hey guys,

ive been using some N150 and found some good loads and got hold of some N550,

can i use the same charges? or so i still need to work up a new load?

i know it seem like a simple question but value your opinions.

thanks

No you need to use different grains of load.

http://www.lapua.com/index.php?id=850 their reloading manual is free online and/or when you buy powder in any quantity from most dealers

You need new loads.

What caliber are you reloading? I have used both in my 375H&H and my gun shoots better with 150. From what I read the 550 doesnt shoot well unless its close to max pressures, so maybe I just need hotter loads.

If I remember correctly my loads were three grains heavier with 550 than 150 with 260 Accubonds and magnum primers.

going to try it in 243 AI and 7mm08 AI,

thought id see just how fast i can get them, hotter loads shouldn't be a problem!

thanks for the replies so far, it would make sense to start new loads, just wanted to check.

You might get some really cool mussleblasts as well. A few years ago I tried some 540 for my 35 Whelen, and the guy next to me on the range said his hands got warm from my mussleblast.

I like big booms with flames.

i might just have to try it in the 30.06 as well then!

Isn't the Vihta 550 the double-base equivalent to the single-base N150? All Alliant Reloader powders are double base and should correspond to the Vihta 5xx series, shouldn't they?

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
Isn't the Vihta 550 the double-base equivalent to the single-base N150? All Alliant Reloader powders are double base and should correspond to the Vihta 5xx series, shouldn't they?

DUK,

i am led to believe that is the case being double based powder, as for the relationship with reliant im not sure.

I've checked with Quickload 3.3; it seems that, for the cartridges you mentioned, switching from the N150 to N550, may require rougly 2-3 more grains of powder to get similar levels of pressure, but it's only a guess, of course!

I've compared 140 to 540 and 160 to 560 and got entirely different results.

I have used n160 and n560 in a 6,5x55 with 140 grain bullets. Both powder were accurate but my impression was that it was more blast and recoil from the n560. I used max load from the online manual with both powders. I did not crono the loads. I now use the n160.

quote:

Originally posted by sherpi:
....but my impression was that it was more blast and recoil from the n560.....

I agree; I'm just back from the range, were I've made some tests with my Tikka T3 cal. 270WSM and a few N560 loads. Both blast and recoil were noticeably and unpleasantly stronger than my usual N165 load; the barrel seems to get hotter too. I will try use the N560 as little as possible.