Vihtavuori 3N38 9mm and 10mm loads

P-J

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Hey guys, I am looking for a couple of HEAVY loads for 9mm and 10mm.

I bought some 3N38 today as it seems to be in the slower range for both calibers.

I want to shoot 147 gr 9mm as close to max pressure as possible, I'm assuming in the 1150 fps range from my 4.5" barrel, does anyone know a load for this?

I also want to shoot some 200gr out of the 10mm at a similar speed from a 4.5" barrel also, in both cases I will be working at max pressure, hence the 3N38 powder.

Any information on this powder with these weights of bullets would be great.

Thanks.
 
What kind of race run are you using for Major loads in Open Division? (Just curious)

You're gonna have to fill that with around 7 grains of 3N38, at least according to the talk on Enos' forum. Since you're aiming for Major, I'd start considerably lower as usual and chrono the results as you work it up.
 
here is my 3n38 load,
POWDER CHARGE 8.7 gr,
OAL 1.170 ( Zero 124gr.JHP)
ave.vel 1325, ( 5 inch bbl with no bbl ports)
pay attention to my OAL, its alittle longer to an average 9mm
Good luck to your load development
 
WARNING ffgats load should only be shot out of a supported barrel. try shooting this out of a stock barrel and you will blow up your gun!

Generally 3N37 and 3N38 are shot out of open guns with supported barrels.
 
WARNING ffgats load should only be shot out of a supported barrel. try shooting this out of a stock barrel and you will blow up your gun!

Generally 3N37 and 3N38 are shot out of open guns with supported barrels.

thanks Walter,
you could also try Win.Auto Comp, Long Shot, with these powders you dont have to set your OAl longer, still have enough room for the projectiles, tell us about your gun, then when can give our approriate and safe feedback
 
Well the 9mm will be in a fully supported KKM barrel in a open gun I'm building off a glock 34. I was planning on setting the bullet out a little (well as far as I can, who am I kidding) and building up to these loads. I have a bunch of 124's so I will definetly work up to your load, and see if I prefer them over 147's

the 10mm in a stock glock 20..... from my research it looks like 9.3grs is MAX for stock barrels with 200 grain bullets, and 10.8 is max with after market barrels.

Thanks guys! appreciate the help!
 
I think the 124 gr would be a better choice, hence you can use more powders for your comp to work, aside from the powders I mentioned, you can also try HS6, Vhit. n350,Vhit. 3n37.Vhit 105.although 105 and 3n38 is little pain to load to get major in 9, it will fill up your case to the mouth. you can have your bbl ream to accept a longer oal, I have no idea on the max.oal your glock mags can take. Try also joining the Brian Enos Forum, lots of 9mm major thread topics.
 
rule of thumb is for a compensated gun you want a slow burning powder so you can get lots of powder into the case so it produces lots of gas for efficient use of the comp. Light bullets are the rule. for a non-compensated gun you want to use a fast burning powder so it all ignites over your hand. you want to load the least amount of powder you can. heavy bullets are the rule.
 
I think the 124 gr would be a better choice, hence you can use more powders for your comp to work, aside from the powders I mentioned, you can also try HS6, Vhit. n350,Vhit. 3n37.Vhit 105.although 105 and 3n38 is little pain to load to get major in 9, it will fill up your case to the mouth. you can have your bbl ream to accept a longer oal, I have no idea on the max.oal your glock mags can take. Try also joining the Brian Enos Forum, lots of 9mm major thread topics.

Have you tried HS6? I was wondering about it versus Longshot. Pretty happy with the Longshot, but have heard HS6 mentioned many times.
 
sometimes it depends on your comp. My old 9 major works with Lonshot mainly because it only has 3 top ports., on other side, HS6 works better on my 4 top ports and 2 sides. its easy to make major with Longshot though, 7.4gr, 124 Zero,oal 1.175. , hs6 - 8.4 gr. with same specs
 
sometimes it depends on your comp. My old 9 major works with Lonshot mainly because it only has 3 top ports., on other side, HS6 works better on my 4 top ports and 2 sides. its easy to make major with Longshot though, 7.4gr, 124 Zero,oal 1.175. , hs6 - 8.4 gr. with same specs

Thanks, and kinda what i thought. Using 7.4 longshot with a two port and now a new three port pistol. It's the stick with what you know and works thing, plus i'm lazy.
 
