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Tin Star


Buckshot Bob

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Anyone have any loads for Vihtavuori N32C ?

i just went through the favorite 38 spec load thread and didn’t even see a mention of it “guessing nobody must like it “ and can’t find much of

anything in loading manuals . I’m new to cowboy shooting so I figured I’d try some of the cowboy powder , so I picked up some tin star and some trail boss without even looking at any manuals . Seems there’s plenty of info for TB 

im using a 125 tc and a 357 case 

 

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You can find data for it under the N32C designation on the Vihtavuori web site.  I have used several pounds in .45 Colt and it shoots great, but I doubt you will find any light load data for it. I have not tried downloading below published data, so have no idea what to expect if you do.

Not all of their “cowboy” load data is SASS legal, so watch your velocity...

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I noticed the loads I could find for 125 were all at or exceeding 1000 FPS 

im definitely gonna experiment with it and the tb 

I used to to shoot sporting clays and have allot of clays and solo and they seem pretty popular.

you would think with it being sold as a cowboy powder their would be allot of cowboy loading data 

guess it must have never really taken off 

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It seemed to shoot REALLY dirty and inconsistently when you loaded below their fairly speedy "lower limit" loads.  It was a rare V V powder that was not successful and not able to suit it's intended usage after it was introduced 10+ years ago.  It got to where V V was giving the stuff away at major matches, and still could not build a market for it.  Now, most folks completely ignore it.

 

Clays, Red Dot, Trail Boss, Tite Group, Unique are some of the most commonly used powders that run well for Cowboy loads.

 

Sorry for the let down.  GJ

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8 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

It seemed to shoot REALLY dirty and inconsistently when you loaded below their fairly speedy "lower limit" loads.  It was a rare V V powder that was not successful and not able to suit it's intended usage after it was introduced 10+ years ago.  It got to where V V was giving the stuff away at major matches, and still could not build a market for it.  Now, most folks completely ignore it.

 

Clays, Red Dot, Trail Boss, Tite Group, Unique are some of the most commonly used powders that run well for Cowboy loads.

 

Sorry for the let down.  GJ

No big deal , it’s only a pound and I can shoot it in something , I gotta have better than 6lb of clays right now , it was always really clean in a 12 ga .

i just decided to use all 357 brass because I don’t want to clean any more lead out of the chambers than I have to seeing I’ll be cleaning 13 of them . Plus I already had a bunch . The powders that take up a bunch of volume sounded appealing.

 

finding what works is allot of the fun 

 

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I build reduced loads with 190-200 gr lead bullets with it and use them in my Krags and ‘03 Springfields. The stuff works for me. 

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Maybe load it specifically for your rifle?  .357 would be great for those long shots... Maybe long range side match.

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 I still have a little bit left from a giveaway at EOT 5 years ago.  I  tried it in several calibers and what GJ said is spot on.  Lots of almost squib loads - very inconsistent.

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6 hours ago, Joe LaFives #5481 said:

 I still have a little bit left from a giveaway at EOT 5 years ago.  I  tried it in several calibers and what GJ said is spot on.  Lots of almost squib loads - very inconsistent.

Guess I should have done my research beforehand. I’ve used their powders in the past and while they always seemed to be a little more expensive they always preformed great . Guess every company has a dud once and a while.

ill find something to burn it up in . Just glad I didn’t buy the economy size container 

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14 hours ago, RMW said:

Anyone have any loads for Vihtavuori N32C ?

i just went through the favorite 38 spec load thread and didn’t even see a mention of it “guessing nobody must like it “ and can’t find much of

anything in loading manuals . I’m new to cowboy shooting so I figured I’d try some of the cowboy powder , so I picked up some tin star and some trail boss without even looking at any manuals . Seems there’s plenty of info for TB 

im using a 125 tc and a 357 case 

 

For 357 brass you should be able to use Vihtavouri's 38 Special data at the mid to upper end. That will contain the velocities, should preserve enough pressure, and give the lighter loads used in CAS, even if their data is targeted to that use. Looks like that would be 5.3-5.7 grains. That's one of those guesses we have to make for our use, so load a few and try them (as a test, not in match just yet). I don't know about "dirty". If my brass is black and it ejects okay, so what? The issue should be whether there are any unburned powder particles. Tin Star should give the same case fill as a Trailboss load with similar performance numbers. It takes more powder to do that because of differing burn rate and density, but the numbers come out very close.

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12 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

It seemed to shoot REALLY dirty and inconsistently when you loaded below their fairly speedy "lower limit" loads.  It was a rare V V powder that was not successful and not able to suit it's intended usage after it was introduced 10+ years ago.  It got to where V V was giving the stuff away at major matches, and still could not build a market for it.  Now, most folks completely ignore it.

