Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Vihtavuori N560

Vihtavuori powders have always been around $10 a pound or so over most other powders.Since all the powders have gone up in price,Vihtavuori is around the same price or even cheaper than some.I'm interested in Vihtavuori N560 as maybe a close substitute powder in the Reloader 22 burn range to use in my 7mag,7STW,300 Win Mag and 30-06 with bullets 180grs or more.Vihtavuori's load data is kinda limited without any pressure data on their loads.Anybody use this powder?How do you like it?

Don't know if you remember me but I sold you some brass awhile back.....

I have shot a lot of Vihta Vuori powder over the years and am a big fan.......except the 5 series, it sems to be rough on barrels although giving you better velocity.

If you are looking for a replacement for RL22 then look no further than N165, in my rifles is very close to the same burn rate as RL22 without the lot to lot variations and is more temp stable. also on the newer lot#s of this powder they have put a de-coppering agent in it, a win,win,win !!!!!!!!!!!

I bought a new 8#er a month ago and will never go back to RL22

This has been my experience as well. Barrels take a lot longer to cool off. I turned the inside of a Model 70 Classic 30-06 into alligator hide with it.


Okie John

Did you happen to play around any with N160? I picked it to use in some of the same calibers as the OP. I haven’t done anything with it yet.

I use N150 in my 284 and it shoots very well. Has me thinking about trying more of the VV powders. I have read they are very temp stable.

Originally Posted by boatanchor
Don't know if you remember me but I sold you some brass awhile back.....

Oh,yes.I used that brass to kill the stag in my avitar.So the N165 is a single base powder and the N560 is a double based powder right? I was looking at some Quick Load Data set at 63k pressure showing multiple powders.What I was noticing was,N560 and Norma MRP were nearly identical in charge weights and velocity when loaded to 63k pressure.The N165 was nearly identical to Winchester 780 in charge weights and velocity when loaded to 63k pressure.The N560 was about a 100fps than the N165 using the same weight bullet loaded to 63k pressure.The nitroglycerin in the N560 is what gives it the higher velocity,but that tends to run hotter and is harder on the barrel.

Yes, the N1** series are single base and the N5** are double base.

I've been really happy with N133 & N140 in .223.

Of the calibers the OP listed N160 works great in the 30-06, for the 7mag and the 300Win Mag N165 is the way to go. As for the 7STW I cant say as I don't have one of those

Quick load data is useful but not always completely accurate......have never used Win780 but many here on the fire claim MRP and RL22 are the same powder.
What first got me using N165 is when I ran out of RL22 with my 6-284, I tried several different powders and found N165 to work awesome at about the same charge weight with the same velocities (without the lot to lot variation that RL22 is famous for). I then tried it in my 7Mag and 300WM's and found it worked just as well with them with slight charge weight changes.
All of the N165 I have used was before VihtaVuori started adding the de-coppering agent, will be interesting to see if it changes charge weight as I have not opened the lid on my new 8#er yet

I use N133 with 50-55grainers in my 223 and N140 in 223 with bullets heavier than 60gr
Also N133 is the only powder I ever shoot in 6ppc
N130 is the only powder I shoot in 222

Grab some N570, you guys check Powder Valley, no hazmat fee for today only ; ]

This may not be very relevant but I will add it.

When I built my 557 NE out of a H&R Handi Rifle and was developing a load for it I used N550.
I got much help and support on the project from the late Ed Hubbel. He was adamant that I use N550 powder mainly for its pressure curve which reportedly is not as steep or "sharp' as many other powders. ( think that is true for all the N5 series powders but I am not absolutely sure. )

Ed recommended N550 with its "friendly" pressure curve for the sake of my relatively weak Handi Rifle, compared to a real heavy duty DG double rifle, and it ended up killing cape buffalo well with 115 grains of N550 pushing a 700 gr. Peregrine bushmaster bullet at about 1,800 fps. out of a 26.5 inch barrel. ( That is about 100-200fps slower than common modern 577NE loads). It has a lot of recoil for the mild load and a huge muzzle blast but I am used to it and have about 120 reloads good to go.

I have a 50-110 switch barrel for the same rifle and for a TC Encore with a 50-110 barrel. I load N540 for both of them and I like it. ( That cartridge is also a cape buffalo killing s.o.b.)
Brian

Same here, N165 is way gooder than RL 22. My 280 AI's shoot <1/2 moa with it. I have roughly 20+ lbs of N165.