WC - 680 Surplus powder

[Hardcast416taylor]

I need a little HELP!!! My son thought he was doing me a favor in buying me this 4 lb. can of WC-680 miltary powder at a gun show several years ago. The seller told him something like it was the same as Accurate 1680, and could be used with the same data for loading the 7.62 x 39 Russkie round:confused:. I have not tried loading this stuff nor am I sure what it can be used in or what loads can be used. So any help will be appreciated.:confused:

[Scrounger]

More or less correct information, it is very similar to AA1680 or Winchester 680. Just use their starting data and work up. All powders vary from lot to lot but the percentage is small. It's a good powder, close to 4198 in burning speed, but like all ball powders, it will tend to be erratic if you load it too far below maximum. If you want a low powered load, use a faster powder.

[BCB]

Hardcast416taylor,

I use that powder with pretty good accuracy in the 357 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 445 SM and 45 LC. All with cast boolits and all from handguns.
The powder is probably a bit too slow for the applications I mentioned, with the exception of the 445SM, so velocity is much less than other powders for the aforementioned cartridges. But, as I indicated, accuracy if pretty good. You will find uses for it...BCB

[wiljen]

Its a great powder if you happen to have a 357 Maximum.

[Ricochet]

I use it in .45-70.

[rikkit]

I'm using a variant of that powder from Thunderbird Cartridge Company T-680, I am loading that in my 7.62x39 Bolt gun 16Grs behind a 308334 cast bullet is very accurate and a lot of fun to shoot. YMMV

[Ricochet]

WC680 was originally made by Olin for loading military 7.62x39mm cartridges.

[Calamity Jake]

I've had a jug for 12-15 years, I use it in 25-20 and 256WM at 10.0 gr with the lyman 257420
It's pretty close to 1680 of that time period, haven't checked it against todays version.

[missionary5155]

WOW What a fine son you Have!!!!

[Ky Greg]

Don't mean to hijack, but I've got 6lbs of 680 and I had read it was good for smaller cases like 22 hornet. I was wondering can I use this in a .223?

[94Doug]

I have a Hornady RL Manual that lists it for 357 Herrett, If I recall correctly, it was the best powder bullet combination for heavier pills. (like 200 grain) I found 2 old cans in a gun store a few years back. Always wondered how close 1680 was to it.

[skeet1]

Hardcast416taylor,
If you don't want it I'll take it.

Skeet1

[Hardcast416taylor]

Thanks for the help guys, and the offer skeet1. I got several thou 123 gr. fmj at an auction for the 7.62x39 russkie and want to shoot em up before I start making boolits for it. That will probably be a future question from me, boolit favorite for it to use and powders. :drinks:

[billsr]

WW680 is good for M1 carbine loads.

[Missouri_Mule]

Hardcast416taylor,

I use that powder with pretty good accuracy in the 357 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 445 SM and 45 LC. All with cast boolits and all from handguns.
The powder is probably a bit too slow for the applications I mentioned, with the exception of the 445SM, so velocity is much less than other powders for the aforementioned cartridges. But, as I indicated, accuracy if pretty good. You will find uses for it...BCB

[smilie=1:May I ask what loads you use for the .357? I have two 8# jugs of the stuff and several rifle and pistols in .357. I currently use the powder in my .375 Win and it works great. I would also like to try it in the .30-30 if it would work.
In the .357, I prefer the heavier bullets (cast of course), 158 to 180 grn. or better. Thanks for your help. :castmine:

[Scrounger]

It's probably to slow to work in the .357, it's marginal in the .44 Mag. Hard to beat WW296, H110, Lil Gun, 2400, or wC820 in the .357. It might work in the .30-30 but it is a ball powder and therefore requires near max loads to give uniform ignition and accuracy. It is very close to 4198 in burning speed so use 4198 starting data and work up.

[leadman]

I have the loading data that Thunderbird Cartridge published for what they call T-680. Shows18 grains with 158 grain cast or jacket, 17.5 with the Sierra 170gr. JHC in the 357. These are max loads.

[Marlin Junky]

It's probably to slow to work in the .357, it's marginal in the .44 Mag. Hard to beat WW296, H110, Lil Gun, 2400, or wC820 in the .357. It might work in the .30-30 but it is a ball powder and therefore requires near max loads to give uniform ignition and accuracy. It is very close to 4198 in burning speed so use 4198 starting data and work up.

Here's a link to AA's DP-68 data (it's the same stuff +/- a couple percent in burn speed):

http://www.accuratepowder.com/datapowder_dp68.htm

I've tried it in the 30-30. AA#9 at 16 to 16.5 grains works a heck of a lot better than any of the DP-68 variants when launching RCBS 30-180FN. I think the DP-68 powders were designed to operated at higher pressures and please don't assume all spherical powders are the same because of limited experience with something like WC-680. The H-380 variants make excellent cast bullet powders as do the AA2520's in small to medium bore rifle cases and they meter a heck of a lot better than the rat-turd powders. :-D Granted the medium speed sphericals aren't for reduced loads but as long as about 80% or more of the case is full, you've got potential for accuracy along with near factory spec velocity.

MJ

[Lloyd Smale]

to me its usefull in the 454 475 and 500 as they have big cases and lots of powder capasity for the bore size. I also use a ton of it in what it was designed for. the 762x39. In smaller pistol cases it will work but theres better powders for those applications.