 

Sorry for the let down.  GJ

Yes it is DIRTY and INCONSISTENT even when loading to VV published load data minimums! In the end it appears to be an overpriced poorly designed attempt at being a Trail Boss competitor at which it failed IMO! 

 

 

10 hours ago, Joe LaFives #5481 said:

  Lots of almost squib loads - very inconsistent.

This is spot on ^^

Good Luck If your attempting to use it at anywhere near CAS performance levels or in cold weather. You will experience an abundance of unburied powder, and like Joe Lafives says, SQIBS in cold weather! The use of magnum primers to mask the shortfall of Tin Star didn’t alleviate the issues in most instances.

 

(My experience using it in 45 Colt & 45 Cowboy) 

I still have several pounds that need a new home <_<

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On 3/25/2020 at 4:14 AM, RMW said:

Guess I should have done my research beforehand. I’ve used their powders in the past and while they always seemed to be a little more expensive they always preformed great . Guess every company has a dud once and a while.

ill find something to burn it up in . Just glad I didn’t buy the economy size container 

I can understand that.  I think their N320 is excellent and use it when I can get it.  I was surprised that Tin Star wasn't up to snuff.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Found this on the cast boolets forum from 2014 . I don’t go there much so I don’t know how reliable the information is . 
 


In the 38 SPL the N32C Tin Star proved to be a very good powder. I tested with the 105 and 125 gr cast bullets with 3, 3.3, 3.6, 3.9, 4, 4.2, 4.5 and 4.8 gr of TS. Psi ran from 9,200 to 14,900. Velocity of selected loads from Uberti ER with 4 3/4" barrel were; 3.6 gr at 607 fps, 3.8 gr at 672 fps and 3.9 gr at 716 fps. The 3.9 gr load was recommended for CBA shooting.

The 125 gr cast was tested with 3.8, 4.0, 4.2, 4.5, 4.8, and 5.1 gr N32C Tin Star. Psi's ran from immeasurable (not enough psi to expand the .38 SPL case and put strain on the barrel) to 18,800. The 3.8 gr load ran 688 fps and the 4 gr load ran 745 fps out of the 4 3/4" barreled revolver. Accuracy was also excellent out of the Contender test barrel up through the 5.1 gr load which was at the SAAMI +P MAP for the cartridge.

The N32C was excellent in the 44 SPL under a 205 gr cast bullet. A selected CBA load of 4.6 did not have sufficient psi to measure. Velocity was 643 fps from the 5.9" revolver SAA barrel. Accuracy was 2.6" for the 10 test shots at 25 yards. Internal ballistics were excellent with an SD of 9 fps and an ES of 28 fps. A max load of 6 gr gave 14,500 psi also with excellent internal ballistics.

In the 44 Magnum under the 205 gr cast bullet 4.5 to 6.6 gr N32C was tested. No PSI measurement was recorded as even the 6.6 gr load did not give sufficient psi to expand the magnum cases and put a measurable strain on the Contender barrel. That generally requires 8,200 - 9,000 psi. The selected TS load of 6 gr with the 205 gr bullet ran 697 fps out of the 5.9" SAA barrel.  

In the 45 ACP 5 gr of N32C was found to be excellent under a 230 gr cast bullet. The psi was 13,800 and velocity out of the 5" M1911 was 752 fps. Accuracy was excellent.

Larry Gibson

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38 minutes ago, Buckshot Bob said:

so I don’t know how reliable the information is

 

Well, Larry Gibson over there on CB forum is usually very precise with his information.  

But how much he runs large numbers of really light loads that Cowboy shooters do, I have no idea.  

 

What I DO know is that I tried it and as I reported above, did NOT like it.  (Even less than I like Trail Boss.)

And as you see above, several others with lots of Cowboy experience have not liked it either. 

 

So, everyone has their own opinion.  Let's leave it there, and not descend into a "let's see you and him fight" match.  :lol:  If you can replicate Larry's experience with using his loads and you like it, great.   You've got a way to use up a lesser-used powder.

 

Good luck, GJ

 

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1 minute ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

 

Well, Larry Gibson over there on CB forum is usually very precise with his information.  

But how much he runs large numbers of really light loads that Cowboy shooters do, I have no idea.  

 

What I DO know is that I tried it and as I reported above, did NOT like it.  (Even less than I like Trail Boss.)

And as you see above, several others with lots of Cowboy experience have not liked it either. 

 

So, everyone has their own opinion.  Let's leave it there, and not descend into a "let's see you and him fight" match.  :lol:  If you can replicate Larry's experience with using his loads and you like it, great.   You've got a way to use up a lesser-used powder.

 

Good luck, GJ

 

I probably will try it just to , but I have over 8lb of solo 1000 . And everyone here seemed pretty happy with that until they stopped making it . So that’s probably going to be “my powder” until it’s gone 

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