Curious on the experieces with this brand of power is. Going to be reloading for 6.5 grendel, 6.5x55, 7.62x39, 22-250 and 6mm remington.

On the 6.5x55, I'm going to be using 130 gr. Norma Golden Dot target bullets and a possible 120 gr. nosler BT and 160 gr. roundnose bullet.
7.62x39, either a SST or another bullet, havent decided yet.

6.5 grendel a 120 gr. Nosler BT.

What would be good powers to look at buying?

In the 6,5 I would choose N165 if chasing an accurate load and N560 if chasing a more speedy hunting load.
In the 22-250 my go-to with lighter bullets would be N150.
Have no experience with the other cartridges.

Only one I have any experience with is N130, which is fairly fast, somewhere to the tune of 4198 burn rate. I've gotten very good accuracy with it in 303 Savage, 30-30, and 375 Win, and decent groups in the 300 Savage.

VV lists loads for it in the Grendel, 39 and 22-250. May be a bit too fast for the 6mm and Swede except for light loads.

Voila

https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading-data/rifle-reloading/

Vihtavuori powder is some of the best. Perhaps because it's made in Finland, its very temperature resistant--and as of 2-3 years ago, it all includes a decoppering agent.

The 100-series powders are single-based, and result in longer barrel life. The 500-series a double-based and result in somewhat higher velocities. So much of the choice depends on how often you shoot a particular rifle.

In the Grendel I found N540 worked very well with heavier bullets. In the 6.5x55 you might try their relatively new N555, which was partially introduced for use in the 6.5 Creedmoor, which has a similar case capacity.

Don't know that I would have added that modification. The N165 is a very solid performer in the 6.5-284, 6.5-06, and 6.5 PRC as well. Don't do double based powders, so no experience there...

If you look at flame temp data, the 100 series has some very cool flame temps vs. other single base powders which should only help with barrel life

I just started messing with it this year, and I'm definitely already a fan. I got the 130 cheap(ish) to test as a sub for the longtime near unobtanium H4198, and it has worked very well in that application.

If A2495 doesn't end up working out well as my H4895 sub in a gaggle of test loads I've cooked up but haven't shot yet, I may pick up some N135 to try in the spring.

The OP also mentioned the little 6.5 Grendel, which wouldn't be very good with that class of powders. My modification was with respect to the cartridges originally asked about.

OK, need more coffee...

I use N160 by the 8 pounders and have for a good many years. 6.5 Swede to .30-06. In my reload logbook it is listed as 'most accurate' more than any other powder. That said, I never felt the need to chase the limits of velocity, so if that is your goal, the 165 may be a better choice (I have no history with it). If you find some, order the free VV reloading hand book. An excellent resource, because I think N160 is a little mis placed on American burn rate charts.

I have been wanting to try the N555 for awhile now for my 6.5x55, just haven't seen any in various MT locations and online. Have you seen any in MT?

N140 + .223 65 thru 77 gr = great success.

Yep. Good source of information. One problem is that they use a lot of Lapua bullets, Really good advice on what guys where using for powder and different bullets!

You are right, Math Man, thank you for the correction.

I would make identical choice for the less common (there) 6,5x57R, which is essentially the same thing, and the 6,5x65R, virtually identical to the 6,5-06 as mentioned by Mike S.

I shoot N165 in my 280 AI & N550 in my 300 WSM, both are very accurate. The VV powder took the work out of load development. So, i laid in a supply of both & can hunt the rest of my health duration with it.

Don't know, mostly because I have enough N555, so haven't been looking for it! But have generally found Sportsman's Warehouses here in Montana tend to stock VV powders more often than other stores.

use N540 in one of my 6BR to turn out some very impressive groups at 600 yards

Yeah, I was in the Helena store a week ago. None there, but I'll keep looking. Thanks for the help.

What are you loading with N555? I talked with a guy that claims he’s using it in his 300 WSM and switched solely to it for it.

Mike,
Where did you find flame temp data for VV powders?

I've found that N560 heats up the barrel of my 30-06 faster than any other powder I've tried.


Okie John

A friend says the same thing about his 270 and one of the 500 series powders--can't remember exactly which one he was using.

In my mtn contour 308 H4895 heats up the bbl quicker than IMR4461. Even though velocities are similar, the recoil between the two powders is noticeably different also. One is not necessarily more recoil than the other, but 4461 is quicker recoiling than 4895.

I was a little imprecise in my "flame temp data" description, been 40 years since my Thermodynamics classes. It is probably better described as heat potential, which provides a basis of comparison for temperatures. There are charts online that that should not be hard to find. Pretty sure they are from QuickLoad, and are likely copyrighted.

This, I've been using N160 for over 25 years. Works well in my 300H&H and 325WSM and 06'.. Got the last 8lb'er @ Blue collar reloading when powder was hard to come by. I can't remember but I think it was under 300.00. I actually have the hardback #2 book. 1995 edition.
I started using it because I didn't want to torch the barrel on my 1954 M70 and had heard or read that it burned cooler than other powders.

68.0 grains and a 195 Interlock makes really small groups with the Kimber 325.
66.5 grains and a Speer 180 GS does the same in the H&H.

One thing I like about VihtaVuori powders is that they print what year they were manufactured along with the lot#. I had a bunch of N130 that was made in 1995 that came in 2 pound jugs, I have a few 8 pounders of N133 made in 2009 etc........they DO NOT have decoppering agent.

My newest 8 pounder is N140 made in 2021 and it states on the label that it does have decoppering agent. it seems to shoot the same as the older powder but with less copper left behind, a win-win.

As for myself I left the 5 series powders behind, was not worth the reduced barrel life to me after scorching a couple

I find that I am switching to more VV powders. They burn really clean and are usually very accurate. The problem in the past has been availability and the price, Now, I see it in more places and it's not near the highest priced powders out there anymore.