VIHTAVUORI pistol powders

[snowwolfe]

Got lucky today and found some VIHTAVUORI N310. Found out Wilson use's this powder with the 200 grain boolit when testing handguns they build. Pricey but since I will only be using 4 grains at a time 6 pounds will last me a LONG time. I really don't like using a powder with a burning rate this fast but in todays world you do the best you can do.

Was reading VIHTAVUORI's web site and they also offer 320, 330, 340, and 350 powders as well. Has anyone tried them? Likes or dislikes?

[Moonman]

VV are great powders.

The company recently almost ceased to exist but the plant was purchased and will remain producing.

I've used VV N320 and VV N340, I have some VV N310 but have not used any.

The VV N330 was produced for 9MM I believe BUT IS/HAS BEEN TOTALLY NON-EXISTENT anywhere I see.

VV powers are expensive but many competitive shooters swear by them.

Powder shipments used to arrive in the US only in SPRING and FALL.

We'll have to see how the NEW OWNERS choose to operate.

[PbHurler]

You should absolutely LOVE N310 with a 200gr boolit, I'm using 3.9gr and a MP 200gr SWC (#68), and the cleanliness of the guns (.45 ACP) is unbelievable. The barrels are pristine! Accuracy is great in my book. Velocity at 7' from muzzle averages 765fps.

I Also like the N320 with 230gr FMJ Hornadys (forgive me) and NOE's 230gr RN (#34)

Expensive powders, but they do work! My .45's are the most expensive handguns I own, so I just figure they're worth it.

[GRid.1569]

Good to hear that the Viht factory has a future... great powder....

[C. Latch]

They make great powders. They burn clean as a whistle, and I've seen great accuracy with some of them (Tin Star in pistol, N133 in rifle).

[ole 5 hole group]

I use all those VV powders with the exception of N330. You'll find 310 & 320 are excellent 45ACP powders and if you go heavy, like 255 or 265 grain cast with the 45ACP I think you'll find N-350 to be your friend. I've found N340 to give me excellent accuracy in the 45 Colt with a 240 and 255 grain cast.

You'll find N133, N135 and N140 to give outstanding performance and accuracy in the AR's.

Powder Valley usually carries VV powder at decent prices.

[snowwolfe]

Thanks. Plan on buying some more in the future. Today I found N105 in stock so ordered three pounds of my 10mm. Plan on trying some 320 when I can find it.

[dougader]

I like 3n37 in 9mm and 9x23 Winchester.

[boatbum101]

I use N310 ( 3.6 with Zero 200 swaged SWC ) 45 acp . N320 in 38 wadcutter ( 2.9 ) & 45 230FMJ ( 5.0 - 5.2 ) . N330 I've never seen , but 9mm crowd loves it . N340 in 38 wadcutter ( 3.6 ) & 158 SWC (4.0 ) DR loads . N350 is a cleaner version of Blue Dot . N105 & N110 in magnum pistol loads .

[tchepone]

Does anyone have any experience with VV N324. I have 3 lbs of it but I find very little information or load data for it.
I have used N310 & N320 in 9mm & 45 ACP and find them clean burning and very consistent. Thanks.

[snowwolfe]

QUOTE=tchepone;2654070]Does anyone have any experience with VV N324. I have 3 lbs of it but I find very little information or load data for it.
I have used N310 & N320 in 9mm & 45 ACP and find them clean burning and very consistent. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

VV doesn't even list a N324 in their reloading manual that they have online. I would use the load data published for 320 and work up from there.

[Lloyd Smale]

for about the first 10 years i shot ppc i used 310 exclusively. It was hands down the most accurate 38 spec powder i found. It was allways expensive and got real hard to find and i got a good deal on a pile of pr200 (aa2) and switched and never looked back. 6 bucks a lb verses 20 bucks (back then, Id hate to see what it costs now) made a big differnce when you were going through a lb or more a month. but will say to this day if i could find it cheap id use it again. Ive found nothing cleaner burning or more consistant.

[Clay M]

Vit N110 is one of my favorite powders in the .41 mag It is close to impossible to find right now. I still have about two pounds left.

[tchepone]

snowwolfe: Thanks....yes, I am aware it is not listed in their manual. Was hoping someone had an older manual that might have listed it. Picked up 3 lbs for $10.49/lb at the LGS.

[Bonz]

VV 3n37 is great in 9mm, N340 is great in 40 S&W, N320/N310 is great in 45acp and N105 is great in .357 mag & 500 mag

[Old School Big Bore]

One of my sons left about 1/4 # of 3N37 so I put up some 9MM with it. SWMBO is in hospital having bypass so she hasn't shot it yet. I also used some in a powder search series for .44 Plenum short barrel 200 GDHP test series. Haven't shot those yet either. Little busy @ CVICU.

[detox]

I ordered four pounds from these guys. I know i sound like a broken record.

http://www.recobstargetshop.com/browse.cfm/4,1436.html

[C. Latch]

I ordered four pounds from these guys. I know i sound like a broken record.

http://www.recobstargetshop.com/browse.cfm/4,1436.html


They have Tin Star in stock, and cheap.

That's really tempting.

[detox]

They have Tin Star in stock, and cheap.

That's really tempting.

This powder works verygood with cast boolits . Lower velocity spread than Unique, Bullseye and other overrated powders. Works good in rifle cartidges also. Just read about it latest February issue of Handloader magazine.

[C. Latch]

Yes, I use it in my .45 colt and it's very accurate and clean.

If they had enough stuff in stock to justify a hazmat fee i'd grab several more pounds.

