Winchester 785 Powder

01 July 2002, 11:21

ricciardelli

I have found W-785 usable in the following:

.243 Winchester, 85 to 87 grain bullets, from 46.9 grains to 47.9 grains.

.243 Winchester, 100 grain bullet, from 42.1 grains to 43.1 grains.

.270 Winchester, 130 grain bullet, from 58.7 grains to 59.7 grains.

.270 Winchester, 140 grain bullet, from 52.7 grains to 59.2 grains.

.270 Winchester, 150 grain bullet, from 55.9 grains to 56.9 grains.

.280 Remington, 120 grain bullet, from 52.8 grains to 60.0 grains.

7MM Remington Magnum, 160 grain bullet, from 63.0 grains to 64.0 grains.

7MM Remington Magnum, 168 grain bullet, from 61.0 grains to 62.0 grains.

7MM Remington Magnum, 175 grain bullet, from 59.0 grains to 60.0 grains.

.30-284 Winchester, 165 to 168 grain bullet, from 57.0 grains to 61.2 grains.

.30-284 Winchester, 180 grain bullet, from 55.0 grains to 56.9 grains.

.30-06 Springfield, 165 to 168 grain bullet, from 57.0 grains to 61.2 grains.

.30-06 Springfield, 178 to 180 grain bullet, from 55.0 grains to 56.9 grains.

8MM Remington Magnum, 170 to 175 grain bullet, from 82.2 grains to 85.7 grains.

You will note that I said "usable"...it is not my choice of powder for any caliber, and it's performance, in both velocity and accuracy was at the bottom of the heap.

02 July 2002, 05:28

Stonecreek

Of the calibers you ask about, I would venture that only the .300 Win would give accepatable results with WW 785.

04 July 2002, 05:08

B_Koes

quote:
Originally posted by hayes4:
I can not find any info on this powder. I reload for the following.
222 Remington
6.5x55
7x30
7mm-08
300 Winchester Mag
350 Remington Mag
375JDJ

What is powder acceptable for?

Billy

You can ask Winchester for load data on WW785. I did so a few months ago and got an old load manual when it was still being manufactured. 785 is a good powder if you have a lot of case capacity and heavy bullets...then again there are a lot of good new powders out there as well. I just happen to have a supply of it from years gone by. If you want info on a specific caliber I could scan the manual and email it to you...just drop me a line bkoesser@hotmail.com

[ 07-03-2002, 20:09: Message edited by: B_Koes ]

21 July 2002, 11:07

brianwinzor

I bought a supply of WW785 in about 1985, and have been testing and using it various rifles since then, and it is still in good condition. The lots that I have purchased have a burning rate similar to Hodgden 4831, Reloader 22, and IMR 7828.
It's main advantage is that being a ball powder, it has a high loading density, which means that you can put more of it in a case than the extruded powders. This can sometimes be of use in medium sized cases when using heavy bullets. As an example, a case full (30.0 grains) in my .17/222 magnum improved gave top velocity (3,850fps) with the Berger 37 grain VLD.
I have also used it a .220 Ackley Swift with the 60 and 69 grain bullets. In a .224 Clark with bullets from 55 grains through to 80 grains. In a 25/06 and also the 25/06 Ackley improved with the 100 and 120 grain bullets, and in a 7mm Remington magnum with bullets from 120 though to 175 grains.

In the rifles that you mention, I believe it would be too slow for use in the 222 Remington, and 7/30. It should be good for use with the 120 and 140 grain bullets in the 6.55x55, and with bullets of 150 grains - 175 grains in the 7mm/08. In the 300 Winchester magnum, you might find that it is better with bullets of 150 though to 180 grains, and that due to it's high loading density the maximum loads with 200 and 220 grain bullets may leave more air space in the case than is ideal. In the 350 Remington magnum, it should be useable with the 220, 250 gain bullets, but other faster powders would be more suitable. Good shooting!

21 July 2002, 12:11

Pecos41

Hayes4 - I checked every loading manual I could find and have NOTHING on W785. The best advice you have received here is CALL Winchester. (Or would that be Dupont?)

I've got an OLD Winchester loading manual around with this powder listed but can't find it. Winchester has long since dumped this powder and it's pretty plain to see why. It didn't fit much of anything and as Rici suggests, didn't do great in anything.

I played with my Calculoader program and the only thing you have that it would recommend loads of this powder with was the 300 Mag.

It IS similar to 4831 in burning rate, maybe a tad slower...but I don't know that I would jump out and start cooking up a bunch of loads on this similarity.

62.0 grains in the 300 Win Mag with a 180gr bullet is the starting point.

Be careful. [Confused]

23 July 2002, 16:08

<Fish Springs>

Wolf Publishing's Propellant Profiles, Second Edition, 1966-87, lists some data on page 209. It is worth reading if you plan broad spectrum use of WW785.

Data is listed for 243, 6mm, 257 Roberts, 25/06, 270, 7x57, 280, 7mmR, 30/06, 300 Win, .338 Win Mag and .375H&H.

The 300 Win Data listed is: 72 Grains with an 180 Grain Power Point bullet @ 2880 and 51K CUP. This is represented as Winchester's data so I am assuming WW Cases and WLR primers.

With my commercial, surplus, WW785 Data Powder, as purchased from River Valley Ordinance years ago I've settled on ~48 grains of this powder with 140 grain Sierra Bullets and a CCI LR Match Primer for use in my 6.5x55 Remington Classic. This may be too hot for any but my rifles, although it is very accurate, breaks 2800 fps out of a 28 inch barreled M96 Sweede.

Good luck.