I've dabbled with the N165 and N560 for about 8 years now, and never really worked that hard with either. I've really been using what I have left for bbl break-in on new rifles since it burns so cleanly.

However, with my 6.5x284 coming in 2 months, the smith is recommending, strongly, that I work with the VV N160 and N165 for medium to heavier bullets, and Varget for lighter bullets.

Maybe it's just me but it really seems like when we post loads for hunting, I mostly see Hodgdon, IMR, and Reloder powders as top choices.

I honestly don't recall much reference to the Vihtavuori powders at all and was wondering why this is.

Expense? Availability? Just doesn't work as well?

Do most of you simply not use these powders?

Works super ; Expensive YES hard to get CAN BE .

If your talking about HAZ MAT and a few pounds YES EXPENSIVE .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

hi i have used the vit powder in 308 and 223 with good results with n 133 n 140 also with n 160 in 243 good clean burning powder

Only one I've ever used is 3N37 in 38 Super. Works great for lighter bullets (124s).

Just haven't seen much loading data available and VV powders are not available locally.

540 is topps in my 458WM and 140 is topps in my 308.560 is tops in my 300WM.Another one worked well in my 30-06 and let me get really high velocities with the 180gr bullet.I tried 160 or 165?? in my 270WSM but had to stop with a lower velocity when I got a sticky bolt.I tried 560 in my 7mmRem mag and it was not accurate at all.

I am concerned more about accuracy and not so much velocity. I really don't care if I'm lobbing a bullet at the game so long as I hit it where I intend to.

The most accurate powder for my .223 is VV N133 and VV N140 and they are some of the cleanest burning powders I have used. I have had better luck with lot to lot being more uniform than other brands (maybe luck). I have been told they use the older method of using detergents for burn rate inhibitors, rather than graphite and other inhibitors. I have also used VV N560 in 25-06, but have not taken the time to finish load development with 115 grain Accubonds. It shows some promise.

I love Vihtavuori N-165 in my .270WSM with the Nosler 140 gr Accubonds. It is however, quite expensive, and for whatever reason, not available in 8 lb kegs. Can't justify $25 per lb, when I got ahold of some Accurate Data 86 Extruded (similar to 3100) for less than $10 per lb. delivered. It works pretty good in the .270WSM, as well as the 6.5x55 and .243 Win. But if I could get the N-165 for less than $20 per pound, I would consider it.

The consensus seems to be that there are any number of powders just as good or better, so why pay 30-50% more for VV powders??

I only pay a premium for things that are clearly a superior product.

I like VV powders a lot. I didn't like that all of their rifle powders came in 2# containers. They have recently corrected that problem and made them available in 1# containers. But many powder suppliers still have their shelves stocked with the 2 pounders. I'm reluctant to invest in 2 pounds of a powder that may not work out.

The consistency -- whether one is talking about shot-to-shot or from lot-to-lot -- is extremely impressive with the VV powders.

Shibumi wrote: "The consensus seems to be that there are any number of powders just as good or better, so why pay 30-50% more for VV powders??"

I have never, ever seen a VV powder priced that much above anything else. Where in the world are you buying it from, its home country???
--
crashcarruthers wrote: " I have been told they use the older method of using detergents for burn rate inhibitors, rather than graphite and other inhibitors."

I guess they like to keep the powder clean.....

Seriously, though, I know you meant "deterrents."

I'm lucky I guess. I mentioned it before on some forum, may have been AR, but wife just left Kansas and Powder Valley was on her way to visit more family. The VV powders there are cheaper than what I can buy most any brand here.

The shop here in my town sells 1 pound containers of Hodgdon and IMR for about $24.99. Bass Pro in Cincinnati is about the same. So is Targt World. If I drive over to Lebanon, I save a little money, but my wife got the VV powders for $23 or less per pound.

Of course if I had to have it shipped, I would have paid the hazmat fee but like I said, got lucky she was there and PV was in route to her next destination. I called them and they had the order ready for her to pick up.

My bolt gun riflesmith, who is also a National Long Range Champ, has very positive opinions on Vihtavuori powders. It is his opinion, along with a number of other outstanding shooters, that Vihtavuori powders are exceptionally consistent from lot to lot.

These gentlemen are always pushing maximum loads, and because they are always shooting in matches, they don't want to have spend time developing new loads with each lot, or each brand. They shoot what works. They are also willing to pay more for the privilege.

I have used VV N-135 and N-140. The powders have performed exceptionally well in .223.

Myself, I have noticed a lot of difference in Hodgon powder lots, Accurate Arms, less so in IMR lots. When I look at published data on Varget, I seem to have a much slower lot than other folks.

However, once you get your load developed and dialed in, regardless of lot, regardless of brand, one MOA is one MOA. And a half MOA is a target you brag about.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
The consistency -- whether one is talking about shot-to-shot or from lot-to-lot -- is extremely impressive with the VV powders.

Shibumi wrote: "The consensus seems to be that there are any number of powders just as good or better, so why pay 30-50% more for VV powders??"

I have never, ever seen a VV powder priced that much above anything else. Where in the world are you buying it from, its home country???
--

Sportsman's Warehouse- all powders $16-18 per pound except VV, $23-25 per pound. In Arkansas...

You people don't know how lucky you are. In Europe we pay approx. 40 EUR, which is currently 60 US$, per pound of IMR or Hodgdon powder. Vihtavuori powders on the other hand are a little (but really only a little) cheaper; around 35 EUR per pound.

Lot to lot concistency of N160 and recently also N140 has been a point of concern for a number of reloaders on our side of the pond.

