use for winchester 748 powder

[farmer66]

I was gifted an unopened 8 lb jug. I can use it for jacketed .223 and .308. Can it be downloaded safely like 4895? I found info from Winchester suggesting a start load of 10% under max load. I have read a bit about temperature affecting it as well. I would like to use it for cast in 30-06, 8 mm as well as in 22-250.

Thanks for any ideas,
Ken

[Hannibal]

I've no experience with it apart from .223/5.56. I can tell you it is my preferred powder for jacketed bullets in that cartridge because it doesn't burn as hot as others I've tried in the same cartridge. I have always used magnum primers as such is recommended since it is a ball powder.

I envy your situation. I'd be very pleased if I had a fresh 8lb jug.

[Bazoo]

Best I recall it doesn’t lend to downloading well. It does make full power 30-30 though and offers excellent cast accuracy in that application. I used 32 grains to duplicate factory ballistics with the 31141. Sadly, out of 748 now.

[Winger Ed.]

Stay with the listed loading data for it, and it'll make you proud.

Getting off into uncharted waters---- not so much.

[racepres]

Do Not Reduce very far!!!!

[Milky Duck]

its great stuff...stick to listed loads and be happy shooting it for years...oh how I wish I had 8lbs of it.

[Ford SD]

I was gifted an unopened 8 lb jug. I can use it for jacketed .223 and .308. Can it be downloaded safely like 4895? I found info from Winchester suggesting a start load of 10% under max load. I have read a bit about temperature affecting it as well. I would like to use it for cast in 30-06, 8 mm as well as in 22-250.

Thanks for any ideas,
Ken

there is some data out there RCBS cast book for one

cast/ reduced loads work best with a tuft of dacron,

used lots in cast 308 (in a semi) it works

I also wish i had more of it right now

Very consistent throws/ weight if you load on a progressive

[NEKVT]

I used it in 356 Win with jacketed and got excellent accuracy and never an issue. And then one day I pulled a bullet and the powder charge was a solid mass. Never bought it again. Don't know if was a fluke with that one cartridge or not. And like I said never had an issue up to that point. Anyone else ever see that with 748 or another ball powder?

[Winger Ed.]

Anyone else ever see that with 748 or another ball powder?

In the last several years, it's the only powder I use for 7.62 FMJ or .223 FMJ.
I've had plenty of old ones with 748, but only 'unloaded' them at the range.
Never had an issue though.

[Milky Duck]

my memory tells me the Veitnam Vets may well have seen that clumping issue..it was after all the origonal powder used in the M16 5.56 ammunition that gave trouble .....history tells us there was a LOT more going on than wrong powder causing issues...
Ive never has issues using it,its no more dirty burning than other powders...

[CastingFool]

No problems with 748 for 308W or .223. Meters great.. it's my favorite powder for those calibers

[atr]

it does NOT work well with reduced loads.
I use it in my 30-30 and .308 with 180gr cast and it is great for that.

[MUSTANG]

As mentioned previously - The RCBS Cat Manual #1 has some loads for W748. Below are pasted pictures of the Pages in that manual for W748 loads in 30-06 and .308 Winchester. You should be able to click on each picture and then zoom in to see the grains for each load.



The same manual also in places lists BLC2 powder for cast boolits; W748 and BLC2 have very close burn rates.

[36g]

Was able to score a 40# keg of commercial grade 748 a number of years ago. It is extremely uniform and meters very well. In .223 and .308, plus a few others, it's my go to powder.

[Kosh75287]

I've used W748 in .223, .30-30, .308 and 8x57mm. It worked quite well when used with charge weights within 10% of maximum for the appropriate bullet weights, but I had no opportunity nor interest in reducing below 10% of max. The impression that I got of the propellant is that it is as good as can be had for use in service rifle calibers, plus many other rounds with similar capacities and pressure spectra. I tended to get better and more consistent results when I used magnum rifle primers, but results from standard primers were far from disastrous.
I eventually went to other propellants that seemed to not require nor benefit from magnum primers for optimal results, but if stuck with nothing but 748 for rifle fuel, I'd know what to do about it.

[sigep1764]

http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manu...-%20Reduce.pdf

There are loads for 30-06, 308, 30-30, 270, and 223. When I need 2000fps or so in 270 and 30-30, this is the powder I use. It is also the only powder I use for 223. All 270, 30-30, and 223 loads are with cast boolits. Ive also found that magnum primers are not a requirement in my situation. Your mileage may vary. I am a huge fan of 748 and if I lucked into an 8lb keg of it, Id buy more 223 brass and get to powder coating some boolits.

[michael.birdsley]

I use it for jacketed bullets in my 325c 30-30. Works fairly good with the ftx bullet.


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[indian joe]

I was gifted an unopened 8 lb jug. I can use it for jacketed .223 and .308. Can it be downloaded safely like 4895? I found info from Winchester suggesting a start load of 10% under max load. I have read a bit about temperature affecting it as well. I would like to use it for cast in 30-06, 8 mm as well as in 22-250.

Thanks for any ideas,
Ken

ideal for 30/30 - dont think you can download it safely check the data on that - not ideal for 22/250 but will work (win 760 much better in that case)

[curiousgeorge]

I purchased 8 1lb containers a few years ago for a steal when a local shop was shutting down. As eveyone else has stated, good powder for 223, 308, 30-30, & 8mm Mauser. Have not tried with cast due to worries about downloading. Found IMR-4895 to work much better. Still, it's a very useful powder and deserves a spot on your shelf.

[farmer66]

Good info in post #13 and #16. Thanks for help. I shoot the 165 Sil RCBS and it shows 34 to 36 grains 748. Lyman #3 shows 30 to 46.5 grains for the 311291 which I also shoot. Both bullets weight about the same. Lyman #3 shows 46.5 grains is 37.5K cup pressure, so not near the maximum for jacketed bullets. So if I start at 34 grains, i am downloading less than 73% of max. I am surprised, but trust these two sources. I will try some and see.

Larry Gibson had a detailed response to this post yesterday, as did I. I would appreciate if those posts could be "reposted".

Thanks,

Farmer66