Introducing: Project Nemesis - P320 Roland Special

MojoNixon

Established
I'll be interested to see how the comp works with some 124 +P rounds. I had intended to compare some standard pressure ammo to some +P and +P+ loads in the same grain, but the range was out of anything other than standard pressure of any bullet weight. Just means I'll be making another trip to the range very soon.

I was happy to see that the gun still functions with bulk 115gr FMJ, I would've been disappointed if it only ran on expensive hollow points. I certainly can afford to feed it some hot defensive loads when I want to but it's nice to know I won't have to exclusively run the pricey stuff in order for it to function
Give the Winchester Q4318 NATO spec a shot. Essentially a 124+P load. The PPU NATO spec is, too. I have found in my comp that 124 at or near 1200 FPS is really the sweet spot. Functions 100% reliably and recoil feels like a standard pressure 147 load. And it’s not pricey defensive ammo.
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Did you check the difference in point of impact between hot defensive loads and the cheap stuff?

Not so much this trip, I was mostly focused on reliability and function as opposed to accuracy. Once I determine which ammo runs reliably in the gun, I'll look more at narrowing down from that overall pool to a couple specific loads for training ammo and a couple specific hollow points that run reliably and shoot accurately. I can adjust the dot if I need to at that point as well, but it was close enough this time to run the function tests I wanted to do
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Give the Winchester Q4318 NATO spec a shot. Essentially a 124+P load. The PPU NATO spec is, too. I have found in my comp that 124 at or near 1200 FPS is really the sweet spot. Functions 100% reliably and recoil feels like a standard pressure 147 load. And it’s not pricey defensive ammo.

Noted, I'll take a look for my next trip to the range later this week
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
My schedule shifted around a bit towards the end of today and I found myself with a free evening, so I decided to head to the range again. This time I focused on shooting only 124gr loads, both FMJ and JHP, and compared the difference between standard pressure and +P loads. In total I shot another 250 rounds in about 45 minutes;

- The gun didn't malfunction once, even with a bit of intentional limp-wristing on my part

- I can shoot this gun more accurately, at a much higher rate of fire, than any other gun I've ever shot before

- It won't surprise anybody that the +P loads worked better with the comp, but what surprised me was by how much - The +P loads shot flatter and felt softer than even the standard pressure loads by comparison

- Once again, the front end of the gun got too hot to touch but the comp stayed rock solid

- I love this gun even more than yesterday!

I think what I need to do is do some testing with a selection of 124gr +P JHP loads and find a couple I like to designate as my preferred hollowpoints. The performance of the gun with that particular spec of ammunition is just absolutely staggering. It is nice to know though that the gun will still function on 115/124/147gr standard pressure ammo for range use
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
IMG_1997.JPG

New gun, new callus. I've been dryfiring the shit out of this thing since the second range day. Should be able to get back to live fire over the next two days, standby for another update shortly...
 

Nate Osborne

NateMac
Staff member
Moderator
Really liking where this thread is going. I just got my 229 slide back from ATEi with a 2.0 RMR mounted on it. Milling was exeptional, and the fit is, in a word, perfect. I have heard of people using the TBRC S&W comp on PXX sigs as the size allows use in open bottom holsters. I'm just trying to bite the bullet on the cost of most 1/2X28 threaded 229 barrels.
 

MojoNixon

Established
Really liking where this thread is going. I just got my 229 slide back from ATEi with a 2.0 RMR mounted on it. Milling was exeptional, and the fit is, in a word, perfect. I have heard of people using the TBRC S&W comp on PXX sigs as the size allows use in open bottom holsters. I'm just trying to bite the bullet on the cost of most 1/2X28 threaded 229 barrels.
Not sure if they make one for the 229 but give SilencerCo a look. I believe TBRC suggests them as the go to barrel for their comps.
I really like mine. Usually can be found on sale at Brownells for about $150.
 

Nate Osborne

NateMac
Staff member
Moderator
Yeah, I actually have the 226 threaded barrel from silencerco. I threw on the glock 43 comp on the 226 before I loctited it on the 43, and it didn't do quite as much, but it was designed for the 43 so maybe that played a part. Honestly it'll probably be awhile before I get into comping the 229, so I'll just look out for a deal on a barrel.
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
I had considered basing this project on a P229 as well, and have confirmation from multiple sources that I trust that the TBRC M&P comp is the way to go for any of Sig's Classic line of pistols. Works in holsters and is actually just about perfect width to match the front of the Sig slides where it pinches in more narrowly
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Apologies to everyone for not updating recently, I haven't yet had the chance to get back to the range to do my 124gr +P testing. I will however be going back this Saturday, and to prepare I'm looking for suggestions from everyone on various 124gr +P loads that I should round up to consider. I've got a list running, I will be purchasing at least one box of each of the loads listed and any others that are suggested (provided I can find them on store shelves, of course);

- Hornady Critical Duty (manufacturer part #90216)
- Winchester PDX1 (manufacturer part #S9MMPDB)
- Speer Gold Dot (manufacturer part #23617)
- Federal HST (manufacturer part #P9HST3)

Any other suggestions that I should look for while I make my rounds to the local ammo suppliers?
 

