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N140 Loads with 174 gr SMK |
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britrifles 
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Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Georgia, USA Status: Offline Points: 8404 |
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 Topic: N140 Loads with 174 gr SMKPosted: February 04 2025 at 2:52pm |
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I’ve got about 10 lbs of Varget left. I see it’s available here again, but insane prices now, $440 for 8 lbs plus shipping and hazmat fee.
Thinking of trying N140 which I have lots of. Anyone have a favorite load with N140 in .303? I’m thinking in the range of 39 to 40 grains. |
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Sapper740
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Joined: July 15 2021 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 1737 |
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 1:56am |
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I've been wondering what to do when my supply of Varget runs out too and have looked at N140 as an alternative. You've probably seen this: https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading-data/rifle-reloading/?cartridge=28 ; on their website and it looks like N140 is a good candidate for the .303 British with a starting load of 38.4 grains giving a velocity of 2379 and a max load of 41.7 grains giving 2566 so anyone wanting to match the service rounds velocity should be able to without pressure concerns. Please share any results if you use N140 as I'm sure there would be much interest in your results
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britrifles
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 3:19am |
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Yes, I did see that. 39.0 gr. N140 should give 2400 fps for the 174 gr SMK.
For the .7.62/.308, 40.0 gr N140 with 168 SMK should give 2430 fps for the 168 gr SMK. Add to my “to do list”.
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Zed
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 4:08am |
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The N140 is a very good powder.
Unfortunately I can't get it from my usual go to gun shop. However a friend of mine, who shoots in the National Service Rifle competition here in France uses it to good effect in his No4 rifle. 40 gr load with 174 Match King is his preferred load. He is generally on the podium and often wins our regional finals.
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britrifles
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 4:22am |
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Thanks Shaun, I’ll probably load up five rounds each of 39.0, 39.5 and 40.0 and chrono the load.
2400 fps with the 174 SMK seems to be a sweet spot on the No. 4. |
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Strangely Brown
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 4:58am |
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Geoff, 39~40 grs of N140 is a very standard load over here in the UK, most who shoot with it though are typical 200 yard only shooters.
I seem to recall in LERA's early days we were told that 41.8grs of N140 replicated exactly the MkVII velocity?? On a personal note I load my SB"b" with 41.5 grs and find it works for me at 500 & 600, I really ought to try it out to 900 again when the weather changes.
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Mick
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britrifles
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 5:19am |
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Apparently I’ve already tested N140 loads with the 174 SMK, in two different No. 4 rifles. I went to add a N140 load to my reloading data log book and found one already there. Did that in 2020.
I tested 38.5, 39.0, 39.5 and 40.0. 39.5 and 40.0 did best, but did not chrono these loads. I remarked that the 38.5 load shot 3 minutes lower than my regular 40.0 gr Varget match load. They were all fired prone at 200 yds; five 10 shot groups of 39.5 and 40.0 in two different rifles, which is enough to make a good assessment of these loads. Groups were not as good as my 40.0 Varget load and I was not able to consistently shoot clean scores, average was 99/100 and low X count, so I did not pursue further. As painful as it was, I went ahead and bought another 8 lbs of Varget, $505 delivered to the door. That’s the most I’ve ever paid for powder. I remember paying less than $100 for a 8 lb jug, those days are long gone. If I had the patience, I would have looked locally for it, but worried it would quickly sell out. Still not seen any H4895 in several years now which I use in the M1. |
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britrifles
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 5:22am |
Mick, perhaps I need to pump the load up a bit. 40.0 was max in my tests, and I did not chrono that load. Glad you chimed in. I was closing the book on N140 for the .303. Think I will run some more tests at 40.0, 40.5 and 41.0, this time with the T at 300 and 600 and chrono the results. |
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Strangely Brown
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 5:29am |
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Casting my mind wayback the popularity of N140 took off when H4895 disappeared over here, N140 has generally been plentiful on he UK market hence its popularity in the UK.
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Mick
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britrifles
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 5:56am |
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Makes sense, after all, the first criteria in selecting a powder is it must be available!
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DarioPirovano
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 7:53am |
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40.5 grains of n140 with s&b 180gr fmj
Is the go to load between the shooters at my range |
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DarioPirovano
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 7:58am |
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In Italy currently n140 costs about 170€ per kilo
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Strangely Brown
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 8:14am |
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The current UK price for N140 is £118 = euro 141.72.
I can just remember it at £38 (euro 46.64) and we all though that was expensive!
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Mick
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britrifles
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 10:15am |
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That would be £429 for 8 lbs, $536 USD. Pretty close to what I just paid
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Sapper740
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 1:55pm |
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Just did a quick search for powders and Hodgdon Powder has 8 lb. jugs of Varget on sale for $423.99, Graf and Sons has 8 lb. jugs of N140 for $334.99, both in stock. After I burn through my Varget I'll definitely be checking out N140.
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Mayhem
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Posted: February 05 2025 at 4:01pm |
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I bought a 4 kg (8.8 Lb) jug of AR2208 in November and it cost me $510 Australian ($320 US), which is the most I have paid. However, it remains a cheaper option than buying 1 kg (2.2 Lb) bottles, which are about $170 each ($106 US).
Based on the above, that equates to $291 US for 8 Lb. ADI has no plans to stop making AR2208 and while it is supposedly in continuous production, its availability is cyclic in nature. We have often been told that the US market takes priority, so maybe you will observe this same cyclic pattern of availability, as the two markets are being catered for. It remains one of the most popular rifle powders they produce. Just looking at my local shop's website and they are currently out of 2208. They don't list any Vihtavuori powders but do have quite a selection of Alliant powders, which are expensive $125 Australian for 1Lb ($78 US). I have no interest in using Alliant powders but thought a comparison of prices for US powders available here in Australia may be of interest.
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Strangely Brown wrote: