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I've seen some of this for sale, and looking at a burn rate chart should fit right in with what I load.


What’s it good for?

I load for 6mm, 7x57, 280, 30-06, 338-06, and 338 win.

Thanks for any help, JB or others.

Vihtavuori N550

What powder??

What Powder Name/Number???

Duh.

10,000 Swedes went through the weeds...

OP, Find out by reading

https://www.vihtavuori.com/wp-conte...ori_Reloading_Guide_2021_ENG_ROW_www.pdf

Oops,

Vihtavuori N550

🤦🏼‍♂️

I’ve looked at that. Data seems pretty conservative.

I run VV 550 in my 300 WSM.

155 Lapua Scenar
CCI 250
64.5 gr VV 550
3285 fps @ 1/2 moa
Very reliable load.

Does it perform similarly to the 4350’s?

Sako 85 300 WSM
4350 pushes the 165’s to 3050 fps. The 150’s get up to around 3350 fps. I have not tried VV 550 in the Sako. I think 3050 is fast enough for a 165…….and my shoulder. Took an Antelope & a sizable Red Stag with it. Like it.

Borden 300 WSM
This gun runs the VV 550 load listed above. And, I am settled with it and have not tried any other loads in it. Probably won’t as I honestly see no room for improvement with it.

I simply reserve each gun to its respective load and leave it at that. However, one day I will work up a 2850+ load for the Borden with 155 Scenar’s. That is my current Whitetail load speed in my Sig Cross 308’s and it works so well at that velocity.

Don’t need a cannon for meat gittin. But, at times, I like to “kick it up a notch.”

Thanks for the info. I think I’ll try some to substitute in with other powders. Figure it’s time to stock up. Had a Hodgdon rep at Shot show told my friend they expect powder to be up around $100 a pound by the end of the year. Hope it’s not true, but in this day and age it wouldn’t surprise me.

Works fine in all of those. As others have mentioned, it's in the same burn rate range as H4350/IMR4350.

Will also mention as of 2-3 years ago, ALL the VV rifle powders are temperature-resistant and contain a decoppering agent.

I didn’t know about the temp resistance and decoppering qualities. I noticed thumbing through the Gun Gack books that you didn’t use it a whole lot. Was that because it didn’t do anything the other powders already did well? And, have you heard anything about more price increases?

Thanks

I didn't use VV powders much for quite a while, for two reasons: They were hard to find and expensive, usually at least 1.5 times as much per pound as easier to get powders. Which is also why not many readers asked about 'em.

But a few years ago VV decided to try harder in the American market, and I not only found some locally at somewhat lower prices, but VV sent me samples to try, often of their newer powders. Which is why there are more VV loads in Gun Gack IV, The Little Book of Rifle Loads That Works, published in the fall of 2022. It contains hand loads that have been accurate in more than one rifle chambered for the same round. There are 50 chapters on cartridges ranging from the .17 Hornady Hornet to the .45-70.

Here's a link to the VV webpage with load data specifically for N550: Vihtavuori N550 – powerful loads for hunting

I have this powder and got it because their data looked to me that it would work well in some of the big game cartridges that I reload, those being: 6mm Creedmoor, 257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x55SE. But the data for VV550 suggests that it will work well for many other rounds, as well.

I've picked up 2lbs of N555, 1lb to test the 143 gr. Norma Bondstrike, and the other to test the 156 gr. Norma Oryx.

N555 and the 156 gr. Norma Oryx might be iffy, but it'll be fun to try.