I noticed that some places have some surplus powders for pretty cheap. Anyone use these with any luck or should I stick to the canister powders? These would be used for 30-06, .338 Win Mag, and 6.5-06. I'm thinking WC860 or WC852 would work well and at $40/8# I could save a few bucks and shoot more often.

I've used about a dumptruck full of pulldown 4895 over the years. Used it in my M1As and eventually went Distinguished with it but now use it in other calibers. I haven't bought any in several years and I'm running out, come to think of it...

Lots vary wildly, so buy a bunch at one time. This saves you from starting over each time you open a new keg and saves on shipping sometimes.

Redial

PS Be VERY careful with WC 852! There are at least three versions of it - not interchangable!

I am using WC-852 (slow version)presently in several military calibers (.303, 7.62x54R, 8mm, 6.5x55, and 7.5x55). The burn rate, on the chart I have, is right with AA-3100 and Norma 205. WC-860 burns right around H-1000 and AA-8700.
WC-852 (slow) is too slow for the calibers I use it in. A full case will not provide maximum velocity or pressure which is fine with me. Do a comparison, in a couple of reloading manuals, between these surplus powders and their "burn rate companions", to see if they will provide you with the performance you are seeking.

WC 860 is far too slow for any of the calibers you mention. As pointed out in other posts, WC 852 is extremely variable in speed (or at least the powders that are labeled WC 852, as I have my doubts that any powder manufactured to spec could show this much variation).

I have used many surplus powders with great success and satisfaction. You must, however, have a lot of experience with reloading to make their use safe and worth your while; and I wouldn't even consider using them without a chronograph.

1 point, Many longtime reloaders use surplus powder with great results. Don't be scared by all the afore mentioned good intensioned posters about the woes of working up loads with it.
I use this place in Ohio for milsurp powders and bullets.
www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

Call Pat and let him know what you are wanting to load, and he should be able to give you some data to start with for your loads.

I am confident that most here have good common sense with reloading and will work up loads without incident.

Fellas we sometimes by trying to point out all the pitfalls of bad tidings about reloading, chase many away from this hobby. Do we have to portray this "sky is falling attitude"? --------Chainsaw

THanks for the info! I'll try the WC852. Thanks also for the warnings, I'll make sure to get burn characteristics and/or load data from the guy. I cherish my life too much to be risky with shooting a gun, but thanks for the heads up.