Sixgun Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Hi All. I am wondering if it is worth going to the trouble of locating a source for VV N350. There isn't a VV dealer here in SouthEastern MI (that I could find anyway!) This will be used to load .357 Mag and .40 S&W. I am currently using AA #5 to load the .357. I don't have the .40 dies yet to load for the new open gun! Should I stick to what is available locally ( #5,7, &9, Blue Dot, HS7 etc...). or look into buying VV in bulk over the internet? Thanks, Ray C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keary Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Having used a wide variety of smokeless pistol powders from nearly all of the manufacturers, I now use VV smokeless powders exclusively in all of my loads. VV powder burns exceptionaly clean in all of guns - there is no unburnt powder and next to no residue leftover in the barrel. What I like best about VV powder is that it meters very consistantly (+/- .1gr) in my Dillon powder measure. I am not sure how much of a hurry you are in, as I would recommend picking some up at a gun show. The hazmat charge along with the shipping cost makes it too expensive to order online. AtoZ Reloading out of Indy sells all of the VV powders and they usually make quite a few gun shows outside of Indy. Good luck. Keary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Target Barn in Toledo might have you covered. http://www.targetbarn.com/ I think Dave Z. will bring items to local matches too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Never used VV powder, but here's my 2 cents: I wouldn't use the high zoot powders unless I was forced to for some compelling reason. i.e. cleanliness, accuracy, need the pressure to drive a comp. Lot's of folks (like me) are using bargain basement Titegroup and having fine results. However, our gracious host uses VV and surely does so for a reason. I think Rob L. is sponsored by VV also. Being a mere mortal, I don't think it will help *me* much. Your mileage may vary. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 EricW, Titegroup is way too fast for an open gun in forty. I've had real good luck with Longshot in the .40 open. Switched to VV with the new open gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Good powder, just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too expensive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Let's see 3000 race gun, 100 for a mag, 100-200 entry fee. Skimp on the powder and buy the second best. Nah I'll spend the extra buck or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Chriss - Whoops! I forgot to read ALL of the post. I'm guessing that having ten fingers is a good reason to spend the bucks on powder. Mea Culpa E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dame Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 VV3N37 from Dave Z @ the target barn is $70 for 4lbs. He can't ship powder, so you will have to go to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 Yep, 10 is a good number for things like fingers, toes and women. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORCA Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 VV powders are hard to beat. The best price I have found is from Powder Valley. http://www.powdervalleyinc.com Most of the VV pistol powders go for $59.90 for four pounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted September 1, 2002 Share Posted September 1, 2002 I order all my VV powders through Shooters Connection - some locals are selling it for $6/lb more than I can get from him, but when I sat down and thought about it, I decided the hazmat fees and shipping were a small price to pay to support someone that supports us so much. The Vit powders really are worth the extra cost. I never have to clean my comp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 I've been playing with the V V line for a couple of months now. Here is what I have learned: Purpose comparisons: N310 vs Clays and 125 PF 40 S&W 155 FMJ-FP. Both meter good (+/-.2), both are very clean, V V has slightly less flash, Clays average better SD's. Clays is as clean, meters just as well, displays a bit more flash, displays slightly better ballistics and is significantly cheaper when compared with N310. (FOR ME)......Clays also doubles as THE powder for 12 gauge target loads. N320 vs WST vs Titegroup and 125 PF 9x19mm 115 FMJ, 165 PF 40 S&W 180 and 165 PF 200 45 ACP. WST has significantly softer recoil of the bunch. WST and Titegroup meter Excellant (+/- .1) while N320 is good (+/.2), Titegroup is highly energetic with 37% nitro content and is not sensitive to casefill (but easy to double charge). Also means it's "snappy" and has a really robust report but with very mild flash (same as N320 for flash) WST has mild flash except in revolvers where it is moderate. TG's increased recoil makes it less desirable than WST for competition but it's really cool for moderate blasting. Titegroup has phenomenally uniform ballistics with SD's always around the 6.0 - 10.0 range in 9mm, 40 and 45. N320 