How good is Vectan powder?

[Billairgun]

I was just on Graffs web site and they list pistol and rifle powders from them. I haven't seen any load data for this brand. Anyone have any luck with it in pistols?

[abqcaster]

I've never tried it, but the lee book has lots of data for it.

[andy h]

Here is a link for Vectan handgun load's.
http://www.peterlawman.co.uk/downloads/vectan_pistol_loads.pdf

[sargenv]

The Vectan SP02 was very popular for a lot of old timers shooting USPSA in 38 super/supercomp..

[sthwestvictoria]

There is a bit of cast bullet data here with Vectan:
http://www.hn-sport.de/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/service/laborierungsdaten.pdf

[C. Latch]

I'd never even heard of it until I saw it at the PV website.

I'll let others buy it, and soften demand for the powders I'm familiar with.

[andrew375]

I've used AO, TU3000 and SP7. Mainly because it was considerably cheaper than other brands.

The AO I use in .44 magnum, but I have used it in .223. I wouldn't recommend it however! It is a good clean powder that goes through a measure well but it appears to be VERY sensive to pressure. As in working up a load quite normally and then going way over pressure at far below the expected max load. In .44 magnum .2 of a grain goes from an easy going load to one where I am having to hammer the cases out! In the .223 I got to around 1500 fps and cases barely obturating to a point of case head being extruded in to the ejector hole in the bolt face in just 0.1 grain increase! In both cases I repeated the load development as I couldn't such a small change would make such a huge difference, but it was a fact.

I still use AO, but only in .44 magnum and only one load as I bought several kilos and it has served me well. But I wont try it in anything else and when I run out I wont be busting a gut to find more.

[jonp]

I also noticed it at Grafs when looking at primers and the price on the powder sure is right. I noticed several shotgun powders for 12g and some of those recommended for the same shot weight which was odd to me. Did not say anything about using the shotgun powder in pistols but....anyone have experience in that? At $18/lb its a pretty good deal on their pistol powder.

[blaser.306]

Generaly, shotgun and pistol powders are the same! Red dot, 700x, 7625, unique, etc. etc. etc. . I am currently looking to try some of the Vectan A-0 or A-1 for general plinking in 45 acp and 38 special / light 357 mag . Any recommendations? Not a throw away proposition up here, this powder comes in at near#35.00 a lb before haz mat and shipping. So I would like to glean some good data before I take the plunge.

[texassako]

I did some testing of A0 recently in .357 with a 158 gr semi wadcutter and .38 Special with a wadcutter. It is definitely a powder that prefers some pressure. The ES, SD, and groups kept shrinking right up to the max load in the .357 and it was mediocre with the .38 wadcutter at the slow, low pressure target loads I tried. It looks like it will be a great powder for a ~1300 fps .357 158 gr SWC load.

[Schrag4]

I picked up a 1.1lb container of Ba9 to try out. I've loaded some 9mm rounds with it but I haven't shot any yet (don't always have access to the private range). I can tell you Ba9 meters pretty well and although a double-charge won't overflow a case in 9mm, it comes pretty close to the top - it would be hard to miss. If accuracy ends up being good for me, I won't hesitate to keep using it. This powder should be good for medium loads, hope to find out soon!

[gloob]

It's nice to see more options. I just noticed these powders on Graf's, myself.

1.1lb container
It finally struck me. That's half a kilo. I wonder if anyone out there is loading powder by the hundredth of a gram.

[Schrag4]

It's nice to see more options. I just noticed these powders on Graf's, myself.

It finally struck me. That's half a kilo. I wonder if anyone out there is loading powder by the hundredth of a gram.

Yeah, it's my understanding that this brand of powder has been used for years in Europe and is only recently being imported, presumably since there's a shortage here. If you ask me, they're about 12 months late to the game. Powder seems to be making a huge comeback in the US and NOW is when they start selling it here? I'm not complaining, just wondering what took them so long. I suppose a shortage here probably meant there was a shortage in Europe, too. Anyone on that side of the pond able to weigh in?

[texassako]

Yeah, it's my understanding that this brand of powder has been used for years in Europe and is only recently being imported, presumably since there's a shortage here. If you ask me, they're about 12 months late to the game. Powder seems to be making a huge comeback in the US and NOW is when they start selling it here? I'm not complaining, just wondering what took them so long. I suppose a shortage here probably meant there was a shortage in Europe, too. Anyone on that side of the pond able to weigh in?

I think it took the euro's value dropping like a rock over the last year to make it possible(and profitable) to sell it here again at a price people will pay.

[sargenv]

I worked up a nice load to make Minor in a 38 Super - 627.. 147 gr - .357" Extreme Plated Bullet, Fed #100 SPP, Starline brass, and 4.4 gr of Vectan BA9.

Nice avg of 885 fps for a power factor of 130. It varied by as low as 126 PF and as high and 132 PF.

Cases extracted easily.. which tends to be a challenge when extracting 8 moon clipped cases from a cylinder.

[35 Whelen]

I bought a jug of A1 and loaded it in a couple of .44 Specials and a 45 Colt. Love the stuff. It appears to burn a little faster than Unique but gave very predictable velocities a d low extreme spreads. I'll be buying more for sure.

35W

[BattleRife]

I wonder if anyone out there is loading powder by the hundredth of a gram.

I do.

138844

[abqcaster]

Nerds, the lot of ya.... :D

[jonp]

Ive been working with gm3 and 38sp in a 14-4. Im impressed enough to buy more of it

[primersp]

hello
nice for you than vectan was cheap
the ba9 is the podwer for 9m/m arsenal load
the a1 is fine for 45 acp
the a0 is good for 357, and 44 mag
i don't try the sp2 but is a powder made for semi auto pistol 38 super ,40 s&w in major factor
a1 & a0 are made for shotguns

[blaser.306]

hello
nice for you than vectan was cheap
the ba9 is the podwer for 9m/m arsenal load
the a1 is fine for 45 acp
the a0 is good for 357, and 44 mag
i don't try the sp2 but is a powder made for semi auto pistol 38 super ,40 s&w in major factor
a1 & a0 are made for shotguns

There is a dealer selling Vectan powder here in Canada, his prices are a " little " higher than down south. Here we are looking at $31.00 CAD per 1.1 lb plus has mat and shipping ( most of our dealers do not charge has mat ) . Do you have any of the shotgun load data available to you

[primersp]

for 12 g 32 grams of shotA1 1.60 gram to 1.85 gramA0 1.80 """""to 1.90 """"i try to find load data more complethere A type 35€BA &S type 45€ANDRE

[trapper9260]

I got this email from these people and here is the link for the powder.

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Vectan-by-NobelSport/products/769/?EM150509A