Shotgun powder in handguns

[fa38]

Is there any shotgun powder that should not be used in handgun loads. .357, .38 special, .45 Colt, .45 ACP, .44 Mag.?

I just purchased some V V N3SM that is a sort of a square flake type that seems to go through a powder measure with more weight consistency than Unique. It also is a nicely bulky for its charge weight.

At $25.00 for 5 to 6 pounds I could not pass it up. An unopened 4 pounder and a couple of pounds in an opened jug.

The guy that sold it to me said he used it in 20 gauge loads. I can’t find any information about it on the V V site and it is not listed in any burn rate chart or loading manual that I can find.

Since it is used in the 20 gauge its burn rate may be somewhere around PB or green dot. I figure about 4.5 grains in .45 ACP/200 grain SW and if it does not cycle the action to go up slowly.

Bad Idea?

[shotman]

The problem you have is powder changes drastly with some loads in different cases. would not be good I dea to "PLAY" would try to see where it came from.
Like Green dot it works compressed but not good in open loose loads. I had a lot of powder from 30-06 blanks and was told it was same as AA7 it was till I jumped to a heavy boolit and pressure spiked fast

[Rocky Raab]

Here's how I work with "unknown" handgun powders:

I first load a few rounds using Bullseye charge data for START loads. If the velocity I get is close to what Bullseye would give, I rate that powder as a Bullseye clone. (If it comes out faster on the first shot, I don't use it at ALL!)

If it comes out slower, I repeat the test using Unique data, and make the same judgments.

Finally, if it seems still slower, I'll try again using 2400 data. Somewhere in there, I'll have a broad burn rate slot that fits the unknown powder. Studying a manual for that cartridge and bullet will allow me to fine-tune the slot a bit. Actual shooting will verify it.

[Phillip]

I used my google fu, and found your answer........

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20244%20(LO)%20Partial%201.pdf

By the article, it looks like a good cast boolit hand gun powder. :coffee:

[9.3X62AL]

Rocky, that's a sensible approach to the question.

A lot of shotgun powders make excellent handgun fuels. Herco figures highly in my upper-end 12 gauge field loads--28 gauge field loads--and MANY Magnum revolver loads that bridge the area between "Special" and "Magnum" intensity--950 to 1100 FPS with standard bullet weights.

[fa38]

Phillip:
Thanks for the lead to the Handloader article. It lists N3SM but the loads given are for N3SH

Rocky Raab:
Have you found any powders that you will not use?

[Phillip]

Phillip:
Thanks for the lead to the Handloader article. It lists N3SM but the loads given are for N3SH

Rocky Raab:
Have you found any powders that you will not use?

You are right...Eh

Here....http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20243%20Partial%20(LO)%2021.pdf

It looks to be a bit slower burning then green dot.

VV used to list it as N324 before discontinuing it, if you use the green dot loads, you could work your way up to a good load.

[fa38]

Phillip
Thanks again. Burn rate seems about what I figured PB and Green Dot. I also found a phone number for V V importer and will give him a call to see if he has any old loading manuals for the powder.

[morrisammo]

Green DOT,,, I have used it for years,,,
4.2GR,,,, in 9mm,, 38sp and .45 acp,,, one weight has worked well,, in all 3 loads,,, Start lower,,, for yourself,, to test it,,,

for me WST smokes,,, less,,,,

But I can't find WST all of the time,,, Green Dot,,, they have all of the time,,

Jim M ammo

[Rocky Raab]

fa38, yes, I have found a powder or two that I won't use. Vectan SP10 was one; I could never find a burn rate slot that I was comfortable with, and even the little published data I found for it seemed goddawful hot.

Another, contrary to the trend, is Trail Boss. I have gotten 300 fps spreads in ten-shot strings with it, and simply gave up. It also took up to a minute to dispense a single charge in my digital powder machine, and that did it for me.

[ebg3]

Is there any shotgun powder that should not be used in handgun loads. .357, .38 special, .45 Colt, .45 ACP, .44 Mag.?

I just purchased some V V N3SM that is a sort of a square flake type that seems to go through a powder measure with more weight consistency than Unique. It also is a nicely bulky for its charge weight.

At $25.00 for 5 to 6 pounds I could not pass it up. An unopened 4 pounder and a couple of pounds in an opened jug.

The guy that sold it to me said he used it in 20 gauge loads. I can’t find any information about it on the V V site and it is not listed in any burn rate chart or loading manual that I can find.

Since it is used in the 20 gauge its burn rate may be somewhere around PB or green dot. I figure about 4.5 grains in .45 ACP/200 grain SW and if it does not cycle the action to go up slowly.

Bad Idea?
See if you can talk to someone at VV or do a google search. You are probably close to Herco...it may be similar to n340-350. As to the question of shotgun powder in pistol, I've shot many pounds of Alliant e3 through my .40's, 9mm's and 12gauge. It's nice when one powder covers multiple cartridges.

[ebg3]

Just found this link: http://www.stronghandinc.com/burningratechart.html
This chart puts n3sm around 700X or b/n n320 and n330.
Hope this helps.
EG

[fa38]

I worked up a load for the 45 ACP 200 Grain MP mould clone of HG #68.

4.0 and 4.2 would not work the slide. Up to 4.8 I was not getting reliable function. At 5.4 grains I got very good accuracy ( at least for me) and felt recoil, primer appearance, case appearance, and where the case landed were the same as for my 4.6 grains of Bulls Eye load.
I will try to get a chrono reading when I can get one of the club members to bring out his chronograph.

Thanks all.