Vihtavuori Pistol
Vihtavuori N310
A very fast target powder aimed at light bullseye and wadcutter handgun loads. Vihtavuori also lists it for light target shotshell loads and notes its use by blank-ammunition makers.
The fastest powder Vihtavuori makes, and a specialist: light wadcutter and bullseye loads in .32 S&W Long, .38 Special and .45 ACP, plus very light target shotshell and blank work. In its window it is superb, being clean, precise and beautifully behaved. Outside that window it is dangerous, because the powder is so fast that the usable range is narrow and the case is barely occupied, so an overcharge or a double does not look like anything at all. This is a check-every-case powder, not a throw-and-trust powder.
- .38 Special wadcutter
- bullseye .45 ACP
- .32 S&W Long
- light 12 gauge target loads
Who has Vihtavuori N310 today
Checked October 10In stock at 1 store — lowest in hand $60.86/lb (4 lb at Graf & Sons)
| Store | Size | Shelf | In hand /lb | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 4 lb | $205.99 | $60.86 | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 1 lb | $61.99 | $99.44 | In stock ↗ |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 4 lb | $155.95 | $46.85 est. | Out |
| Bruno Shooters Supply$26.95 hazmat + $19.95 ship | 4 lb | $187.99 | $58.72 | Out |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 1 lb | $44.95 | $76.39 est. | Out |
| Bruno Shooters Supply$26.95 hazmat + $19.95 ship | 1 lb | $55.99 | $102.89 | Out |
“In hand” is the shelf price plus that store’s hazmat fee and shipping, spread over one container. Stock is checked once a day — confirm on the store’s page before ordering. Compare all powders →
Official Vihtavuori load data →
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Vihtavuori |
|---|---|
| Product family | Vihtavuori Pistol |
| Status | Currently produced |
| Application | pistol, shotshell |
| Grain form | extruded |
| Lee VMD (bulk density) | 0.1214 cc per grain · 0.53 g/cc |
| Composition | single-base |
| Burn-rate position | 3 of 198 (fastest = 1) — what this means |
| Typical cartridges | 32 S&W Long, 38 Special, 45 ACP, 12 Gauge |
Grain shape
Very short, highly porous tubular grains. The porosity is what gives so much burning surface for so little powder, which is where the speed comes from and why it is a light-load powder only. Short grains meter smoothly, but the small charge volume means metering precision matters more here than almost anywhere.
Why geometry decides burn rate more than chemistry does: Shape Is the Product.
Vihtavuori describes N310 as one of their most porous powder types, with very short tubular grains that meter smoothly through powder measures. Because it is so fast, it suits light loads only.
Burn rate
The fastest-burning powder Vihtavuori makes, and the first entry on their own burn rate chart.
Chart agreement: consistent - ranked at or near the very fastest position by every publisher that lists it. Ranked by: Hodgdon, Vihtavuori, Shooters World, Wolfe/LoadData.
Powders charted near it — neighbours on the chart are not substitutes, and adjacency tells you nothing about what charge either one takes:
- Alliant Extra-Lite (position 4)
- Shooters World Sparta 100 (position 5)
- Accurate Nitro 100 NF (position 6)
Sources
The specifications above come from Vihtavuori's own published documentation, linked below. The two “RCM's read” sections are ours, not theirs — our assessment of what this powder is like to load, drawn from its published characteristics and from what handloaders consistently report. No manufacturer endorses them and no source below backs them. If you think we have one wrong, tell us — we would rather fix it.