WC844 powder ?
- Thread starter rebs081
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Coaltminer
Member
I don't know the origin, but I'm aware that it is government surplus. I used it with good results in 30/06, bought it in an 8 lb. jug back in the day.
MichiganScott
Member
It's supposed to be like H335 which is my favorite powder for the .223. However, burn rate varies from lot to lot so start low and work your way up. You really need a chronograph to load milsurp powder because of this variability, but you can get away with it if you pay close attention to pressure signs and how your rifle operates. You have to go through the same process with every lot you buy.
It may or may not have come from pulled rounds. After WWII the government sold train loads of never loaded powders. That's how Hodgdon got its start.
I've got 24lbs of 4895 left from pull downs that I paid $8/lb back when I ran a Garand in High Power competition. Surplus powders can be a great way to keep the costs down, but they are not something I'd recommend a beginning reloader get involved in.
It may or may not have come from pulled rounds. After WWII the government sold train loads of never loaded powders. That's how Hodgdon got its start.
I've got 24lbs of 4895 left from pull downs that I paid $8/lb back when I ran a Garand in High Power competition. Surplus powders can be a great way to keep the costs down, but they are not something I'd recommend a beginning reloader get involved in.
I was just thinking since I really like the H335 that this would be a way to save some money, but I don't know how accurate it would be in my 223. Also I have my loads worked up for H335 and wouldn't really want to have to work up with every batch of WC844 powder. I would only be saving 46.00 on each 8 lbs, which would probably last me a year.
tappedandtagged
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From my understanding, the govnerment is not allowed to sell loaded ammuntion. But they can pull the ammo apart and sell the componets. As to why they put that certain ammo on the chopping block.... No one can say for certain. Over-run, old stock, or someother reason.
When I was looking at it, I went ahead and got H335 from Grafs along with all the other stuff I need (primers, bullets, dies). In the end, it was barely more to buy the canister powder. But do the math and see yourself. That was my experience. Just so happened that by ordering at grafs and not paying shipping from two companies (one for bullets and dies, one for surplus powder and primers) the savings wasn't worth the hassle.
When I was looking at it, I went ahead and got H335 from Grafs along with all the other stuff I need (primers, bullets, dies). In the end, it was barely more to buy the canister powder. But do the math and see yourself. That was my experience. Just so happened that by ordering at grafs and not paying shipping from two companies (one for bullets and dies, one for surplus powder and primers) the savings wasn't worth the hassle.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Yes it is accurate, it's the none canister version of the commercial H335 and used by the military for service ammo.
WC844 is used in 5.56 NATO ammo and WC846 is used in 7.62 NATO ammo, both work fine.
If you are concerned about having to work up your loads every time you buy powder, you can always buy several at one time of the same lot and not worry about it for a while. I know that not always possible because of the cost but it is one way.
wc844 in 223
I use an AR-15 for service rifle XTC matches. I have been using surplus WC844 purchased at Camp perry for 69 and 52 grain bullets exclusively. Outstanding accuracy with sierra or nosler bullets at 200 and 300 yards. Load data same as H335 for 52 grain bullets, backed down to 23.5 grain for 69 grain bullets. As with any loads, work up to what works best for you, but I love WC844 in my 223's.
I use an AR-15 for service rifle XTC matches. I have been using surplus WC844 purchased at Camp perry for 69 and 52 grain bullets exclusively. Outstanding accuracy with sierra or nosler bullets at 200 and 300 yards. Load data same as H335 for 52 grain bullets, backed down to 23.5 grain for 69 grain bullets. As with any loads, work up to what works best for you, but I love WC844 in my 223's.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
Been using WC846, it loads like BLC-(2) and has produced some really good results in my wildcat cartridges. I also have been using it for some .30/06 loads and am pretty pleased with it. I also use the Russian 4895 and a surplus Unique with great results.
Mostly though, what I really like for surplus powder is WC820, a pulldown powder for the .30 Carbine. The lot I have loads like H110 and I use it in my 44Mag loads. IT IS GREAT and less than $12/lb! Win/win!
