820 and 357 mag

[30hrrtt]

What are some of the bullets, loads you're using with 820? I shoot mainly cast but have a lot of Remington 158 solid points to use up.

Thanks to Lloyd's prompting back in Feb. , ordered 4 jugs which I recently received and need to start shooting it up.

[MtGun44]

I have just started using WC820 from Pat's. I started loading well lower than H110
data, and glad I did. Starting loads were hot, I reduced them even more.
I need to review the data for AA#9, as many recommend that as closer. In any case,
I am very glad I did not load H-110 data as some have recommended.

With any new, non-cannister powder, starting "too low" is not a bad idea.

Bill

[James C. Snodgrass]

I use 2400 data for mine . A pal of mine uses #9 data I think if you use either data you should be safe . I realy like the stuff in a 22 hornet with a 55 gr fmj for field pistol . It is good stuff . James

[Jim]

820 like pressure. Without it, it'll squib on you. The AA9 data is right on the button, but you can work up loads that are not listed for AA9. Just don't plan on using it for anything less than full power.

[Heavy]

My 24 pounds of 820 has the AA#9 burning speed. In the 357 Blackhawk I use 12 grains and a CCI Magnum primer. Runs 1150 to 1200 fps over the chornograph out of a 4.5" barrel with a 180 grain cast. With out the mag primer there was lots of unburnt powder left behind. The 45 colt Blackhawk with the 4.5" barrel takes 16 grains and a magnum primer. Runs right at 1000 fps with a 245 grain cast boolit. These are Ruger guns and the loads are stiff. At least to me they are. In the 45 colt I got squib load at 14 grains with standard primers with this powder. Just worked it up till it worked clean with out the chance of a squib. At 25 yards both loads are in the 3" and under group size and strong enough for any thing that I would want to do. In the 30/30 winchester caliber so far I have tryed 15 and 16 grains with a gas checked 175 grain cast boolit. Used standard CCI large rifle primers with out fillers. The 15 grain load goes 1550 fps over the chorny and the 16 grain goes 1650 fps. Group sizes is 1-2" at 50 yards with 15 grains in a Marlin 336 and a winchester 94. Group sizes with the 16 grains jump to 3-4" with the one grain increase? Still have to work with these because some of the primers are backing out of the case with the 15 grain load.

[Junior1942]

In my Rossi 357 lever action, I use .88cc WC820 and a 158 gr Laser-Cast for 1620 fps. I use regular primers and a good crimp. Like someone said, WC 820 doesn't like low to medium loads. It likes a hard crimp. Beware of squib loads.

In my Win M94 30-30, 13 grs WC820 and the Lee C309-115-F soup can gives me ~1800 fps.

I also use it in my SBH 44 mag with 240 gr cast for ~1163 fps and 310 gr cast at ~ 1100 fps. I'm going back to Unique in the 44 with 240 gr cast so I can lower the velocity to near 1000 fps. To do that with WC820 means squib loads. Did I mention to beware of squib loads?

[BOOM BOOM]

hi,
Have shot up a lot in 357.
Use mag. primer in 160gr & lighter bullets. heavy crimp.
180 gr. bullets use a standard primer if you want, heavy crimp. 5000 rounds & no squibs.
I never loaded less than 10grs of powder.
Went as high as 13.1 grs under the 180gr. gc cast. Doesn't bother my Redhawk. VERY HOT! But I had no extraction problems or primer cratering. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT FOR A LESSER GUN.

[MtGun44]

Junior,

I'm with you on the Unique for 1000 fps .44 mag loads. . . . seems like 9.5-10 Unique
is accurate in almost any .44 gun (carbine or pistol) that I have tried it in.

Bill

[Junior1942]

820 like pressure. Without it, it'll squib on you. The AA9 data is right on the button, but you can work up loads that are not listed for AA9. Just don't plan on using it for anything less than full power.+1 on the squibs. I had several in 44 mag until I upped the charge and increased the crimp. My lot of WC820 (n) burns very much like AA#9. I've had better luck with it in 357 mag than in 44 mag.

Luckily, the bullets in the squib 44 loads just barely entered the barrel where they were easy to knock out with a wood dowel through the muzzle. The powder was compressed wads. In other words, the force of the primer blew the powder column and the bullet forward about an inch.

[Heavy]

Does burn cleaner in the 357 cases vs the 45 colt case also. Maybe the shorter fatter cases have something to do with the pressure curve. Still going to use wc 820 in the 45 colt till it gets to be a pain to clean out.

[trickyasafox]

I tried Juniors loads in my 357s and they were potent but still pleasant to shoot. Shot pretty well for me too!

[Dale53]

WC 820 surplus powder is a NON CANISTER POWDER. There are several different lots with seriously different burning rates running from #9 on the fast side to H110 on the slow side.

I bought 450 lbs of it for our gun club when Pat first got it. It came in very nice 150 lb plastic bottles in a crate (one bottle, one crate).

A good, safe way to test it is to pair it up with a canister grade powder of the same type and same general burning rate. I started low compared to H110 and learned that my lot (all 450 lbs) was about ½ grs faster than H110 in a .44 Magnum. I shot my freshly loaded .44 mags with everything the same except the powder and chronographed my H110 loads. Then, I started low (#9 starting load should be good), and chronographed the load until I was at the speed that H110 gave me. You want to do all of your testing the same day with the same set up.

Same cases, same primers, same bullets and same chronograph set up. Then RECORD YOUR FINDINGS.

Keep in mind, that if you do this for .44 magnum it does not necessarily work the same in the .357. You need to test the .357 in the same way before you accept your premise that it is a particular burning rate.

This method will keep you safe and you'll get good, useful data. Jumping right in a expecting it to be a particular burning rate can be disastrous. Pat was helpful to me with starting data but it was MY responsibility to do proper testing.

Every time you get a different lot of the powder, you MUST do the testing all over again. That is why it makes sense to buy a large lot. Plus the fact that when you buy a LARGE quantity you get the best price available (if you negotiate properly[smilie=1:).

Surplus powder can be as good as canister powder but YOU must use "due diligence".

Dale53

[750k2]

Has any one tried the Rem 6 1/2 sm. rifle primers in the 357 loads?
I had the squib deal a couple of times - Unless I here horror stories
I think I'll try to work some up with a good crimp as I have a bunch
of primers from my Hornet time.
No problems with 18.5-19.1gr and Lee 310GC in my DW - CCI350
Still workin on the best loading though.

[9.3X62AL]

I use a bit narrower guideline with my WC-820 than some folks, and it has kept me out of trouble. It's a ball powder--with deterrent coatings--and high bulk density. Much like WW-296 or H-110 or AA-9. To me, that means high load density (90%+) and magnum primers, and I reserve it for higher-end magnum revolvers and 10mm Auto. In all these calibers, my powder lot parallels AA-9 performance.

[wash72]

I use 820 for Lee 158 grain TL SWC and the 158 grain RF. Starline cases. CCI Small mag primer. Boolits were water quenched wheel weights. LLA lube. Today was 14 and 14.5 gr in my 6"686-4. That's max in some manuals if using AA#9 data, so use caution. The 14gr seemed to have an accuracy edge.

I also use 820 in 45 colt. 255 gr boolit and 20 grains out of a 4 5/8 Blackhawk will wake you up! (That load is close to 30,000 CUP and is above some published loadings.)

In both cases I use a firm crimp.