Best Surplus Powder for 5.56 and 308 Win.

[frankmako]

I am looking at changing to a different powder for 5.56 (55 and 62gr) and 308 win (147gr). I have been using IMR 4895 and want to change over to the pull down surplus powders. Which pull down powder would work the best for both? 844 or 846? From what I can find it looks like 846 will work for both. So does anyone use 846 surplus powders for both? Also, do you think either of the two powders would work for 30-223, 7mm TCU, 7mm-308, and 30-06?

 

[medalguy]

I understand 846 can indeed be used for both calibers although I do not do so. I prefer to use the best powder for each caliber.

Sorry no help on using it for any of the other calibers you listed. I have read that 846 is not the best for .30-06. Continue to use IMR4895 for that one. After all, it was developed specifically for .30-06 ammunition.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Who's selling pulldown powders these days?

 

[rcmodel]

Who cares who is selling it, or which will work better in 4 very different cartridges?

Buy the time you get some, and work up a good load for all four?

They won't be selling it, again, or ever.

rc

 

[cfullgraf]

Right.

Or buy as much as you can lay your hands on while it is available. Then you will have a supply for a while.

 

[jcwit]

Who cares who is selling it, or which will work better in 4 very different cartridges?

Buy the time you get some, and work up a good load for all four?

They won't be selling it, again, or ever.

Right.

Or buy as much as you can lay your hands on while it is available. Then you will have a supply for a while.

Not quite right, Jeff's been selling this stuff for years

http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html

 

[Walkalong]

When I bought some SRB-118 way back when, I bought 32 pounds. SRB-118 isn't sold anymore, but it isn't a problem. It will make .223 and .308 go bang pretty well. Plenty good enough for cheap FMJ bullets.

 

[Ret.CWO]

Try Widners in Johnson City, Tenn. WC844 works for me in both .223 and 308
Also WC846

 

[medalguy]

It's still available, although not at the prices we paid 5-6 years ago.

And it won't be around for long. cfullgraf is right, buy it while you can, and buy what you think will be a long time supply. When current stocks are exhausted, there won't be any more available. The military ceased selling ammo for pulldown purposes several years ago.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

To answer the question as asked, I would choose WC846 over WC844 because 846 is the military 7.62X51 powder while 844 is the 5.56 NATO powder but the slightly slower 846 will work for both. Add the 30-06 int the mix and the 846 choice is even better unless your 30-06 ammo will be used in a Garand.

If you look at the link for Jeff's above you will see they are selling IMR4895 but at a price of $120/8lbs it's not such a great deal. Actually, for the past few years Jeff's prices have been on the high side. Pat's Reloading has better prices from what I can tell. Hi-Tech Ammo also has similar prices to Pat's. They also have projectiles available at a fair price.

 

[ErikO]

HI-Tech is where I'll be going but that is largely due to their being very local to me so no shipping or hazmat fees.

 

[zxcvbob]

SMP-842 is the new noncanister-grade powder to watch for. It's used in the new leadfree 5.56 NATO cartridge, and is allegedly the same thing as CFE-223. It should work well in both .223 and .308, but probably better in the .223

To answer the question as asked, I would choose WC846 over WC844 because 846 is the military 7.62X51 powder while 844 is the 5.56 NATO powder but the slightly slower 846 will work for both.

+1

 

[CCH71]

WC844. For all practical purposes, it's a very near clone to H335. I buy it by the 8lb jug from hi tech ammo. I use it to load 5.56, 6.8spc and .308 with very good results. WC 846 is a little slow for m855 and worse with m193. It will work, but WC844 IS the military powder for 5.56 and does surprisingly well on .308/NATO 7.62 as well. If you load a ton of .308 and not as much 5.56 and don't mind lower velocities go WC844, but I load about 2:1 in favor of 5.56 and I've managed some great accuracy out of some of the .308 loads as well. Most of my .308 is Varget and IMR4896 for accuracy loads, but have achieved sub MOA at 100 with 168gr hornady match and the WC844. Ymmv

 

[JerZsquid]

Just purchased 8lbs of w842 for $90 locally. Looking forward to working up some loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you load a lot of both why not buy both powders? If you buy 4X 8lb jugs you get free hazmat so you might want to buy 2X of each. That should cover you for a while.

It's just a suggestion if possible. I know these days it's extremely hard to come up with over $360 to lay out for powder at once. It's just a suggestion in case the funds are available. Right now I couldn't do it...

 

[stavman11]

GREAT info ArchAngelCD

been buying my Powder, WC844, from Wideners but they have been out for awhile

Am going to order 4-8lb jugs and 5000 CCI400 primers.... from Hi-Tech

Thanks again for the post....


Stav...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

GREAT info ArchAngelCD

been buying my Powder, WC844, from Wideners but they have been out for awhile

Am going to order 4-8lb jugs and 5000 CCI400 primers.... from Hi-Tech

Thanks again for the post....


Stav...

I'm glad I can help, that's what makes this forum tick.

I also buy from Widener's when I can but like you said, they have been out of a lot of stuff lately. I especially like their deals on bulk .224 and .308 bullets.

 

[jcwit]

BTW Jeff Bartlett has WC844 powder. Ya, I know it $15 higher, but its in stock.

 

[shootr]

Great info here guys - thx!

 

[FROGO207]

If you do not go over 168-169 grain bullet in the 308 the WC845 will work the best if you can find any currently. It sits between 844 and 846 burn wise but is closer to 844 in burn rate. Lacking that choice I would just go with the 844 if buying only one type. I have a commercial reloader near here that will sell 100 LB barrels of all three types for $12 a pound if picked up locally.

 

[Roadkill]

WC844 works for me in both .223 and 308
Also WC846

That's what I'm using too.

 

[jcwit]

I have a commercial reloader near here that will sell 100 LB barrels of all three types for $12 a pound if picked up locally.

Its my understanding that its illegal to transport more than 50 lbs of any gunpowder without special licensing. Don't get caught.

 

[FROGO207]

Yeah that's true. I don't have the cash on hand to get that quantity anyway. He said that he would break it up into three 40# containers for transport if anyone wanted to buy in that quantity. I usually just get three or four jugs from Pats reloading when I need to restock.