Favorite Surplus WC846 loads?

[Yodogsandman]

What are your favorite WC846 loads?

[Japlmg]

26 grains under a 55 grain FMJ in the 223.

[Yodogsandman]

This doesn't seem to be a well liked powder. I thought that being that cheap, there would be more common uses.

[MUSTANG]

WC844 and WC846 are very popular as they are/were Military Surplus; for the last 8 years they have been hard to get; only recently being back in the Military Surplus sales - but the prices are pretty high for MilSurp so not in use much currently.

I have a pound or so of both WC844 and WC846; all I have left over from buys of 48 Lbs each back about 2010. Wish they would come back (at the cheaper prices). Pats reloading http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel...ategory=Powder has WC844; but at a pricey $160.00 per 8lbs.

[P Flados]

FYI,

Bartlet (www.gibrass.com) has WC844 & WC846 at decent prices. WC844 - 8 lbs for $99, WC846 for $109.

The WC846 is just a little slower than WC844. Closer to BL-C(2), may be a little faster than WW 748.

This is right in the middle of the sweet zone as just fine for a huge segment of the rounds used in normal hunting rifles.

It may not have some of the newest features now available, but was good enough to be a staple with the US military for a long time.


I got 2 jugs of WC844. Should have bought more. Burn rate & behavior is pretty much the same as H335.
First loads tried were some light loads with some frangibles in 5.56 brass so my boy could shoot at the local indoor range. Worked great with no problems.

Shipping, hazmat & total as shown below.

Shipping: $17.78
HAZMAT: $30.00
TOTAL: $245.78

[Japlmg]

26 grains under a 55 grain FMJ in the 223.

I also use it to load 308, 8 mm Mauser and 7.7 Japanese.
Anything that uses BLC-2 can use the WC846.

Good lead on Bartlet Reloading.
I just bought 48 pounds from them, for right at $700 delivered.
That is right at $14.50 per pound.

[frankmako]

i use 846 in my 308 loads for chickens (200 meters) and pigs (300 meters) with a 147 and/or 150 gr fmj in nra silhouette matches. great powder and i wish that i had gotten more when it was cheap. if you have a blc-2 load then 846 will work.

[Jason.223]

I bought 32 lbs for $235 delivered about 18 years ago from Wideners. $7 bucks a pound was nice! I have used that powder for .222, .223 (243..with poor results) 30-06, 8mm, 303 brit, 30-30, 35 rem, 458 win, and 458 lott. My burn speed is like 748/blc2. I probably forgot a few other calibers. I miss the old days of CHEAP surplus!

Jason

[MostlyLeverGuns]

At today's prices, Ramshot TAC and others are better powders at similar prices. Cleaner burning, easier to light up, with loading data available from the manufacturer. I do have some surplus powders around (48 lbs of Accurate 2200 when it was $6/lb) but the price must be really good to invest the time and money in load development. Surplus is ok, if you just want a gun to go bang but long term availability can be an issue.

[MUSTANG]

Target on left is 308 Winchester load of 26 Grains WW846; using RCBS 165Sil Boolit with an Amerimax .014 Gas Check, WRA brass, and CCI standard LR primers. Shot in Bolt Action Rifle. 100 Yard - 10 Round Group.


Target on right is 308 Winchester load of 29 Grains WW846; using RCBS 165Sil Boolit with an Amerimax .014 Gas Check, WRA brass, and CCI standard LR primers. Shot in Bolt Action Rifle. 100 Yard - 10 Round Group.

[frankmako]

mustang, did you run these loads across a chronograph? this winter i am going to try the same bullets in my 308 with 846 powder to see if it would work at 200 and 300 meters.

[MUSTANG]

mustang, did you run these loads across a chronograph? this winter i am going to try the same bullets in my 308 with 846 powder to see if it would work at 200 and 300 meters.

No I have not run these two loads through the chronograph. I am guessing they will go at about 1750 to 1900 FPS. I recommend the use of a dacron filler with these loads. The RCBS 165Sil moving at 1750fps would give a ~1150 Foot Pounds of Energy; and at 1900fps would yield approximately 1360 Foot Pounds of Energy; a respectable energy for hunting in the 100 yards to 300 yard ranges for most North American game.


I'll have to load some of these one day and chronograph to see; currently extending the roof over our 50ft x12ft deck so shooting time is off the table for a while. Before I can load any .30 boolits I also have to take an evening and make up several hundred gas checks from .014 Amerimax aluminum as I am down to maybe 10 or so on the shelf.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive burned quite a few kegs of both 844 and 846. I prefer 844 for the 22 cal guns and for the bigger guns 846 but 846 will work fine in the 22s. Whats not to like. It meters perfectly and burns clean. Now asked what my favorite ball powder for 5.56 is and ill tell you 2230. But back when you could buy surplus cheap I use 844 and 846 exclusively. there basically the same powders as ramshot exterminator and tac. At least ive found it to be true in my guns.

[ammohead]

The winning open sight 50 yd from bench group at NCBS in 2017 was .743". Shot from a M1A 150 gr NOE fp with 30 gr of WC846. Approx 1800 fps.