Sierra reloading manual 5th edition and vihtavouri powders

S

stalkuk

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First ever post... So, I've hand loaded for 223 remington 55 SBT Sierra blitzking heads using vihtavouri N140 powder...1/12 twist.

I did this without specific load data for this combination as i couldn't find it on line and am fairly confident I never went close to a full case by using a series of very similar heads and the data for this powder I did find.

I'm in the UK and vihtavouri is easy to get where I live. Others not so much. I like the results I'm getting with the Sierra heads and want to push the list a bit. Plus they're easy to get as well.

My question is simple after all that, I'm poor as sin though will buy the Sierra 5th edition manual but will someone please confirm for me that the data I need is in it? I.e. that vihtavouri powders particularly n150 and n140 ( as I load 308 too) are covered in detail?
 
Thank you both, the vihtavouri website is where I got the best loads I've worked from and I'm pleased I didn't just buy the manual as again it's not a perfect match. Solution. It's the n140 for the 308 and buy n130 of I can get it? Is the whole manual available on accurate shooter? Just the 308 bolt action section would be most interesting to see too
 
The fifth edition Sierra manual lists n140 loads only for bullets of 69 grains and above for the 223.
 
Is the whole manual available on accurate shooter?
Click to expand...
No. But 223 bolt, AR, and 308 are there.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/308win/
There are a few other calibers that have the Sierra Articles imbedded, you have to poke around each section.
I have the Sierra Manual 5th edition (on DVD with their reloading suite). I do not recommend it. It does not list any loads for their 65 gr SGK, although I have read you can use their data for the 63 grn #1370 bullet, which Sierra says has the same bearing surface, and data can be used as is for both bullets but the 5th edition does not say that. It seems it was published before the 65 SGK was introduced? It was good 15 or 30 years ago, but all updates seem to have stopped. I am under the impression they will not be issuing a new addition anytime soon. I tried Googling 6th edition and just get #5 back. I think all the load data in the Sierra book can be found (albiet slightly different) in various other on-line resources (powder and bullet makers). Their data, while reliable, is not priceless.
Sierra's focus has always been on their Matchking bullets, and innovations like tipped SMK are the only thing new they work on, it seems. I used to like their jacked hollow point handgun bullets, but they are price, and same as 30 years ago.
 
Well that's saved me wasting money... I'll get some n130 next time and use the n140 for the 308 as there's tested data for those here...thanks again
 
Stalkuk,

Welcome to the forum.

The Sierra people will usually send you their data for a specific cartridge and bullet if you email them to ask for it.
 
Sierra includes VV N130, N133 and N135 for their .223 lighter bullets.
I would recommend that you try VV N130, N133 or N135 for the lighter .223 bullets under 69 grains. Of the 3 powders, N133 performs the best for me but all three VV powders have results that are much better than N140 with 40 to 55 grain bullets.

Sierra does list N140 and N540 for 69 grain bullets and N540 for 80 grain bullets but not for the lighter bullets. Interestingly enough, the 5th edition doesn't even include a data sheet for the 77 grain SMKs even though they show it as a bullet on page 48.
 
Again it's about money and what I have. I have 1Kg of N140. 55gr Hornady and Lapua heads are both listed on the vv data sheet for the N140 and it seems the best powder for 150gr 308 heads. it's range day soon for testing. Haven't gone right to full cases though.
 
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