Mostly though, what I really like for surplus powder is WC820, a pulldown powder for the .30 Carbine. The lot I have loads like H110 and I use it in my 44Mag loads. IT IS GREAT and less than $12/lb! Win/win!
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I really wish I had the money to buy enough WC844 and WC846 jugs of powder so I could get the free shipping and no Hazmat fee. I just can't spend all that money at once. Heck, I can't even make the orders I used to make from Powder Valley. Things are really getting hard and this is only the beginning of the next 4 years. Batten down the hatches, we're in for a really rough ride.
MichiganScott
Member
I consider reloading supplies an investment. When I made the large purchase of the 4895 mentioned above at $8/lb, commercial IMR powders were being sold for about $16/lb. Look at the current price.
When I switched from a Garand to a black rifle for high power competition, I bought 2000 new WW .223 casings for $160. It would cost me almost $500 today. I still have 1500 left that I could sell at a hefty profit even considering inflation.
Selling excess powder and primers may be more difficult that selling bullets and cases, but nothing is getting cheaper. I watch the Internet and flyers for sales and buy even if I don't currently need the components.
The way it works with pull downs is every so often a problem will be reported with a particular Lot of ammo. This report can come from end users or from a periodic test done on stored ammo. The problem can be brass, primer, powder or bullet related, once it is identified a govt contractor is paid to destroy the entire Lot, pulling it down counts as destruction. The contractor is allowed to sell the separate parts as scrap, an ethical contractor will not sell the bad component. By far the component that goes bad the most is tracer bullets, quite a bit of the pull downs is Lots with tracer bullets that will no longer light 100% meaning the powder and primed cases are still good. But be aware that there are two types of powder used, WC844/WC846 and WC844T/WC846T the T meaning for tracer. The tracer powder burns hotter to make for more reliable tracer ignition, this is not a problem for the govt because a. most of the time you use 4 ball/1 tracer and b. the taxpayer pays for the burned out barrels. Bottom line is if you use a lot of WC844T/WC846T you can shorten your barrel life, by how much I don’t know, a few thousand reloads with tracer powder won’t make much difference but a steady diet will cause increased barrel wear.
DWalt
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I can't say much more than has already been said. But I have sure never heard the story about the T-suffix powders being hotter. My product manual says WC844 is used in M193 (ball), M196 (tracer), and M855 (ball), with WC844T used in M856 (tracer). It also shows the main difference between WC844 and WC844T is the former contains 9.5% Nitroglycerine and 80 % Nitrocellulose and the latter has 10% Nitroglycerine and 83% Nitrocellulose. Nothing is mentioned about the WC844T propellant having a higher combustion temperature. I would suspect that a different propellant is used mainly because of the different bullet weight of the M856 tracer round.
There are two other propellants listed as being suitable for tracer rounds also, in addition to WC844 and WC844T, namely IMR 8208M and CMR170. Neither of those contains any Nitroglycerine. I can find no mention made that WC846T exists, as only WC846 is listed (which has 9.5% Nitroglycerine and 80% Nitrocellulose, just as WC844 does). I seriously doubt that an additional 0.5% Nitroglycerine content will make much, if any, difference in combustion temperature. If you have the T-suffix propellant, I'd say use it without concern.
There are two other propellants listed as being suitable for tracer rounds also, in addition to WC844 and WC844T, namely IMR 8208M and CMR170. Neither of those contains any Nitroglycerine. I can find no mention made that WC846T exists, as only WC846 is listed (which has 9.5% Nitroglycerine and 80% Nitrocellulose, just as WC844 does). I seriously doubt that an additional 0.5% Nitroglycerine content will make much, if any, difference in combustion temperature. If you have the T-suffix propellant, I'd say use it without concern.
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ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
It doesn't matter how much money I will save 5 years from now buying cheap now because if I don't have the money it doesn't matter how cheap it is, I still don't have the money!
