VV N340 with Hornady 124gr XTP?

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30cal_Fun

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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?
 
I have not tried N340 with a 124 Gr XTP, but I have used it with a couple of bullets. I believe the factory OAL used is 1.060.

Master Match 125 Gr JSP (.355X.592) loaded @ 1.120 to 1.125 OAL. - 5.7 Grs N340 - WSP primer.

1135 FPS from a 3" EMP.
1205 FPS from a 5" S&W 1911
1330 FPS from a 16" RRA AR
?? Degrees (March in Bama)


Berrys 124 Gr HBRN-TP (.355X.616) loaded @ 1.140 to 1.145 OAL. - 5.7 Grs N340 - WSP primer.

1136 FPS from a 3" EMP.
1258 FPS from a 5" S&W 1911
1318 FPS from a 16" RRA AR
90 degrees

I marked it as HOT


Speer 124 Gr Gold Dot (.3555X.562) loaded @ 1.120 to 1.125 OAL. - 5.7 Grs N340 - WSP primer. (I went to 5.8, but got primer swipe. 5.7 is still pretty stout.)

1105 FPS from a 3" EMP.
1240 FPS from a 5" S&W 1911
1338 FPS from a 16" RRA AR
61 Degrees

I am not recommending any of these loads. I put them forth as results only. Start low and work up carefully.
 
I have loaded the 124 grain Hornady HAP, not the XTP, but the exact same bullet without the skives with that combo, but do not load it for maximum velocity.

In a Glock, you'll have plenty of leeway on OAL. Mine, with the stock barrel, will load all the way out to 1.156" or so. I'd find a fired casing and do the push test.

I recall loading the HAPs at 1.120" OAL with a Jarvis barrel (tighter chamber) in a G17 and getting an average around 1,100 fps. at 5.0 grains.

The longer your load, the more powder you'll need to make velocity. I've not found any accuracy benefit to loading as long as possible, nor reliability benefit. I've found the most accurate loads for some pistols at comparatively short OALs. I would shoot for something in the 1.09" to 1.12" range. With the ogive on that bullet, if you load long you'll likely limit your ability to fire this load in other pistols. If you have any others, I'd test them first as well.

I currently load N340 at 1.09" OAL with a PD 124 JHP at 4.85 grains and it clocks about 1,090 fps average out of my G17 but again, I'm not running stock Glock barrels. Those loose chambers will rob you of ~20-30 fps or so with the same load. I'd also be careful taking a "Glock" barrel load at the hairy edge of maximum and switching it to a pistol with a tighter chamber. I've done that and the results turned a safe load into one that was nearly dangerous.
 
Hornady 124 XTP ( Speer 124 GD very close to same with minor oal difference)

Sig 239, 3.6" bbl

n340 5.60 1.137 1144

n340 5.70 1.137 1160

n340 5.80 1.137 1165


CZ 4.62" bbl
n340 5.8 1.140" 1200+ fps
 
In my G19 and SW shield I load the XTP right around 1.140-1.145. I haven't worked up a hot SD load for n340. I use 3n37 for those and I use the same 124gr XTP bullet.
 
A jacketed 124 is a jacketed 124. Max OAL is 1.169". You load for the bullet weight. Who made it doesn't matter.
 
30Cal,

You don't need to go as hot as possible to get a good SD load. Although the XTP like to be driven hot, you will still get excellent terminal performance from that 124gr XTP at any velocity above 1100fps from a 4'' bbl.

I would run a couple of ladders starting at mid range data for the Hornady FP bullet and work up. This should guarantee that you hit the velocity threshold that you need. Don't exceed max regardless of what you've heard about VV data being conservative. Select the load that produces the best combination of accuracy and controlled follow up shots from your G19.
 
A jacketed 124 is a jacketed 124. Max OAL is 1.169". You load for the bullet weight. Who made it doesn't matter.
Yeah, not really.

Each 124 gr bullet has both a different ogive and overall length (of the bullet itself). Some are very long bullets, others shorter. Some ogives are more to the rear of the bullet than others.

The length can cause pressure increases (over other 124 grain bullets, particularly when seated shorter). The different ogives can cause issues if you have a short throat.

Try loading a normal 124 grain JHP out to 1.169" and chances are extremely high you won't even be able to chamber the round.

