Vihtavuori getting harder to find locally...

veeref · May 25, 2007, 11:34 PM

I've gone to 2 Sportsman's Warehouses around me that carry Vihtavuori. The only seem to have either N310 (very fast), or very slow powders like N150, N160, etc. None of them have the N340 I use. One salesman even speculated that they were going to stop carrying it altogether. This is the first powder I've used for my 40 S&W 155gn copper plated, and I've been extremely happy with it. Its burns very clean with little to almost no muzzle flash. If they're going to stop carrying it, I'll probably start looking at other powders since I am not really interested in ordering 16 lbs. of it (which is what I calculated would be the minimum to make it worth my effort).

The only other powder I've considered is Accurate No. 5 or Accurate No. 7. Does anyone know how this compares to Vihtavuori in regards to cleanliness and metering through a Lee Charge Bar and Auto-Disk?

As always, thanks in advance.

Regards,
~V

L Puckett · May 26, 2007, 11:18 AM

I stopped buying powder and primers locally a few years ago due to prices and the lack of lot number control.

Try Powder Valley Inc. online (best I've used). I try to buy a years supply at once so I only get hit with the $20 hazmat fee once, although Powder Valley prices are low enough that the fee becomes a non-issue.

LP

277Volt · May 28, 2007, 10:58 PM

I would like to second L Puckett's recommendation of Powder Valley. They're great folks with great prices.

Accurate Arms No.'s 5 and 7 are both very fine-grained ball powders that meter extremely well in my experience. I've used both but have the most experience with No. 5. It's pretty darn versatile, burns clean and has performed well for me in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 Auto. Alliant's Power Pistol is worth a look too.

Werewolf13 · June 1, 2007, 04:21 PM

AA#5 by Accurate is in my experience one of if not the most versatile powders available. Very fine grained and meters consistently out of my Lee Autodisk powder measure.

I've used it in .40 S&W, .45LC, .45ACP and .44Mag. Can't get really hot .44Mag loads out of it but you can push a 240gr bullet at 1200 to 1300 FPS with it and more accurately than any hot load I've tried.

In a .45ACP load it is extremely accurate out of a 5" barrel with a 230gr FMJ and 8.2grs of powder. I've tried HP-38, Titegroup, HS-6, and Accurate #2 for .45ACP and none comes close to being as consistent and accurate as #5.

The same holds true for .45LC. I'm still working on a load for 180gr .40 S&W (currently use AA#7) and have high hopes for it as an IPSC load.

When AA#5 became unavailable last year for about 9 months I was down to my last few grains before it came back. That forced me to try a variety of other powders none of which I liked as well.

I've had good results too with AA#7 and Titegroup. Used a lot of HP-38 in the past but have mostly moved to AA#5 as a replacement except for .45ACP that I shoot out of 4" barreled guns. HS-6 is good stuff too but for me at least is reserved for a number of +P loads in .45ACP.

Lots of good powders out there - don't lock yourself into just one if you can help it.

teombe · June 1, 2007, 05:22 PM

personally, I think the AA#5 and #7 meter better than the VV pistol powders because of the super-fine spherical shape, vs VV's 'tiny tubes'.

Right now, I'm using #7 as my standard powder for 9mm. It does what I need it to do, and works well across the velocity spectrum.

veeref · June 2, 2007, 09:04 PM

I appreciate the advice. I just shot my first batch of 155gn Copper Plated using Accurate #7. I was pleasantly suprised with it! The muzzle flash using starting loads was very little to none, and burnt clean as well. The only part I didn't care for is the 'spillage' on my equipment using a Lee Adjustable Charge Bar and Pro-Auto Powder measure. Nothing serious, but annoying at any rate.

I'm quite happy with it, and it seem to be more widely available than my VV. I'm going to try #5 as well, since it burns a little closer to the VV n340 I was using.

Regards,
~V

Werewolf13 · June 2, 2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

The only part I didn't care for is the 'spillage' on my equipment using a Lee Adjustable Charge Bar and Pro-Auto Powder measure. Nothing serious, but annoying at any rate.

Welcome to the Lee powder measure spillage club. I use an AutoDisk and it does the same thing.

If anyone knows how to make that stop I'm sure a number of us would be really grateful.

