N530 in 204 R and 17 Rem

[17-204]

Does anyone have experience using N530 in 17 Rem and 204 Ruger.
Like everyone I am looking at powder options.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Dave

[Ricepidding]

Hi Dave,
The Vhit 5 series powders are very coarse. Used to use N560 in a 6.5x55. Ran through loader like coke. (That's coal derived coke!)
Worked well though.

Cheers

[17-204]

Ricepidding
Thanks for your reply.
I was not able to get enough real user feedback on the N530...so I have ordered N133.
N133 appears to be a proven performer for the 204 R

[skipper]

I find Vihtavuori a rather finicky powder to work with. You might want to give Benchmark a try. I get superior accuracy, metering, and repeatable performance every time.

[17-204]

Skipper
You say the Vihtavuori powder is finicky. Was that N133 you were using? What were the issues? Did you get any acceptable results?
I have been loading 25gr of Benchmark under 40gr V Max or Nosler BT with great results. I am just looking at other options with the powders that are available.

[Bill K]

Don't overlook CFE 223, as another very fine powder in the 204R.

[17-204]

Bill
You and a lot of others are CFE 223 believers. I have not tried that powder yet...but will look for some and give it a try.
I found very acceptable results in short order with Benchmark.
Dave

[skipper]

Skipper
You say the Vihtavuori powder is finicky. Was that N133 you were using? What were the issues? Did you get any acceptable results?
I have been loading 25gr of Benchmark under 40gr V Max or Nosler BT with great results. I am just looking at other options with the powders that are available.

I have only ever tried N 133. By finicky I was referring to the velocities that were spread out all over and it seemed to be sensitive to the weather. I heard other benchrest shooters rave about it and decided to try it. Of course they shoot 6mm so there are some inherent differences. My groups were much like using Reloader 10X, so I tried Benchmark with the 35 gr Berger flat based bullets, CCI BR-4 primers, fully prepped WW cases, and using an arbor press with strain gauge to get the neck tension just right. I found that I could get my groups much tighter as long as I did everything exactly the same every round. I even made sure I inserted the rounds in my chamber with the same method every time so that the powder would fall into the same shape/configuration inside the case. I know, I know, OCD

[17-204]

Thanks for your feedback on the N133. I have some on the way and will work on loads until something works..or not.
We shall see.
Thanks again for your input!

[Jim White]

I tried N135, N140 & N540 in my 204's when I first got them. They did OK but I had better luck with several others that were very plentiful at the time so I just stuck with them.

[Rick in Oregon]

In the 223, N133 gave me one-hole five shot groups....the very best my Cooper will do, but DANG is that stuff ever expensive! I have almost a full pound of it on the powder shelf, but am saving it for times when I want the very best accuracy possible (not sure when that really is though.....).

With the price of powder skyrocketing upwards month by month, I'll stick to 'standard' powders for slaying chucks and ground squirrels. Varmints don't deserve that pricey powder!

[17-204]

Rick,
Did you experience any temp sensitivity with the N133?
You are absolutely right about the skyrocketing prices of reloading consumables...and everything else we buy now.
But I believe that expensive and accurate hand loaded ammo is the least and last thing I can do for Skippy. LOL!!

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick,
Did you experience any temp sensitivity with the N133?
You are absolutely right about the skyrocketing prices of reloading consumables...and everything else we buy now.
But I believe that expensive and accurate hand loaded ammo is the least and last thing I can do for Skippy. LOL!!

I didn't shoot enough of it to honestly tell, just some bench time on paper and one day of rat shooting. Accurate as heck, fast too, just too expensive for me when I can still get at or under 1/4" groups with 10X and H4895. One hole loads are what we all want, but half inch on squirrels is plenty good enough for me. Rats fly!

If this Obiden inflation keeps up, rat shooting will be only for the privledged among us. That or less shooting altogether. At least now we ALL know what to NOT vote for!

[Jim White]

Rick,
Did you experience any temp sensitivity with the N133?
You are absolutely right about the skyrocketing prices of reloading consumables...and everything else we buy now.
But I believe that expensive and accurate hand loaded ammo is the least and last thing I can do for Skippy. LOL!!

The one thing I remember reading about VV rifle powders was the 500 series is double based and the 100 series is single based. How that impacts powder sensitivity is unknown to me. I've also read that a few years back that they also did some reformulating of their powders so maybe they are or have addressed that issue. Since their competitors are doing it I would figure that they are too. But even with temperature resistant powders one of the biggest impacts to that will be the firearm itself if one isn't paying attention.

Several years back, just out of chance I did a little experiment with some of the Hodgdon EXTREME line of powders. They were fairly consistent but one thing that gets warm pretty quick is the inside of the barrel chamber after a few shots especially with a small cartridge like the 204, 223 or others in that size range.

Anyway, I did a little test a warm [but not-hot!] barrel and a chamber by leaving a loaded round in the chamber for over different time periods. What I discovered was there was a difference in the point of impact and the grouping; the longer it was chambered the worse things became.

My message would be to anyone, is to be aware of how long one leaves a round chambered in a warm barrel because in a hot rat patch it doesn't take long to heat up a barrel, especially with a 204 and even quicker if it has a sporter barrel. This may not be relevant to everyone but I thought I would pass it on.

One thing I've learned in my experience but certainly not absolute that generally speaking, ball powders are more sensitive to temperature changes than extruded powders are.

[Rick in Oregon]

Anyway, I did a little test a warm [but not-hot!] barrel and a chamber by leaving a loaded round in the chamber for over different time periods. What I discovered was there was a difference in the point of impact and the grouping; the longer it was chambered the worse things became.

As usual Jim, you're spot-on.

As for shooting in the cherished 'hot rat patch', I've found the best method over the years to nurse a warm barrel is once a round has been fired, work the bolt to remove the fired case, rest the next round in the action and leave the bolt open to cool the barrel while waiting for the next target to appear. This allows ambient air to enter the chamber and barrel to equalize inside/outside temperature. Once the next rodent (victim) comes into view, it's a simple matter to just close the bolt and engage the target. This of course assumes using bolt guns for bench shooting rats.

This is also another reason I do not take repeaters for colony rodents. All my rat rifles are either solid-bottom receiver single shots (Cooper) or repeaters converted to single shot via the single shot loading trays placed over the magazine follower. The solid-bottom receiver rifles (no mag cutout) are always demonstrably more accurate than their repeater cousins.

We won't discuss semi-auto's for this, as no one I know uses them for rat shooting. Also many ranchers out our way do not care for AR's on their property for various social and personal reasons. A wicked accurate bolt gun is all that's needed.

"Fun with rodents"? YOU BET!

"Field barrel cooling".....



And the end result......"Skippy the Flying Squirrel"!



The most fun you can have with a rifle......period!