MojoNixon

Established
If you’re not limiting yourself to defense rounds Winchester NATO Spec FMJ. Not specifically a +P load but it is loaded hotter than normal. The Privi Partisan NATO Spec is essentially the same load.
 

Sunshine_Shooter

Established
If you don't mind, I'd like to see what the difference in PoA/PoI is between some defensive loads and cheap range stuff. Not like "it impacted 2.31 inches to the right" but more along the lines of 'close', 'nearby', or 'way off'.
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
If you don't mind, I'd like to see what the difference in PoA/PoI is between some defensive loads and cheap range stuff. Not like "it impacted 2.31 inches to the right" but more along the lines of 'close', 'nearby', or 'way off'.

I'll make sure to grab a box of standard pressure 124gr FMJ as well and report back on this
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Well, after stopping by the first two stores in my rounds, I began to realize that for this particular test I would be limited by what I was able to find on store shelves. I purchased a sample of every 124gr +P load I could find between four different suppliers and it still wasn't exactly what I'd listed, but I'd say three different types of loads in that category, plus some Winchester White Box 124gr NATO-spec FMJ, plus two different types of 115gr +P JHP loads (slightly more than 400 rounds in total) should be plenty for a good testing tomorrow;

IMG_2065.JPG
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Sunshine_Shooter, I didn't forget about your request to test standard pressure vs. +P aim/impact differences - I was just looking for the ammo today that I knew I couldn't find at my actual range. I'll be purchasing a box of both 124gr and 115gr standard pressure ammo tomorrow when I get to the range to do a POA/POI comparison with the 124/115gr +P loads I purchased today
 

MojoNixon

Established
Well, after stopping by the first two stores in my rounds, I began to realize that for this particular test I would be limited by what I was able to find on store shelves. I purchased a sample of every 124gr +P load I could find between four different suppliers and it still wasn't exactly what I'd listed, but I'd say three different types of loads in that category, plus some Winchester White Box 124gr NATO-spec FMJ, plus two different types of 115gr +P JHP loads (slightly more than 400 rounds in total) should be plenty for a good testing tomorrow;

View attachment 2570
If your comp likes the WWB NATO Spec as much as mine does it will make a good training load as it can be had from SGAmmo for about $200/1000 shipped. Pretty reasonable. The Privi Partisan load costs about the same. S&B is marketing a124 NATO Spec load now as well. I haven’t tried that one yet. I’m still working thru my first 1K of the Privi after burning thru 1K of WWB.
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
If your comp likes the WWB NATO Spec as much as mine does it will make a good training load as it can be had from SGAmmo for about $200/1000 shipped. Pretty reasonable. The Privi Partisan load costs about the same. S&B is marketing a124 NATO Spec load now as well. I haven’t tried that one yet. I’m still working thru my first 1K of the Privi after burning thru 1K of WWB.

That is my plan for both a FMJ practice load and whichever couple JHP loads I settle on - Buy in bulk online
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Just got back from the range and dinner, fired a total of 350 rounds through the gun today bringing the running total to 900 rounds. My report;

- Absolutely zero malfunctions yet again, with all the different hollow points as well as 115/124gr standard pressure and 115/124gr +P rounds

- I'm starting to notice more subtle differences between the recoil of the different bullet weights and different gas pressures. For instance, the 124gr +P has slightly more muzzle flip than 115gr +P, but the 115gr +P loads have a sharper rearward "smack" against my hand

- I could not tell the difference between the Winchester 124gr NATO spec FMJ and any of the 124gr +P JHP loads, including with a magazine with a random mix of the NATO spec and two different kinds of the +P loads

- Due in no small part to the ergonomics of the underling P320 X-Carry frame, I'm able to control the recoil of every load very well and they all settle very naturally back on target without any additional input to the gun from me

- The POA/POI shift through the range of ammo from 115gr standard pressure up to 124gr +P is negligible between 3 and 15 yards - Any small shift that is there is being masked by the natural variance in my own accuracy capability, while still being able to put a full 26-round magazine of every different load I had randomly mixed together into a fist-sized grouping at 10 yards shooting with about .5 second splits

Given this information, the system's stellar reliability across all tested loads, and factoring in various ballistics tests I've seen online, I think I've settled on the Hornady Critical Duty 124gr +P loads as my preferred JHP round, while I'll be using the Winchester 124gr NATO spec FMJ as my primary range/practice ammo. The recoil impulse profile is identical between the two rounds and they both provide for what I prefer in terms of overall muzzle flip, how hard the gun pushes directly rearward back into my hand, and having the dot drop precisely back onto target after the round is fired. I'll be purchasing both these loads in bulk online over the coming weeks, and getting the optic specifically zeroed to the Hornady loads thereafter
 
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