I have been reloading for about 12 yrs and have never really come across VihtaVuori powder for sale at any LGS which was about the only place i ever bought powder, now times have changed and with powder access being so tough I am now seeing VihtaVuori powder on sale online, checked my manuals and see that it is the middle of the road powder for some of my rifles, what I am wondering what your opinions are on this powder.. I reload for 7-08, 25-06, 243, 223 and 22-250..for what its worth..
vihtaVuori powder
- Thread starter NHSHOOTER
- Start date
I like N-310
There was some 3N38 (or whatever its name is) at my LGS about a week or two ago - it's gone now.
I have a couple #'s of N-310. It's fantastic. N-310 happens to be super fast (faster than Bullseye, for instance) so it's not that versatile. I only use it for super light 38 Special and 45 ACP loads. My point being, that maybe it's not the best one to form an over-arching opinion of Vihtavuori propellants.
I will tell you that it runs super clean - even when underloaded (yes, as fast as N-310 is, I have underloaded it
). It also smells different than all my other propellants. I smells rather "flat," and a bit like dirt. Whereas, all my others have that fragrant, chemical, yet pleasant smell. My best descriptions, sorry. I suppose it's because it's a single-base propellant; not a double-base. Just a guess.
And yes, it's expensive.
There was some 3N38 (or whatever its name is) at my LGS about a week or two ago - it's gone now.
I have a couple #'s of N-310. It's fantastic. N-310 happens to be super fast (faster than Bullseye, for instance) so it's not that versatile. I only use it for super light 38 Special and 45 ACP loads. My point being, that maybe it's not the best one to form an over-arching opinion of Vihtavuori propellants.
I will tell you that it runs super clean - even when underloaded (yes, as fast as N-310 is, I have underloaded it
). It also smells different than all my other propellants. I smells rather "flat," and a bit like dirt. Whereas, all my others have that fragrant, chemical, yet pleasant smell. My best descriptions, sorry. I suppose it's because it's a single-base propellant; not a double-base. Just a guess.And yes, it's expensive.
N110 is very similar in burn rate and handbook loading weights to H110, and Speer #12 published very good velocities using N110 in the .357 Mag, so I bought a pound. This was at least 20 years ago. It was more expensive than "better known" powders like Hodgdon, Hercules/Alliant but I was pretty ignorant and thought velocity was king.
It performed very well. The thing that struck me was that even at less-than-book-max loads, it burned so clean it was as if I was taking newly tumbled cases out of the cylinder. "Someone" told me that was because of the composition but I failed to quiz him on exactly what that meant.
Recently there was a thread on another forum claiming that VihtaVuori is fixin' to get into the primer business. If so, I would not hesitate to buy their primers, and I certainly would use their powder if I had too much trouble getting the powders I normally use. Note I used in in .357 mag, revolvers and Marlin carbine, and it was great - but never used any of their actual rifle powder in a rifle.
So there - one old, stale data point to use in your evaluation.
It performed very well. The thing that struck me was that even at less-than-book-max loads, it burned so clean it was as if I was taking newly tumbled cases out of the cylinder. "Someone" told me that was because of the composition but I failed to quiz him on exactly what that meant.
Recently there was a thread on another forum claiming that VihtaVuori is fixin' to get into the primer business. If so, I would not hesitate to buy their primers, and I certainly would use their powder if I had too much trouble getting the powders I normally use. Note I used in in .357 mag, revolvers and Marlin carbine, and it was great - but never used any of their actual rifle powder in a rifle.
So there - one old, stale data point to use in your evaluation.
See https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/vihtavuori-n110.774080/#post-9814976
and...
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sh...00-2100-fps)&p=5444942&viewfull=1#post5444942
(another high-speed V-N110 load)
The Viht gang produces the pinnacle of powders.
.
and...
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sh...00-2100-fps)&p=5444942&viewfull=1#post5444942
(another high-speed V-N110 load)
The Viht gang produces the pinnacle of powders.
