VV N110 in .357 magnum

[Joe Texas]

Good morning High Road!

I picked up a lb. of VV N110 this week and want to test it in .357 first and then maybe work up a Tier 3 .45 Colt load with it.

• I’ll be using a Zero 158 grain jhp.(It looks a lot like Sierra’s 158 jhp). I have Starline cases trimmed to 1.278 primed with Federal SPM. I’ll be shooting these from a 4.2” GP100 and a 20” Henry.

• I have seen data from Hornady, Speer, Sierra, and VV. They differ significantly from each other.

Question: If anyone has experience with VV N110 in .357 and/or Zero 158 grain jhps, would you mind sharing it?

* I have experience using W296/H110, 2400, and AA#9 in .357 magnum. With 158 XTPs and Sierra jsp/jhp my loads have been 16.7 W296, 14.5 2400, and 13.2 #9. I am tempted to think of VV N110 as a slower burning 2400 since it can be safely downloaded.

** I have penciled out a prospective test ladder from 13.7 - 14.5 grains. (Coincidentally, this is the same range I used when testing 158 jhp with 2400.) I arrived at this charge range by taking an average of all available 158 grain/N110 data.

Any information from the group’s experiences with these components would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Joe Texas]

Update/report:
Best accuracy from my .357 Henry 20”with 158 grain Zero jhp was with 13.7 VV N110, 14.1 VV N110, and 8.2 VV 3N37.

Best accuracy with 125 grain XTP was with 17.2 VV N110.

Best accuracy from my .45 Colt Henry 20” with 250 grain Hornady XTP was with *21.3 grains VV N110 and *12.3 grains VV 3N37.

Will chronograph these later.

*exceeds SAMMI pressure for 45 Colt. These charges produce Tier 2 and Tier 3 pressures suitable for certain Ruger firearms or others of similar strength ONLY. NOT for Colt SAA or replicas.

 

[Joe Texas]

VV powder chrono results:

.357 Magnum
125 xtp 17.2 VV N110
• 4.2” GP100 1313 fps SD 24
• 20” Henry 1959 fps SD 14

158 grain Zerp jhp 14.1 VV N110
• 4.2 GP100 1127 fps SD 20
• 20” Henry 1601 fps SD 8

45 Colt
225 FTX 12.1 VV 3N37
• 5.5” Vaquero 1158 fps SD 21
• 20” Henry 1270 fps SD 21 (where was the barrel length velo increase?!?!)

250 XTP 23.1 VV N110
• 5.5 Vaquero 1166 fps SD 16
• 20” Henry 1407 fps SD 28

9mm
124 grain Gold Dot 6.6 3N37
• Sig P365 3” 1118 fps SD 4

Conclusion:
• W296 gives better velocity increase from pistol to rifle in both .357 and .45 Colt.
• VV N110 gives best overall .357 Magnum performance for ammo made to be used in both pistol and rifle. It is the most accurate powder I’ve tried in .357 Magnum. It burns cleaner than any powder I’ve tried. The recoil impulse also feels smoother to me than most other powders.
• Both AA#9 and 2400 give better overall performance in Tier 2/3.45 Colt.
• 3N37 also burns super clean and gave better velocity and accuracy in 9mm and Tier 2 45 Colt than CFE-Pistol (my previous 9mm/45C Tier 2 high-performance choice).

* Don’t shoot these .45 Colt loads in firearms not equipped to handle them. They exceed SAMMI pressure limit by ALOT!!

 

[Airborne Falcon]

Nice ... well done Joe. You did good buddy.

I like H110 too ... and VV N120, but VV 110 is good stuff. I just finished a few hundred 158 gr PLATED loads that I loaded a little hotter than yours.

I shoot an 1894 CB LTD octagon Marlin and a Henry .... so I am always into levergun loads. What you cannot push over certain velocities are the plated pills ... Berry's especially. Avoid those like the plague. Never exceed 1200 fps with those poor people plated Berry's loads ... bad side of town loads .... pistol people only loads .... and always, always, check your crimps when loading for carbines.

Now let's see how many responses we get ... thank you for working this thread topic as long as you did.

 

[Joe Texas]

Airborne Falcon said:

“I like H110 too ... and VV N120, but VV 110 is good stuff. I just finished a few hundred 158 gr PLATED loads that I loaded a little hotter than yours.”
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the kind words AF.

I did notice that the VV N110 fills the case to the point where VV’s published max would be compressed. I could have pushed ‘em harder. Accuracy was outstanding though.

I did find the same accuracy with the 250 xtp over 22.2 grains N110. I wasn’t happy with 1407 from the rifle at 21.3 grains. I get 1550 fps w/21.3 AA#9 and 1662 fps w/26 grains W-296. I loaded some hotter ones to chrono later. Although the 357 loads weren’t crazy fast, they were adequate. Maybe I’ll get hotter later. Problem is, I need more N110 to do much more. Soon, I hope.

 

[Joe Texas]

Update:
250 xtp 22.2 grains VV N110
5.5” Vaquero 1226 fps
20” Henry 1507

 

[Joe Texas]

VV powder chrono results:

.357 Magnum
125 xtp 17.2 VV N110
• 4.2” GP100 1313 fps SD 24
• 20” Henry 1959 fps SD 14

158 grain Zerp jhp 14.1 VV N110
• 4.2 GP100 1127 fps SD 20
• 20” Henry 1601 fps SD 8

45 Colt
225 FTX 12.1 VV 3N37
• 5.5” Vaquero 1158 fps SD 21
• 20” Henry 1270 fps SD 21 (where was the barrel length velo increase?!?!)

250 XTP 23.1 VV N110
• 5.5 Vaquero 1166 fps SD 16
• 20” Henry 1407 fps SD 28

9mm
124 grain Gold Dot 6.6 3N37
• Sig P365 3” 1118 fps SD 4

Conclusion:
• W296 gives better velocity increase from pistol to rifle in both .357 and .45 Colt.
• VV N110 gives best overall .357 Magnum performance for ammo made to be used in both pistol and rifle. It is the most accurate powder I’ve tried in .357 Magnum. It burns cleaner than any powder I’ve tried. The recoil impulse also feels smoother to me than most other powders.
• Both AA#9 and 2400 give better overall performance in Tier 2/3.45 Colt.
• 3N37 also burns super clean and gave better velocity and accuracy in 9mm and Tier 2 45 Colt than CFE-Pistol (my previous 9mm/45C Tier 2 high-performance choice).

* Don’t shoot these .45 Colt loads in firearms not equipped to handle them. They exceed SAMMI pressure limit by ALOT!!

The 250 xtp charge is 21.3 NOT 23.1.