N320 in .45ACP

[Chief-7700]

Who has tried N320 in .45ACP with a 230 FMJ bullet? What results did you get?

[bruce381]

to me it metered losey I now use Vectan 9 1/2

[mjmagee67]

N320 has been my go to for 9mm & 40SW in USPSA loads for years. I did try it in 45ACP...it was OK nothing real earth shattering. I went back to Bullseye, becuase I liked the way it worked and I had almost 16 lbs....

I've never had a metering problem with N320 in Dillon droppers. I regularly get single digit SDs over 10+ shot strings....pretty consistent.

[rdtompki]

If you're looking a N320, take a look at Alliant Sport Pistol. It meters extremely well, is much less expensive than N320 and the Alliant website has specific loads for a wide range of pistol calibers including 45ACP. Competitive folks get very good SD.

[EMR]

I tried 5grains of N320 with 230grain RN. Made for some soft shooting rounds. And inside of 50ft could tell no difference in accuracy from other powders. At the time I used a Lee Perfect Powder thrower and it metered just fine.

['09CTS-V&'87Turbo-T]

I have no personal experience with either N310 or N320 but I have read that both shoot very well.

[johnk518]

I have no personal experience with either N310 or N320 but I have read that both shoot very well.

Are these two interchangeable? I can't find it but looking for N310 w/ 115grn hp data. I can find it for N320 on their webpage but not N310.

[Chief-7700]

Are these two interchangeable? I can't find it but looking for N310 w/ 115grn hp data. I can find it for N320 on their webpage but not N310.

VV310 is a the top of the burn rate and builds up excessive pressure quickly. Not for a beginning reloader. Yes, it can be used but you are not following VV guidelines. Be careful.

[johnk518]

VV310 is a the top of the burn rate and builds up excessive pressure quickly. Not for a beginning reloader. Yes, it can be used but you are not following VV guidelines. Be careful.

This is helpful, so primarily for 45 light loads for me.

[Chief-7700]

This is helpful, so primarily for 45 light loads for me.

I load 4.3 grains of N310 over an Extreme 230 grain plated bullet for all my IDPA shooting makes power factor, accruate and soft shooting. Will be Labradar some N320 .45ACP loads today.
Chief

[ar15barrels]

Here is a Quickload computer simulation of various charges of N320 in a 5" barreled 45acp under a 230gr Speer TMJ bullet:

Cartridge          : .45 Auto (ACP) (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .451, 230, Speer TMJ 4480
Useable Case Capaci: 13.303 grain H2O = 0.864 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 1.260 inch = 32.00 mm
Barrel Length      : 5.0 inch = 127.0 mm
Powder             : Vihtavuori N320

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-20.0   56     4.00    747     285   12389   1867    100.0    0.837
-18.0   57     4.10    761     296   12974   1903    100.0    0.821
-16.0   58     4.20    774     306   13578   1937    100.0    0.805
-14.0   60     4.30    787     316   14202   1971    100.0    0.790
-12.0   61     4.40    800     327   14845   2005    100.0    0.776
-10.0   63     4.50    813     337   15509   2039    100.0    0.762
-08.0   64     4.60    825     348   16192   2073    100.0    0.748
-06.0   65     4.70    837     358   16896   2107    100.0    0.735
-04.0   67     4.80    850     369   17620   2141    100.0    0.722
-02.0   68     4.90    862     379   18365   2174    100.0    0.710  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   69     5.00    873     390   19132   2208    100.0    0.697  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0   71     5.10    885     400   19919   2241    100.0    0.685  ! Near Maximum !
+04.0   72     5.20    897     411   20729   2275    100.0    0.673  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0   74     5.30    908     421   21560   2308    100.0    0.661  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0   75     5.40    919     432   22414   2341    100.0    0.650  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0   76     5.50    931     442   23291   2374    100.0    0.639  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     69     5.00    893     408   22241   2140    100.0    0.660  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     69     5.00    843     363   16022   2308    100.0    0.743

[Chief-7700]

Thank you Randall.