.
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Agreed. Vihtavuori was always a Cadillac because the maker was the only one in the industry (that I am aware of) to make all of its own constituent chemicals. They made the nitrocellulose from actual cotton instead of wood chips or whatever cellulose source happened to be cheap at the time of manufacture. This accounts a good deal for its clean burn. They made their own nitroglycerin for double-base powders. They made their own diphenylamine for stabilizing. They made their own deterrent chemistry. Everything. So consistency and QC were very high. But I believe they shut down the plant in Finland after Norma bought them out. I don't know if that changed any of the manufacturing philosophies or not, but I haven't seen any evidence of it.
I guess I have to agree with mehavey.
I started using Vihtavuori powders years ago with my bolt action .223s and light bullets (N130 & N133). It metered beautifully and shot great, so I tried N150 with my .30-06.
Eventually I tried N140 with my .308s and with heavy bullets (69 & 77 gr) in my .223s.
All the VV powders I tried shot very accurately and consistently.
I have to admit that VV wasn't the most accurate powder in some of my rifles, but VV is always close to the best if it isn't the outright best. I presume that there are barrel preferences that make one powder more accurate than another, but the consistency of the VV powders has always been top notch for me.
The one thing that isn't the best of the best is the temperature sensitivity of the VV powders (about 100 fps from 1 to 125 degrees F, but if I adjust my loads for temperature, I have a hard time beating them.) When I can't predict what the weather will be doing (like sitting in a blind on a late fall morning for several hours). I load with extreme powders.
I started using Vihtavuori powders years ago with my bolt action .223s and light bullets (N130 & N133). It metered beautifully and shot great, so I tried N150 with my .30-06.
Eventually I tried N140 with my .308s and with heavy bullets (69 & 77 gr) in my .223s.
All the VV powders I tried shot very accurately and consistently.
I have to admit that VV wasn't the most accurate powder in some of my rifles, but VV is always close to the best if it isn't the outright best. I presume that there are barrel preferences that make one powder more accurate than another, but the consistency of the VV powders has always been top notch for me.
The one thing that isn't the best of the best is the temperature sensitivity of the VV powders (about 100 fps from 1 to 125 degrees F, but if I adjust my loads for temperature, I have a hard time beating them.) When I can't predict what the weather will be doing (like sitting in a blind on a late fall morning for several hours). I load with extreme powders.
wachtelhund1
New member
VihtaVouri powder is expensive because it is imported, tariff fees. It is an exotic powder for us. In the late 90's I was stationed in Germany and hunted and reloaded there. We bought guns and reloading equipment and supplies through the NATO rod and gun clubs. Once there was a period where the club's ran out of powder. I went to a German sporting to buy powder. The European powders were cheap, including VihtaVouri. The American powders were almost double of the European powders. It all depends on where you are!
Oh, don't take your reloading rights for granted! German's need a license to reload, requires a 40 hour course and fees. Their reloading supplies have to be stored in a safe. They can not have more than 5 pounds of smokeless powder, or more than 1 pound of black powder. Purchases are recorded. Guns and ammunition also have to be stored in a safe like container, secured at all time. Only the registered firearm owner may have access to the safe. If you own firearms and reload, police can inspect your house at anytime.
When I left Germany, I gave my German hunting friend my reloading powders, more than four times what he was allowed to own.
Oh, don't take your reloading rights for granted! German's need a license to reload, requires a 40 hour course and fees. Their reloading supplies have to be stored in a safe. They can not have more than 5 pounds of smokeless powder, or more than 1 pound of black powder. Purchases are recorded. Guns and ammunition also have to be stored in a safe like container, secured at all time. Only the registered firearm owner may have access to the safe. If you own firearms and reload, police can inspect your house at anytime.
When I left Germany, I gave my German hunting friend my reloading powders, more than four times what he was allowed to own.
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