Vihtavuori Powder…do you use it?

[dh1633pm]

Never use anything I can't readily pronounce. Actually have wanted to try the brand, find it hard to obtain locally.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Never use anything I can readily pronounce.

CAN? or CAN'T? If the former, that would greatly limit my options.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Never use anything I can readily pronounce. Actually have wanted to try the brand, find it hard to obtain locally.

Assuming you mean "Can't"... VihtaVuori is a village in Finland where the powder is manufactured.

It is pronounced: vi-h-tavuori

 

[AJC1]

Never use anything I can readily pronounce. Actually have wanted to try the brand, find it hard to obtain locally.

Good thing your not currently dating because people named after the 80s would be off the menu...

Assuming you mean "Can't", you just have to break down the syllables

Vih-ta-vuo-ri

Vit a vori is how I say it

 

[9mmepiphany]

Vit a vori is how I say it

I looked it up and amended my original post.

I usually say it Vi ta vori...thinking the "h" was silent

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I looked it up and amended my original post.

I usually say it Vi ta vori...thinking the "h" was silent

I think it translates to, "Kaboom Town" in Finnish.

 

[AJC1]

I looked it up and amended my original post.

I usually say it Vi ta vori...thinking the "h" was silent

It's like the highly debated ojive.

 

[Buzznrose]

Before I ever heard of “power factor” (I don’t play pistol games), I worked up a plinker load with 124 Gr plated bullets and N-320. I ended up at 1050ish FPS from a 5” 1911. Imagine that.

Thats all I use for plinker loads in 9MM these days, although I am sure I could substitute 124 Gr coated bullets (not a thing when I worked up the load).

I like those numbers. Picking up some N320 soon. Looking at the chart and I have XTreme 124’s so probably gonna start at 4.0 grains and see how that goes:

 

[Walkalong]

Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Buzznrose]

For those who use VV powder, their app is excellent! The only comparison app I have is the Hornady app, which I think was a waste of $20

The Vihtavuori app is free to download:

https://www.vihtavuori.com/resources/vihtavuori-reload-app/

 

[csjavi]

I looked it up and amended my original post.

I usually say it Vi ta vori...thinking the "h" was silent

Definitely not silent. Here's a good pronunciation https://forvo.com/word/vihtavuori/

 

[Spare Parts]

Looking for inputs from folks who use this powder to load warm to hot 9MM, .40, and .357 rounds with mid-heavy for caliber FMJ and XTP’s.

I'm using N-350 for 9mm 147 Fed HST (personal defense) clones. They're hot. Burns clean. Pistols clean up in under 10 minutes.

Not yet mentioned: N-350 meters like a dream in my Lee auto-drum (Loadmaster). Drops +/- 0.03 gr. I spend very little time trickling powder. Time is money. The VV 300-series appear to all be short-stick powders, so powder drop accuracy should be similar.

As far as cost, I was using 6.2gr Blue Dot (@$35/lb) vs 4.74gr VV-N350 ($45/.5kg). The VV may be cheaper per round, depending on how you buy.

 

[Buzznrose]

Sounds like a good plan.

I loaded 100 rounds of 9MM. 4.0 gr N320 under 124 gr XTreme FMJ RN. I don’t yet have a chronograph.

I was shooting with a good friend. He loaded 5 rounds of these new bullets in one mag and 5 rounds of my current reloads, same bullet over 4.1 grains W231. Both were middle of the range loads. Didn’t tell me which mag held which round.

Shooting swinging steel plates hung up, the impact difference wasn’t much, if anything. But one round just seemed to shoot softer than the other. We repeated the drill three separate times, and I preferred the N320 rounds every time in the blind. I was shooting a Glock 19MOS.

I did the same thing for my friend. He shoots an STI DVC. He preferred the N320 shells too, also in a blind test.

Now, not saying the difference was significant…just a softer perceived recoil. Again, no idea on actual velocities.

I did notice what seemed like less smoke coming out of my friend’s STI. Couldn’t tell shooting my own gun.

Totally unscientific test, but results seemed consistent enough to start buying N320 from now on.

Also, when loading on my Dillon 550, the powder was dead on consistent at 4.0 grains and I measured the throw 10 times up front and every 10-12 round after.

Really like this powder…probably gonna be a new go-to for me…

 

[reddog81]

For those who use VV powder, their app is excellent! The only comparison app I have is the Hornady app, which I think was a waste of $20

The Vihtavuori app is free to download:

https://www.vihtavuori.com/resources/vihtavuori-reload-app/

Their app is really good for most handgun rounds. It has a wide selection of bullets and usually lists many different powders. It's better than just about any other source out there. Some of the load data is on the hot side - They have starting loads for 158 grain bullets in .38 Special pushing over 1,000 FPS. The hottest 158 JHP load for .38 Special in Lyman #48 tops out at 821 FPS. The VV load is a starting load and Lyman load is max.

