New N555 Powder from Vihtavuori -- H4350 Burn Range

[Ranger188]

I've been trying it in a 284. A little bit slower than H4350 but faster than H4831sc
Cold weather has slowed down my testing.

 

[Texas10]

What say you Boss, were you able to test this powder and compare to H4350? Will this become the new hotness and evaporate from the shelves like H4350?

 

[spclark]

Which retailers have had the best record for stocking / shipping this stuff since it appeared here?

I've been happy with H4350, tried RL16 but it didn't have the same accuracy. At the time IMR4350 wasn't anywhere to be found so have yet to try that but with things as they are presently it may be awhile - if ever - I get back around to that particular goal....

 

[Laurie]

Now someone needs to test them to see if they work.

What say you Boss, were you able to test this powder and compare to H4350? Will this become the new hotness and evaporate from the shelves like H4350?

Not @Forum Boss, but I've been doing a bit of that this year. See:

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/h4350-alternatives-including-new-viht-n555.4017410/

In fact, I'm not long home from my final range session in the exercise earlier today having eventually 'done' 16 powders including the two now banned in the UK benchmarks (H4350 and H414). N555 was also run a second time since my earlier post in the other thread, now in reformed and neck-turned 308 Win Lapua Palma brass to see how it reacts to small primer ignition.

I'll update the thread above in the next few days with broad findings then write it up for Target Shooter online e-zine early in the new year.

Overall, the three ball grades tried disappointed (H414, Ramshot Big Game and Hunter) - not terrible by any means, but uniformly behind the best of the extrudeds.

Also, overall the 'velocity kings' the aggressive high-nitroglycerin numbers disappointed (Norma URP, Alliant Re16 and 17). Great MV averages, but not so hot in their groups and spreads.

The two Czech manufactured Lovex (Shooters World in the US) extrudeds (SO-65 / SW 'Long Rifle' and SO-70 / SW4350) performed very well and consistently as I expected having long liked this producer's tubular powders. Their 'legs' were short though, especially SO-70 / SW4350 whose MVs were way, way down on what QuickLOAD predicted and ended up 100 fps down on H4350 despite + 1gn charge weight and a full-case in the 7mm-08. (May be useful in something roomier like my 284 Win and 300 SAUM F-Class rifles.) SO-65 / SW 'Long Rifle' could be an excellent grade though for those not needing max speed and willing to trade price saving and availability against a not vast MV reduction against H4350.

N555 is an excellent performer in the 7mm-08 in LP brass. Overall, I was very impressed. However ........!! The SP reformed 308 Palma results were poorer. Not disastrously, but it was no longer a star. Groups and ES values grew noticeably, although interestingly MVs remained as per LP results with the top loads

Star #2 was good old-fashioned, been with us forever (1984 it arrived in the UK) Viht N160. As good if not better groups and ES values as N555 and only a few fps less MV in the 7mm-08. (In 260 Rem and Creedmoor though the higher case capacity to bore ratio values and the Creedmoor's smaller case will almost certainly see N555 outperform N160.) I was so impressed, I'll likely switch from my current 7-08 match load of a compressed charge of N160 in SP brass to a lower charge / MV combination in Lapua LP cases. (Even my club shoots have so many 284s, WSMs, SAUMs now that the little 7-08 has been pushed into a disadvantageous position in mid-range matches and I can happily give up the extra speed I get with SP for 300 yard comps.)

Star #3 was a Europe only Nitrochemie powder, the newish to us tubular single-based Reload Swiss RS62 which outperformed H4350 in speed, precision and consistency. This didn't surprise me at all as I've yet to find an application where RS62 doesn't at least match H4350. As its supply position here is mostly good (no shortage of stock, but not many LGSs stocking it) we're better off now with it than when we could still get H4350, but only fitfully and usually ratione. RS62's only downside that I can see so far is its rather long-grained formulation which pushes up fill-ratios and doesn't suit mechanical powder measures.

IMR-4451 was a steady performer and shows considerable promise. (As I also found in the 6.5 Creedmoor a few years ago when the powder was new in the UK long after its US introduction.) MVs are up by a useful 20-30 odd fps over H4350, or they are at least when keeping within Hodgdon and Sierra Manual ed VI maximum loads. I'm sure that H4350 can be (and is) 'pushed' a lot further and higher by many such is its flexibility and good manners

Norma 204 looked like it can be 'pushed' to much higher levels than I used and to considerably higher MVs than H4350, but the jury is out on its consistency and groups.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Not @Forum Boss, but I've been doing a bit of that this year. See:

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/h4350-alternatives-including-new-viht-n555.4017410/

In fact, I'm not long home from my final range session in the exercise earlier today having eventually 'done' 16 powders including the two now banned in the UK benchmarks (H4350 and H414). N555 was also run a second time since my earlier post in the other thread, now in reformed and neck-turned 308 Win Lapua Palma brass to see how it reacts to small primer ignition.

