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N140 or N150

Kevin1990

Ive decided to move on from Varget. Reason being, I could get (4) 8# jugs of VV for the price of 3 Varget.

that being said I used Varget in my 6br to shoot 103-108 gr .223 for 69 grain and up, 6.5 Grendel, and hopefully soon my 22ARC.

Questions:

All things being equal, is N140 or N150 going to be able to do what Varget is doing for me now with those cartridges?

If so, what one would you choose. (Accuracy on the 6br is most important to me.)

I'm pretty set on VV because of the great things I keep seeing over and over. That being said, how exactly do you compare powders other than shooting them. Is it just looking at a burn rate chart?
 
N140 is a little quicker than varget. I’m throughly convinced of that after a couple thousand rounds. N150 is of course a little bit slower.

I’d leave it up to the size of the cartridge and the length of the barrels. For example, in 223 or BR, N140. In a Dasher or GT, N150.

I think you’ll find you left varget over more than price. No more filth, no more narrow nodes, and did I mention filth or filth?
 
Clancy said:
N140 is a little quicker than varget. I’m throughly convinced of that after a couple thousand rounds. N150 is of course a little bit slower.

I’d leave it up to the size of the cartridge and the length of the barrels. For example, in 223 or BR, N140. In a Dasher or GT, N150.

I think you’ll find you left varget over more than price. No more filth, no more narrow nodes, and did I mention filth or filth?
Click to expand...
That's interesting. I didn't know that. I have about 1 pound left of Varget. I will definitely compare when I get the VV.
 
Kevin1990 said:
Ive decided to move on from Varget. Reason being, I could get (4) 8# jugs of VV for the price of 3 Varget.

that being said I used Varget in my 6br to shoot 103-108 gr .223 for 69 grain and up, 6.5 Grendel, and hopefully soon my 22ARC.

Questions:

All things being equal, is N140 or N150 going to be able to do what Varget is doing for me now with those cartridges?

If so, what one would you choose. (Accuracy on the 6br is most important to me.)

I'm pretty set on VV because of the great things I keep seeing over and over. That being said, how exactly do you compare powders other than shooting them. Is it just looking at a burn rate chart?
Click to expand...
I use both. I really like both. If you have access to them, I'd recommend 2 jugs of each!

Good Shooting,
Steve
 
N150 is far too slow burning for 223 with 69s. It's about right for 85s and 90s in this cartridge. The same applies to the 6.5 Grendel as you simply won't get enough in the case to reach proper working pressures, partly because it's a rather bulky propellant. (I use N133 in the Grendel which is a good match.)

N140 is usable in the 223 with 69s, but better suited to 77gn and heavier bullets. N135 was my standard Viht grade in the days when I shot 69s, and I now use N140 with 80gn SMKs in a 0.147-inch freebore chamber. (>2.5-inch COAL) There is a live thread elsewhere on this forum about Viht powders in 223 which gives some feedback on current experience with 69s.

So far as the 6BR goes with 105gn bullets, both N140 and 150 have satisfied users. On my (eastern) side of the Atlantic, N150 is probably more popular, and it's what I use as my first choice.

I've been doing a series of range tests with 223 /77 on VarGet and H4895 replacements since we lost Hodgdon / ADI powders thanks to the meddling EU and its REACH environmental / health & safety regs came into force.

The four Viht powders in this bracket were reported on here:

https://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=3856

Note, MVs are from a 30-inch barrel, and my rifle's extra freebore allows an extra 0.7/0.8gn charge weight for equivalent pressures to those in 1 25-thou' freebore standard SAAMI chamber.
 
I switched from Varget to VV N150 in my 6BR for availability.
JGS 1262 reamer with .094FB; Brux 28"; Cortina EC2 tuner

Here's a recent N150 3 shot ladder test with 12X fired Lapua brass. {Garmin Xero C1}

6BR Ladder Test.png

For 29.6 velocity labels in black were sighters. for 29.8 ... 3 shots with 2 shots at 2863fps.

Last year I shot 30.5gr N150 @ ~3050 90F with occasional signs of over pressure.
 
Last edited:
HTSmith said:
OK this is almost eerie but in my current 6BR barrel, my lot of N150 is grain for grain with my lot of Varget. Ended up at the same charge behind a 103 Gr bullet for accuracy--30.4 Gr. Accuracy is equal. Lil more velocity with N150. Just a data point for you.
Click to expand...
I’ve noticed that 140/150/Varget are stacked so close that lot to lot variation can make you think one is the same is the other is different haha.
 
boltfluter said:
Maybe an 8# jug of N140 and N150 and make N145! Just kidding as I have no experience with either. Some good info in this thread.
Paul
Click to expand...
its crossed my mind a few times that viht should come out with n145. all they would have to do is add a slower coating.

Apparently n130, 133, and 135 is made that way.
 
In 223, N140 is a good powder with the 77 SMK.

I have shot N140 with the 105 in 6BR. The results were good but I need to tune the load a little more for a conclusion.
 
Benchrest Braxton said:
its crossed my mind a few times that viht should come out with n145. all they would have to do is add a slower coating.

Apparently n130, 133, and 135 is made that way.
Click to expand...

There is a step-change in powder characteristics between 140 and 150, the latter's kernels being both longer and fatter, so I suspect devising an intermediate grade might not be such as simple matter. The three grades you mention have identical dimensions.

Viht's handloading canister grades are offshoots of the company's main business products produced in much larger volumes for its bulk commercial customers who load sporting and military ammunition. As well as incurring substantial production, packaging and testing costs, a manufacturer would only introduce such a new product if its characteristics and production line needs coincided with those of a 'mainstream' equivalent. (This is why Viht withdrew N105, N530, and N32C 'Tin Star' a year or two back. They didn't have linkages to its mainstream bulk products, and so became too disruptive and expensive to make after the demand for propellants rocketed thanks to the Ukraine war.)
 
Kevin1990 said:
Ive decided to move on from Varget. Reason being, I could get (4) 8# jugs of VV for the price of 3 Varget.

that being said I used Varget in my 6br to shoot 103-108 gr .223 for 69 grain and up, 6.5 Grendel, and hopefully soon my 22ARC.

Questions:

All things being equal, is N140 or N150 going to be able to do what Varget is doing for me now with those cartridges?

If so, what one would you choose. (Accuracy on the 6br is most important to me.)

I'm pretty set on VV because of the great things I keep seeing over and over. That being said, how exactly do you compare powders other than shooting them. Is it just looking at a burn rate chart?
Click to expand...
Have you looked at the VV POWDER LOAD DATA on their website here: https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading-data-tool-rifle-handgun-cowboy-action-shooting/#/
 
Kevin1990 said:
Ive decided to move on from Varget. Reason being, I could get (4) 8# jugs of VV for the price of 3 Varget.

that being said I used Varget in my 6br to shoot 103-108 gr .223 for 69 grain and up, 6.5 Grendel, and hopefully soon my 22ARC.

Questions:

All things being equal, is N140 or N150 going to be able to do what Varget is doing for me now with those cartridges?

If so, what one would you choose. (Accuracy on the 6br is most important to me.)

I'm pretty set on VV because of the great things I keep seeing over and over. That being said, how exactly do you compare powders other than shooting them. Is it just looking at a burn rate chart?
Click to expand...
Kevin
I am using n-140 on my 6bra,6br,22bra,6dasher and 243al the only 6mm I'm not using it in is my 6mmppc which is n-133 you really can't go wrong with the n-140 in your 6mm rifles IMO.
Good Shooting
Jerry
 
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