Vihtavuori N500 High Energy
Vihtavuori N555
A newer high-energy powder designed around the 6.5 Creedmoor and similar large-case, small-bore cartridges, for competition and hunting where accuracy and shot-to-shot consistency matter.
A newer powder designed around the 6.5 Creedmoor and its relatives, and one of the more interesting things Vihtavuori has released. The temperature-stability and anti-fouling claims are aggressive, and the lot-to-lot consistency the brand is known for matters most in exactly this application. If you shoot a 6.5 or 6mm Creedmoor across a wide temperature range and you have been living on H4350, this is the powder in this set actually aimed at you. Premium price, as always with the brand.
- 6.5 Creedmoor competition
- 6mm Creedmoor
- .260 Remington
- 284 Winchester
Who has Vihtavuori N555 today
Checked October 10In stock at 1 store — lowest in hand $59.05/lb (8 lb at Graf & Sons)
| Store | Size | Shelf | In hand /lb | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 8 lb | $434.99 | $59.05 | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 1 lb | $65.99 | $103.44 | In stock ↗ |
| Bruno Shooters Supply$26.95 hazmat + $19.95 ship | 8 lb | $400.99 | $55.99 | Out |
| Bruno Shooters Supply$26.95 hazmat + $19.95 ship | 1 lb | $58.99 | $105.89 | 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 N500 High Energy |
| Status | Currently produced |
| Application | rifle |
| Grain form | extruded |
| Lee VMD (bulk density) | 0.0762 cc per grain · 0.85 g/cc |
| Composition | double-base |
| Temperature stable | Yes — claimed by the manufacturer |
| Burn-rate position | 164 of 198 (fastest = 1) — what this means |
| Typical cartridges | 6.5 Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor, 260 Remington, 284 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield |
Grain shape
Single-perforated extruded tube, neutral-burning, so gas production stays steady across the whole burn, which is what produces the low velocity spread this powder is sold on. Regular grain shape, so it meters better than a long random-length stick.
Why geometry decides burn rate more than chemistry does: Shape Is the Product.
Vihtavuori states N555 contains an anti-fouling agent that minimises barrel fouling, calls it the most temperature stable reloading powder in its class and insensitive in extreme weather, and advertises lot-to-lot consistency.
Burn rate
Vihtavuori places its burn rate between N550 and N160.
Chart agreement: consistent across the three charts that list it Ranked by: Hodgdon, Vihtavuori, Wolfe/LoadData.
Powders charted near it — neighbours on the chart are not substitutes, and adjacency tells you nothing about what charge either one takes:
- Ramshot Hunter (position 161)
- Vihtavuori N160 (position 162)
- Hodgdon H4831 (position 166)
- Hodgdon H4831SC (position 166)
- Vihtavuori N560 (position 167)
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.