I'll update the thread above in the next few days with broad findings then write it up for Target Shooter online e-zine early in the new year.

Overall, the three ball grades tried disappointed (H414, Ramshot Big Game and Hunter) - not terrible by any means, but uniformly behind the best of the extrudeds.

Also, overall the 'velocity kings' the aggressive high-nitroglycerin numbers disappointed (Norma URP, Alliant Re16 and 17). Great MV averages, but not so hot in their groups and spreads.

The two Czech manufactured Lovex (Shooters World in the US) extrudeds (SO-65 / SW 'Long Rifle' and SO-70 / SW4350) performed very well and consistently as I expected having long liked this producer's tubular powders. Their 'legs' were short though, especially SO-70 / SW4350 whose MVs were way, way down on what QuickLOAD predicted and ended up 100 fps down on H4350 despite + 1gn charge weight and a full-case in the 7mm-08. (May be useful in something roomier like my 284 Win and 300 SAUM F-Class rifles.) SO-65 / SW 'Long Rifle' could be an excellent grade though for those not needing max speed and willing to trade price saving and availability against a not vast MV reduction against H4350.

N555 is an excellent performer in the 7mm-08 in LP brass. Overall, I was very impressed. However ........!! The SP reformed 308 Palma results were poorer. Not disastrously, but it was no longer a star. Groups and ES values grew noticeably, although interestingly MVs remained as per LP results with the top loads

Star #2 was good old-fashioned, been with us forever (1984 it arrived in the UK) Viht N160. As good if not better groups and ES values as N555 and only a few fps less MV in the 7mm-08. (In 260 Rem and Creedmoor though the higher case capacity to bore ratio values and the Creedmoor's smaller case will almost certainly see N555 outperform N160.) I was so impressed, I'll likely switch from my current 7-08 match load of a compressed charge of N160 in SP brass to a lower charge / MV combination in Lapua LP cases. (Even my club shoots have so many 284s, WSMs, SAUMs now that the little 7-08 has been pushed into a disadvantageous position in mid-range matches and I can happily give up the extra speed I get with SP for 300 yard comps.)

Star #3 was a Europe only Nitrochemie powder, the newish to us tubular single-based Reload Swiss RS62 which outperformed H4350 in speed, precision and consistency. This didn't surprise me at all as I've yet to find an application where RS62 doesn't at least match H4350. As its supply position here is mostly good (no shortage of stock, but not many LGSs stocking it) we're better off now with it than when we could still get H4350, but only fitfully and usually ratione. RS62's only downside that I can see so far is its rather long-grained formulation which pushes up fill-ratios and doesn't suit mechanical powder measures.

IMR-4451 was a steady performer and shows considerable promise. (As I also found in the 6.5 Creedmoor a few years ago when the powder was new in the UK long after its US introduction.) MVs are up by a useful 20-30 odd fps over H4350, or they are at least when keeping within Hodgdon and Sierra Manual ed VI maximum loads. I'm sure that H4350 can be (and is) 'pushed' a lot further and higher by many such is its flexibility and good manners

Norma 204 looked like it can be 'pushed' to much higher levels than I used and to considerably higher MVs than H4350, but the jury is out on its consistency and groups.

I want to see the temp sensitivity tests for the new Vit.

 

[Laurie]

I want to see the temp sensitivity tests for the new Vit.

That I'm afraid I can't help with given our much narrower range of ambient conditions than yours.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

I think I'll stick with the old standby 4350. All these new powders seem to be just a flash in the pan (pun intended) and aren't any better than the standards.

 

[urbanrifleman]

That I'm afraid I can't help with given our much narrower range of ambient conditions than yours.

Take three rounds and put them in the freezer for a few days and then take them to the range in ice.
Take three and put them in a bag with a hand warmer for a few hours.
Shoot over a chronograph. With three at ambient.

That will give you a basic idea of the curve. Flatter is better.

 

[Laurie]

Take three rounds and put them in the freezer for a few days and then take them to the range in ice.
Take three and put them in a bag with a hand warmer for a few hours.
Shoot over a chronograph. With three at ambient.

