On the Big Bore section of this forum someone posted some loads with Vihtavuori N550 which is listed on the Vihtavuori website as a "High Energy Powder" and has been impregnated with nitroglycerine to produce up to 150 ft/sec increases without raising pressures unduly. I went to buy some and the owner of the store said that it is a very clean burning powder and very consistant but that he doesn't sell much of the 500 series powders because they are more expensive than IMR, Alliant,Hodgdons etc. What is the experience of members on this forum with the Vihtavuori line of powders in general and the 500 series of High Energy Powder in particular?

Super88,
clean burning, accurat and expensive.
I have been able to get those extra 80-100 fps they promise, but I have no pressure measuring device. The use of Quick Load confirms their extra ooomph, though.
It could be just my impression, but they seem to produce more muzzle blast than conventional sigle based powders...
montero

I use Vihtavuori powders almost exclusively and I have nothing but good to say about them. The N100-series has been enough for me so far and at the moment I have N133, N140, N160 and N320. I have also used N130. The N133 is great for my .45-70 and N320, being very fast-burning, is very good for light loads in .45-70 and other calibers also.

The N500-series has been used and experimented with quite a lot in here. They have turned out to be able to produce the promised increase in velocity compared to the N100-series powders, but to make it happen, you need to make maximum loads. The N500-powders have been reported to need a bit more careful loading work than N100-powders, since their "sense of humour" is not so good as the N100-series powders. For example, if your COAL is so long that the bullet touches rifling, it may produce considerably higher pressures than the N100-powders in the same situation. I've also heard some single notes about some burning problems on very cold weather (below -20C), but I don't know more about that.

With N500-powders some shooters claim that they've turned their .308 into .30-06, but I doubt that. With light bullets, maybe, but 200- and 220 -grainers most probably not.

I've tried a bunch of powders in my 22-250 and my Swift. 550 is the only powder I'm using now.

High Energy = double base in any other manafacturers language. Whilst double base is a new thing for Viht, it's not for most other manafacturers.

I really love Viht powders, they're all I use (N120,133,135,150 and 160) but having tried the 550 and 560 I cannot see anything magical in them. Occasionaly there burn rate is more perfectly suited in a particular combination of chambering and bullet weight (eg N560 and 260rem)

They burn hotter, are dirtier and are more prone to muzzle flash than the 100 series.

In my wildcat 458 they work like WW-760 and
H-414.And they burn clean in the larger amounts
we load(130 gr plus).There is picture of cartridges on Big Bore Forum...Ed.

I have used N-550 and N560 in 30.06with 165grs and 180grs respectively.They both didn't group until they were at max.The N-550 and 165gr high pressured out before 2700,slow,however the N-560 went 2740,quick,with moderate pressure.In a 308Norma N-560 worked great ,again near max.Don't use them in high dry grass

Super 88,

I have used 550, and it worked fine. However I did get serious muzzle-flash. Fine if you want to look like the A-team or only shoot in the daytime, but not too clever if you shoot in low-light and want to see anything after you have taken the shot. I am now back on N160.

Patrick

I use and like the VihtaVuori powders as well. N320 and N340 for pistol, N133 and N550 for rifle.
I just wish they would start to package the rifle powders in one pound containers instead of the two pounders.

One thing I have heard about the 500 series is that they are a bit faster burning than they claim, and thus velocity increase is hasn't been attainable like most figured. I plan on trying some and checking this for myself with the Oehler 43 but havn't had the cash to get the $60.00 can setting on the shelf just to check it yet. My dad was going to get some for his 6.5WSM yesterday but didn't know which one he should get for it so he waited for now. He'll be swiping some of mine when I get it, I see it know.

Double based powders typically cause a short barrel life.

I use N550 in my 260 rem. I concur with others that it showed no accuracy or consistency of velocity until maximum pressure was reached. However at this point it was 125 fps faster than any other load I'd tried and was drilling 120 Nosler ballistic tips into .5 inch groups regularly.

I've shot 6 deer with it at dusk and have noticed no more flash than with any other caliber I've used (270, 2506, 708, 3006)

My experience for what its worth.

I am using a lot of Vith. powders. My 223 loves N133 with both 50 and 55 gr. bullets. The 75 gr. AMax and N540 works very well at long range out to 600 yards. I use N540 with a 155 Sierra MK.
My wife shoots a 108 Lapua Scenar and N540 in a 260 Rem. at long range. I use N550 in my WSM with a 175 MK for long range F Class Matches. Yes it works very well. I agree, it does tend to work best at upper end. Vith. powders are about all I shoot now with the exception of H4831SC in a 260 with the 142 MK. From my experience it is not as clean as the Hogdon Extreme or SC powders. But it is sure cleaner than the ball powders. It reminds me of IMR 4064 or 4350 as far as how dirty a powder it is. That has been my experience for whatever it is worth.

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight.......RiverRat

Major C,explain

I use 57 grs. N560 for 30-06 220gr. Woodleigh and get 2550 fps.
58grs. N560 for .270win 150gr. Hornady sp give me 2890fps. Both group well.
I have heard that the 500 series make the barrel last less.
It makes one hell of a blast.
Wonderfull if you like the attention..