Hi
which kind of powder is better for barrel life and accuracy?
regards
yes

Double base powders are more aggressive on barrel throats; as for accuracy, it's impossible to say.

The military uses ball powder in their semi\automatic weapons, which is known for its low flame temps causing less throat wear.

I asked the question to the Vithavuori Customer service one year ago; they replied that double base powders ARE more aggressive than single base and will certainly shorten (slightly) the barrel life. The guy said that, if the barrel life is a concern, it's better to avoid double base powders.

quote:

I asked the question to the Vithavuori Customer service one year ago;

Just curious are their powders single or double based?

From what I found"Winchester (Olin) and Alliant produce powders that are double-base, most VihtaVuori and IMR powders are single-base, and Accurate and Hodgdon produce both types of powders"

I have no doubt that the double based burn a little hotter and would then heat the barrel up quicker. It will also give a littler higher energy. In normal shooting if you don't over heat the barrel I doubt you you would really see a difference. I started with IMR & H powders I now use RL powders 9 to 1. I have seen no change in my barrel lifes. A super big magnum overbore will wear out the barrel no matter what you burn in it.

I found the comment by the V V rep to be interesting.

Yes, their N500 series powders are double base. The N 100 series are single base. What was interesting is that their own literature states that the N500 powders will not cause greater barrel wear because they have been coated with "an agent designed to reduce barrel wear." And yet their rep said that they will shorten barrel life and it's best to avoid the extensive use of double base powders.

You can't have it both ways, but apparantly V V can.

Many years ago when smokless powders were the new kid on the block, some of the double base powders were very corrosive. But those days are gone thanks to modern chemistry.

Paul K's comment are right on - as they usually are.

Ray

This is the email from Vithavuori, dated 03/2007:



Dear Mr Maccario,

We are happy to be able to supply reloading powder for all quality concerned shooters like you.

Bore and throat erosion is really dependent on powder composition. The important parameter is flame temperature, which is unfortunately immeasurable quantity. Based on thermodynamic calculation, and long experience it is well known fact that higher energy content (i.e. heat of explosion) leads to higher flame temperature and higher throat erosion.

Easiest method to improve ballistic performance is to add nitroglycerol in powder composition. These powders are called double base powders. As you have heard, these powders tend to cause more barrel and throat erosion compared to single base powders. This difference is clear but it is, however impossible to quantify as for example as numbers of rounds to reach same erosion level.

All Vihtavuori N100 (N105...), N300 (N310...) powders, 3N37 and 3N38 are single base powders. These products are made with best available raw materials and manufacturing methods to get maximal performance you can get without using more erosive double base composition. Therefore, these Vihtavuori products cause less erosion than most of other competing powders. Especially high nitroglycerol contents (and thus erosion) are used in spherical powders (ball powders) and some US products.

Among Vihtavuori product line we have only five types we call N500 (N530 ... N570) which are by composition double base powders. N500 rifle powders contain small amount of nitroglycerol to add a bit more performance required mainly for extremely long distances. Even with these products we have added a special additive as well kept nitroglycerol content rather low in order to minimize the barrel erosion effect.

So, my opinion and advice is to keep barrel and throat erosion on minimum by using only single base powders like Vihtavuori N100, N300 and 3N.

Best Regards,

Mikko Vuoristo
EURENCO Vihtavuori Oy

Since they only sell single based powders do you really expect them to say anything but single based is better?

They make double base powders too, the N500 line. I've used the N560 with good results.

hi
are norma 200 series are double base or single base?
yes

quote:

They make double base powders too, the N500 line

I stand corrected. But the email still is to sell their single based and "modified" double base. To me if a company sells both single and double or only double and the service rep says the single will give you a lot longer barrel life then he is being honest. Saying "our single and modified double is much better than their double" that is a sale pitch.

Like I said single or double base is the last thing I'd worry about. If the double really shortens barrel life I have not seen it in my shooting. Accuracy and Velocity come way before a worry about difference in barrel life from the type of powder. Other than my BR rifle years ago I've never felt I've shot out a barrel on one of my rifles.

In almost 30 years of hand loading, I'd say the difference is negligible. Given reasonable cleaning and care, I don't think the original owner of a firearm could wear it out using only double base powders. I like and use them, and I see no noticeable differences other than on the chronograph screen.
FWIW, I love V-V powders and have found them to be wonderfully consistent -something that can't be said about H1000 and RLs 19&22.

If you worry about the single based powders as opposed to the double based powders, you simply are looking for something to worry about. Shoot what your barrel likes and if you have to replace a barrel after several thousand rounds, it is the price of shooting, like new sticks to a golfer. Yep, there may be slight differences, but to the ordinary shooter, they are not worth lifting your cap off you head about. Good shooting.

I get great accuracy from IMR4895 single base.
I get great accuracy from Blue Dot double base.

I have never been able to wear out a barrel, but I have a used 22-250 Rem 700 and a used 17 Rem Rem 700 that came with worn out throats. Those cartridges were too over bore anyway.

What does it all mean?
Don't worry about it, just enjoy shooting.

My take on it is that at the same PRESSURE, the double base powders are a bit more aggressive; at the same MUZZLE VELOCITY, the double base powders produce less pressure, and thus are LESS corrosive. Everything else held constant. JMO, Dutch.