Vihtavouri N150 Hdy 165gr BTSP 30-06

[Beks]

Due to the upcoming ban on most hodgdon/imr/reloader powders in the UK from 2018.
I am forced to look elsewhere, I have a very reliable and steady supply of Vihtavuori N150 powder but cant find ANY load data for 165gr BTSP or any other 165gr bullets. I have contacted the manufacturer but they cant give info on bullets not tested by them yet.
Has anyone loaded N150 in 30.06 using 165gr?
Any advice welcome.

 

[MSgtEgress]

Sorry not 30-06 but I have used it with great success in 22-250 50g & 55g bullets. It is around the same burn rate as 4064. Very consistent velocities good powder. Just checked the website they have data for N150 and 165’s. 38.6-44.8g

 

[Beks]

Sorry not 30-06 but I have used it with great success in 22-250 50g & 55g bullets. It is around the same burn rate as 4064. Very consistent velocities good powder. Just checked the website they have data for N150 and 165’s. 38.6-44.8g

Have you got a link to that please when i checked the website (vithavuori) they only had 168gr lapua scenars listed that has a totally different bc etc than hunting bullet.
Thank you for your feedback

 

[MSgtEgress]

http://www.vihtavuori.com/en/reloading-data/rifle-reloading/-30-06-springfield.html. Hey this is the Scenaras but if you don’t have the specific bullet they use Start at the low end and work up. If you have access to a chronograph use it

 

[Beks]

I've been on the range today, pouring rain so not ideal but managed to try a few loads. 48gr to start a good group just over 1" then 49gr also just over 1" but the wrong pattern (three in a line) 50gr was spot on under 1" @100m in those conditions. I was struggling to see the target at one point. I may go .5gr up and down next time just to test if the group will get smaller but im happy with that load for now.

 

[Laphroaig]

Due to the upcoming ban on most hodgdon/imr/reloader powders in the UK from 2018.

Beks, I haven't heard about this. Why are these powders going to be banned?

And welcome! I'm glad to see your question was answered in short order and your results were very good.

 

[Beks]

http://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/
Copy and paste that link its an organisation that controls chemicals imported into the EU. While the UK is still in the EU we have to comply. In a nutshell it bans all propellants with ingredients that may be carcinogenic that includes basically all non European rifle propellants. If it says may cause cancer its banned. Well im not too fussed because ive found a powder that works well and very forgiving with, I'll fine tune it and make some deer drt.

 

[ms6852]

Hornady manual has some load data for the 30-06, check under the M1 Garand section, has for 168 grain bullets and 178 grains.

 

[Beks]

I had a look thanks, what is interesting is that hornady and sierra show a starting load of 38gr and max load of 47gr where as Vhit and Nosler show a start load of 47 and max 52.2...that is a 9gr different between min load and 5gr between max!!!
I have spoken to one of the importers because Vhit wasn't very helpful and they assured me that the max load was quite safe at 52.2, in fact one of the UKs leading custom rifle manufacturers use vhit as their go to powder at 52.5gr for 30'06 165gr Hdy with no pressure problems. It appears that N150 is a very forgiving powder as demonstrated by my 3 loads in 1gr increments all shooting 1" or under.