Suitability of Vihtavuori N310 for Minor loads in Production

[JohanntheHorrible]

Good day guys from a sunny South Africa. The current ammunition and component shortage is affecting us very badly. I have a National Champs coming in about a month and find myself without propellant. I did manage to chase down some 3 tins of Vihtavuori N310.There is nothing else available in South Africa for love or money. I developed a load of 3.7gr of Vihta behind a 125gr Silver Rapids Polymer coated round nose that I load to 29.69mm(1.169inch). I shoot a Canik Combat Elite with a 127mm(5 inch) barrel. 

The load functions well in the gun and while it is a bit snappy "tracks" quite nicely. It is very accurate.  (Several doubles telling me I should speed up)

Does anyone else have any experience with this propellant? The bullet,  being South African, you would not know but it is a basic RN design with no crimping groves. The primers, once again what is available, is Murom Small pistol Competition and I am quite happy with them. 

My main concern at the moment is that I am unable to chrono the load since I work 6 days a week and the club chrono is not available on Sundays.  "QuickLoad" recons I should be factoring at about 131PF and, should that be true, I am well set.(Well except for heading for a major competition with little or no practice).  

 

Any remarks(except for the stupidity of taking part with only a couple of hours dry fire practice)?

[Kema]

Generally I don't recommend using N310 but we live difficult times. Pressure and inconsistency(accuracy) are the issues here. Maybe polymer coated bullet helps here, but keep safe and switch back to a little slower powder when available. Quicload is usually very optimistic about speed, so I hope that you make minor PF.

[Furrly]

3.7 seems high for N310.. . N310 is one of more faster powders on the powder spectrum. 

Edited October 28, 2020 by Furrly

[perttime]

There's no way to know for sure, what velocity you are getting - without chrono.

 

Vihtavuori has a few loads for N310, but the loads are very different, depending on bullet.

https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading-data/handgun-reloading/?cartridge=89

[jstagn]

I use vit n310 with 147gr blue bullet. 2.9 gr 135pf. Very soft shooting.

[GOF]

I use 3.5 N310 with Bayou 120 TCG coated lead bullet for a 128 PF from a 5 inch 1/16 twist KKM barrel. 3.1 with the same bullet gets me 940 fps for Steel Challenge.

No smoke, clean burning. You have to be careful with this powder, and if you use an adjustable powder measure MAKE DARN SURE it's not changing on you. I use fixed drum powder measures and have no issues. I would be hesitant to use this powder with a jacketed bullet.

[CZ85Combat]

In my CZ SP01 Shadow, I have used 3.5gn N310 with 125gn Blue Bullets @ 1.150"  1020fps, ES 27, SD 9.  Mix brass & S&B primers