Anyone use this powder made by Nobel Sport? And what about Ramshot?

I use this powder all the time...primarily Vectan Tu-2000, and Vectan Tu-5000, and a little Tu-7000. I would use a lot of Vectan Tu-3000, but can't find any of it.



I find the Tu-2000 superb for cartridges such as the .45-70 with light bullets (300-350 grains), the .376 Steyr, and others where a rapidly burning rifle powder may be appropriate.



Vectan Tu-5000 performs very similarly to VV-N135 and/or IMR-4895 in my rifles, but at $60 for 8 lbs, is a LOT more economical.



Vectan Tu-3000 is ideal for the 6 PPC and the 6 BR.



Vectan has put out a loading manual for U.S. cartridges, so get the manual from Graf's if you plan to use any of the Vectan propellants.



I think it is a shame RWS withdrew this propellant from the U.S. market rather than spend the money to develop a market here for it.



AC

In your experience, how close is Tu-7000 to IMR4350? I'd like to try some for 6.5x55 or 7x57, but don't see any loads listed in the manual.

Thanks,
Chris

Looking at the website at http://www.nobelsport.fr/gb/PAGES/Home.htm saying they are going to the next Shot Show you might get it back.
Here in France Vectan is the choice with other powders difficult to obtain. I and a British friend who comes here to shoot use BA9,BA10, AO, AS, SP2 and Tubal2000.

Thanks for the excelent information. Graf sent me a flyer a few days ago, and the price of the Vectan was really an eye catcher.I could find no load data or ballistics posted on the net, but could check burn rates posted, and it looks like it will work.

I stand corrected. The Nobel Sport site has load data. Looks good!

amarsh58 -

Thanks for the info! I surely hope Vectan becaimes available again (and better distributed) in the U.S.A.

I would particularly like to get my hands on some more Tu-3000 and SP-2.

AC

Chris -



My particular lot of Tu5000 seems very close to my most recent lots of IMR-4895. Tu7000 does not seem quite as similar to 4350, at least with my lots.



HOWEVER, even with Tu5000 that doesn't mean you can use data already worked up for 4895 holus bolus. It means the two are in the same rough burning range, much as H-335 and 4895 are in the same burning range.



With Tu5000, I would start with a minimum 4895 load, then reduce that by 5% or more, then work my way up. It may turn out you can use the same amount of Tu-5000, more of it, or perhaps only a good deal less of it, depending on which lots of Tu-5000 you get, and which lots of 4895 you are comparing them against.



Ditto with Tu7000, only more carefully. As burning rate slows, too light a charge with too heavy a bullet can also be dangerous. I'd fire my first few rounds remotely, from a distance, with Tu7000 if I didn't have established Tu7000 data. Then I'd very carefully inspect the fired cases for primer, base expansion, and other signs that the pressure was well inside the high/low envelope. Wouldn't hurt to shoot them over a chrono at the same time, either.



Anytime you use powder without well established data, it is a crap shoot, and no one should do it who isn't very experienced in working up loads, and who doesn't mind blowing a good rifle all to S--- if he makes a mistake in judgement.



However, for the right person, with good experience, sometimes the results are worth the risk...to them.



The 7x57 being a very common European cartridge, maybe one of the fellas from France on board here could find you some data....???



AC

Hi ,
for 7x57, my favorite is Speer Gold Match 145 grains on top of 40 grains of TU 5000, maximum load being 44 grains , using RWS brass and primer RWS 5341 or CCI BR 2.

Dear Alberta Canuck,

Thanks for the good information. The Vectan manual does list Tu-7000 loads for 25-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06, and 338 Win Mag, so I used the data there to cross-check against the IMR4350 data in the Hornady manual (along with my own experience with those cartridges). Looks like I'll be able to back off IMR4350 data just a bit and work up slow.

Where have you been able to find Tu-5000? I don't see it listed at Graf's.

Where in Oregon are you located? I'm just across the river from Portland.

Thanks,
Chris