May 25, 2007, 11:34 PM	#1
veeref Member Join Date: October 3, 2006 Posts: 41	Vihtavuori getting harder to find locally... I've gone to 2 Sportsman's Warehouses around me that carry Vihtavuori. The only seem to have either N310 (very fast), or very slow powders like N150, N160, etc. None of them have the N340 I use. One salesman even speculated that they were going to stop carrying it altogether. This is the first powder I've used for my 40 S&W 155gn copper plated, and I've been extremely happy with it. Its burns very clean with little to almost no muzzle flash. If they're going to stop carrying it, I'll probably start looking at other powders since I am not really interested in ordering 16 lbs. of it (which is what I calculated would be the minimum to make it worth my effort). The only other powder I've considered is Accurate No. 5 or Accurate No. 7. Does anyone know how this compares to Vihtavuori in regards to cleanliness and metering through a Lee Charge Bar and Auto-Disk? As always, thanks in advance. Regards, ~V

May 26, 2007, 11:18 AM	#2
L Puckett Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2002 Location: Mid-Tennessee Posts: 150	I stopped buying powder and primers locally a few years ago due to prices and the lack of lot number control. Try Powder Valley Inc. online (best I've used). I try to buy a years supply at once so I only get hit with the $20 hazmat fee once, although Powder Valley prices are low enough that the fee becomes a non-issue. LP

May 28, 2007, 10:58 PM	#3
277Volt Junior Member Join Date: May 23, 2007 Location: The Copper State Posts: 7	I would like to second L Puckett's recommendation of Powder Valley. They're great folks with great prices. Accurate Arms No.'s 5 and 7 are both very fine-grained ball powders that meter extremely well in my experience. I've used both but have the most experience with No. 5. It's pretty darn versatile, burns clean and has performed well for me in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 Auto. Alliant's Power Pistol is worth a look too.

June 1, 2007, 04:21 PM	#4
Werewolf13 Junior Member Join Date: May 25, 2004 Posts: 12	AA#5 by Accurate is in my experience one of if not the most versatile powders available. Very fine grained and meters consistently out of my Lee Autodisk powder measure. I've used it in .40 S&W, .45LC, .45ACP and .44Mag. Can't get really hot .44Mag loads out of it but you can push a 240gr bullet at 1200 to 1300 FPS with it and more accurately than any hot load I've tried. In a .45ACP load it is extremely accurate out of a 5" barrel with a 230gr FMJ and 8.2grs of powder. I've tried HP-38, Titegroup, HS-6, and Accurate #2 for .45ACP and none comes close to being as consistent and accurate as #5. The same holds true for .45LC. I'm still working on a load for 180gr .40 S&W (currently use AA#7) and have high hopes for it as an IPSC load. When AA#5 became unavailable last year for about 9 months I was down to my last few grains before it came back. That forced me to try a variety of other powders none of which I liked as well. I've had good results too with AA#7 and Titegroup. Used a lot of HP-38 in the past but have mostly moved to AA#5 as a replacement except for .45ACP that I shoot out of 4" barreled guns. HS-6 is good stuff too but for me at least is reserved for a number of +P loads in .45ACP. Lots of good powders out there - don't lock yourself into just one if you can help it.

June 1, 2007, 05:22 PM	#5
teombe Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2002 Posts: 130	personally, I think the AA#5 and #7 meter better than the VV pistol powders because of the super-fine spherical shape, vs VV's 'tiny tubes'. Right now, I'm using #7 as my standard powder for 9mm. It does what I need it to do, and works well across the velocity spectrum.

June 2, 2007, 09:04 PM	#6
veeref Member Join Date: October 3, 2006 Posts: 41	I appreciate the advice. I just shot my first batch of 155gn Copper Plated using Accurate #7. I was pleasantly suprised with it! The muzzle flash using starting loads was very little to none, and burnt clean as well. The only part I didn't care for is the 'spillage' on my equipment using a Lee Adjustable Charge Bar and Pro-Auto Powder measure. Nothing serious, but annoying at any rate. I'm quite happy with it, and it seem to be more widely available than my VV. I'm going to try #5 as well, since it burns a little closer to the VV n340 I was using. Regards, ~V