Duplexing WC872

[rupe01]

I posted this in error yesterday in the Mil.Surp section.

I have been using WC872 now for a year or so....in 308, 7.62x54R and 303 Brit. I have been using a kicker of either Red Dot, or IMR4227 or Unique with the balance of a compressed load of WC872. This works very well, leaves NO unburned granules and is also VERY accurate with a Lee Cast boolit (185gr) at 100yds. I tried several variations of kicker but finally settled at 7gr as best. I still have 47lbs of WC872 to burn through yet! Thanks to all those who went before me and posted results. It has helped me immensely.

Just remember that any smokeless duplex loads MUST be compressed loads. I am so glad that this has worked out for me. It gives me fast, clean and very accurate RIFLE loads at around 5 cents each for powder! Amazing!

[pworley1]

I use WC872 in a duplex load for 35 Whelen. 5g of IMR4198 under a compressed load.

[jonp]

I'm using it in the 35 Whelen also. I have not tested it much but I'm using the 4759 that Nobade suggested as a kicker and it does seem to burn fine.

[dougader]

If your slow rifle powder is extruded, rather than small flake or ball powder, will the kicker charge filter into the extruded kennels and fail to work as advertised or cause any other problems?

[madsenshooter]

Lot of variables to be considered. How much space is between the elongated grains when they're in the case, avg size of the slow burning ball, things like that. I'd say a little mixing couldn't hurt much, the easy to light grains are going to go first no matter where they're at.

[35 shooter]

Never tried the surplus powders before, but with all the info available on this site and in the archives on the search feature, i think i'm going to try some.
Price is certainly right on it.
With a kegs worth of unique, red dot, and a couple kegs of surplus, i'd be set for rifle, pistol, and shotgun for quite some time.
Now to find the unique and red dot lol!!

[rupe01]

Yes indeed 35 Shooter...........its the cheapest shooting i know of......even cheaper than shooting .22 ammo, especially if you cast too. I got lucky on my Unique about a year ago & managed to snag a #4 & an #8 keg. But Red Dot or Blue Dot etc work fine too, as does IMR4227, and a lot of guys use the faster end of the rifle powders too with good results. Just remember that it MUST be compressed for it to be safe. That is critical. I only paid $6 a pound for the WC872, so its incredibly cheap shooting.

[Mark Daiute]

this week I duplexed for my Krag. 5 grains 3031 under 46 grains of 872. burns fairly clean and matched the 1901 rear sight perfectly. I used 50/50 lead/wheelweight alloy, ager dropped. I'll be doing this again.

[Char-Gar]

If your slow rifle powder is extruded, rather than small flake or ball powder, will the kicker charge filter into the extruded kennels and fail to work as advertised or cause any other problems?

The powder column should be slightly compressed to prevent the powders from migrating.

[dougader]

Some guys at work and I have been kicking around the idea of getting the 6, 8-pound kegs from Bartlett's for $240 in either the W870 or W872 and then splitting them up between us. Is one powder any better than the other for these duplex loads?

I was at the range yesterday and worked up to 5 grains Blue Dot as a "kicker" with 32 grains of AA4350 in my 30-30 Contender. It sure cleaned up the unburned kernels, which I had to blow out between every shot when only using the AA4350. It would gum up the chamber also, making it hard to even load the next round.

So I guess I'm more comfortable with the idea of duplex loads now when using slow-for-caliber powders and I can't shake the idea of $5/pound for powder, even if you do use a lot for every cartridge.

I'm thinking the WC870 or 872 would work really well in the 30-06 and 338-06.

[rupe01]

I only have experience with WC872, but i am happy with it. You may not even need a kicker in 30-06 especially with a heavy boolit. I dont have any knowledge of 338-06. It doesnt seem to matter which faster kicker is used either (i have used IMR4227, Red Dot, Blue Dot, Unique and a few others) just as long as the load is well compressed (I fill it up halfway up the neck with WC872 and then the boolit). I tend to prefer the flake powders though, as i know they definitely wont move. I have also read that it wouldnt really matter if the kicker DID move....it just wouldnt get a good burn. BUT i dont want to be the first guy to find out that that wasnt quite correct...lol. Yep......50 grains of WC872 costs me about 3.5 cents and 50 grains of Varget etc is about 21 cents....pretty easy figuring out if its worth trying it out.Yes it burns VERY cleanly with a kicker......experiment between 3 grains and 7 grains and watch as the primers start to flatten and your chronograph readings. But i really dont think that you will ever regret your surplus powder purchase at these prices. And if you dont like it, you arent out much money and someone will buy it off you i am sure. But it seems to work with almost any cartridge.....the only difference is whether or not a kicker is required.

[dougader]

Thanks, rupe01. The 338-06 is just an 06 case necked up to 338, much like the 35 Whelen is an 06 case necked to to take a 35 claiber bullet.

I appreciate all the information.

[leadman]

I developed a load for my Dad's Rem 700 in 7mm Rem mag I inherited with WC872 and a 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. 82grs give just over 3,000 fps, no kicker! Accuracy is moa.
I passed the gun on to my oldest son a few years ago and he still uses this load. So at least with the "overbore" condition of the 7mm Rem Mag a kicker is not needed, might apply also to similar cartridges.
I have used the WC872 in my 40-65 Rolling Block with no kicker with a 400 gr boolit. Duplicates black powder in all respects, including smoke. Have not tried it with a kicker yet might might soon as I am thinking of elk hunting with it this fall.
I'll keep the slight compression of the load in mind when doing this.