.22-10-45
09-19-2012, 02:53 AM
Hello, everyone. Just wondering if any of you .22 cast bullet shooters have tried the Vihtavuori powders?
Last Sunday, I had my Shillen barreled Borchardt .22 Hornet out to range. Hadn't shot it in a few years..and these were accuracy verification loads..of a long since forgotten first time test with Viht. N120. Bullet was my tried & true 52gr. Leeth nose-pour copy of the old Ideal 22636..with G.C. added. Alloy was a diluted (softened) Steriotype..about like Lyman #2. bullets Neco-Moly coated & lubed with Lyman Super Moly. I was set up at 100yd.
best accuracy was with 10.7 to 10.9gr. N120...nice round 1" group.
Now my accuracy load with this bullet has always been 7.0gr. H4227. These N120 loads were LOUD!..muzzle blast & recoil were like jacketed loads..as I said I had long since forgotten what my first test impression of this powder was.
I also tried a Corbin swaged Eagan MX22...reformed nose to semi round..same alloy, Moly-coated & same lube. This one liked it fast..11.0gr. N120 gave a nice round .800 group.
During testing, I would occasionally run a dry patch thru..just to check for leading..patch went thru with a bit of resistance..thick black greasy fouling...but no leading. Thick black muzzle star..black bore condition.
After firing 70 rounds..I was ready to quit..clean up revealed only tiny lead sparkles on patch..nothing sticking in bore.
Now heres the strange part..after I got home & was relaxing..going over notes & curious about those seemingly high velocity loads..That 10.7gr. accuracy load was near max for a 50gr. jacketed bullet! And that accurate Egan .800"group with 11.0grs..was .8gr. over max for a 55gr. jacketed!
Cases droped out of chamber with ease.
My question is Vihtavouri lists this powder as faster than H4227..yet I can't go over 7.0gr. with 4227 & maintain accuracy.
These powders when developed were probably never thought of as cast-bullet ones..I wonder if using cast changes burn rates?
But how can I be well up into jacketed bullet charge weights..& have no leading..and getting decent accuracy? And these bullets are really not that hard..far softer than Lino? Looks like I am going to have to chronograph these loads?
Last Sunday, I had my Shillen barreled Borchardt .22 Hornet out to range. Hadn't shot it in a few years..and these were accuracy verification loads..of a long since forgotten first time test with Viht. N120. Bullet was my tried & true 52gr. Leeth nose-pour copy of the old Ideal 22636..with G.C. added. Alloy was a diluted (softened) Steriotype..about like Lyman #2. bullets Neco-Moly coated & lubed with Lyman Super Moly. I was set up at 100yd.
best accuracy was with 10.7 to 10.9gr. N120...nice round 1" group.
Now my accuracy load with this bullet has always been 7.0gr. H4227. These N120 loads were LOUD!..muzzle blast & recoil were like jacketed loads..as I said I had long since forgotten what my first test impression of this powder was.
I also tried a Corbin swaged Eagan MX22...reformed nose to semi round..same alloy, Moly-coated & same lube. This one liked it fast..11.0gr. N120 gave a nice round .800 group.
During testing, I would occasionally run a dry patch thru..just to check for leading..patch went thru with a bit of resistance..thick black greasy fouling...but no leading. Thick black muzzle star..black bore condition.
After firing 70 rounds..I was ready to quit..clean up revealed only tiny lead sparkles on patch..nothing sticking in bore.
Now heres the strange part..after I got home & was relaxing..going over notes & curious about those seemingly high velocity loads..That 10.7gr. accuracy load was near max for a 50gr. jacketed bullet! And that accurate Egan .800"group with 11.0grs..was .8gr. over max for a 55gr. jacketed!
Cases droped out of chamber with ease.
My question is Vihtavouri lists this powder as faster than H4227..yet I can't go over 7.0gr. with 4227 & maintain accuracy.
These powders when developed were probably never thought of as cast-bullet ones..I wonder if using cast changes burn rates?
But how can I be well up into jacketed bullet charge weights..& have no leading..and getting decent accuracy? And these bullets are really not that hard..far softer than Lino? Looks like I am going to have to chronograph these loads?