For some of the rifle rounds I shoot the app is kind of lacking. For 200 grain bullets in 300 Blackout they have 2 powders listed and nothing for heavier bullets. For 450 Bushmaster they have nothing. For .30-06 they probably have 200+ loads.

 

[murray brook]

I have just started using VV-135 with 64-75 gr bullets in my 6br. Showing great promise so far.

 

[Buzznrose]

I have just started using VV-135 with 64-75 gr bullets in my 6br. Showing great promise so far.

Thanks for bringing this powder up…VV N-135.

Question for the forum…I have been looking for VV N-140 for loading some 69 grain .223. I can get N-135. Should I just use that?

Thanks!

 

[IALoder]

Thanks for bringing this powder up…VV N-135.

Question for the forum…I have been looking for VV N-140 for loading some 69 grain .223. I can get N-135. Should I just use that?

Thanks!

N135 should do quite well with 69gr in .223!

 

[Nature Boy]

Thanks for bringing this powder up…VV N-135.

Question for the forum…I have been looking for VV N-140 for loading some 69 grain .223. I can get N-135. Should I just use that?

Thanks!

N140 will closely approximate the performance of Varget.

N135 will approximate the performance of H4895, but the relationship is not quite as close as N140-Varget. At least as I have observed

Either could be the magic ingredient to your 69gn SMKs. The only way to know is to try them both.

 

[AJC1]

Thanks for bringing this powder up…VV N-135.

Question for the forum…I have been looking for VV N-140 for loading some 69 grain .223. I can get N-135. Should I just use that?

Thanks!

N135 has worked very well with Hornaday 75s so I'd test 69s and see how you like it.

 

[Buzznrose]

Question for those loading warm-hot .357 mag loads with N340/350….do I need a magnum primer?

The load data for .38 Spl for 158 XTP with N340 is SPP, but load data for .357 mag, same bullet and powder, is SP Mag primer.

Was wondering if it made much difference to where I definitely need magnum primers.

Thanks!

 

[ParallelCode]

I was considering N320 for 9mm. I primarily shoot the RMR 115gr with Power Pistol, but due to availability concerns I'm looking at alternatives.

 

[Walkalong]

Question for those loading warm-hot .357 mag loads with N340/350….do I need a magnum primer?

The load data for .38 Spl for 158 XTP with N340 is SPP, but load data for .357 mag, same bullet and powder, is SP Mag primer.

Was wondering if it made much difference to where I definitely need magnum primers.

Thanks!

Depends on the powder much more than the pressure level you want to operate at.

 

[WeekendReloader]

I was considering N320 for 9mm. I primarily shoot the RMR 115gr with Power Pistol, but due to availability concerns I'm looking at alternatives.

I like N320 a lot in my 9mm. I'm using it with powder coated cast 120gn bullets.
No need to rush out and get any, but well worth putting N320 on your list as an option if you happen to see it in your LGS.

 

[ParallelCode]

I like N320 a lot in my 9mm. I'm using it with powder coated cast 120gn bullets.
No need to rush out and get any, but well worth putting N320 on your list as an option if you happen to see it in your LGS.

Have you found it to meter relatively well? My understanding is that it's extruded, but perhaps smaller "sticks" than Varget.

 

[Buzznrose]

Depends on the powder much more than the pressure level you want to operate at.

Walkalong,

Thanks for your response. I learned on another THR reloading thread that powder choice is a driver on what primer must be used. I also see how every reloading manual I have and see online seem to default on regular primers for standard calibers and magnum primers for magnum calibers. That is my confusion.

I am specifically referring to N340. I look up load data from the Vihtavuori app on .38 and .357. Same powder (N340), same projectile (158gr XTP), but .38 load calls for SPP and .357 calls for SP magnum primers.

.38 Spl powder range (5.2-5.8 grains) is less than .357 (7.1-8.6 grains).

So my question is if I work up a warm-hot load for the .357 (say 8.0-8.2 grains), can I effectively use standard small pistol primers?

I would anticipate a slight difference in velocities, but I would not expect it to be significant…or am I wrong?

Finally, these rounds would be used in both a 4” GP-100 and a 18” lever action rifle.

I know the best thing to do would be to ladder some loads with both SPP and SPM primers, shoot through a chronograph, check accuracy, and analyze data for best loads…and at some point in my evolving reloading life, I will. But I don’t have the time or resources to really get that deep at the present time.

So I’m just trying to be safe and conservative on this load. And the bottom-line question I am asking is if I can use SPP with the .357 load safely based on the scenario above.

Thanks!