Hi all, I got a jug of WC 852 from Hi-Tech, lot# BAJ 47288. I loaded some up in my Mauser 06 in win case with REm 165 pspcl and CCI 200 primer. I got very low velocities.
52gns 2484, 2455, 2461
54gns 2414, 2382, 2139
56gns 2436, 2370
58gns 2480, 2507, 2419
60gns 2527, 2470
I was under the impression that WC852 was close in burn rate to IMR4831. It is a very fine ball powder.
I have shot 60gns RL22 for 2770 in the same gun. I also loaded 60gns of IMR5010 and got 2150.
I didn't use a mag primer. Would this help or do I just have a really slow lot of powder?

Lars,
i think that the h414 is put on there are a safety warning, and it's listed as 10% slower, on mine... 10% yeah... i wish ....

Anyway, i've taken to using the lightest h414 load to start with, and build up from there...

kinda reminds me of winchester powders...

jeffe

Could someone with quickload see what my lot of WC852 burns like?
30-06
60 gns powder
165 bullet
24" bbl
2500fps

It seems to be slower than RL22.
TIA

There appears to be two powders on the market that are labeled WC 852. The "fast" lots are very close to H414 in burning speed. The slower powder is close to H450 in speed. Distributors who sell this sometimes have them marked fast and slow.Be carefull working up loads with new kegs of this powder.

I tried 60gns and a FED 215 primer and got around 2650 today. I'm thinking this one is more like H1000 or something, it definatly seems slower than RL22.

I have two different lots of the WC852 (slow), one of which is the BAJ47288. What I can tell you is that it was made in 1973 for the military for 30-06, it performs like Win785 in some guns and like H450 in others. This powder is quite temperature sensitive and will show mild pressures signs in loose chambers and high pressures signs in tight chambers, atleast in 30-06 with 165gr. I hesitate to give load numbers because I know this powder is fickle. I use this powder strictly for 6.5x55 where it performs admirably. Also, in my experimentation magnum primers did not improve performance substantially (not worth using). When I ran comparison loads between my two different lots of WC852 (slow), the BAJ47288 chronied lower velocity and showed higher pressure signs which I have not been able to explain!

Your load versus velocity seem to be close to what I got using it in my O3-A3 which has loose chamber. In my Rem700, I was getting much higher velocities and corresponding pressure signs. When I say sensitive to temperature, I mean I could pickup 150fps shooting on cool (60F) day versus warm (75F) day. When I first started experimenting with this powder, I got confusing results until I started noting temperatures.

Lar--That powder lot would work perfect with 180,
190, gr bullets.
RJN-You say you got more velocity with cooler
temps? That is interesting,Have you tried it at
winter temperatures like 35 degrees or colder?Ed.

The Big Dog ran quickload on this and it looks more like IMR7828 to RL25 in this application. I'll have to try it in the 270 and 25-06 and see how it reacts there also. I didn't measure case head expansion. What is an accepted max increase just above the extractor groove for win brass? I haven't got any primer signs or sticky bolt lift yet.

Sorry...I said it backwards, I should have said "...I could pickup 150fps shooting on warm day"...I have used it hunting probably down to 20F and do know the report was noticeablt lower...

I've used the WC 852 that's available in Canada, and I've found it's very similar to the book data for H450. I've tried it in the .300 Winchester Magnum and found it works quite well.

These days I use it exclusively with 175-grain loads in my little 7X57 Brazillian Mauser carbine, where it simply excels unlike any other powder I've tried.

Not only are there two "speeds" of "WC 852", but both batches (or various batches) of powder seem far slower (and perhaps contain less energy) than their presumed civilian cannister counterpart, H-380.

Interpolating pressure or burning rate from comparisons of powder charge/velocities is meaningless if two powders have different energy contents. The lower-energy powder will run excessive pressures before equaling the velocities of the higher-energy powder.

I've had excellent luck with WC 844 (H-335) and WC-846 (BL-C2) both being fairly consistent and very similar to their cannister-grade counterparts. But from all reports I hear, "WC 852" is either sometimes mislabled or is just plain inconsitent and oddball. If you've had good luck with it, then you're probably satisfied, but I think it is one surplus powder that I'll just get by without.

[ 09-22-2003, 23:34: Message edited by: Stonecreek ]