That will give you a basic idea of the curve. Flatter is better.

Yes, I know of these methods. But with the range a long way away and access / shooting hours severely limited, temperature testing is a low priority in my load development programme. Given the cost in money and time to just drive to and from the range, I don't even do a mid-week testing visit if I intend to shoot a comp at the weekend.

Doing H4350 alternatives has taken a year, and VarGet and H4831 have yet to be started. There is a growing expectation here that we will have another (which would be our third) full Covid lockdown from sometime in January until the virus case and hospitalisation rates naturally fall back in the early summer, so I don't expect 2021 to be any better than this year for making rapid progress.

 

[mike06]

Here is Big News for hand-loaders now using Hodgdon H4350 and Alliant Reloder 16. Vihtavuori just announced N555, an advanced new powder in the same relative burn range as H4350/RL16. Along with having a suitable burn rate for popular accuracy cartridges such as 6.5 Creedmoor and .284 Winchester, Vihtavuori’s new N555 is formulated for “clean burning characteristics and insensitivity in extreme weather conditions”. Complementing its temp stability, N555 includes an anti-fouling agent to keep barrels cleaner. In addition, Vihtavuori claims that N555’s “unmatched lot-to-lot consistency also eliminates costly range time re-developing your favorite loads”.

Forum Boss: It will be interesting to test this powder and see how the accuracy and temp stability compare with popular powders H4350 and RL16. This powder is due at USA dealers in May of 2020. We'll try to get our hands on some for testing before then. VV LINK: https://www.vihtavuori.com/new-n555-high-energy-powder/

Press Release HERE: http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2020/01/new-n555-powder-from-vihtavuori-high-energy-temp-stable/

Got my 8 lbs of it last week from Grafs

 

[rhovee]

Has anyone done some shooting with this powder yet?

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Unfortunately this stuff is unobtanium down under...far too costly an exercise for any of our distributors to bring Vihtavuori in.

Mate - we dont even have any ADI's this side of the ditch. I have swept the floor of the shed to find something for the 308.

 

[Homerange]

Mate - we dont even have any ADI's this side of the ditch. I have swept the floor of the shed to find something for the 308.

Funny, I walked into RS in Auckland recently and a kg of 8208 was no problem.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Funny, I walked into RS in Auckland recently and a kg of 8208 was no problem.

ill check tomorrow. Thanks

 

[Fuj]

Has anyone done some shooting with this powder yet?

I have yet to see it anywhere for purchase

 

[newbieshooter]

I have yet to see it anywhere for purchase

hasn't popped up online recently.

.......but earlier this year:

 

[rhovee]

Hopefully some powder is sitting on ships getting ready to unload.

 

[Gil P.]

Has anyone done some shooting with this powder yet?

Yes. I'm getting good accuracy and temp stability shooting 6.5x47 Lapua. You have to go over max charge weight to get velocities in the mid 2700s with 139gr Scenars. You'll need a drop tube, it's similar to Reloder 16 in that regard.

I think the powder is better suited for something like a 260. In my experience so far, Vv N555 is more temp stable than H4350.

 

[mike06]

I have been using N555 for about a year now and I want to tell you that I am not a pro shooter are do I compete in any matches. All my rifles are factory stock. I studied the publish load data that I could find and just thought if N555 works with this caliber and that caliber it has to work in a 270 win. So I emailed their testing lab in Arizona and ask them if they had any data for a 270 win using three nosler bullets that I requested. Much to my surprise I got a personal phone call from a man at the lab with the test results that I had ask for. Never in my 25 plus years of reloading have I ever received such a call. The said is this Mike I answered yes then he asked if I had a pen or pencil handy I said yes he said write this down here are our results of your request. I am currently shoot a Nosler ACBLR 150 grain with 53.0 grains of N555 in my cheap Savage Axis 2 with great results. Chronograph is a MagnetoSpeed producing 2850 FPS 22 inch barrel 1 in 10 twist. I am going to share with you of I wrote down use at your own risk. I will do more testing with my Savage 110 6.5 CM after hunting season. Need to add federal cases and Winchester Magnum Primers.

 

[6.5 forever]

I have two 8lb kegs shipping today. I am hoping it will at least match my H4350 loads in my 6.5 CM.
I like to buy powder in pairs of 8lb and I haven't been able to do that with H4350 for a long time. I have wanted to find second powder to have on the shelf. Hope this works.