147gr 9mm and VV N310 - Perfect match

[Koya]

Hello guys,

 

First post on this forum and I hope not the last.

So after browsing this forum and waging whether I should load N310 or N320 powder(reading that N310 is unstable),I decided to try and load some rounds for training and then for the match.

My impressions are that N310 is a fantastic powder.

I loaded 3.1gr into the S&B shot once brass.Bullet is 147gr PPU FMJ.

The gun I used is my CO IDPA competition gun - Bul Radical 5.4" with 11lb return spring.

Gun cycles perfectly,double taps are crazy fast,recoil is comparable to the .22LR.

PF achieved is between 128-132 out of this gun.

Match went perfectly and I won a gold medal,first one with that gun

 

Just wanted to share my experience,maybe someone will benefit from it.

 

Kind regards from Serbia

Koya

[Open1215]

Congratulations!  Welcome to the forum.  My personal favorite is clays under a 147 but I haven't tried 310. I know the VV powders are really clean burning.  

[Joe4d]

Can you get Lovex powders out of Czech Republic ? marketed under different names, but DO32,,  also known as  shooters world  cleanshot, AKA , Accurate #2 ( the older version)  is a pretty good fast burning powder.  I use it for about everything these days, minor 9mm, 38 special, 38 short, and  40,, and major 40, major 45..

 

Edited June 30 by Joe4d

[Sawlsville]

Welcome!  My go to load is 3.2gr of N320 under a 147gr at 1.130in OAL.  Average PF is 129 in my 5" LO set up.

[HOGRIDER]

After strictly using VV powders for the last 25 years, IMO, with N310 being the "fastest" burning in that family, it would require the upmost in accuracy when weighing out charges in your 9mm application.  VERY LITTLE room for fluctuation or any kind of error. Looking at current VV loading chart using the Hornady 147 XTP/JHP, you'll notice that load data IS NOT included for this bullet using N310.........

 

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

 

For many here, including myself, there has been EXCELLENT success using a quality 147g JHP loaded with 3.5g VV N320 @1.125" OAL.

 

Good luck and check powder weight OFTEN!  
 

[Koya]

17 hours ago, Joe4d said:

Can you get Lovex powders out of Czech Republic ? marketed under different names, but DO32,,  also known as  shooters world  cleanshot, AKA , Accurate #2 ( the older version)  is a pretty good fast burning powder.  I use it for about everything these days, minor 9mm, 38 special, 38 short, and  40,, and major 40, major 45..

 

Yes I can,I've got some D037.2 for my Open Major guns.

I will try D032 series.

17 hours ago, Sawlsville said:

Welcome!  My go to load is 3.2gr of N320 under a 147gr at 1.130in OAL.  Average PF is 129 in my 5" LO set up.

My Bul Radical won't work with that OAL.It can't strike primers correctly.OAL that I use in my Bul gun is 29.5mm which is roughly ~1.160in.

 

14 hours ago, HOGRIDER said:

After strictly using VV powders for the last 25 years, IMO, with N310 being the "fastest" burning in that family, it would require the upmost in accuracy when weighing out charges in your 9mm application.  VERY LITTLE room for fluctuation or any kind of error. Looking at current VV loading chart using the Hornady 147 XTP/JHP, you'll notice that load data IS NOT included for this bullet using N310.........

 

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

 

For many here, including myself, there has been EXCELLENT success using a quality 147g JHP loaded with 3.5g VV N320 @1.125" OAL.

 

Good luck and check powder weight OFTEN!  
 

Thanks for the advice,Ive been doing it slow and steady...No errors so far

Yes I have seen that there is no load data for my bullets,so I started with very small powder charge of 2.8gr then worked it up until I achieved correct PF out of my barrel.

Edited July 1 by Koya

[missed it by that much]

Welcome to the forum 

[MoNsTeR]

N310 is underrated in 9mm.

 

Here's some of my recent data:

Summers Enterprises "135" (weighs 132gr) @ 1.155" or so

Glock 34 (or about 10fps slower from a 5" M&P, or 30-35fps slower from a 5" Prodigy)

3.1gr 969.6 fps N=17 SD=10.5 PF=128

3.2gr 980.1 fps N=19 SD=7.0 PF=129

3.3gr 995.7 fps N=20 SD=4.0 PF=131

 

Summers Enterprises 145gr (accurate weight) same OAL

2.9gr 897.1 fps N=20 SD=10.5 PF=130 (barely ejects from the Glock)

3.0gr 912.3 fps N=19 SD=7.5 PF=132

3.1gr 932.6 fps N=20 SD=6.7 PF=135

 

The 145s shoot a surprising amount softer than the 135s.

 

I've settled on the 3.2/135 load. However, this load is NOT safe to shoot in a blowback AR9, the case bulges are impressive. The bolt must be opening too soon.

 

N320 is also good, of course.

[Koya]

On 7/13/2024 at 3:50 AM, MoNsTeR said:

N310 is underrated in 9mm.

 

Here's some of my recent data:

Summers Enterprises "135" (weighs 132gr) @ 1.155" or so

Glock 34 (or about 10fps slower from a 5" M&P, or 30-35fps slower from a 5" Prodigy)

3.1gr 969.6 fps N=17 SD=10.5 PF=128

3.2gr 980.1 fps N=19 SD=7.0 PF=129

3.3gr 995.7 fps N=20 SD=4.0 PF=131

 

Summers Enterprises 145gr (accurate weight) same OAL

2.9gr 897.1 fps N=20 SD=10.5 PF=130 (barely ejects from the Glock)

3.0gr 912.3 fps N=19 SD=7.5 PF=132

3.1gr 932.6 fps N=20 SD=6.7 PF=135

 

The 145s shoot a surprising amount softer than the 135s.

 

I've settled on the 3.2/135 load. However, this load is NOT safe to shoot in a blowback AR9, the case bulges are impressive. The bolt must be opening too soon.

 

N320 is also good, of course.

Nice data.

I have tried it in my MPX and it also shoots perfectly,although PF is above 140...

I will also try with N320 loads and report back.

[MoNsTeR]

One thing I take away from this data, on top of many years of loading with N310, is that the commonly expressed fear that N310 has "pressure spikes" is just made-up nonsense. Notice how velocity climbs very smoothly as charge weight increases (keeping in mind measurement error: "X.XX gr" is a claim, not a fact!). The distributions also tighten up, with SDs and ESs (not reported here) falling as charge weight increases.

 

As long as your powder measure is in good working order -- and note that N310 meters better than any powder, period -- there is no reason to treat it as uniquely dangerous.

[DougCarden]

Back when the Norm was CLAYS with 147s for the "softest" load I tried 310 as it had the same burn rate but the pressure curve is linear and predictable.  CLAYS is known for pressure spikes that are not predictable.  The accuracy with CLAYS and 147s was not great either.

Needless to say I have shot countless thousands of 147-150gr bullets with 310 in falling steel matches with success.  It is very soft, accurate, and most people think you are shooting a .22 at times.  

I would be more worried running CLAYS in the 9mm case than 310, period.