After some initial reading I was looking for N330 and N340. The store was out of N330 but had N340 and N350. I had not looked at N350 when I did my reading up on the powders on the Vihtavuori web site.
When I got to the store and saw both N340 and N350 I read the label on the N350 and it stated it was a great powder for heavier defensive bullet loads in 9MM, .40 S&W, 10MM, etc.
I've been using Blue Dot for several years for my 9MM and .40 S&W hollow point loads. 115 grain PD or 115 grain from Everglades Reloading. The similar bullets from RMR look good but I've not gotten around to trying them. In .40 S&W I've loaded mainly the 135 grain hollow points from Nosler. I've tried some 180 grain hollow points from Everglades with mulitple powders (Unique, BE86, AA*7, Bullseye and Blue Dot) and not matched the Winchester 180 grain hollow point loads in accuracy in the FNS or M&P pistols. No 180 grain loads I've tried (factory or reloads) shoot groups in my CZ .40's like the Blue Dot and 135 grain Noslers.
I'll give the N350 a try with the 180's in the M&P pistols and see how it compares to the Winchester ammo. I'm after group size, not max. fps or low powder consumption. If the N350 doesn't work out they had a lot of N340 on the shelf, too.
The Blue Dot is pretty slow burning. Not bad in the 9MM pistols but it is more noticeable in the tiny Shield 9MM pistols. The 135 grain /Blue Dot loads in the P07 are similar to shooting a 4" or shorter .357 magnum. Lots of recoil, muzzle flash and concussion. But it shoots like this.
thirteen shots from the P07 off hand at 12 yds. The lower/left hole is from me trying to hit a bumble bee that was hovering around in front of the target. Didn't even think about messing up the group. Just wanted to repeat a couple shots I made in my "youth."
This is one of those test targets. When I'm trying to get another brand of pistol to shoot good groups with different ammo or working up reloads for it and I get frustrated with groups that are butt ugly I pull the P07 out of the IWB holster and shoot 5 shots at the same distance. Then I know it's not me having a bad day. It's the new pistol and/or the ammo. Sometimes you've just got to find the right ammo.
Ideally it would be a load that would shoot good in the CZ pistols and the M&Ps but so far only the 115 grain hollow points and Blue Dot almost meet that goal. The Sheilds do very well with that load and the CZ 9MM guns love it as well. The full sized M&P 9MM don't shoot that load well at all.
Sort of like Joe says, it's not easy, but it's fun. Working up loads to try in different guns and comparing them.
