Author Topic: Surplus WC-820 powder and the .44 Mag (UPDATE) (Read 1613 times)

jason280 · « **on:** June 04, 2005, 09:51:42 AM »

What's the scoop on surplus WC-820 powder? I picked up a pound to try for pretty cheap, and I was told it has a similar burn rate to H110 and AA #9. Anyone have a load recommendation, or a good place to start with a .44 Mag and 240gr jacketed bullets?

Thanks!

Castaway · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2005, 12:09:10 PM »

There are varying burning rates to each lot of powder, including WC-820. If you decide to get more of it from Jeff Bartlett, he can provide details for each particular lot he sells. Currnelty, he has three different lots of 820, two of which he says are similar to AA #9, the other to HS 7. Without any more details, start low, work up

jason280 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2005, 01:35:22 PM »

I think the lot # on this particular batch is 47321.

BCB · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2005, 01:09:57 AM »

jason280,

I have a couple of 8-pound kegs of that same lot of WC-820, and mine has a burning rate of AA#9. If I use H-110 data. it is much TOO HOT!!! I use it in my 44 Magnum with the Lyman 429650 bullet (315-320 grains) and accuracy is great from a Ruger SRH. Burn rates of surplus powders are always suspect, so be careful and start low with powder charges. Good-luck...BCB

MS Hitman · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2005, 07:20:34 AM »

I have some and I found the burining rate to be the same as Hercules 2400. I notified Jeff regarding this and he was not too receptive. His prices are a bargin, but proceed with caution on this.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2005, 08:08:50 AM »

Is it NORMAL for a powder to have burn rates all over the board? If I'm going to spend my hard-earned money to load up large bore handguns I'll be using something a bit more predictable!

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2005, 09:53:19 AM »

Im on my 6th keg of it and its all been very close in burning. Nothing drastic enough to even effect load developement or differences in accuracy. Accurate arms sells surplus powders themselves and aa9 and wc820 are the same thing as far as im conserned anyway. Ive gotten no more variations lot to lot then i have with aa9. Its a great powder for mags. With a 240 id start at 20 grains and work up from there. I treat it no differently then trying any commercial powder start real low and work up slow.

BCB · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2005, 11:03:35 AM »

Sometime ago when I purchased WC-820 it was advertised as being able to use H-110 data. That is the reason that I purchased it. After I got a couple of kegs of it, I SOON BECAME AWARE THAT IT WASN'T H-110 BURN RATE! I was fairly unhappy since I had several loads for the 357 Magnum and the 44 Magnum using H-110 that were very accurate. So, I just went to work with the WC-820 and found it was absolutely AA#9 burn rate, at least that is the case with my lot # 47320. (On my previous post I indicated my lot was the same as jason280's which he indicates is 47321. MINE IS NOT 47321 but 47320)
I have shot this lot of WC-820 right side by side with AA#9S (surplus version of AA#9--confused yet???) and AA#9 and the velocities for any given load are so close the same that I do believe my lot of WC-820 is AA#9. Regardless, I found some very accurate loads for my 357 and 44 Magnums with it and have very little use for H-110 anymore! Except one industrial strength load for the 44 Magnum using 240 XTP bullets is about it. I really like it and wish I had another couple of kegs of Lot # 47320 to lay back for future uses. Good-luck...BCB

Catfish · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2005, 02:08:11 PM »

I have bought and shot alot of the surplus powders. I have found that their burn rate can very a great deal from one batch to another. I don`t mind working up loads with the surplus powders for rifles where I have a max. chamber presure of 60,000, but I don`t have the nerver to work up loads for handgun with the stuff. I`ve seen some of the WC powders jump 6 or 7 powders on the burn rate chart from lot to lot. If your going to use these powders I recomand buying very large quanities of powder from the same lot number. I jsut bought 48 lbs. of a AA surplus powder so that I don`t have to work-up loads so often.

jason280 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2005, 02:12:14 PM »

Well, we're going to try it this week. I'll probably start at around 18gr and work up slowly. We have a chronograph, so I'll know what kind of velocities I'm getting.

I'm hoping the powder works out for me, as $60 for 8lbs is not bad! Plus, I should get a ton of reloads.

jason280 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2005, 09:30:26 AM »

I used AA#9 load data, and loaded four different loads with 240gr Hornady XTP and Remington JSP bullets. The loads were 16, 17, 18, and 19gr, and average velocities were:

16gr - 1150
17gr - 1255
18gr - 1370
19gr - 1430

Temp was around 80*, and CCI large pistol primers were used with Winchester brass. Flattened primers were noted with both 18 and 19gr loads, but recoil was very manageable. Also seemed to be a very clean burning powder, so I will definitely be buying more. Powder also seemed reasonably accurate, averaging around 2.5" at 50 yards. I'm sure I could get the groups down considerably, especially once I work up a load.