great, but how does it shoot?  How is dot movement and recovery, compared to 3n38, AA7, HS6, Silhouette?  For 38sc and 9 major? 

 

Dot movement is considerably less than WAC, Silhouette and HS-6.  Recovery is also quicker.Can't say about 3N38 because I cannot get enough of it to stay in a 9mm case to make major.  3N38 does not compress well.  When I try, it grows to 1.175", and that is too long for my guns.  Major pistol is my only powder for major now.  I'll use up the Silhouette and 3N38 I have for minor steel challenge loads.

 

BTW, MP compresses very well.  A fellow poster asked about it, so I put 10.3gr in a 9mm case and seated a 115 HAP to 1.125"  I did not crimp it.  It hasn't grown in three weeks.

Edited by zzt
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10.3gr fills the case to about 1/8" from the top.  There is some slight spillage as the plate turns, but it very small. The powder is extremely fine.   Every time I pull a case to measure, the weight is spot on.  My guess is you'll use less than that for a 124.

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6 hours ago, zzt said:

10.3gr fills the case to about 1/8" from the top.  There is some slight spillage as the plate turns, but it very small. The powder is extremely fine.   Every time I pull a case to measure, the weight is spot on.  My guess is you'll use less than that for a 124.

 

Sounds like I should get some a try it out then.  Thanks.

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They are out of stock because they had a sale on it and it flew out the door.  I got one 8 lb jug and have another backordered.  The next time it goes on sale I'll order another, or two, or four.  I just figured out I need a minimum of 24 lbs. to load enough major for the season, plus practice.

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I tried it out after reading a bunch of positive feedback on it. I tested it, then ran it in a match. After the match I went and bought 16# from Midsouth. Absolutely loving it. 

 

9.55 with a 125 making 170PF. See the pic for how much case is filled. 

 

IMG_8912.JPG.52a0d1cfee083f04d384c677e94d7edd.JPG

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I used Lovex and two other powders for IPC 9mm Major load with CMJ 123 gn LOS bullets (165-167 PF):

 

1. 3N38 - meters relatively well, shots soft but it requires compressed loads and it is hardly available and pricey in my location plus it fills case almost full so I got a lot of spills (OAL 30.00 mm ; 8,05 gn of 3N38)

 

2. Vectan SP2 - meters terribly, leaks plus is static electricity sensible and then measurements are +- 0,1 gn, leaves dark hard residue in the gun which requires cleaning more often, leaves rougly 3-4mm from the case rim - so almost no compression, shots nice but it seems there is too little gas but it shoots flat, mid prices issues with availabilioty from time to time (OAL 30.00. 8,7 gn)

 

3. Lovex 37.1 - meters very good and consitently, if required compresses relatively well, shoots flat and shot impulse is softer than in SP2 but harder than 3N38, leaves no permanent/hard to clean residue in the gun (looks like brown flakes but no dark dirty residue), is relatively dense but you need more of it to get PF, leaves similar amount of space for bullet similary to  Vectan SP2 and is available and cheap (in my location). The only downsides with Lovex in general is that they used to have some batches of powder that were not exactly to spceification, but havent seen such case since year or two (OAL 30.00 mm, 9,9 gn Lovex 37.1). 

 

Summarising : highly recommending it. Works great and has excellent price/performance for me.

 

This is how the back of the gun looks like after shooting 400 rounds on lovex (looks dirty but is very easy to clean. This is not copper from the brass but lovex remainings):

 

Wf4yoGG.jpg

Edited by KrisS
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21 minutes ago, KrisS said:

I used Lovex and two other powders for IPC 9mm Major load with CMJ 123 gn LOS bullets (165-167 PF):

 

1. 3N38 - meters relatively well, shots soft but it requires compressed loads and it is hardly available and pricey in my location plus it fills case almost full so I got a lot of spills (OAL 30.00 mm ; 8,05 gn of 3N38)

 

2. Vectan SP2 - meters terribly, leaks plus is static electricity sensible and then measurements are +- 0,1 gn, leaves dark hard residue in the gun which requires cleaning more often, leaves rougly 3-4mm from the case rim - so almost no compression, shots nice but it seems there is too little gas but it shoots flat, mid prices issues with availabilioty from time to time (OAL 30.00. 8,7 gn)

 

3. Lovex 37.1 - meters very good and consitently, if required compresses relatively well, shoots flat and shot impulse is softer than in SP2 but harder than 3N38, leaves no permanent/hard to clean residue in the gun (looks like brown flakes but no dark dirty residue), is relatively dense but you need more of it to get PF, leaves similar amount of space for bullet similary to  Vectan SP2 and is available and cheap (in my location). The only downsides with Lovex in general is that they used to have some batches of powder that were not exactly to spceification, but havent seen such case since year or two (OAL 30.00 mm, 9,9 gn Lovex 37.1). 

