I scored 8lb of W748

[MBTcustom]

I never messed with Winchester powders before. I saw this 8 pounder of Winchester 748 at a yard sale, made an offer (suffice it to say I need to do some nice things for some complete strangers very soon) and walked away with it. I was surprised to find the seal unbroken. I found out right quick that .223 loves it, but that's one cartridge that I will probably never have. I would like to know your thoughts on this powder if you have anything that really loves it (other than 5.56/.223 that is).
Can you help me get a feel for what this will probably work in?

[Outpost75]

It is almost ideal for .308 Winchester and .30-30.

Not the best choice in .30-'06, as it doesn't tolerate more than 10% airspace.

Best used in cases where you can fill them up. Burning rate is similar to 4064, Varget or RL-15, but more temperature sensitive.

Use WLR or Federal 210 primers ONLY with this stuff!

[Rainier]

I'm a stranger - feel free to send it my way :) I've been scouring the country side for some 748 and yes ideal powder for .308 - great find you'll enjoy it - it meters really nice.

[jmsj]

It is almost ideal for .308 Winchester and .30-30.

Not the best choice in .30-'06, as it doesn't tolerate more than 10% airspace.

Best used in cases where you can fill them up. Burning rate is similar to 4064, Varget or RL-15, but more temperature sensitive.

Use WLR or Federal 210 primers ONLY with this stuff!
I have used WW748 with success in these calibers and the .223. In .223 I use CCI small rifle mag primers
Good luck, jmsj

[blaser.306]

The 7mm TCU thrives on this powder with 150 grain J word slugs!

[MBTcustom]

Good to know fellers. I'm glad to hear it works for 308. I'm going to try it with the 358 Winchester and see what happens.

[dragon813gt]

I use it in 308 and 300 Savage w/ good results.

[btroj]

Try that in your 45-70 with a 405 cast bullet. It will get your attention.

[Garyshome]

Just got some 748 last month. I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

[felix]

Yes, it will work fine in 358W using normal loads. Do not underload it, and treat it as a high performance powder only, especially with cast because of cast's less ignition inertia. ... felix

[MBTcustom]

This is pretty much the same advice I got for 296 in 44mag. Are all Winchester powders like this? How does that square with shooting it in the 45/70?

[Smoke4320]

works in 6.5 Grendel, 7.5 x55, 7.62x54R, 308 and others.. Great ball powder.. not temp sensitive .. tends to be slightly on the dirty side but no bad.. very consistent in all my guns I load it for..

[felix]

The real exceptions, Tim, are 231, 700X, 800X powders. From my experience 680 and 760 are friendly in practical use as well, but perhaps not as much as the higher nitro content pistol powders. I have no experience with WW powders slower than 760. The military formulations of the early WC's are friendly too, provided they are made to produce say 25K or more. They work ideally when the balls START TO GO (by 12 noon eyeball) from normal unfired size down to a smaller balls in size. These military versions seem to have a very smooth top end and give a lot of temperature latitude by loading where suggested by the previous sentence.

The new powders from Saint Marks appear by my intuition (from their web pages) as being formulated more like the Australian powders. Much better with temperature AND pressure extremes. Don't know about their ignition characteristics. That would be most important for cast loads.

... felix

[wv109323]

I used this powder in a Remington 700 ADL 308. With 168 gn. Sierra Matchkings I got 1/2" (5) shot groups at 100 yards. I don't have the amount right in front of me but it was pretty close to maximum charge.

[Boyscout]

It works well with jacketed bullets in my 35 Remington using Hornanday data.

[300winmag]

My go to powder for my 30-30
300

[junkman1967]

I use it in 223, 22-250, 308, 303. Good powder

[fryboy]

This is pretty much the same advice I got for 296 in 44mag. Are all Winchester powders like this? How does that square with shooting it in the 45/70?

i'm a lil late to the party but alot of ball powders seem to prefer the upper spectrum's , not all but most , and by that i mean that they seem to burn cleanest and best near the top loads , with j-words in the 308 most loads are a case full or close to it and oddly enough offer lower pressures in doing so , if you do a bit of gleaning thru various load manuals that offer pressure ( not all do ) you'll see what i'm trying to say , in the end all i can say is " good score !"