I use mainly the N-165 but that is miny due to availability and to the fact that it was the one i could find the most loads for .330 Lapua at the time i started reloading. I agree with McFox, you guys are luck with prices over there. I pay like $50 per pound for the cheapest powder you can get here.

I like these powders, in some loads accuracy can be amazing. I have a Remington 700 26" HB 1 in 12 twist stock barrel in 308 I bought back in the 1990s. After I got it I played with many loads using 168 and 180 Sierra match bullets. The best I could get using many powders was around .6 MOA. OK but I wanted better. Eventually I got some N140 right from the start I could see it really like this powder. After I got the load of N140 dialed in with 180 Sierra match bullets it was doing little bug hole groups of .28 - .35 at 100 yards and around 1.1 - 1.5" groups at 300 yards.

If anyone has any suggestions for good loads in 300 WSM with Vihtavuori powders I am open to suggestions. Thinking of giving N160 or N165 a go in this round. I hear N550 is a good powder in this round but cant find it locally.

quote:

Originally posted by Quinault:
If anyone has any suggestions for good loads in 300 WSM with Vihtavuori powders I am open to suggestions. Thinking of giving N160 or N165 a go in this round. I hear N550 is a good powder in this round but cant find it locally.

I would think you should consider N560 before the N550, as the 560 is so close to 160 in burn rate.

168 bullet:

N-160 From 61.5 grains to 68.2 grains
N-550 From 60.5 grains to 64.5 grains
N-560 From 63.6 grains to 72.0 grains

180 bullet:

N-160 From 57.5 grains to 64.0 grains
N-165 From 63.0 grains to 70.0 grains
N-550 From 57.0 grains to 61.0 grains
N-560 From 61.5 grains to 71.3 grains

Curiously, looking at Steves Reloading pages, I looked at his .308 data for 150, 165, and 180 bullets and in all cases he found the Vihtavuori powders to perform best. My interest is due to my friend who is going to TX for antelope with me. He just bought a 308 and may want some handloads for it.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:
[Curiously, looking at Steves Reloading pages, I looked at his .308 data for 150, 165, and 180 bullets and in all cases he found the Vihtavuori powders to perform best. My interest is due to my friend who is going to TX for antelope with me. He just bought a 308 and may want some handloads for it.

To add a little tidbit to that, my friends and I have tried just about every appropriate powder out there in the .30 BR at the highest levels of cmpetition. All (4) of us ended up using either V-133 or V-135 in that cartridge.We all wanted the same things: most consistent winning-level accuracy, least load tweaking, and easy cleaning.

Just for fun years back I was loading VV 135 and the Nosler 125 grain BT for load development purposes in my .308 Rem 700 VSSF, as I approached maximum charge weight the groups shrunk to the low .2's... I was impressed. I just could never have a real world use, other than paper punching for that load.

Doc,
I started stocking Alliant 2400 and Alliant Unique first for other various gun loads.
Went to my S&W performance center 44 magnum and I couldn’t get it to shoot well with either powders. I never bought or tried H110 or win 296.

I was given a silhouette Vihta Vuori load for the 44 mag and did a Mickey Mouse 3 shot group at 25 yards.
I ran home with a pound of 3N37 and hit the press. The stuff is great.
It does cost more locally or internet purchase, but so what, it’s worth it to me.

For the 44 Magnum I don’t see it used with heavy bullet loads, but I have an accurate deer hunting load now I’m going to use this season locally.

kudos to Vihta Vuori

vinny, I guess what somewhat surprises me is some of us are willing to pay higher prices for Lapua brass (which is reusable, obviously), but not pay a little more for the VV powder.

There is no doubt that it is the cleanest burning powder I've ever come across. I'll be heading to the range tomorrow with my 7mag and a few test rounds with VV N560.

"With N-560, I just fill the case and there is the load" .Those who have used the powder laugh,those who haven't lecture.30-06180gr,338WM 225gr, and 308Norma 180gr.

I love their powders, very uniform results. They are just not that available locally & they do cost quite abit more. So I tend to shy away from working up "THE" load for a powder I may not be able to get.

quote:

Originally posted by McFox:
You people don't know how lucky you are. In Europe we pay approx. 40 EUR, which is currently 60 US$, per pound of IMR or Hodgdon powder. Vihtavuori powders on the other hand are a little (but really only a little) cheaper; around 35 EUR per pound.

Lot to lot concistency of N160 and recently also N140 has been a point of concern for a number of reloaders on our side of the pond.

YOu are right, I do consider myself fortunate to live in the USA. For now anyway, it is the most gun/hunting friendly place on earth. Of course, that could all change w/ the upcoming elections.

What about the use of Vihtavuori powders in .375 H&H and big bores like the .458 Lott and .470 NE ? Any experiences ?

Powder is expensive in Europe, here in Ireland, most powders run around $50-60/pound. Primers $70/1000.

VV N160 is excellent in the 270win. Very accurate and clean.

However, I have struggled to get it to meter consistently in my RCBS powder measure. I have to throw short and trickle up to the weight.

quote:

Originally posted by Claret_Dabbler:
However, I have struggled to get it to meter consistently in my RCBS powder measure. I have to throw short and trickle up to the weight.

I've noticed this too in my Redding thrower. I try to get it to throw about a grain less than what I need, then trickle up. It doesn't take long since this powder is dense.

Here in Finland VihtaVuori has monopolity. I know only Hodgdon H-414 and H-4895. I like more VihtaVuori N-150 and -135.
VihtaVuori powders are very clean burning and cold resistant than an others. Monopolity is nevermint for me. Present it is hard to find all
VihtaVuori powders I need.
There is now higher prices. N-100 series aboat $37/pound