.45 ACP with Rainier 200 grain RN with VitaVhouri N320?

Spindrift · Feb 9, 2013

Greetings everyone. This is my first post on here and I am hoping to get some info for a new bullet I want to try.
I just recently got my hands on 1000 Rainier Ballistics 200 grain plated round nose bullets that I want to load up.
I have some Red Dot, Blue Dot, Herco, and Unique, but what I have the most of is N320 VihtaVouri.
Obviously, powder is getting scarce as hens teeth these days and it seems like everyone likes to use Bullseye, which would be fine if I could actually get any.
So the question is:
Does anyone load these with VihtaVouri N320 powder? I can't seem to find any data for the plated round nose 200 grain bullets with that powder, so I am hoping that someone out here in the interwebs has some good minimum and maximum loads along with COL" that you could pass on to me.
Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks all!
Spindrift

LiveLife · Feb 9, 2013

Welcome to THR.

Rainier Ballistics recommends we use lead load data for their plated bullets - http://www.rainierballistics.com/loaddata.php

I don't use listed OALs in published load data. Use your barrel/pistol to determine the Max/working OAL that will reliably feed/chamber from the magazine - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=506678

Here's current load data from Lapua for Vihtavuori N320 (Vihtavuori Reloading Guide 9) - http://www.lapua.com/en/products/reloading/vihtavuori-reloading-data/relodata/6/20

200 gr LSWC Intercast N320 OAL 1.240" Start 4.7 gr (888 fps) - Max 5.1 gr (958 fps)

200 FMJ-CT Hornady N320 OAL 1.240" Start 5.0 gr (855 fps) - Max 5.4 gr (928 fps)

Lyman #49 lists

200 gr LSWC N320 OAL 1.161" Start 4.6 gr (774 fps) 13,400 CUP - Max 5.2 gr (889 fps) 17,100 CUP

200 gr LSWC N320 OAL 1.235" Start 5.1 gr (746 fps) 10,000 CUP - Max 5.7 gr (865 fps) 14,800 CUP

I have some Red Dot

I use 4.0 gr of Promo/Red Dot with 200 gr LSWC bullets and that powder charge should be OK for use with 200 gr RN Rainier plated bullets.

Current Alliant load data (10% reduction will give you about 4.0 gr as start charge)

45 Auto 200 gr LSWC Red Dot OAL 1.190" Max 4.5 gr (831 fps)

2004 Alliant load data

TonyT · Feb 10, 2013

The last time I looked at the Vihtavouri website they had data for use with Rainier plated bullets whcih are very similar to the Berry's. VV N-320 is an excellent powder with a burning rate similar to Bullseye. I am in winter quarters and do not have the VV reloading manual with me but I am sure you can find the data on their website.

Spindrift · Feb 10, 2013

I'm not sure how to quote correctly so I pasted this from your reply.
Bds, you wrote:
I don't use listed OALs in published load data. Use your barrel/pistol to determine the Max/working OAL that will reliably feed/chamber from the magazine - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=506678

So you suggest that I go ahead and set seating depth like I would for a rifle, basically as long as possible that still feeds?
Is there an accuracy advantage with a round as slow as this?
Thanks,
Spindrift

Spindrift · Feb 10, 2013

TonyT said:
The last time I looked at the Vihtavouri website they had data for use with Rainier plated bullets whcih are very similar to the Berry's. VV N-320 is an excellent powder with a burning rate similar to Bullseye. I am in winter quarters and do not have the VV reloading manual with me but I am sure you can find the data on their website.

Thanks,
I had been told by a couple of friends that the VV N320 was comparable to the Bullseye which is why I thought I'd try it out in the .45.
Now, I have a place to start.

KansasSasquatch · Feb 10, 2013

Before I found out that Rainier recommends using lead data for their bullets, I used mid-range FMJ data with Bullseye, Unique, and W231. It worked so well I haven't found a reason to change it.

jjjitters · Feb 10, 2013

Lead data is basically mid-range jacketed. I just stuck with 85% of any jacket info as roughly max, but have done 100%. It's mostly a fps threshold they don't want you to exceed. In 45 there is no worry about that.
But it is wise to follow factory recommendations for less experienced reloaders !

.45 ACP with Rainier 200 grain RN with VitaVhouri N320?

Spindrift

Member

LiveLife

Member

Attachments

TonyT

Member

Spindrift

Member

Spindrift

Member

KansasSasquatch

Member

jjjitters

Member

Similar threads