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Old December 4, 2014, 02:22 PM   #1
30cal_Fun
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VV N340 with Hornady 124gr XTP?

I have used the search function and google but have come up with mostly old threads and incomplete info so I hope you can help me.

I will be reloading 9mm Luger with Vihtavuori N340 powder and Hornady 124gr XTP bullets.
These are intended for self defence, so I would like to run them as hot as I can. I don't have a chronograph however so I will be paying attention to overpressure signs and go by the reload data.

Vihtavuori doesn't list the 124gr variant of the Hornady XTP, on top of that, they only list minimum c.o.l., not the maximum.
I have emailed Hornady but they don't have load data for this combination either.

VV has load data for three types of jacketed 124gr bullets with N340:
124gr Lapua FMJ-RN / Minimum c.o.l.: 29,0mm, 1.142” / N340 / Starting load: 4.5gr, 1086 fps / Maximum load: 5.1gr, 1181 fps.
124gr Hornady FMJ-FP / Minimum c.o.l.: 29,0mm, 1.142” / N340 / Starting load: 5.3gr, 1139 fps / Maximum load: 5.7gr, 1214 fps.
124gr Lapua Megashock / Minimum c.o.l.: 28,7mm, 1.130” / N340 / Starting load: 4.3gr, 981 fps / Maximum load: 4.9gr, 1129 fps. (Megashock is a regular JHP-type bullet with rounded ogive from what I have found)

I think the load data for the Hornady FMJ-FP and Lapua Megashock would be the closest to the XTP, the FMJ-FP charge seems surprisingly high though. I think a starting load of 4.6gr should be plenty on the safe side.

I'll find out the maximum c.o.l. for my pistol (Glock 19 gen 4 with 0-4-1 spring) and keep decreasing it till it fits my magazine and feeds reliably. I'll start with 4.6 grain and increase with 0.2gr increments and would like to build up to around 5.4 grain. VV data is known to be very conservative but of course I'll stop increasing the charge if I see any overpressure signs.



Have any of you used this combination of powder and bullet?
What bullet type should I use for a reference for the charge weight?
What charge weight would you recommend for N340/124gr XTP?
And what c.o.l. would you recommend for N340/124gr XTP?
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Old December 4, 2014, 06:58 PM   #2
serf 'rett
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You will likely get dinged by others for loading your own "self defense" ammo. Give this some thought - you don't need to be trying to explain in court the "super duper, man stomper, thumper, by golly max I could make it" reloads you used to defend yourself. I shoot reloads, ones that perform like factory, but I carry factory stuff.

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information. (according to which manual you read)

What I tested in my Springfield XDm 4.5 with 124 grain XTP:

4.4 grains min to 5.4 max at 1.090" COAL, no chrono. Best groups at 4.6 & 4.8 grains. I'm more interested in groups than speed.

I'll eventually get around to testing this bullet with Power Pistol...
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Old December 4, 2014, 07:05 PM   #3
9MMand223only
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You have to do the drop test in your gun to see what max OAL your gun tolerates for XTP. Then you have to test for reliable feeding. Its probably under 1.1 OAL.

Here is a bunch of testing with N340 in a standard XD9 4" barrel Service Pistol.

GUN Powder Brand Brass Brand Primer Brand Powder Load Bullet Brand Bullet Grain OAL Min FPS 4" Max FPS 4" Avg FPS 4"
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 8 Solid Copper 80 1.140 1660
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 7.7 Speer UHP 90 1.070 1560
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.6 MG HP 95 1.050 1244
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5 MG HP 95 1.050 1104
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.8 MG HP 95 1.050
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.2 MG HP 95 1.050 1134
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 6 MG HP 95 1.050
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.2 MG HP 95 1.050 1109
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.6 MG HP 95 1.050 1198
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 MG HP 95 1.050 1170
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 6 MG HP 95 1.050 1280
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5 MG HP 95 1.050 1075
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.8 MG HP 95 1.050 1240
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 MG HP 95 1.050 1186
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5 Berrys 100 1.069 1075
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.2 Berrys 100 1.069 1126
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 Berrys 100 1.069 1185
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.2 Berrys 100 1.069 1090
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 Berrys 100 1.069 1175
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5 Berrys 100 1.069 1070
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 Xtreme 115 1.145
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 Hornady HAP 115 1.100
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.1 Xtreme 115 1.145
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 Hornady HAP 115 1.100 1151
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.1 Xtreme 115 1.145 1070
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.4 Xtreme 115 1.145 1119
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 6.4 Hornady HAP 115 1.100 1320
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixed CCI 500 4.4 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 983
XD9 N340 mixed CCI 500 4.4 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 968
XD9 N340 mixed CCI 500 4.8 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 1073
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixes CCI 500 5.1 Berrys 124 1.145
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixed CCI 500 4.8 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 1088
XD9 N340 mixed CCI 500 5.0 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 1080
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixed CCI 500 5.0 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 1095
XD9 N340 mixes CCI 500 5.1 Berrys 124 1.145 1073
XD9 N340 mixed CCI 500 5.1 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 1090
CZ SP01 ST N340 mixed CCI 500 5.1 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 1105
XD9 N340 mixed CCI 500 6.2 P. Delta HP 124 1.100 1106 1118 1268

1268 is all I tested up to, but it would take more, I stopped there, it has no pressure signs that were significant in my gun.

Of note, the 80 grain solid copper at 1660 FPS was a real monster, that thing flowered open so huge, absolutely deadly.

However, none of the above rounds would penetrate a IIIa soft armor vest, and would not even get 2/3 of the way through the layers from 3 feet away.

I like lighter bullets that are 1600+ FPS in the 9 MM because they fire quite flat out to longer distances and so POA is more precise, at much more range. Also, for moving targets, the faster FPS gives less lead or margin of error, by far, that slow and heavy.

NONE of the above loads are rec for anyone here. That is your own judgement.

of note the CZ SP01 is a 4.5" barrel compared to 4" in the XD9.

N340 is one of my favorite 9 MM powder, without question.
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Old December 5, 2014, 12:17 AM   #4
mmb713
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Hornady uses the same powder data for all of their bullets of the same weight and type, changing only the OAL for each bullet. Data for any Hornady jacketed 124gr bullet will be the same for the XTP. Hornady lists the OAL for the 124gr XTP as 1.060" and the FMJ-FP as 1.050".

VihtaVuori's OALs in 9mm are all the same for every bullet weight between 115gr and 147gr, the maximum cartridge OAL of 1.142". I don't know of many guns that have chambers long enough to accommodate bullets loaded that long. Their charges for N350 are also much higher than Hornady's for their 124gr bullets, the starting load is higher than Hornady's max. I would be very uneasy using VihtaVuori's data for N340 with Hornady's OAL. The data for the Megashock looks a lot saner to me.

N340 won't get you top velocity in 9mm with any bullet. Better powders for what you want to do are AA#7, Power Pistol, Silhouette, AutoComp, HS6, Longshot, N350 or 3N37.
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Old December 5, 2014, 09:22 AM   #5
30cal_Fun
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Thanks for the replies and information everyone!

Good to know Hornady's factory c.o.l. is 1.060".
Even though the c.o.l. data listed in the VV manual are supposed to be minimum length, they seem quite long to me as well.

I'll see what maximum c.o.l. my pistol tolerates, then test for feeding reliability and go from there with load development.
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