Hello fellow members. I'm happy to report my chronograph results with Nobelsport D20 powder in 9x19mm cartridge reloading although there's no “officially published” data about it to the best of my knowledge. It's evidently a disk-granulated form of their GM3 flake powder used in Europe for 9x21mm reloading and I used that as a guideline Thank You contributor "Swifty" for the datasheet reference. These are truthful test results for data purposes only and I disclaim any liability for offering these test results. I'm a cast boolit shooter only, and the Ruger EC9S handgun these loads were tested in functioned flawlessly, but that too is a matter of individual test results and not an imprimateur that these loads are applicable to all 9x19mm pistols.
Overview: my benchmark of a perfectly acceptable and functional 9mm plinking load has always been 4.6gr Alliant “Unique” powder, Win WSP primers, and any generic 124gr LRN will generally prove itself to fly as true as any other. As for OAL of assembled rounds I've experimented with different seating depths yet don't lose sleep over it, - once the lube band is within the ctg the ctg takes-on a certain dimensional aesthetic we all know and 124-grainers nowhere reach Max ctg length. The ballpark velocity of loads with this Unique / 124gr LRN combo has always been 970-1000fps for me which is pleasant to shoot and not too snappy and I like it this way.
For load development with Vectan D20 powder I started with 4.0gr and the same protocols as above and my test ctgs resolved a remarkable consistency in the 950-970fps ballpark and were very pleasant to shoot and utterly clean and functioned w/o hiccup.
Upping the dose to 4.5gr D20 resolved 970-1000fps just like Unique and I had my “Eureka moment” I dun good and this is a great new load combo. Accuracy was equal to any plinking load I've made with Unique or W-231, and accordingly, I'll set my powder measure to throw 4.1gr D20 in the future and it'll be right in the sweet-spot of where it wants to be and there's no worry of double-charging a case, - it will become immediately evident by overflow.
Also while I was at it, Nobelsport has another inexpensive shotgun powder called
Vectan “A0” which is a slower burner (in the range of Herco according to their chart).
I have some of this too and loaded 4.0gr A0 in 9mm to the same protocols as above and it resolved basically the same ballpark of 950-970fps and pleasant to shoot and functional and reliable in an EC9S. Was a good day at the range testing all this stuff, and if anybody's interested, Vectan A0 is listed to be applicable to almost any rifle ctg with cast loads and proper load development. I happened upon a great plinking load for .30-30 using it and I plan to work-up loads for all my non-automatic rifles with A0 as an alternative to Unique. So, all's well that ends well and I'm not at a loss for nitrocellulose to power a variety of ctgs w/o excessive inventory of specialized powders. Useful experiments I hope the community here finds useful.
Cheers and happy reloading, - Vince.