 

Summarising : highly recommending it. Works great and has excellent price/performance for me.

 

This is how the back of the gun looks like after shooting 400 rounds on lovex (looks dirty but is very easy to clean. This is not copper from the brass but lovex remainings):

 

Wf4yoGG.jpg

The residual powder I'm seeing in your picture looks very similar to my experiences shooting 10.4gr of AA7,CCI spp out of .38 Super. Especially if I'm viewing it right that it has a yellow tint. What primers are you using?

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I am using regular Fiochi SP primers. They are priced well, available, have no issues using them etc and they seem to be doing good job in all my 9mm Major loads.

 

The gossip says the Explosia was making the AA7 for American market. Not sure is it true or not but as I am located in Europe Lovex with various powders is IMHO one of the most commonly used powder in Poland, Czech and Slovakia (availability, proce point, various powders range etc).

 

The feature of Lovex 37.1 (apart how it shoots, measures, etc) I like a lot is easy cleaning compared to vectan SP2. Lovex leaves unbrnet brown particles all over inside of the gun but it does not leaves the solid residue. One thing I am not sure yet is its temperature sensitivity and how it influences PF and pressure . Sometimes in winter I shoot under 0 celcisus / freezing point and in Summer it might be +35 Celcius.

 

Below is example what Vectan SP leaves inside and outside gun:

rqLMmv4.jpg

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1 hour ago, KrisS said:

I am using regular Fiochi SP primers. They are priced well, available, have no issues using them etc and they seem to be doing good job in all my 9mm Major loads.

 

The gossip says the Explosia was making the AA7 for American market. Not sure is it true or not but as I am located in Europe Lovex with various powders is IMHO one of the most commonly used powder in Poland, Czech and Slovakia (availability, proce point, various powders range etc).

 

The feature of Lovex 37.1 (apart how it shoots, measures, etc) I like a lot is easy cleaning compared to vectan SP2. Lovex leaves unbrnet brown particles all over inside of the gun but it does not leaves the solid residue. One thing I am not sure yet is its temperature sensitivity and how it influences PF and pressure . Sometimes in winter I shoot under 0 celcisus / freezing point and in Summer it might be +35 Celcius.

 

Below is example what Vectan SP leaves inside and outside gun:

rqLMmv4.jpg

Part of the problem with the Vihtatavori and Lovex powders here in the US is availability. Some guys can get good connections and keep it replenished while many others struggle to find an adequate supply regardless of price. I'm going to start exploring some old school loads with readily available powders such as Hodgdon Longshot for my .38 Super/SC. I have tried AA7. I found it to be  dirty and too much of those flakes for my comfort as seen in your prior picture. 

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2 hours ago, KrisS said:

The residue from last photo is not from Lovex - it is from Vectan SP2(as described). Brown flakes from earlier photo though are remainings of 37.1

I know.  I was referring to your previous phot0 showing Lovex debris.  I just don't get that.

 

Regarding compressibility:  very good.  Another member asked me to see if it would load short and not grow over time.  I loaded 10.3 gr under a 115 HAP to 1.125" OAL.  I did not crimp.  It is still 1.125" after a month.

 

Availability:  if you don't mind ordering online, you can always find someone with 8 lb jugs in stock.  Midsouth has some now.  Grafs and Powder Valley will have more shortly.  The trick is to not wait until you are out before buying more.  Order 16 lbs. as soon as you open your last 8 lb. jug.  8 lb. will load 5000+ rounds.  That's good for half a season.  Nobody has it on backorder that long.  Or wait for it to go on sale again and order 4 8 lb. jugs.

 

VV was really hard to get for around 6 months, because they changed US distributors.  Now you can't go anywhere without tripping over it.

 

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