is cleanest followed by Titegroup (especially when pressured up) and WST. TG most likely the cheapest pistol powder available. N350 vs Powerpistol for Hi-Performance 9mm/40 S&W. Both have nearly identical ballistics in 40 S&W. Power pistol is THE flash king, brilliant in all calibers, meters excellent. Powerpistol has the edge in velocity in 9mm and is used for NATO 124 FMJ production. Pro's: V V exhibits nearly ZERO flash. N350 would be THE choice for a factory duplication, defense low light practice load. Con's: Cost is significantly higher at between $6.00 to $8.00 per lb difference in addition to suffering from more limited availability. Clays, WST, Titegroup have as good or better characteristics and are readily available. Load safe and as always your mileage may vary... TR (Edited by Tree Rat at 7:23 am on Sep. 4, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 I HAVE HAD EXCELLENT RESULTS WITH BOTH 3N37 AND ACCURATE #7 FOR 38 SUPER LOADS. I WOULD SAY THE 3N37 IS CLEANER, AND LESS POWDER IS NEEDED FOR THE SAME PF. AT AREA 6 MATCH I THINK I PAID $65 FOR 4LBS.(TAX INCLUDED) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Whoa! Turn down the volume, dude! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted September 23, 2002 Share Posted September 23, 2002 A correction concerning N350 vs Powerpistol loads in that equal loading's of N350 and Powerpistol in 40 S&W reveals....... N350 is 50 FPS faster, shoots softer with none of the brilliant flash exhibited by Powerpistol...... TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Posted September 28, 2002 Share Posted September 28, 2002 Hi, wanna try french Vectan powders , Graf & Son's has them at a real competitive price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twix Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 I CAN ECHO TM. Higher cost of VV powders is somewhat offset because the VV's tend to require less powder to make the same power factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Tree Rat: Excellent post. My findings agree w/ yours as to TG being clean in high pressure loadings(like 9mm and .40) but less clean in low pressure loadings like the .45ACP. Good point. Also agree w/ comparison (in MINOR .40 S&W, not major) loaded w/ straight Clays vs. VV N310. For MINOR .40, Clays may be the ideal low cost powder. BTW, I am still using straight Clays in MAJOR .45 while recognizing that it may not be the best powder for making major PF in the .40 S&W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Another note concerning Clays and Minor 40.......... I load 155 FMJ-FP's to 1.140 for my single stack. At that length, you can't get any lower than 136 PF even at start charge of 3.6. The cases fall at my feet for the lightest recoil you can imagine......using a 10# spring. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter K Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Guys! I am shocked! Here in Germany the prices for propellants are much higher than in the US!!! For 500 grams of VV N340 we have to pay around 40 EURO´s (=40 Dollars!!!). In the US: 20 Dollars. For 500 grams of the french Vectan Nobel Sp2Pracitcal we have to pay 28 EUROs (=Dollars)!!! In the US: 10 Dollars! Isn´t it crazy? The stuff is produced in the European Union, then shipped more than 3000 miles towards America and then much cheaper than here in the land where it has been produced!? (Edited by Peter K at 7:49 pm on Oct. 10, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Hallo Peter, here in France , a 500 grams canister of SP 2 is 31 € Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 [scratchy Old Grandpa's Voice ON] Gather 'round the fire laddies and let me regale you with stories of yesteryear.... When *I* was a boy, we used to still buy our reloading stuff at the old hardware store - the one that had the 75 year old cash register and pictures of sturgeon pinned up behind the counter that made Shamu look like guppy. I would ride my bike three or four miles to the store and park it in the hall between the inner and outer door. Waaaaayy back in a dusty corner were some big kegs of powder and a scale. I'd tell the owner how much powder I wanted and he'd scoop it out, weigh it, then send me home with a lunch sack full of gunpowder. I think I was all of thirteen, maybe fourteen years old. Nobody have a devil's damn about how old I was. They knew my Dad and that was all the authorization I needed. Price: about $7 a pound for Red Dot, and I thought that was a King's ransom to pay. That was a full week's worth of lawn mowing. Ohhhh....those were the days.... E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter K Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Edmond, so why is it so expensive in Europe and so inexpensive in the US? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipster Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Peter K My guess would be volume. I would guess that the US probably has as many shooters in it as the rest of the world combined. Just a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now