Military powder ?

[Kermit in Va.]

What are the #'s for the old mil powder and what do they compare to now in comerical powders.
Father-in-law ran up on some today at a gunshow and like me, he didn't know what was what.
He said that it was priced about $70 less that the other comerical brands.
TIA...


Kermit

PS...I've never used any of it...

 

[gunnermhr]

WC-872 is real close to H870 which is no longer available. Burns dirty as charcoal but my 300 RUM Improved really likes it

 

[savageshooter86]

Hope he bought it!!

W844 is similar to H335
W846 is similar to BLC2 IIRC


This is based off reading articles and threads on it

 

[Kermit in Va.]

Thanks for the replys...
Nope, he didn't buy any, told him I'd try and get the info from you guys so next time he'd know.
Thanks...


Kermit

 

[chuckbuster243]

I have shot 3 or 4 8# jugs of WC844 and 846. I can tell you that for the money you cant beat it in a 223... I load 3 gun and prairie dog bullets with mine. It works well in other chambers as well... I Matt

 

[savagedasher]

BlC 2 is great for a 308 and many others Good Shooting Larry

 

[DRNewcomb]

I have some WC852 I bought 20 years ago for about $2.50/lb. It's supposed to be similar to H414. Also some BL-C(2) that's supposed to be similar to (surprise) BL-C(2). My recollection is that the original BL-C(2) was actually a large lot of surplus powder that was so popular that Hodgdon had to start making it.

You have to be careful because there's a lot of really slow burning stuff out there. A friend got stuck with about 55 gal of a very slow .50 cal powder (@ 50c/lb). Then .50 cal rifles became popular and he was able to sell it all for a profit. Before then he tried loading .30-06 with a full case of the stuff and only got about 2000 fps and a big flash out of it.

 

[Beau]

And there are some fast lots out there.
Comparing reported velocities, I had a lot of 844 that was a full grain faster in .223 than some others.

 

[rg1]

A list of some military powders and comparisons:
http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html

 

[jonbearman]

I have been using 852,844,846.I have many 8 pounders of the stuff and I have had extremely good groups with 844 and 846 in .308.I use it in everything I can as it is quite economical compared to canister powdersm today.I am glad I bought 12 jugs of it about a year ago at a good price and now have enough to last me for the rest of my life.I also bout several 5 pounders of surplus R15 and it works as good as fresh or better.If you can locate some buy it and dont look back.

 

[DRNewcomb]

And there are some fast lots out there.
Comparing reported velocities, I had a lot of 844 that was a full grain faster in .223 than some others.

Just MHO but I've never seen a surplus powder that's so fast that it can't be of use to a handloader. If nothing else, you can use it for pistol and shotgun. I've seen a number of powders that were darned near impossible to find a use for, short of .50 BMG. This is what the OP's f-i-l needed to watch out for, getting stuck with a powder that no one could use.

 

[Bulseyetom]

I have used 852 in everything from 22-250 to 300 win mag. There are slow lots and fast lots. I also bought some 4475 which is close to IMR 3031. It burns clean and shoots lights out in my 7-08. I am afraid finding more is gonna be a problem. Tom

 

[savageshooter86]

I don't know if these powders will be found in the future unless you buy from someone who hoarded the stuff

 

[2506]

I ran across some IMR 4895 that was from pulled down 30-06 military ammo and had a friend give me some more of the same stuff. It shoots just like canister IMR 4895 for me.

 

[STS]

I don't know if these powders will be found in the future unless you buy from someone who hoarded the stuff

My take on it is a little different. Military surplus powder has been available for a couple of reasons. The predominate reason is that in an attempt to make sure the ammo is fresh there are time limits that a particular lot of ammo is allowed to be stored. When that time is exceeded it is sold and demilled. That policy has been in place since right after WW2. The other reason is that our government, in all wisdom and glory, usually has it's head up its --- to the point that it doesn't know how much of a given powder will be needed and contracts for more powder to be manufactured than is actually needed to load the desired amount of ammo. The excess eventually ends up getting sold to you and me. I actually think that somewhere down the road that there may be a glut of surplus powder. It's unlikely that all of the billions of rounds that the gov. has purchased will be shot (if you can believe the numbers you read). Only the passage of time will reveal the truth.

 

[DRNewcomb]

When that time is exceeded it is sold and demilled. That policy has been in place since right after WW2. The other reason is that our government, in all wisdom and glory, usually has it's head up its --- to the point that it doesn't know how much of a given powder will be needed and contracts for more powder to be manufactured than is actually needed to load the desired amount of ammo. The excess eventually ends up getting sold to you and me.

Can anyone confirm that these powders are government surplus? It was my understanding that recent bulk lot powders were actually overruns from commercial contracts. To me, it seems contrary to recent government (HUTA) mindset to sell anything that goes "Bang" to the public, except through the very narrow window of the CMP.

Update: I've spoken with someone who claims to be knowledgeable about this and was told that the contractors who operate government ammo plants are only allowed to keep unused powder for a certain time (e.g. 90 or 180 days). After that time they have to dispose of it. Believe it or not, the government is also having trouble getting components to load bullets. For this reason, there has been more surplus powder than is usual coming on the market. At least, that's what I was told.

 

[searcher]

A few years ago, I purchased some military "pull-down" powder and didn't really expect too much out of it. I tried it in my PPC, 6BR, .223's, etc. and it shot pretty well in all of them - just not the absolute best. Then I had a 30BR built and just wasn't happy with the consistency of the groups I was getting with any of the "traditional" H4198 and usual bullet loads. I tried the surplus powder and it shoots so much better than everything else - I wish I had bought more than the four jugs I have - and I don't believe I can get any more. In summary - it pays to try this stuff out.

 

[GSRswapandslow]

the single, 8lb, jug of wc844 i bought has been the best powder of ANYTHING i've tried in my 223... i've since rechambered to 223ai and haven't messed much with the wc844...but damn sure i'm gonna buy more when it comes around...just to have. I'll prob build a sporter weight .223 to shoot suppressed soon, anyways...