So I had big plans today to test these.... but I'm a idiot and let me friend shoot through the chrony....... lol needlesss to say I need a new chrony...

I got a little testing done with the 10mm though, I am actually trying to get my wildlife carry ATC for prospecting and I thought I would make some hot 200 grn loads for it.

I had started at 9.3 grs 3N38 over a 200 grn TMJ FN, seated as long as my mags would allow (~1.29") and using winchester LP primers.

average velocity was ~1050, and the load felt mild, the cases came out with no buldge.

Next was 9.9 grs, I got the velocity up to 1125 average (11 fps extreme spread on 10 shots too... best ever) the load felt about right, and the brass came out with less the factory buldge.

Next step I had loaded at home before I went tot he range was 10.5 grs.... yeah, big step I know. well, buddy had shot the chrony by this point so I fired these with welding gloves on just to check the brass, the loads felt very strong. I would assume the velocity was in the 1200fps range. This 2nd fired brass came out after this load buldged with the glock smilie... this is my max load for sure, no testing past here. I think whatever 10.2 grs chrony's at will be my carry load if i get my wilderness ATC. pics below of brass;

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Now I wouldn't just try these loads anyone, they are well past max, and work in my gun... chances are the world will implode if you try them, or anything close.
 
Interesting.... I'm going to load up a few XTP's starting around 9.0gr and going up till I see the warning signs... Wish I had a chrony...

I wish I could find some power pistol tho, it's half the price and has some very favorable reviews.

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For a 10mm, I would go for the Vhit.105. this powder is design for magnum velocity and large case with heavy bullets.
 
P-J...
Just incase your interested and I don't mean to crash your thread by this but I made it to the range today and you should see this!


Details
All brass is spanky new Hornady, all rounds loaded to 1.260" OAL, CCI 300 Large pistol primers, it was a balmy +7 at the range today and all loads shot from a like new G20C

Started at 8.6gr 3N38 and went up by .2 to 9.4gr max, recoil was on par with hot .357 loads from a friends ruger maybe a bit more... All loads cycled perfectly EXCEPT the last 9.4gr round failed to eject and jammed up the slide... I was half expecting this running the stock recoil spring... I noted on my 8.8gr and up cases I started to see some heavy scratches from the extractor.

Glock smiles are mild on the loads I tried and infact smaller on my max 3N38 loads then factory American eagle 180gr but brass quality may come into play on this.

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I also pulled some of my 9mm power pistol loads and scraped up enough to run 50rnds, 20rnds 155gr XTP's with midrange loads that I'm VERY happy with and another 30rnds of 180gr winchester FMJ's.

The 155gr XTP loads are very snappy with a pronounced CRACK when you touch them off unlike the woomph of the 200gr 3N38 loads, no trouble ejecting these loads and only minimal extractor marks on the brass... Oooo I like this load!... Won't be pushing it much more without a heavier recoil spring and a crony tho!

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Hope someone can make use of this info! It's been fun and I'm gunna keep playing with the 3N38 for a while... Once I get my new recoil spring in that is :D
 
Well I got a new chrony and ran the 10.5 grs 3N38 10mm loads through it. The 200 grainers where going from 1162 to 1173 fps. Not bad, decent load for sure. It felt pretty stiff.

I loaded up 7.0 grs under some 147 gr 9mm FMJ FP's. I seated them at 1.11" OAL and got a average of 1173 fps. I noticed the brass was looking brand new, so I thought I would toughen up and run em through my keltec sub2000, it managed to squeeze 1271-1293 fps out of them. Not bad for a 9mm load.

6.9 grs in max from a load book, so I'm a tad over, but the brass show's zero signs of pressure, and my OAL length is longer making more case volume.
 
Well that's not bad at all...


Got a 20lb recoil spring and SS guide rod sourced now
Chrony should be here for my birthday on the 25th
Found a bit more power pistol and bumped up my 155gr load a bit... Very very good results... I'm actually scared to see the velocity on these... The fireball is impressive :D

Shot 10 more 200gr 3n38 loads today... Had 2 cases get pinched in the slide...

You haven't had any ejection issues have you?
 
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