Help me choose a powder

[bangbangping]

Don't know if you checked Graf & Sons. $32.39 per pound, or ~$26 per if you buy an 8 pound jug. $10 Hazmat. Vitavouri is always higher than most other powders.

[Dolomite_Supafly]

Not resurrecting a dead thread ... just a slow thinker.

First - a very big thank you to all for the responses/info!

Second - I’m re-thinking (and you thought I abandoned this post!) what I want in the way of a subsonic load.

Second & half - Are there really not good powders for subsonic loads with bullets in the 150-180grain range?
I see published data for light and heavy bullets, but this range seems to be a gap.

Third - My goal is an inexpensive and very accurate, general purpose load (mostly target, some plinking, a little “pest control”, etc-but not hunting/would use a super for hunting). Quieter is better, too. I have gleaned much from the pet loads posts. The more I read, the more what this load should be, changes.

Inexpensive AND very accurate is going to be a feat. Not saying it is impossible but you are going to have to put some effort in somewhere. For most it is cheaper to start with accurate bullets that tend to work without a lot of effort.

Jacketed bullets tend to be more accurate than cast for most people. But with that being said cast can easily be as accurate as jacketed but it requires a lot more effort and skill. It all depends on what kind of accuracy you are looking for and what kind of effort you are willing to put towards the goal. I used to spend a LOT of time shooting groups. Well most of it was in preparing the brass to be as accurate as possible. One thing I still do because it gave me the biggest gains in accuracy was uniforming and deburring the flash holes of the cases. Lyman has a $12 tool that works great. I get it adjusted and put it into a drill. You only have to do it once but it is imperative that your cases are trimmed to a uniform length. Make sure you have a baffle in your powder measure, if not the powder charge will change as the amount of powder in the hopper changes. If you don't want to anneal I would strongly suggest crimping the bullet as well to get a uniform hold onto the bullet.

You can use the same load data for the 150-180 bullets as you do for the 200+ subsonic loads. They are going to be safe but the bullets will probably be supersonic so you will have to work down to a subsonic load. It is always better to work down when loading subsonic bullets. If you work up you might stick a bullet in the bore. It is not the end of the world if it happens as they generally come out without a lot of problems. The problem comes when you don't notice sticking a bullet and then sticking another. One bullet is easy but two bullets is nearly impossible.

I use a lot of XTP bullets for nuisance animals but they generally will not feed.

[Oops]

Alright ... I’m beginning to think y’all have been having way too much fun sending me on a “snipe hunt” for n120. I’ve seen lots of vitavouri powders in a store, but never n120. I see where it supposedly can be ordered online but at prices so high they have to get clearance from NASA.
I give up.
I think n120 is vaporware.

Ask the stores that stock other VihtaVouri powders to include some on their next order.

This is why I go out of my way to support the locals. I can generally get anything I want within 10 days. No shipping, no hazmat and always within $3-5 of online per pound prices.

Or I’m sure if you watch the ads this weekend, somebody probably has a no hazmat sale going on.

Definitely been trying the locals for the past couple of weeks. No joy. Then I started shopping online ...

[Oops]

Don't know if you checked Graf & Sons. $32.39 per pound, or ~$26 per if you buy an 8 pound jug. $10 Hazmat. Vitavouri is always higher than most other powders.

I checked Graf & Sons. Good price, low cost shipping and hazmat. Minimum 4 lbs order. I did not want to spend north of franklin just to try a new-to-me powder.

I’m beginning to get the feeling that I’m being too picky.

[Oops]

Not resurrecting a dead thread ... just a slow thinker.

First - a very big thank you to all for the responses/info!

Second - I’m re-thinking (and you thought I abandoned this post!) what I want in the way of a subsonic load.

Second & half - Are there really not good powders for subsonic loads with bullets in the 150-180grain range?
I see published data for light and heavy bullets, but this range seems to be a gap.

Third - My goal is an inexpensive and very accurate, general purpose load (mostly target, some plinking, a little “pest control”, etc-but not hunting/would use a super for hunting). Quieter is better, too. I have gleaned much from the pet loads posts. The more I read, the more what this load should be, changes.

Inexpensive AND very accurate is going to be a feat. Not saying it is impossible but you are going to have to put some effort in somewhere. For most it is cheaper to start with accurate bullets that tend to work without a lot of effort.

Jacketed bullets tend to be more accurate than cast for most people. But with that being said cast can easily be as accurate as jacketed but it requires a lot more effort and skill. It all depends on what kind of accuracy you are looking for and what kind of effort you are willing to put towards the goal. I used to spend a LOT of time shooting groups. Well most of it was in preparing the brass to be as accurate as possible. One thing I still do because it gave me the biggest gains in accuracy was uniforming and deburring the flash holes of the cases. Lyman has a $12 tool that works great. I get it adjusted and put it into a drill. You only have to do it once but it is imperative that your cases are trimmed to a uniform length. Make sure you have a baffle in your powder measure, if not the powder charge will change as the amount of powder in the hopper changes. If you don't want to anneal I would strongly suggest crimping the bullet as well to get a uniform hold onto the bullet.

You can use the same load data for the 150-180 bullets as you do for the 200+ subsonic loads. They are going to be safe but the bullets will probably be supersonic so you will have to work down to a subsonic load. It is always better to work down when loading subsonic bullets. If you work up you might stick a bullet in the bore. It is not the end of the world if it happens as they generally come out without a lot of problems. The problem comes when you don't notice sticking a bullet and then sticking another. One bullet is easy but two bullets is nearly impossible.

I use a lot of XTP bullets for nuisance animals but they generally will not feed.

Thanks for the tip on trimming and flash hole demurring. Yes, I’m already doing both. And yes, I think I need to stick to jackets bullets.

I am planning on getting around to trying the XTPs. Those sound appealing.