[runfiverun]

the 748 does like a case full to work it's best.

my favorite 308 load with it was a re-sized case scooped full, leveled off then dumped into a neck sized case, with a 150-165gr plain based bullet seated on top.
if I used more I had to squeeze the neck tension to .005 to keep the bullet in place.

the 30 xcb round might just like the powder a whole bunch with copper wrapped stuff too
only do not use the above procedure to start.

[358wcf]

Tim/Goodsteel- 748 works wonders in the 358- I've used 50 grs over WLR behind anybody's 200gr J-word projectile for years now- all you can expect is cloverleaf groups at 100 yrds- nothing more, nothing less- rather consistent- not as much fun as cast!
358wcf!!!

[stewfish]

I've never used it in anything other than the .223. That being said, it is my favorite powder for that round. I have found that when you have a good load on the higher end, the powder is not a temperature sensitive as people say. I developed a load when the temps were in the upper 90's here, and that load performs year round. FC brass, #41 primer, 50 grain ballistic tip, 27.5 grains w748, loaded 2.26. It shoots .75 inch at 100, and 1.5 inch five shot groups at 300. My wife borrowed the AR and shot a 1.1 inch 5 shot group at 300, same load. Best of all, the powder was thrown with a Redding 3BR, not weighed. I am looking forward to using W748 in .308, when I can find some.

[Flinchrock]

Been using 748 in .223 and .308 for some years now.

[sprinkintime]

I've never used it in anything other than the .223. That being said, it is my favorite powder for that round. I have found that when you have a good load on the higher end, the powder is not a temperature sensitive as people say. I developed a load when the temps were in the upper 90's here, and that load performs year round. FC brass, #41 primer, 50 grain ballistic tip, 27.5 grains w748, loaded 2.26. It shoots .75 inch at 100, and 1.5 inch five shot groups at 300. My wife borrowed the AR and shot a 1.1 inch 5 shot group at 300, same load. Best of all, the powder was thrown with a Redding 3BR, not weighed. I am looking forward to using W748 in .308, when I can find some.

Stewfish; if you can't find W748 for your .308 try W760 if you can find that, its all still pretty hard to find.
Sprink

[rintinglen]

Works well in the .250 Savage, the 22-250, the .308 and the 30-40! Where it shines though, is in the 30-30. For full charge hunting loads, there is nothing I've found better.

[Newtire]

A guy here in Boise area uses it in his .223 with a 55 gr. cast boolit form NOE I believe. We got pretty good accuracy from a TC Contender at the Winnemucca shoot but not enough to take home the bacon.

[cbrick]

This is pretty much the same advice I got for 296 in 44mag. Are all Winchester powders like this?

It's not per se Winchester powders, it's BALL powders so yes, just like 296/H-110 it needs the top end pressure to burn efficiently/consistently. It is an excellent powder in all of what I consider mid capacity cartridges from the 223 - the BR series - 6 BR, & 7BR etc. up through 308 but not reduced. Never tried it in 45-70. Felix is correct that boolits reduce initial combustion so keep that in mind with ball powders but still, it is a good cast powder but again, not reduced.

I shot a perfect 80X80 at the NRA National Championships using 748, RCBS 145 gr in an XP-100 7 BR. Yep, good powder. :mrgreen:

Rick

[LeftyDon]

A LGS had some 1 lb'ers of W748 when I went looking earlier today. This robber baron wanted just shy of $40 each so they stayed there. I did find one bottle of real hard to find Clays, which was "only" $33/lb.

[Yellowhouse]

In addition those mentioned it works great in the .204 ruger.

[atr]

a very good powder in 308 with J-s
also good in my 30-30 with cast 180gr at the upper end of the charge limit
does not work well with reduced loads

[leadman]

Works great in my Contender chambered in 6.5TCU with 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips.

[waco]

+1 on the .308

[CastingFool]

748 was recommended to me when I started reloading .308 Win. with a Lee handloader. Using a Hornady 130 gr spirepoint, out of a relatively new rifle I was getting 1-3/8" groups at 100 yds. I figured that was good enough, so I didn't push to improve my groups. That was close to 40 yrs ago, and I still have the Lee loader. I like this powder, being a ball powder it meters very well. Use it in .223's too.

[douglasskid]

Attended Tulsa gun show pat weekend. More powder than I've seen in a long time. A lot of Winchester powders.