Powder ID?

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Arbo

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When I was back east, I picked up some reloading stuff from a buddy that quit reloading. One was this plastic container of powder. Light purple top. No label on the front, he couldn't remember what it was.

Wondering if anyone can ID what it is....
 

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Well, hopefully someone will know. It was unopened, as was the big container of blue dot.

It is merely a matter of knowing if some manufacturer uses this packaging and if by the color of the cap it may identify which specific powder it is.

If no ID can be found, it will simply be used for ... other fun purposes.
 
Look for some printing almost the same color as the plastic jug. Possibly giving the powder type and lot number.
 
With the "N" quotes on the back label I am pretty sure its a Vihtavuori powder. And they make some premium powders. Hope you figure out with powder it is....


Any pictures of the powder itself?
 
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Found no black printing on the container. Yeah, the bottom of the back lable says it is Vihtavuori. It appears all their powder is a black container with same color cap. Ugh.
 
Powder ID...

Arbo--Pix of the powder itself MIGHT help. BUT--If you can't ID the powder with absolute certainty, don't use it.

Compare cost saving of using it against cost losing of trip to the ER + loss of eye + loss of fingers + loss of the firearm in question + possible lawsuits from others standing near you when the firearm in question "lets go" + possible loss of your life.

Answer is easy, to me. Lacking ABSOLUTE identification of the powder, it is lawn fertilizer.

But, to each his own. Mebbe I value my eyes and hands higher than you value yours.

You got it as part of a lot of stuff from a bud who was getting out of reloading, right? (Therefore you got it cheap, yes?) If he "doesn't remember" what it is, and jug is not sealed, how will you even know if the contents of the jug are original???

To me, that's a no-brainer.
 
Yes, per mikeglass1969 it's an 8 Lb container of VihtaVuori powder. Looks like the lid seal is broken (not good) and there should be a small label just below the handle on what was the canister front telling you what the powder was.

I can't begin to imagine why anyone would remove the label? Also, with what looks like a broken seal I would agree you have fertilizer.

Ron
 
Here is what your front label should have looked like. Note, the powder type is shown on the small label below the handle. Also what a seal looks like on the cap. The seal is what I do not see in your image.

Maybe the label was removed and the container used for garbage / scrap powder but even then it should have been clearly marked. Yep, fertilizer and likely quality fertilizer at that.

NOTE: My example happens to be N140. You could have anything so do not take this to mean you have what I have posted. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vihta%201.png

Vihta%202.png

Those large labels are not easy to remove.

Ron
 
Mike, thanks, will look at brochure.

Found out from my buddy he bought it for "338 lapua super magnum", but the seal is broken because *I* opened it to see if the powder was any good before even trying to identify it. It looks like little rods.

And of course, as I said before, if I can not ID it, it will find a different use for it and have a bit of 'fun'. It will not go into a shell.
 
Looks like there are a lot of their powders that could be used for that load.

What do lot #'s look like there is a sticker on the bottom that has some random numbers.
 
Definitely a VV powder. A lot # should, hopefully, correlate to the type of powder. Lapua folks should be able to give you that info.
 
Found out from my buddy he bought it for "338 lapua super magnum", but the seal is broken because *I* opened it to see if the powder was any good before even trying to identify it.
Click to expand...

Their loading data for 338 Lapua Magnum shows using N160, N165, N170 of the common powders and all are slower stick powders which is to be expected. There is also N560 in their 500 series and 24N41, I doubt it was any of the latter.

If there is the small white sticker on the bottom with the batch / lot number (sometimes that sticker shows a year) you can maybe contact them and find out exactly what it was.

Since you opened it breaking the seal it was a good sealed container. Heck, if they can ID it based on lot number I wouldn't hesitate to use it. Long as it was sealed and you can get a good reliable ID of it. The VihtaVuori powders are great stuff and they aren't cheap. Eight pounds of N160 runs about $190.

Something you can try is contacting Kaltron Pettibone 800-683-0464 as they are the importer. Powder Valley who sells the stuff only shows the VIHTAVUORI N160 as being sold in 8Lb containers and not the N165 or N170. I don't know but if you have a lot number it can't hurt to make a call.

Ron
 
Yeah, there was a white sticker on the bottom, I sent a message to them via a contact page with the info, hopefully I'll hear back soon, if not I'll call who you suggest.
 
Reloadron said:
Their loading data for 338 Lapua Magnum shows using N160, N165, N170 of the common powders and all are slower stick powders which is to be expected. There is also N560 in their 500 series and 24N41, I doubt it was any of the latter.

If there is the small white sticker on the bottom with the batch / lot number (sometimes that sticker shows a year) you can maybe contact them and find out exactly what it was.

Since you opened it breaking the seal it was a good sealed container. Heck, if they can ID it based on lot number I wouldn't hesitate to use it. Long as it was sealed and you can get a good reliable ID of it. The VihtaVuori powders are great stuff and they aren't cheap. Eight pounds of N160 runs about $190.

Something you can try is contacting Kaltron Pettibone 800-683-0464 as they are the importer. Powder Valley who sells the stuff only shows the VIHTAVUORI N160 as being sold in 8Lb containers and not the N165 or N170. I don't know but if you have a lot number it can't hurt to make a call.

Ron
Click to expand...
That looks like the winning answer to me. If Vihta Vouri can't tell you for sure based on the lot# then don't load it.
 
How odd someone would remove the label . . .

Definitely Vihta Vouri powder. If the lot number can't provide positive identification to the contents, then it's lawn fertilizer.


I hope they can ID it. VV makes premium powder.
 
There is absolutely no way I would even consider using powder I can't, or have difficulty positively identifying. Even if you get the container or color coding narrowed down, the fact that the label has been removed could mean it's discarded mixed powders he saved for some odd reason. There are numerous powders that look very much the same, yet perform completely different, and with very opposite applications. And if it turns out that it's not what you've resolved it to being, the implications could no doubt be extremely hazardous, even deadly.

Please don't use it, I'm sincerely asking that you dump it on your lawn.

GS
 
The data I'm looking at shows substantial overlap in charge weight for N-160 and -165, at least for a 200 gr bullet, as an example. If it also shows overlap with N-170 for the bullets you are using, and those are your three possible powder identities, any reason why you couldn't select a charge weight within the published range for all three and use it safely?
 
...any reason why you couldn't select a charge weight within the published range for all three and use it safely?
Click to expand...

Seriously? You're suggesting he charge a case with 89 grains of unknown powder? Would you be willing to pull the trigger on the first round?
 
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