Norma powders

[deadcenter]

Apologies if this has already come up.

Anyone have any info on the Norma powders that have appeared? Who makes it, equivalents, prices etc.

[Laurie]

They're made by Bofors in Sweden (which also makes many of the Alliant powder range). This bit of Bofors is a company within the Eurenco explosives and propellants multinational alongside the Belgian P B Clemont which manufactures Ramshot powders.

http://www.afems.org/partner/sweden/eurenco.html

Norma has eight rifle grades. All are relatively mildly double-based as per Alliant and half the Reload Swiss powders. 

http://normapowder.com

Norma 203B and Alliant Re15 are the same product and Norma MRP and Alliant Re22 are very close, probably were the same thing at one time, but Norma fans in other countries say that they're now slightly different and MRP will give usefully higher MVs in suitable cartridges.

The range as it then was was on sale here until some time in the  90s before the importer withdrew it almost certainly because it didn't sell in large enough quantities as it was considerably more expensive than Vihtavuori and a bit dearer than  Hodgdon / IMR / Alliant at contemporary prices.

With most Hodgdon and IMR now gone, RUAG Ammotec UK is trying its hand again, presumably in the belief that there will be shortages and handloaders are going to be willing to pay Norma prices - I'd doubt it! They are excellent powders and I've burned a good few pounds when they were last here, but they don't offer anything extra worth a considerable price premium, and I don't believe there is going to be such a shortage that price considerations will go out the window.

Still, who knows?   

 

[Elwood]

Out of interest Laurie can you give us a price difference say between Vhit and Norma?

[Laurie]

I don't know that Ian - out of sheer curiosity I've been looking around to see if I can find any online price listings to get a handle on this, but haven't seen any to date.

However, let's just say I was approached by a well known northern dealer whom you'll know too about my views on the Norma range when RUAG was sounding retailers out a few months ago. He wanted to know if these powders would offer any significant benefits over other post-Reach alternatives.

I suspected price was behind the query and asked if this was so which was confirmed. He said they would have to be something really special  and I'm quoting him verbatim here, before he'd take them at the prices he was quoted.

It may be of course that Norma something or other will be the new 4831 shortcut for 284 / 7WSM match shooters and therefore justify a price premium, so we'll have to see.  

[Elwood]

Thanks for that Laurie. I was looking into MRP which would appear to be a good powder for the F Open shooter, but I see from The Norma data that it's a double base powder, so that combined with a high price rules it out.

[deadcenter]

Interesting info, thanks guys.