N330, BA9 or something else

[Dudedog]

Getting ready to order powder.
My current favorite for 9mm 125s @ around 1030-1050 is WSF.
Perfectly happy with WSF and it's not broke but I need to fix it anyway
I have went with faster powders but prefer the feel of WSF or something around that speed.

Bullseye and Titegroup faster burn speed wise than I am looking for
HP38/W231 worked well for me but not as good as WSF.
AA#2 Shoots well, but close to MAX loads (which is ok) to make 130 PF. (also I save it for the .380 and .45)

Unique, shoots decent (in lots of things), meters poorly, have used, not a option if I can get something else.
Universal, shot really well for me with cast/coated bullets, not quite as plated/jacketed
Power Pistol, shot decent, meters decent, flashy not a option if I can get something else.
BE86, one of 9mms liked it the other three for some reason didn't, while they never completely agree,
they need to all play well with the load, prefer it to Unique or PP but not a option if I can get something else.

CFE-P and Silhouette, both shot well for me but to get the best shooting load I needed to be cloaser to say 1080 fps

I am going to try a lb of 244 and a lb of Sport Pistol, and was thinking one more flavor maybe N330 or BA9.
Main use would be 9mm with 125s @ about 130 PF.

N330 is pricy about $12-$15 50% more than others but then bullets are a larger cost than powder.

Your thoughts on BA9 or N330 would be appreciated.
(almost afraid to try N330 since I think my one pistol might be female and likes expensive things)

Also any input on either of the 2 in .45 would be appreciated, but my .45s seem happier with something AA#2/HP38 speed. (need to try WST in .45, one the list, but playing with 9mm at the moment)

Both of those are single base one of the reasons I picked those two.
Miss 7625 and 4756 sigh.........

 

[Toprudder]

Just a thought - If you liked AA#2 but had to load hot to get power factor, have you thought about AA#5?

Can't speak to N330 or BA9 as I have not tried those.

 

[Walkalong]

N330 will do what you want, but I use N320 to move plated 124/5 Gr bullets at 1050ish FPS.

No experience with BA9.

 

[Dudedog]

Again I am happy with WSF, it's just that I haven't learned to leave well enough alone yet........
(maybe by the time I turn 60, didn't happen at 55)
Arrows are currently better than the Indian so it's not like what I am using doesn't work well, it's just that there's an adventure in every 1lb of a new powder.

Can't remember for sure how much I liked N320 in 9mm, I do remember I liked it so much in .45 I decided to use most of the lb I had there.

PS I sort of started down this road before but got side tracked so I am revisiting it again before ordering.

 

[Demi-human]

First, they are all female. That's why I hold them like I do.

Second, I am wondering about the velocity limit. Will the fifty feet per second put you out of a competition or something?
I like Silhouette. But as you say, a new adventure is in order. I like that too!

 

[Dudedog]

If the vel is to low that's a problem, no score if you don't meet PF.
In Single stack 9mm (anything less than .40) will be minor no matter what the vel, no upper limit just less recoil allows faster follow ups.
I picked up a lb of Silhouette to try, liking it so far but a bit slow to the 1030-1050 range I'm after with 124s, based on my initial tests but I need to do some more testing with it.
CA won't let you have very much powder/primers on hand otherwise I might order a bunch of powders I haven't tried.
(another stupid CA law, but even if I don't like them I have to follow them)

 

[Conniption]

I've not had the opertunity to use BA9, however I do use many of Vectan's other handgun/shotgun powder offerings and can say all are extremely clean burning, easy metering and do preform. That coupled with the 1990's price's available (they are sold in 1.1 pound, 7716 grain jugs) well, they've now become my go to choice for both handgun and rifle. Great powders at yesterday's prices, top notch performance, a super low filth quotient, what's not to like?

 

[Dwb1957]

If your are buying a lb. to play with then definitely go with the cheapest of the two vectan makes good powders.

 

[rfwobbly]

• WSF is what I call the "poor man's Vit". It meters great and runs clean in several pistol caliber, but there are more accurate powders out there.
• N330 is one of my very favorite powders, but it has a history of disappearing for long periods. I'd hate to tell you to base your pet load on it becasue it can be unobtainable for 6-8 mos at a time.
• N320 being a competition powder has a lot higher importation rate. It's a lot easier to find from more sources. It's the only powder I'll use for competition. It's simply the best, but a lot of people consider it too expensive for everyday plinking and practice.
• Ba9 is weird. I really want to like it. There are many good things about it, but I can't get my results to mesh with Nobel Sport's data and that's saying a lot becasue I test a lot of powder for another forum. I've never had issues like that with any other powder.
• Sport Pistol is where you want to be. It's roughly the same speed as N320, and meters like the king, W231. It's clean, it's cheap, it's well documented, case fill is excellent, and your chrono results will mesh with published data.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Walkalong]

• N330 is one of my very favorite powders,

Tried any Silhouette?

 

[Dudedog]

• Ba9 is weird. I really want to like it. There are many good things about it, but I can't get my results to mesh with Nobel Sport's data and that's saying a lot becasue I test a lot of powder for another forum. I've never had issues like that with any other powder.