[Ola]

About Vihtavuori factory. Yes, the production almost ended because the ex-owner, French EURENCO, made a mistake: they focused developing powders for artillery and other heavy weapons for Finnish Defence Forces. This caused 2 problems:
1) experimental heavy weapon powders were made by using the production lines of the small arms powders (N100, N300, N500) causing serious shortages for reloaders and ammunition factories. Low production -> low sales.
2) in resent years the FDF hasn't bought too much powder for heavy weapons. Low demand -> low sales.

The new owner of the Vihtavuori plant is NAMMO ( owns also f.e. LAPUA ammo plant). NAMMO-Vihtavuori is focusing in small arms powders. The production rate is getting up again and when they get everything sorted out they'll start "a serious development of small arms powders" (quote from a NAMMO boss). So in the future we should have new, hopefully even better VV powders.

[GRid.1569]

That's good to hear....

[mattw]

Not in pistols, but in my 6mm/284 their powder was by far the most accurate across temperature ranges that I have used.

[Ola]

Btw. If they start developing new powders, is there something you would especially like to see? Some special purpose powders? Something even faster than N310?

IMO in rifle powders they should make new series that has the burn rate of the N100's and grain size of the N300's.

[curioushooter]

Vitavouri powders are about a 1/3rd more expensive per pound compared to Hodgdon, Alliant, Accurate (if you can find it at all). Yet, their performance and quality in my experience is unmatched. They also put out data using the CIP pressure limits and reasonable barrel lenghts, which results in their powders seeming very fast, but what they list in the book you actually get.

I still have found nothing in 9mm that compares to 3N38. You simply cannot match its performance and stay within pressure limits (34075 PSI CIP Piezo) with any other powder...this results in handload ammo surpassing what factory loaded can offer. 3N38 can get 147 grain XTPs or Gold Dots (which both weigh around 141 grains) going 1200 FPS in 4" barrels. Faster in my 4.75" CZ75. This isn't even an overpressure load. Any modern European made 9mm was made to the CIP proof standard and can digest this stuff continuously.

I still have found nothing in 38 Special +P (21750 PSI CIP Piezo) that compares to N340 which can propel a 160 grain cast boolit to 1100 FPS in 6.5" Even in a snub nose this load is going 1000 FPS+. With a 358439/358429HP cast soft to around 8 BHN you are in business.

If you want to see HOT check out their 357 Magnum data. That's for big framed revolvers or contenders only! The starting loads often exceede current SAAMI pressure limited max loads!

[math]

I use N320 in 45ACP and 45COLT for my competition loads (25m bullseye) and i like them a lot :)
/Mathias

[Swede 45]

VV is pretty much the only powder I use in my handguns..
Clean, even velocities, accurate and available here in Sweden. I load for 9mm, 40S&W, 45acp, 38spl and 357 mag. 310, 320, 340, 350, 3n37, and 110 on the shelf here..
310 and 340 are my favorites..

[Divil]

In .45acp: I like 3.9gr. N310 under a 200gr. SWC or 4.6gr. Under a 185gr. SWC. I am still experimenting with N320 5.7-5.9gr. with 185gr. bullets. I am experimentng using N330 only with 225gr. -230gr. bullets. I like 6.4gr. of N340 with 230gr. j-word bullets. In .44 Special I have 200, 200gr. Speer Gold Dots loaded with 8.4gr. of N350 but I have not shot any yet. I like Viht powders.

[kevin c]

N320 has been popular in the US for USPSA's Limited and Production Divisions. But it is pricey, and there other powders like Hodgdon's Titegroup that more shooters in the sport are using.

[anothernewb]

N320 and N340 are what I use with my 9mm. Bought a bunch during the powder scare - because that was what was on the shelf. ended up really liking them. Seem to leave less powder residue behind than 231 that i was using previously.

[Sig556r]

N320 works well in my 9s & 38super...clean burning but expensive.

[Eutectic45]

For target velocity loads in 38 Special and 45 ACP you can not get better powder than VV310. It is a little faster than Bullseye and is a lot cleaner and makes less smoke.
VV340 and VV350 are excellent for standard velocity loads.
VV3N37 is THE powder for 38 Super and 9MM Luger with bullets 125 grain or heavier.

[Meatpuppet]

If you like N320, give the new Alliant Sport Pistol a try.

I used to use N320 exclusively for 9MM in USPSA Production division. Sport Pistol is everything N320 is but costs far less and is designed to not damage polymer coating on lead bullets. Its my go-to powder now.

[gpidaho]

In my opinion VV powders are pretty hard to beat. N110 has the good qualities of H110 without being so touchy, a great powder in 30 carbine. 3N37 has been my favorite 9mm powder and along with N110 a very good choice in 357 and 38spl+P. Gp

[marek313]

Maybe because I'm cheap or maybe because I dont shoot bulls eye type matches but I stick with hodgon, win, accurate and even vectan lately. Maybe VV is more accurate but for mainly steel shooting and little paper target I dont see the need to spend the extra cash. I can get Vectan for about $12/lb buying and thats not buying in bulk so I've been playing around with Vectan GM3 and A0 in my handguns and so far they both work well.
I think many times when people call one powder or another dirty its because they load too light and a lot of the powder doesnt burn completely.

[Hi-Speed]

Does anyone have a cast bullet load for 158 gr SWC or Lyman 358429 170 gr SWC using N340 in 357 Magnum?

[Newboy]

VV are the only single-base powders available these days.

I do not use anything else in pistols.


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