High energy powder? 150 vs 550?

[Kirk Ethridge]

Anyone have experience with the high energy powders.?(Vihtavouri)


My 6xc is shooting very well with a load of 150.... where does one start with 550? I have a couple pounds of 550 but have yet to try it.

ie if one is shooting 36 grains of 150,, where would you expect to load with the 550? (just an example,,,not my real load)

Thanks!

Kirk

 

[JD Mock]

N550

Kirk, I got good results with 38.7 gr of 550 behind a 107 grain Sierra in my 6XC. There were no excessive pressure signs. This load was close to the 39.5 grain load of H4350 in velocity. Good shooting.... James Mock

 

[Rustystud]

Applications for VV 550

I found with a 6mmBRX I got better groups with Varget. It is less expensive too. But with 210s in a 308 I could not get the neccessary velocity with anything but VV550. The VV550 out performed VV160 and VV165 and both H4350 and IMR 4350.
Rustystud

 

[goodgrouper]

N150 and N550 are pretty similiar in burn rate until max pressures are reached and then N550 really peaks and gives much faster velocities.

N550 is a triple base powder that has been known to burn out throats very quickly. I burned out a barrel with it in under 1000 rounds on a cartridge that should have gone quite a few more.

Flame temp is reported to be quite a bit hotter.

 

[Kirk Ethridge]

any real performance gain?

What kind of velocity increase have you been achieving with the 550?

My rifle shoots 150, and 4350 so well that the 550 would have to be "magical" for me to change... I bought 2 lbs of the 550 when i bought the 150 so as to have some testing alternatives. I guess i better try it any way, just to see what happens. I will get the chronograph out next week and see what happens.

Kirk

 

[goodgrouper]

What kind of velocity increase have you been achieving with the 550?

My rifle shoots 150, and 4350 so well that the 550 would have to be "magical" for me to change... I bought 2 lbs of the 550 when i bought the 150 so as to have some testing alternatives. I guess i better try it any way, just to see what happens. I will get the chronograph out next week and see what happens.

Kirk

I saw an extra 150 fps out of N550 with same charge as N150 but the performance came with a price.

If I were you, I would try the N550 just for kicks but if N150 works, stay with it.

 

[Tesla]

What cartridge?

 

[Kirk Ethridge]

reply to tesla

I'm using it on a 6xc. 39.5 grains gives the best grouping on this particular barrel. (4350 works best on my buddies 6xc). this is with Randy Robinette's 98 grain 6mm flat base bullet.

we are taking them to the Hickory (N.C.) groundhog shoot this weekend.


wish us luck?

Kirk

 

[Tesla]

N150 and N550 are pretty similiar in burn rate until max pressures are reached and then N550 really peaks and gives much faster velocities.

N550 is a triple base powder that has been known to burn out throats very quickly. I burned out a barrel with it in under 1000 rounds on a cartridge that should have gone quite a few more.

Flame temp is reported to be quite a bit hotter.

Which cartridge?

I found this on a different forum, please tell me what is your opinion?


modern double-base powders like N540 and the Reloder series have additives which bring erosion in line with single base powders. I use a lot of both types and haven't seen any additional erosion in the barrels used with double base powders in 6BR - I'm close to 4000 rounds in one of them and it's still doing very well.
I'm a prone shooter, so like you, I will go about 70 rounds before cleaning, this doesn't present any problems; my last 20 shots are as accurate as my first 20. I use moly coated bullets, which I believe helps maintain accuracy for the 70 shots, but in any event, the double base powders don't behave any less accurately than the single base in this regard. Temepratures here in Phoenix are pretty warm about half the year and that hasn't been a problem either. I take care to keep all ammo out of direct sunlight, however.
As expiper and others have said, find the powder that shoots best in your rifle and use it. In any event, barrels are as expendable as bullets (cheaper too, think about it).
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