Each bullet needs to be treated independently.

Anyone that follows your advice is going to have problems sooner rather than later.
 
Vihtavuori doesn't list the 124gr variant of the Hornady XTP, on top of that, they only list minimum COL, not the maximum.

The bullet-to-barrel fit determines the Max OAL in every case. No manual can know what bullet or barrel you are using.

N340 is going to be an excellent SD powder to combine with the XTP. When you get it worked out, you'll really be happy.
 
Agreed. The only better powder for this IMO is 3N37 which slightly edges out N340 for 124gr JHP. Emphasis on slightly. N340 is an excellent powder for mid weight 9x19 loads.
 
Thanks for all the information and advice people, it's much appreciated!

Of course my maximum c.o.l. is determined by my pistol (I know the procedure to determine this) but knowing what c.o.l. Hornady factory ammunition and you people are using gives me a good impression of what sort of c.o.l. I should expect to end up with.

The same with the charge weight; my exact bullet, powder, primer, case, pistol and c.o.l. combination will determine the exact pressure and velocity but since the VV load data differs so much between different types of 124gr bullets I wanted to get a general ballpark for a safe staring load.

My statement "I would like to run them as hot as I can" might have needed a bit more nuance.
I agree that 3N37 would have been a better choice for top velocity but I have plenty of N340 on hand since I reload other calibers with it, I like it for it's versatility. Although it may not be the powder that gets the most velocity out of the 9mm cartridge looking at the VV tables running a hot charge of N340 will give me plenty of velocity with a negligible loss in fps compared to 3n37.
Since most factory 124gr 9mm is stated around 1050-1100 fps from a 4'' barrel, I would consider 1150-1200 plenty hot for a 124gr bullet and I think N340 should get me there.
 
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The performance of N340 with 124/5 Gr bullets in short barrels is what impressed me about it. I use 3N37 to load .38 Super a bit hot. Not smoking hot though. I have no desire to load 9MM to over max levels like some folks do. It works just fine at SAMMI pressures. The .38 Super is the answer to that. I know some folks load 9MM to make Major so they can use cheap brass, but they can have it. I don't play the pistol games, so I have zero temptation to do so. Ride the white line long enough.... And actually, the folks doing it are mostly running it loading long in expensive, very toughly built, pistols. Think SVI. Shooting a lot of 9MM Major loads in everyday 9MM handguns would be extremely tough on the guns. The Winchester 127 Gr +P+ is about the hottest 9MM factory ammo I know of, and I wouldn't be running 1 or 2K of it through your pistol at the range. I would carry it and practice a little bit with it. I am not in the "I do all my practice with what I carry" camp. You can practice with anything, as long as you shoot your carry load enough to be familiar with the recoil etc. IMHO of course. :)

N340 will do everything you need out of 124/5 Gr bullets in 9MM without exceeding SAMMI pressures. :)
 
The lyman 49 manual shows N340 at 4.0-4.6gn with a 125gn JHP at OAL of 1.075" but does not specify the XTP. I have seen others say they used a length of 1.09 out to 1.145 for their particular use how much does that raise the amount of powder you can use?
In a Speer manual I have it says if you seat a bullet .030" shorter it will raise the pressure from 28000 to 62000. Thats over double so if you make it you go the other way how will it affect it?
 
Yes, you do need to be careful with seating depth vs powder charges in the high pressure low volume 9MM case.
 
I guess what I'm trying to say is if you go longer than the published data on OAL then does that raise the max charge on powder that would be safe? Is having a chronograph to check velocity the only way to know where your at?
 
Yes, load longer than the published load and you can increase the powder charge. How much? Without pressure testing equipment one doesn't really know. Velocity is a pretty good indicator, but not definitive.
 
...from a 4'' barrel, I would consider 1150-1200 plenty hot for a 124gr bullet and I think N340 should get me there.

If you need something with even more velocity, the 90g XTP powered by N340 should come in @ 1380-1480 fps :cool:
N340XTP90g.jpg (click on image to expand)

A 124g plinker for practice with N340 might be useful, also ;)
N340HBRN-TP124g.jpg (click on image to expand)

All from my Glock 19 (GEN 4) @ 7 yds. unsupported. N340 is one of the great powders for range and one of my favorites :)
 
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