Norma N200 Loads

[Iamsignal3]

I shot my new 10ML-II SS with N200 and here is what I know so far.

Hornady 250 Grain SST with supplied sabots

110 yards from bench to target. Pact II 20' from muzzle. Simmons 3x9x40 at 9X (part of gun package)

44.0 grains equal 1650 or so fps. and shotgun sized groups

46.0 1750 fps

48.0 1800 fps

50.0 1850 fps 1 1/2" Groups

52.0 1950 fps 1" Groups

54.0 2070 fps 1" Groups

All loads were CCI primers, charges weighed on a RCBS pro scale. Trigger set at 3# with RCBS trigger gauge. Barrel lead slug lapped after initial cleaning down to 600 grit.

Temp 30 degrees 1/8 value wind at 25 to 30 mph.

Barrel cleaned with cotton patch between shots.

The bullets that came with the gun (Hornady XTP) with 45.0 grains of 5744 at 110 yards shot at 2075 +- 10 fps and went into 1"

Sabots were recovered and showed no signs of stress and all petals were intact.

RBinAR you said start at 45.0 grains and I am going past 54.0 now. Any ideas on what I am going for here? Be nice to have a strain gauge, but I am guessing I should keep pouring the N200 to her as the groups seem to be tightening up as I get around the 2K mark, but would like to see 2300 to 2400 fps with this powder.

Plastic stock is going into the trash can as soon as hunting season ends. POS. I am sure a good glass bedding job and true pillar bed will do wonders for this gun as the plasic stock seems to rub every place and tightening the rear screw makes the front one tighter. So I know it is flexing the action.

[Iamsignal3]

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There it is RBinAR ;D

58.0 gr of Norma N200 with the Hornady 250 SST ***WARNING*** This load was safe in my gun, I assume no responsibilty for anyone using this data, it is for reference only***
Minus out the slug size and it is a tad under a 1/2" ;D
Thank you for your help!

[TKO]

Looks to me like you found your load!

[SW]

58gs N200 is obviously a good load. I'd still work up to 70g or so,checking for pressure signs, not likely. I graph the load on the x -axis and the speed on the y-axis. The slope, and groupings will tell you a lot. When the velocity increase starts to get less proportionally, ie graph starts to level, its about time to stop.

[RBinAR]

Wow this post is wiiiiddddeeee!
LOL I think you will have no trouble going to 65
grains of N200 is very much like N120 and 65 grains of
120 is a very low pressure load.

Still as I told you before you are on your own as
hardly anyone will have this powder to compare results.
So safety is the primary consideration. Move slowly
(.5 grain increments) look at the sabot after the shot if possible and look for over stress on sabots.
Inspect the primers and make sure that none are flattened. If you see pressure sign stop and back up.

What will happen is you will loose a bit of accuracy as the
speed is changed then slowly you're likely to find another speed where it starts to shoot small again.
If you have a bullet timer moving to 2400fps may be possible but consider it maximum this is likely to occur at 63 to 68 grains total charge.

Again be careful! If I sound like your mother I don't mean to but the last thing I want to do is send a loader to a place where he is not totally aware of all possible conditions. N200 is good powder: I've had great results with the Norma products but it not something American shooters see every day and needs to be treated as an unknown by most.

[Iamsignal3]

Just a hint. When you put a picture in photobucket resize it to 25 percent in order not to get the supersize post. ;D

[Iamsignal3]

RBinAR,

I will push the load up a bit and see what happens. Seems to really like the 58.0 load, but I need to get more of the Hornady 250 SST bullets. It is ML season here right now and the pickings are slim. More testing in the spring as we are getting pretty good snow and all the noreasters that come with. Thanks for your help BRinAR.
Also it blew a few of the petals off off the Hornady sabots at 58.0 grains, but it was cold out (26). The bases looked flaired, but nothing too bad. Primers were good and round with no pressure signs. Pretty good shove at the butt end, bout like a 270 or so.

[Iamsignal3]

Place called POWDER VALLEY, INC is selling N200 for around 19 bucks a can + hazmat and shipping if you want to try the Norma 200 powder

[Rifleman]

That is interesting to review this post. I bet that this would be a dandy powder with the 300 gr bullets at around 58-60 grs, and cheap too!. Can you post a link or a phone # for Powder Valley? I used to buy alot of surplus powder from them back in my reloading days, but no longer have their contact information. Thanks!

[edge]

They are usually the cheapest that I have found anywhere:

www.powdervalleyinc.com/

Most powders are 15-17/lb. + Hazmat

[dkdaws]

Those are some good powder prices, thanks for the link.

DD

[Iamsignal3]

Thanks for linking Powder Valley, Edge I am slower then pond water sometimes and don't read my own posts. Nice to see the Norma powder line back in the U.S. Agree on the prices too, very hard to beat.