Anyone using Vihtavouri N-350

[AricTheRed]

To anyone who as an informed opinion, or any opinion at all actually.

I was perusing the Lee Modern Reloading book and am thinking of trying N-350 (I already have a couple of #'s of it) for 44 Spl. I'm using a 185gr tumble lube hollowpoint (from a lee 200 gr rn 44cal mold modified by Erik at Hollowpoint Mold Service)

I'll be using some Starline brass, CCI large pistol primers and I'll be casting the pills out of either 25:1 or 30:1 depending on muzzle velocity.

My thinking is that the N-350 is a bit slower powder and that should hep keep the pressure down (according to the book anyway) with the softer boolits. Plus since I'll be loading them for a Charter Arms Bulldog. And as I'm sure you all know they are not known for their strength.

I'll post some pictures tonight...

...'cause I'm multislacking at the office.

[AricTheRed]

Pitchers...
6265062651

[AricTheRed]

So Wifey and I went to the range this Saturday. I had four projects to test:


Function test A SigSauer Caliber Xchange kit on my 226 & chrono difference between it and Wifeys' 229 in 40S&W.
Test if my hand-filed modification of Marlin 1894SS 44mag fixed my primer problem... It did not but that is another thread.
See if Wifey would have a good day at the range. She really prefers going out to wild lands and blowing stuff up to the range. punching paper is just not as satisfying to her.
Compare my CB 44 Spl hollowpoint load against CCI Blazer 200gr Gold Dot.



First the equipment used in the "44Special" test:

Ruger Super Redhawk 7 1/2" bbl
Charter Arms Bulldog 2 1/2" bbl
Ohler 35P
CCI Blazer 200gr Gold Dot 44Spl
Five different hand rolled useing my CB over VV N-350 with charge weights of 9.0, 9.3, and on up to 10.1


So here are the results of the 44 Special tests.

As the starting load for the N-350 was .9gr below what the book recomends for a similar weight Bullet (180gr XTP) and Vihtavuori does not have any load data for 180-200 grain lead boolits I figured I'd start out testing in the SRH, as it is way less likely to become a homemade hand grenade.

I put five each of the CCI and my 9.0gr N-350 over the screens at about 6yds.

The five round Blazer results in the SRH:

1009 Max velocity
0973 Min velocity
0027 Extreme spread
1080 Average velocity
0008 Std deviation


The five round handload test.
(197gr hollowpoints, CCI large pistol primers, 9.0gr of Vihtavuori N-325, once fired cases from ultramax cowboy action loads)

0997 Max velocity
0919 Min velocity
0078 Extreme spread
0953 Average velocity
0029 Std deviation


Now five more of the Blazers through the Bulldog:

0779 Max velocity
0759 Min velocity
0020 Extreme spread
0771 Average velocity
0009 Std deviation


Now five more handloads of 9.0gr N-350 with the Bulldog:

0827 Max velocity
0752 min velocity
0075 Extreme spread
0795 Average velocity
0034 Std deviation


So I figured since my cast boolit reduced load was 10% below the VV recomended reduced load and almost equal to the Blazer in velocity, if not consistency I figured I may as well step up to 9.3gr of powder, so here is is. Five more handloads over the Ohler screens:

01-0843
02-0831
03-0818
04-0823
05-0913
--------------------
0916 Max velocity
0818 Min velocity
0098 Extreme spread
0846 Average velocity
0048 Std deviation


I included the actual shot list, because that last one really caught me off guard. I think I may have mixed one of the heavier loads in to the string. Can't figure how it happened, and by the way No it Doesn't Blend, any way here are the accuracy results at 7 yds with the bulldog, pictures to follow.


200gr Gold Dot Blazer 3.4"
197gr CB 9.0gr VV N-350 1.2"
197gr CB 9.3gr VV N-350 2.3"


Observations:
The CCI Blazers were more consistent on velocity but their accuracy was not that great. That being said it was only a five shot string. I really prefer to do 10 sot groups/strings for load development, both accuracy and velocity testing.

The Blazers had a bigger velocity difference from the 7 1/2" to the 2 1/2" barrel.

0990 Blazer average velocity in 7 1/2" SRH
0953 9.0gr handload average velocity 7 1/2" SRH
0037 Handload FPS slower

0771 Blazer average velocity 2 1/2" Bulldog
0795 9.0gr handload average velocity 2 1/2" bulldog
0024 Handload faster

0219 Blazer slower in 2 1/2"bbl
0158 Hanload slower in 2 1/2"bbl


By the way I like EVERY ONE ElSE, am good driver, have a good sense of humor and am an excellent shot. Just so that you know, at least the last one is true the same target has the SigSauer test on it...

Bottom center Bulldog Blazer, Lower right 9.0gr CB, Lower left CB 9.3gr CB, Upper right Sig229 10rds 40SW Federal EFMJ, top left Sig 226r X-Change kit 10rds 40SW EFMJ, center top Blazer through the SRH (it has a scope, don't get excited, I was at 7yds)
63158

[Kull]

I use N350 for heavy 45 Colt loads in the 23k max psi range and like it a lot for that. Only observation I've made that might help is VV's pistols powder data for jacketed bullets run the same as lead of the same weight and shape. I don't change anything when for example I'm loading 45 ACP 230gr FMJ or LRN. The lead just ends up a hair faster over the chronograph.

For what it's worth out of curiosity I plugged some numbers in to Quickload. Long story short after playing around for a bit I wouldn't go much past 9.5 to stay safe, which is close to what Vihta says with a 200gr JHP.

By the way Kevin Thomas usually has data not available online. You can find his contact info on this (http://www.lapua.com/en/news/29) page. I think he's off at the IWA show at the moment though.

[AricTheRed]

Kull,

Thanks for the comment. With how snappy the 9.0gr load was in the little Bulldog, as soon as I tested the 9.3 I was sure I was not going to use that N-350 any heavier in it. Since the bulldogs are known to be light on strength I wanted to keep the load well on this side of never exceed.

By the way super sharp looking Boolit on your avatar image. They almost look machined...

[AricTheRed]

A range report update.

I went out and did some wet-pack testing for these loads. I had settled on 9.3gr Vitavhouri N-350 in my 44spl cases with these 25:1 plain base hollow-points.

the photo should say it all, you know thousand words and such.65335

The only thing I did not include was when impact speeds were at 1400fps or faster (20" levergun) the boolits fragmented and made a large temporary cavity.

[Beau Cassidy]

Looks good. I wouldn't change a thing.

[Doc.Holliday]

I found it a touch slow and have had great luck with their 3N37. All their powder is good but the price is something else.
I will return to Power Pistol for mid load 45 colt.

Doc.