Is Vihtavuori Powder Worth The Extra Scratch...

[ArrowJ]

I was researching low flash powders for 357 Sig, and came across a list that included:

Accurate Arms #7
Hodgdon HS-6
Hodgdon Universal Clays
Vihtavuori N350

The Vihtavuori powder is almost twice the price, but I am willing to pay if it is worth it. Opinions?


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[felix]

Only in BR class of guns. In pistolas, it's a question mark. ... felix

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

I like it in my auto loaders as it is a clean burning powder

[jmorris]

Nothing cleaner than VV powders. 350 is a little slow for lowest flash.

N310 or N320 are what I use.

[canyon-ghost]

It's excellent Finnish made powder. It excels in pistols that use hunting rounds and is quite at home with j-word projectiles.

[rintinglen]

I can't bring myself to spend that much for a pound of powder.

Hereabouts, VV runs 39.99 a pound, while Alliant and WW powders run 20-25 dollars a pound. I don't shoot anything wherein low flash plays a part, so I have no interest in that aspect. They are reputedly very clean burning, but 18 dollars buys a lot of Hoppe's No. 9. Then too, availability is spotty here in So Cal. Having been disappointed in years gone bye when a foreign powder worked great and then disappeared, I prefer to dance with the ones who brought me (Norma MRP, anyone?).

FWIW, the only 357 SIG ammo I have loaded was for a friend, and it was 124 grain jacketed HP's over the then-new Alliant Power Pistol. I don't have my notes in the house, but the load came off Alliant's web site and worked well..

[Moonman]

Gentlemen,

Please stay on point, the OP's question was for your opinions on VV powders, He stated HE WAS WILL TO PAY THE $$$$ PRICE FOR THEM.

[barrybrice]

I use N330 for a 9mm suppressed Glock and will not use anything else. It is worth the price. It is the only powder that does not cover my arms and face with unspent powder using a suppressor.

[geargnasher]

Gentlemen,

Please stay on point, the OP's question was for your opinions on VV powders, He stated HE WAS WILL TO PAY THE $$$$ PRICE FOR THEM.

Unless someone deleted a post, they all look pretty much directly on topic to me, not sure why the fuss.

I concur with Felix. VV makes excellent powders, properly applied, in any gun, but you probably will be wasting the benefit unless using a bench rifle or very accurate sporter that can tell the difference.

Gear

[ArrowJ]

Thank you guys! I guess the best thing to do is get a pound of VV and a pound of AA and Hodgdon and see how close they are. I am really wanting to keep the muzzle flash under control on the 357 Sig. I have seen some videos with huge flash.

Another interesting thing is that the VV N1xx (do not have the manual with me) load listed in Speer is actually compressed for the maximum load. Do a lot of 357 sig loads come close to filling the case?


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http://thesitterdowners.com

[Whistler]

N110 is the fastest (burning rate wise) rifle powder they have, it really likes to be compressed. 105-110% case fill is a good start for any magnum revolver.

N105 on the other hand is the slowest pistol powder. It does not like to be compressed (in most cases), but is excellent with 80-95% fill rate in both .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, as well as 9x19mm major loads and for .38 Super with compensators. But watch those loading charts first!

So here's some fun stuff to know...
The Vihtavuori powders are manufactured in Sweden. They are then sent to Finland to be labeled. You guys see it as a premium powder (which it is) that cost way more than anything else. In Sweden we pay $54USD per pound for the Vihtavuori powders ($45USD per pound when buying more than 5 pounds) and the American powders cost $55-65USD per pound.

In Sweden Vithavuori and the French Vectan powders (Nobel Sport) are the most common for pistol/revolvers and the Swedish powder Norma for rifles.

[LUBEDUDE]

There has to be more to it than shipping the powder to Finland for labeling. Otherwise, the labels can be be shipped to Sweden.
It might have to be with finding a loop in the import laws - for instance into the U.S. which is probably a larger market than Sweden or even Europe, which is why it cost less here.

One example - one product I deal in is made in Italy. It constantly gets held up in customs and we have trouble getting it over here in the U.S.
Now, Italy, sends the product to Japan to be assembled and it has no problems passing customs entering the U.S. . Why? I don't know.

Maybe something similar with VV powder?

[shooter93]

watch for sales at places like Mid-south. They had a sale last year and VV powders were barely more than a buck a pound more than IMR. Cleanest powders I've ever used but I'm still using Unique in pistols. I've been experimenting with VV in rifles.

[Moondawg]

I used VV for many years in my BR rifles, VV 133 was/is the standard for 6PPC. It is also sensative to heat and huminity changes. Some of us BR rebels found out that we could get the same level of accuracy with Hodgen Benchmark, and it was not near as sensative to temp/huminity changes, also cheaper and easier to obtain. VV powders clean burning?? I dunno, in BR we clean every 10-15 rounds no matter what powder is used.

I have used some of the VV powders in 9mm, 357M and 45acp. I didn't find they did anything anybetter than a more inexpensive American powder that is usually easier to obtain. Clean burning, I have shot well over a hundred rounds through a pistol in IPSC matchs using unique, which generally is not real clean burning. It never locked my pisto up. How clean do you need, and how many rounds do you plan to shoot before you clean your pistol. If you are shooting cast boolits, nothing is clean burning.

[Stampede]

I use VV powders primairly, because the Amercian powders cost about twice as much as the VV powders do over here. It's just the other way around. There is a VV powder for every reloading job. I mainly use for revolvers the N-110, for pistol N-320 and for rifle the N-160, just to name a couple examples. If you need some in-detail reloading data on the VV powders just let me know by sending me a message.

Stampede

[Mk42gunner]

I admit I haven't looked at VV powders in several years; but when I was stationed in Fallon I was shocked at the difference in price (almost double) so I looked for reasons why.

The VV powder that I have seen was not packaged in one pound cans, but in one kilo containers. This brought the price more in line with the other manufacturers one pound cans.

Robert

[PbHurler]

I like it in my auto loaders as it is a clean burning powder

+100!

It was suggested by a competition shooter I know to try VV N310 for my 45 ACP rounds. I tried it, and I quickly settled on it as my go-to powder for 200gr SWC target loads. Unbelievably clean powder! I also use N320 for my 230gr RN loads both cast and dare I say, jacketed loads.

For me, I don't mind the extra cost, I dont shoot a "whole lot" of 45ACP, but the barrel conditions are beautiful and accuracy is definitely there.

[jmorris]

Powder price is of little concern to me with pistol loads. It doesn't really effect my wallet at the end of the day.

For example one of my load that I use VV N310 in uses $.0125 worth of powder per load.

If I use titegroup powder for each round is $.01.

Not going to send Jr to college saving two tenths of a cent.

[1hole]

"Is Vihtavuori Powder Worth The Extra Scratch... "

Those who buy it think so. Others disagree. ??

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I've found other powders made by other manufacturers that were just as clean burning, accurate and generally less expensive. Not saying I wouldn't use VV, but since I'm reloading to spend less on shooting components per cartridge and shoot more, the cost is a consideration.