Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Sources for Vectan SP2 / VV-3N38


jmaass

Recommended Posts

Vectan SP2 has become hard to find in the USA, and since it's far and away the best powder I've ever used in my 9x21 IPSC guns, I've been checking around to find out what seems to be going on.

I have it on good authority that the flow will be improving Real Soon Now, with a new distributor in the USA.

Now, does anyone know of a reliable source of VihtaVuori 3N38?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought Jack Norris at Practical Shooting Supplies someplace in the Carolinas had it - good prices too.  Will look for his # someplace in Frontsight or on USPSA.com under vendors. Jack is a good fellow & honest businessman.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

JMASS:

 Have your tried 3n38? You have some 9x23 loads

I sent to you as far as SP2 have you compared the

differance.

 The only reason I quit using sp-2 is it leaks so

bad out of my powder feeder (dillion 650)??

 Anyone had this problem too?

Jim

Sailors Custom Pistols

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I obtained a stock of 3N38, but haven't had a chance to do load development for it.  

Yes, the SP2 spillage problem has been with me from the first day I used the powder, but it is, by far, the best feeling powder I've ever tried in my 9x21 raceguns (at 182 powder factor). I put up with the spilling.

I expect 3N38 will be good in my guns as well, since it's right in the burning rate range I find works well, and in a form-factor that will fit in the limited-space 9x21 case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jim Anglin asks why I've stayed with 9x21.

The answer: Why Not?         8-)

When I had my first racegun built (well, the first one that wasn't stolen/destroyed by scum gunsmith Chuck Warner, Jr.), I looked at .38 Super and 9x21. This was in 1994, before the various rimless .38 Super options were available. My goals were 1) Reliability, 2) Reliability, 3) Accuracy, 4) Reliability.

The 9x21 rimless case was, it's supporters argued, more reliabily able to feed in double-column magazines like my Caspian's. As my new gunsmith, Matt McLearn, had just won both the 1993 USPSA Nationals and the World Shoot with 9x21, I took his advice and had him build me a Caspian in caliber 9x21!

When the time came for a second racegun in 1996, I revisited the issue of caliber. By now, Matt was selling his own rimless version of the .38 Super case, and 9x23 was just appearing. The Starline options (SuperComp and 9 Supercomp) were six or nine months down the road.

I was seriously considering 9x23 for the new gun, and converting gun # 1 at the same time. I talked to Matt about it, and he asked a couple of questions:

 1) Has the gun been reliable?

 2) What do you expect to gain by switching to 9x23?

The answers were 1) Yes; and 2) Nothing I can think of, except a wider range of powder choices.

So, I stayed with 9x21. The new gun ran for 12 months firing 18,000 rounds with *four* feed failures/stoppages. Three of those occured in practice (where I don't inspect my loads as closely) and the rounds were recovered and found to be my fault (2 uncrimped, one with a crumpled case mouth. One occurred at a local club match, and I never recovered the round to find out what caused the problem.

A 0.02% failure rate is pretty impressive, and I can't say I've ever regretted choosing 9x21 or Matt McLearn!

Now scum gunsmith Chuck Warner, that was another matter completely!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...