Pro & Con of VIHTAVUORI N32C TIN STAR Powder

[greenjoytj]

Any users of VIHTAVUORI N32C TIN STAR Powder that can enlighten me on the good and bad using this powder. I see that it cost double the price of other powders.
Is bulky so it fills a cartridge case more. If I buy some it would be used for 45 Colt. A google search didn’t turn up much considering this powder has been on the market a few years now.

[17nut]

N32C TinStar is the spitting image of TrailBoss (same energy and burn speed so grain for grain they're the interchangeable) execpt one vital difference:
It is'nt as bulky and starting loads are only 50% instead of 70% thus severe overloading is easy. There is room for a double charge and that will get you in trouble.
An old geezer in our club went from BP to substitute and didnt realise he still had to clean so his 1886 Colt made SAA 1873 was a pile of rust that he managed to clean up fairly good. Next we suggested TinStar instead and clearly said that it is not a BP substitute and by no means go for 100% load or even worse a compressed load.
Long story short he thought we were sh!ttin' him and that fine original revolver blew the cylinder and popped the top strap.
Behind a Lee 255gr bullet there is enough room for @13grains TinStar and that constitutes a 37.7kpsi load and the compressed 14grains load 43.6kpsi for an original BP gun rated for 16kpsi.

That being said i load 8.75grains behind the 255gr Lee bullet and my Uberti SAA clone is more accurate than i can ever hope to be.

[Larry Gibson]

Seven years ago I did a very comprehensive test of VV N32C (Tin Star) for Powder River cartridge Company and the VV distributor [Klatron Outdoors]. the purpose of the test was to determine how good N32C was for the low level velocity loads used in SASS competition. The testing covered most cartridges used (32 S&WL through the 45-70) in SASS "cowboy Action" matches at the lower end of velocity most shooters used. The testing encompassed; comparative tests of commercial loads for the cartridges, pressure testing, velocity testing, accuracy testing with typical firearms at 25 yards (100 yards for the 45-70) and a summation of the test results. The results and data filled a 3" binder.

Here is a bit of the summation and specifics to the 45 Colt.

"I found Tin Star powder to be a very good powder. The description of Tin Star powder’s capability is as described in the VihtaVuori Reloading Guide. With the Reloading Guide’s start to maximum loads Tin Star performs very well in all cartridges tested. The test of the start loads as listed in the CBA section of their Reloading Guide clearly shows Tin Star begins to burn efficiently in the 16.800 psi to 18,400 psi range. This was with heavier charges of Tin Star powder and heavier bullets than are used in CBA shooting today. These upper end Tin Star loads should prove to be very useful for general purposes in these cartridges.

To specifically answer the question; are Tin Star powder CBA loads suitable for today’s SASS CBA competitive needs of low recoil, minimal velocity and capable accuracy? Sometimes, in some cartridges, with some bullet weights, Tin Star powder works as well as other powders, VihtaVuori and other makes of powders, In other cartridges Tin Star is not the best choice of powder to use. A faster, more easily ignited powder that burns quicker such as N320 or N310 would be the better choice in some cartridges, especially with the lighter weight bullets in use for CBA shooting. I will address each cartridge for specific conclusions to simplify.

.45 Colt: Tin Star did not prove to be a good performer in this large case with 200 gr bullets until the velocity was getting close to 700 fps out of 4.75” barreled SAAs. Foot pounds of recoil were at 3.3 pounds. This load showed only marginal accuracy capability in 3 SAAs and the M73 LA rifle. A heavier load and/or a heavier bullet is needed to make Tin Star powder burn efficiently in this very large capacity case. The poor internal ballistics and mediocre accuracy takes it out of serious CBA competition. Tin Star is probably not to be recommended for low level CBA loads with 200 gr bullets in this cartridge."

As 17nut points out , N32C can be a good powder with heavier bullets. With a 255 gr 454190 over 8.3 gr VV N32C the psi was 17,700. At 8.9 gr the psi was 18,200. While N32C is a bit bulkier powder it does not fill the larger cases that well and with its fast burning rate caution should be used not to exceed VVs published data as pressure can rise quite quickly, just as with other faster burning powders.

FYI; VV N320 at 6.5 gr under a 200 - 205 gr proved to be a much better SASS "Cowboy Action" load in the 45 Colt. It runs 625 - 650 fps out of 4 3/4 - 5" revolvers and 840 fps out of 20" M73s.

Attachment 248006

[greenjoytj]

Thank You both, for the info on Tin Star. I don’t shoot CAS light loads, my interest is with maximum SAAMI pressure loads in the 45 Colt. I haven’t settled on a powder or load yet but so far I’ve tried 2&3fg GOEX & Old Eynsford, Hodgdon’s CFE-Pistol and Universal. Most have worked well. Only standard GOEX 2fg was a let down in my short 5.5” barrel Ruger producing low MV.
The CFE-P and Old E in either granulation are super.

[17nut]

Start with 50% volume and work up until you get best precision and dont go much past 70%.

[Larry Gibson]

Thank You both, for the info on Tin Star. I don’t shoot CAS light loads, my interest is with maximum SAAMI pressure loads in the 45 Colt. I haven’t settled on a powder or load yet but so far I’ve tried 2&3fg GOEX & Old Eynsford, Hodgdon’s CFE-Pistol and Universal. Most have worked well. Only standard GOEX 2fg was a let down in my short 5.5” barrel Ruger producing low MV.
The CFE-P and Old E in either granulation are super.

The old "standard" load for the 45 Colt is 8.5 gr Unique under the 454190 cast bullet. Seated to an OAL of 1.6 the pressure runs 18 - 18,500 psi. That's using Starline cases and Fed 150 primers.

Using the same bullet, cases, primer, and OAL but with 8.3 gr of N32C (Tin Star) the psi runs 17,5 - 17,000.

Under a Laser Cast 200 RNFP (same cases, primers with OAL at 1.573") 9.5 gr M32C (Tin Star) produced 13,300 psi.....just under the SAAMI MAP for the 45 Colt.