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VV555 and .284

moorepower

Has anyone tried VV555 in the .284 yet with 175-180 grain bullets and if so what is the results? I have a feeling that H4831sc if going to be unobtainium, and I don't want to build a rifle around components that are not available.
 
oh, and what calibre could you build that has components readily available? Looks to me to be fairly universal - certainly in my part of the world. We do have IMR powders on the shelves, as they are fairly unknown compared to ADI/Hodgdons, so we get a powder that is available, and work a load up. I have changed from Varget to 4166 - for 308 and 6BR.
I am wary of double based powders due to the extra heat - for target use - no issue for a hunting rig. I would suggest N150 or N160 a better bet. Most of my friends that shoot the 284 use H4350, rather than H4831sc in F-Class rifles.
 
For Viht grades, N160 and 165 are the obvious and well-proven choices. The latter gives excellent results at the cost of running slightly / moderately compressed charges in Lapua brass, and has the plus of being a very cool-burning powder associated with excellent barrel life. It'll give either weight bullet the widely used 2,820-2,850 fps MVs from a 30-inch barrel.
NZ_Fclass said:
I am wary of double based powders due to the extra heat - for target use - no issue for a hunting rig. I would suggest N150 or N160 a better bet.
Click to expand...

You do realise IMR-4166, as with all IMR 'Enduron' grades, is double-based? A friend has described N555 as 'the N100 that pretends to be a 500.' At 3,700KJ / Kg specific energy content, it's the same as N120, 140, and 170 and is actually rated as lower energy than N150

https://www.vihtavuori.com/powders/n500-powders/

https://www.vihtavuori.com/powders/n100-powders/

I would never advise N150 for this cartridge with 175/180s, far too fast burning despite what burn-rate charts show. N555 appears to be slightly faster burning, or even the same burn-rate, as N160 based on Viht's limited range of published loads comparing maximum charges for the same bullets. In Creedmoor / 260 Rem sized cartridges, the two powders have more or less same maxima, N555 even marginally higher with some bullets. In the two largest cartridges covered by Viht - 30-06 and 284 Win - its top charges then become slightly lower than those for N160. I've tried N555 in 7mm-08 and 260 Rem with 160/142gn bullets so far and got decent, but not spectacular results.

Given that N160 is shown as slower burning in burn rate charts (and given a default Ba value in QuickLOAD) than appears to be the case in actual applications, I'd characterise it as a tad slower burning than H4350, but nowhere near as slow-burning as either 4831, that'll also put N555 somewhere in the same bracket.
 
Laurie said:
For Viht grades, N160 and 165 are the obvious and well-proven choices. The latter gives excellent results at the cost of running slightly / moderately compressed charges in Lapua brass, and has the plus of being a very cool-burning powder associated with excellent barrel life. It'll give either weight bullet the widely used 2,820-2,850 fps MVs from a 30-inch barrel.


You do realise IMR-4166, as with all IMR 'Enduron' grades, is double-based? A friend has described N555 as 'the N100 that pretends to be a 500.' At 3,700KJ / Kg specific energy content, it's the same as N120, 140, and 170 and is actually rated as lower energy than N150

https://www.vihtavuori.com/powders/n500-powders/

https://www.vihtavuori.com/powders/n100-powders/

I would never advise N150 for this cartridge with 175/180s, far too fast burning despite what burn-rate charts show. N555 appears to be slightly faster burning, or even the same burn-rate, as N160 based on Viht's limited range of published loads comparing maximum charges for the same bullets. In Creedmoor / 260 Rem sized cartridges, the two powders have more or less same maxima, N555 even marginally higher with some bullets. In the two largest cartridges covered by Viht - 30-06 and 284 Win - its top charges then become slightly lower than those for N160. I've tried N555 in 7mm-08 and 260 Rem with 160/142gn bullets so far and got decent, but not spectacular results.

Given that N160 is shown as slower burning in burn rate charts (and given a default Ba value in QuickLOAD) than appears to be the case in actual applications, I'd characterise it as a tad slower burning than H4350, but nowhere near as slow-burning as either 4831, that'll also put N555 somewhere in the same bracket.
Click to expand...
Thank you Laurie. Good info.
I suppose that would account for the 4166 rapid pressure "spikes" as you increase loads to maximum. The book max load seems excessive, even in large capacity cases, as I have been getting good velocities at well below max in ADI brass, and even Lapua Palma. Come back AR2208/Varget, soon.
 
I have plenty of primers, brass, although it's Winchester blue bag. Berger 180's are available an 175 Sierra's are on the shelf. I got an 8 lb jug of VV555 for my 6CM, but only a lb of VV160. I also have 300 pc of 7 SAUM brass Remington which may be a better choice
 
NZ_Fclass said:
I suppose that would account for the 4166 rapid pressure "spikes" as you increase loads to maximum.
Click to expand...

There seems to be 'something' about the whole range of IMR Enduron grades that sees them pressure-out before matching the performance of the equivalent Hodgdon / ADI 'Extreme' grade. I noticed this first in various cartridges listed in the new Sierra manual (ed VI). 4955 in particular seems to nearly always end up with a lower charge and one step (usually 100 fps) down on either 4831.

There have also recently been one or two posts on this forum from people saying they'd tried an Enduron powder given the shortages of traditional grades, but it had produced pressure signs before hitting their target / expected velocities.
 
moorepower said:
I have plenty of primers, brass, although it's Winchester blue bag. Berger 180's are available an 175 Sierra's are on the shelf. I got an 8 lb jug of VV555 for my 6CM, but only a lb of VV160. I also have 300 pc of 7 SAUM brass Remington which may be a better choice
Click to expand...
You ever fully test the N555 and 180 bergers ?? Just wonder as I wanted to try the same thing. Currently using Reloder 17 with great results but always want more
 
bulaman said:
I shot 52.9 gr.-2 798 fps to 54.5 grains-2,861 fps, 30 inch barrel. Shot well over the entire range. Your rifle might be different. As always, start low, work up.
Click to expand...
Old thread, are you still running the 184s with those charges? I've still been running 4831 but I'm getting ready to try VV555 with 180 Hybrids in straight 284 and curious if anyone has data for that.
 
I started at 52.0 gr. Settled in on everything from 52.0 to 53.7 for best loads depending on the barrel and lot of powder.
 
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