Vels lower than expected/listed??
Thanks for the info about N330 availability, would hate to decide I really like it then not be able to get it for 6 months.
BA9 would also sort of be in the same boat, might be hard to get.
Might need to give AA#5 a try, sort of thinking about it as well.
I am not expecting to find anything magical, I have load that shoot as good as I can but it is always fun to try something new, never know if you will like it until you try it.
I ended up trying WSF back in the last powder shortage because it was about all I could get. (and then all I could get was a 4lb jug, ordered thinking I sure hope I don't end up with 4lbs of poop)
WSF ended up becoming one of my favorites for 9mm, many lbs later I am happy I tried it

Decisions, decisions......

Walkalong/everybody
In 9mm would you put N330 closer to WSF or closer to Silhouette in burn rate?
Looks like it should be a bit slower than HP38/W231 but faster than WSF but burn rate charts don't really tell how a powder behaves in a cartridge. (I know charts are closed "bomb" tests)

So many things to try, so little time, can't wait till I can retire.....

PS thanks for the info rf.

 

[Dudedog]

Walkalong, is N330 happy in the low to middle of it's range or only on the higher side?
Some things are happy low-middle and some aren't.

And yes I am going against the norm wanting a slower powder in the middle of it's range as opposed to a faster powder at the top of it's range for my 125s at 1030-1050ish.
Can't explain it other than to say I just prefer the feel of the slower powder.

 

[Walkalong]

In 9mm would you put N330 closer to WSF or closer to Silhouette in burn rate?

A little quicker than both, but in the same neighborhood, maybe the same block.

is N330 happy in the low to middle of it's range or only on the higher side?

Upper half.

 

[Walkalong]

Can't explain it other than to say I just prefer the feel of the slower powder.

3.9/4.0 Grs of N320 under a 124 Gr plated moving it at about 1050 FPS from a 5" barrel is not even close to snappy IMHO. Brass dribbles out and lands a foot to my right.

 

[Dudedog]

But my 1911.45 likes N320 so much, there might be a fight between it an my 9mm 1911 over who gets the N320

 

[Toprudder]

Walkalong, is N330 happy in the low to middle of it's range or only on the higher side?
Some things are happy low-middle and some aren't.

And yes I am going against the norm wanting a slower powder in the middle of it's range as opposed to a faster powder at the top of it's range for my 125s at 1030-1050ish.
Can't explain it other than to say I just prefer the feel of the slower powder.

Have you tried AA#7? I have not used it much in 9mm, but I did some load workups with it, and I was surprised at how the extreme spread stayed low through the whole charge range.

 

[FROGO207]

I use AA#5 and like it so much I have never bothered to try to get something else to shoot better. Originally got it for use in my 40 with Lead bullets but when I tried it for 9MM---------
Heck get a pound of some different ones to have on hand to try. Living in a free state I have pounders of 40 or so different propellants to try with load workups and boy does it come in handy some times.

 

[Walkalong]

Have you tried AA#7?

Never tried it in anything, but have shot a lot off AA #5 in 9MM.

 

[Toprudder]

Never tried it in anything, but have shot a lot off AA #5 in 9MM.

AA#5 is one of those powders that works well across a lot of calibers.

 

[Walkalong]

I agree, but I gave up on it when they changed where they outsourced it from, look is different, burn rate seems a hair different.

 

[Walkalong]

N330 - Midrange .357 with a 125 Gr Powerbond

 

[Toprudder]

I agree, but I gave up on it when they changed where they outsourced it from, look is different, burn rate seems a hair different.

I've noticed that AA#2, 5, 7, and 9 all look like the powder on the right in that photo. Do you know if the others ever looked like the 1980s version of AA#5?

 

[Jim Watson]

A common subject.
What is the basis for "liking" one powder versus another? Assuming same gun, bullet, and velocity.
Granted a reasonably suitable "burn rate" such that I don't have to go to the maximum to make 9mm Minor power factor and don't have to get so low that velocity is erratic, I cannot say that I can tell a difference.
I have loaded various powders because of price or availability, which is a factor, but because somebody says A is better than B? I can't tell it, once the loads are adjusted to the same ballistics. I am not a good enough shot to tell a difference in accuracy, and I no longer have access to a Ransom Rest.

(Anecdote Alert: A guy here had an "accuracy powder." He could demonstrate it on call from a Ransom Rest, even offhand on a good day. Thing was, he always shot the challenger powder through a clean gun before his favorite. Until one day he didn't and the new stuff came out better. After more testing, he found that it wasn't the powder, it was his barrel. It was just more accurate when somewhat fouled.)

Oh, by the way, Accurate Arms has sourced powder from all over the world. I have seen a number of pictures of clearly different granulations under the same label. I think they started out buying from Israel, then went to China, now to Florida.

 

[Walkalong]

Do you know if the others ever looked like the 1980s version of AA#5?

#5 is the only one with the big change in grain size. #9 is the finest.

 

[ATLDave]

And #2's grains aren't flattened at all. Those things are basically micro-ball-bearings! They will literally roll on/off my bench when they leak or spill!