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Old March 15, 2013, 04:24 AM   #1
kenlee
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Alternatives to Bullseye N340 N330 ?

Here in the UK Bullseye is now virtually unobtainable.

In looking for light target loads - 357mag 148gr cast wadcutters - for a Ruger M77 I'm considering alternatives.

Vihtavuori N340 or N 330 looks good on paper.

Has anybody experience of these powders in a light 357 load?
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Old March 15, 2013, 05:33 AM   #2
sourdough44
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How about Hodgdon Universal or Titegroup? Maybe check the 'V' website & see what type of data they offer.
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Old March 15, 2013, 06:25 AM   #3
jj320
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try trailboss if you can get it
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Old March 15, 2013, 08:15 AM   #4
rajbcpa
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please explain the gun laws for pistols in the uk. i thought pistols were not lawful in your country.
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Old March 15, 2013, 10:39 AM   #5
kenlee
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true

Yes - in the main apart from some odd looking 'free pistols' and Buntline lookalikes. Blackpowder is allowed by our masters.

I'm using a Ruger M77 rifle chambered for 357. These carbine type rifles are very popular - also in 44 mag - with disenfranchised pistol shooters like me. Marlin lever actions in 357 and 44 are also popular.

If you are in the states - as I think - do not give the political class an inch of your freedoms else you'll end up like us.

Back to loads; what about 6 grains of HS6?
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Old March 15, 2013, 05:22 PM   #6
SHR970
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Other than the Vit line of powders; what other brand(s) do you have access to? There may be room for translation here; many of Hodgdon's powders come from ADI. If you have access to ADI powders we on the other side of the pond can offer advice based on the Hodgdon's name for that powder.

AS30N = Clays

AP70N = Universal

AR2205 = H4227

Last edited by SHR970; March 15, 2013 at 05:30 PM.
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Old March 16, 2013, 05:09 AM   #7
kenlee
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Hodgdon powders seem more available than Alliant.

For longer ranges 2400 behind a 180grain bullet does well. 2400 seems easier to get than Bullseye at the moment although dealers say that may not last. Bullseye is seen as a pistol powder in a market where there are no pistols; 2400 is also a pistol powder but with wider applications perhaps?

But I want something lighter for 20/25 yards.

I returned to shooting after a 25 year layoff and went back to what I knew i.e. Bullseye. TiteGroup does seem a close substitute when looking at the data.

I suppose the real problem is getting consistent supplies with very small market volumes here. We shoot in postal competitions spread over months and I want to be sure I've enough powder to develop a load, practice and compete over a given period. Small charges in a fast burning powder are a better bet as well as the better accuracy.
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Old March 16, 2013, 07:45 AM   #8
Misssissippi Dave
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I'm not loading lead just jacketed bullet in this caliber. I have found AA7 to work quite well with jacketed bullets. It should work well with lead as well. AA5 should give you lighter loads and you probably could load down to .38 special equivalents in a .357 case if you wanted to. AA2 is probably too fast a powder to be useable in such a long case. I could be wrong there.

HP-38/W231 could give you light loads with that lead bullet. I would start out at the mid range of what the powder manufacture lists for pistol loads since you will be using it in a rifle. This is a fairly fast powder and should give you very low recoil loads. It wouldn't be my first choice.

AA5, AA7 and W231 powders all measure well in most powder measure.
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Old March 16, 2013, 12:33 PM   #9
SHR970
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Alliant alternatives that fit your bill: Red Dot and Green Dot. Both will give you better case fill than a ball powder, work well at lower pressures, and use small charge weights. From older published data 148 LWC. The first numbers listed will be "target" load and pressure (psi) the second will be max.

Bullseye. 2.8 gr. 10,000. 5.7 gr. 34,000

Red Dot. 2.7 gr. 12,400 4.6 gr. 33,600

Green Dot.2.8 gr. 14,100 5.1 gr. 34,000

As these are both considered shotgun powders, they may be a bit more available to you.
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Old March 16, 2013, 01:18 PM   #10
henry-ctc
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I don´t know if it´s available in UK but there is a french powder wich is a perfect replacement for BE. Vectan BA10. For light target loads in 32 sw long, 38 spcl, 45 acp, 9mm and so on is simply GREAT. It´s faster than BE but I guess that if you can get it it will match your needs.
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Old March 17, 2013, 10:53 AM   #11
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kenlee, those Vit powders you mentioned will work very well for what you are wanting to do.
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