Anybody using Viht N320 in 9mm?

[MarshallDodge]

My wife's Springfield EMP really likes hotter ammo so I have to load at the upper end.

I have been using Rainier 124 grain plated bullets and they say to use the same data as lead bullets. I use Clays for almost everything pistol (45ACP, 45LC, 38 special, even 9mm) and it runs great in all my guns but even at max load her gun won't run 100%. I had some Titegroup and tried it at 4.4 grains, the gun runs good but has a pretty good muzzle flash at indoor ranges.

I have some Vihtavuori N320 and was going to try it since it's pretty close to Titegroup on the burn chart. I found some data here:Data (http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail_handgun.asp?CaliberID=6&Powder=Vihtavuori+N320&LoadID=185)

Has anybody else tried it?

[Robb Jensen]

I forget how much he used in the load but my old ammo sponsor used to load my match 9mm ammo (for USPSA Production and IDPA SSP) using N320 using a Lee special under size sizing die, 147gr JHP ZERO brand bullets, once fired brass and Federal primers.
It made for a very high pressure cartridge in excess of SAAMI and NATO specs but made for a very soft shooting round (this is because the pressure spikes but drops very fast unlike most other ammo). I would run 13lb to 15lb recoil spring which made the pistol recoil like a .22 Magnum very soft and virtually no muzzle flip. It was very accurate and required a conventional rifled barrel so I used a KKM in my Glock 34. Using the stock barrel would make the rounds tumble because they would expand into the polygonal rifle very well. I know a few people who use N310 but it's a little more high pressure but even more consistent than the very consistent N320. I've seen FPS variations down as low as 12FPS using N320.

I don't have an ammo sponsor currently so shoot factory new Federal American Eagle 115gr FMJ and Magtech 115gr FMJ but in a S&W M&P9L using the factory recoil rod with a ISMI 15lb recoil spring which is very soft as well, I can shoot this pistol more accurately than my couple thousand $ STI.

[Walkalong]

4.5 Grs of N320 & a Ranier 115 Gr RN or a Hornady 115 Gr FMJ-encapsulated bullet is a nice light load that is accurate and extremely clean burning. 5.6 Grs of N330 and those bullets are more towards the top end, but you can get more velocity if that's what you are looking for with other powders.

4.5 Grs of N320 and a 115 Gr jacketed or plated bullet is my favorite light 9MM load.

I got an Avg of 1043 FPS from my EMP, an Avg 1115 FPS from a 4 1/2" barreled TZ 75, and an Avg 1253 FPS from my 9MM AR at 96 degrees with 4.5 Grs N320 and a 115 Gr Hornady.

[MarshallDodge]

Thanks for the input so far. This is just practice ammo for punching paper and maybe knocking down some pins. Velocity is not so much of a concern as accuracy, limited recoil, and hopefully less muzzle flash.

I will try 3.8 grains and work up from there.

[zxd9]

3.8gr N320 w/ Rainier 124gr RNFP is what I used for USPSA shooting.

[POF.Ops]

N320 should be GTG in 9mm along with N310. I use N310 for my 45 230gr loads so it will be very economical for 9mm loads.

[lanceriley]

n320 in 9mm

3.8gr for Lead
4.0gr for FMJ

it will give you a clean burn. and pf 125-129

[MarshallDodge]

Thanks guys for the input.

I have tried 3.8 all the way to 4.0 before I started seeing signs of pressure (primers were starting to pucker) and the gun was having still having issues. I also tried 147 grain Rainier hollow points with no success.

The gun runs great with 124 grain Federal Hydrashoks which is good because that is her defense load. I had some Winchester Action Pistol sitting around from years ago and worked up to 5.3 grains behind the Rainier 124 grain Flat Point, Win cases, and primers. She put three mags through it today without an issue so I am going to make 100 and see how that does.

I am told that Action Pistol is the powder that Winchester uses in it's 9mm and 40 loads. Winchester doesn't market Action Pistol anymore but I read that Ramshot Silhouette is the same stuff with a flash retardant so I am going to pick some of that up and give it a try.

[MarshallDodge]

OK, the gun seems to like 5.4 grains of Silhouette under a 124 grain Rainier round nose bullet. She has shot over 300 so far and it runs great according to her.

New problem - can't get small pistol primers and my stash is running low but I found a box of Federal GM200 small pistol magnum primers.

I decided to play with them to see how they would work. I had a box of of their truncated/flat point bullets that I wanted to try so I backed the Ramshot Silhouette powder back to 5.0 grains and used all R-P brass, seated at 1.080"OAL.

I put on some safety glasses and muffs, grabbed her gun, and loaded the mag to the top with 9 rounds then headed to the bullet trap in the backyard. Without my prescription glasses the orange dot was a little fuzzy at 30 feet but the results were still pretty good:

http://home.comcast.net/~fun2shoot/1911/emptarget1.jpg

I couldn't tell from where I was sitting where my shots were being placed but I have a feeling the high shot was my first one and then settled in after that. Primers looked good with no signs of pressure so I loaded up a couple hundred more for her to run the next time she is out.

I am really impressed by the accuracy of this little gun. We were out shooting a couple months back and she was consistently hitting a 10" plate at 30 yards with it.

[DBR]

Ramshot Silhouette is an excellent powder IMHO. It used to be "Winchester Action Pistol". I have been using it for 45ACP and 9MM since 1994. It is a modern design powder that was originally intended for IPSC 38 Super Major. It loves high pressure and doesn't do anything weird with small changes in charge at Max loads - it is very forgiving. It meters like ball bearings.

Unlike VV powders it is not temperature sensitive and I think it is an ideal powder for 9MM - maybe not the best for 45ACP (except for max loads).

Because even "light" loads in 9MM are within its ideal pressure window and it burns relatively cool, I would prefer it over other choices for general use, particularly with plated bullets.