Identifying surplus powder help.

[roverboy]

Can anybody help with some powder than I found that a friend has? Its surplus marked WC880 I think. This may not be right because I didn't have anything to write it down. I was just wondering what powder this is closest to. Thanks for any help.

[RayinNH]

Could it have been WC860?

[roverboy]

Ray, that may be right. If I get to look at it again I'll see. What burning rate is WC860? I mean what modern powder would it be close to.

[swheeler]

Ray, that may be right. If I get to look at it again I'll see. What burning rate is WC860? I mean what modern powder would it be close to.

H870, AA 8700 class of powders/slow, lots can vary considerably, both I have are slightly faster than H870.

[TCLouis]

What about the possibility of WC 680 also.

Nail this down BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT ANY LOADS.

[RayinNH]

Good catch TC, I forgot about that one...Ray

[BCB]

How about WC-820 also?...

Maybe if you could get a lot number off of the container, that might "nail" the i.d. down...

There are major differences with the burning rates of all the powders suggested--as all who suggested them know!!!

Just a thought on the lot number...

Suplus powder is always a nice inexpensive reloading component. (Well, it used to be, but not so much now!)

Good-luck...BCB

[RayinNH]

How about WC-820 also?...BCB


:killingpc...Ray

[roverboy]

The powder is WC860. Pretty slow powder is what I hear. I don't have anything with a lot of powder capacity. The most is .30-06. Its probably too slow for good loads in the .30-06.

[swheeler]

Roverboy different lots of it can be quite different in burn speed, but even the fastest lot will be slow for the 06 with all but heaviest bullets. You may find it to be a good powder for cast in your gun/guns I've used it in many.

[JCherry]

WC 860 is a great powder for 30-06 and 30-40 Krag with 220 grain cast bullets.

Go to the bottom of the Castboolits page and click on CASTPICS, select "Research & Data" then select Cast Members Load Data, accept the agreement and then select the caliber you are interested in and you will find some very good load information for WC-860 and other suplus powders.

Have Fun,

JCherry

[roverboy]

When I get all set up in casting I'm gonna try some WC860 and Thunderbird 5070 with cast bullets. The heaviest mold I have is 168 gr. I probably need to get something about 40 or 50 grains heavier. I got 2 8lb. jugs of WC860 and 1 8 lb. of T5070 for free!

[Jim]

Milsurp powder load data (http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/LoadData/default.html)

[mroliver77]

roverboy do some searching and reading on loading this powder in 06 class cartridges. THERE IA A LOT OF POSTS IN THE PAST ABOUT IT. There are some tricks besides using heavy boolits that will help it to burn better. Free is a great price! It might be worth buying the heaviest Lee .30 mold they make.
Jay

[TCLouis]

Thanx Jim,

That link was well worth bookmarking

[TCLouis]

Is WC860 that much slower than the old WC 870?

[flounderman]

I bought 50 lbs of wc 860 when clinton and reno were in office. a case full in a 300 win mag and 165 gr jacketed bullets did not give very impressive velocity. it will take a heavy bullet to get any pressure in an 06. might be accurate, but probably won't burn clean and probably will have a wide variance of velocity. the wc852 would probably be a better choice but you can't beat the price on your 860 so try it with some heavy bullets.

[madsenshooter]

You could try one of the 250gr 30 caliber molds they have in the group buy section now. You might get it up to pressure in the 06 with that. I use it my Krag with a 220gr for a tad over 1800fps. like the fellow said, can't beat the price, gotta use it. One of the fellows with quickload said I'd get around 1600 using the 250gr with a casefull of 860 in the Krag. Can't compress it a whole lot or the shoulder of your case grows! I got lucky and the fellow I was loading for had an improved chamber anyway.