FN49 8x57 and WC846

[phillips66]

Hey guys, I bought an Egyption FN49 maybe 30 years ago in 8x57. It shoots fine but eats brass, probably due to me stripping it to clean and messing with the gas regulator. That thing sure had a bunch of desert sand caked everywhere and a sand blasted stock to match. I think I have the regulator figured out, but I want to shoot it again using surplus powder and 150gr spitzer bullets. I bought some new 8x57 brass not long ago and I'm trying to work up some loads for it using WC846 powder. The batch I have burns very close to BL-C2 and can usually be substituted for it. When I look up load data for a 150 gr bullet & BL-C2 in several Speer manuals, they say 45 grains is the max load. Hogdgon Load Data says 55 is max. Which is correct?

The can of WC846 I have is labeled DuPont and has the original push down cap. The powder works great in a 308 150 gr bullet GI brass 44.5 gr.

-Bryan

[Ken in Iowa]

That is a huge difference. I would probably check a few more loading manuals.

WC846 would have been made by Olin, not DuPont. I once bought surplus powder that was shipped to me in an anti-freeze jug. Whatever works!

[gew98]

There is a guy from MO that sells powder at the knob creek shoot. He had alot of WC844 this time around for $144 per 8lb bottle. He has had 846 off and on and wc852. I have had good results with 852 surplus in 30-06 , 8x57 mm and 303 brit. The 846 and 844 work rather fine in 223 or 308 - especially considering it's from pull downs of those calibers..