"WC" Military Powders

[ArchAngelCD]

Online I see WC844, WC846 powders and they also sell WC844T and WC846T powders. Now I understand the T means Tracer powders according to the seller but what I would like to know is what's the actual difference between WC844 and WC844T powders. (or WC846 and WC846T)

I'm looking to make a bunch of .223 and .30-06 ammo so I'm going to need some powder soon. I would like to buy the best powder for the job but the WC846T powder is cheaper and if there's no real difference, I like cheap...

I'm sure there are plenty of reloaders who have used these powders who can give me first hand information. Please no guessing.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Can't say about the tracer powder, but I've used a couple 8 pound jugs of the WC846. Good stuff, a fine ball power that meters well in most measures, but has a tendency to leak in some measures.

You can work up a load starting with BL-C2 starting loads. 24.5 to 25 grains is close to a good starting point. Be careful to go up in very small increments. 26.5 grains is getting pretty hot in the lot I have.

Note: Be highly aware this is NOT cannister powder, it is bulk powder by lot number and you MUST work up a load for each lot # you buy. You cannot go by the BL-C2 listing across the board. It can be faster or slower than BL-C2, depending on the lot number.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thanks for the advice. I have heard you have to be careful with those powders and rarely if ever will one lot act like another.

I hope someone here knows the difference between the tracer powder and the standard powder...

 

[rockn30809]

T powder is a little hotter to insure the tracer lights off.

 

[NCsmitty]

I personally would not use any of the "T" series of powders unless there was no other choice, due to the hotter flame front to ignite tracers. Hotter burning powders in barrel throats are not a good combination for accuracy longevity.


NCsmitty

 

[capreppy]

I've been wanting to try out WC844. Loads similar to H335 and the price point is great for plinking ammo. Most places sell an 8# jug for $85. Hi-Tech will cover HazMat if you buy 32#s.

 

[CMV]

Hitech has good prices on primers also. They cover the HAZMAT for 30k or for 4 8-lb jugs of powder according to the website. Does anyone know if you can do a combination of powder & primers & get them to cover the Hazmat? Like if you bought 2 jugs of powder and 15k primers for example? Or if you bought 4 jugs of powder would they put that into a larger case and ship a smaller amount of primers with it with no Hazmat?

I'm probably going to switch to WC844 in place of the H335 I'm using now, but don't really want to buy 32 lbs at once. Since I don't know the shelf life of surplus powder I'd hate to buy enough for 9k rounds since I know it will take me 2-3 years or so to use it all.

Not to hijack but I have a really dumb question about surplus powders. Where so they come from? I assume someone is dismantling military ammo but what I don't get is why? Wouldn't it be much easier and make whoever is doing it the same amount of $ just selling the ammo instead of going through the trouble of taking it apart & selling off the components?

 

[snuffy]

Be sure to read the fine print. Most WC-844 powder offered right now IS pull-down. That means it's been loaded once, then issued, then returned to be DE-commissioned. For what reason I don't know.

My son was in the Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. Before returning to the U.S., they were told to fire all their issued ammo. It could NOT be left for the next batch of cannon-fodder,(new troops), it had to be shot up. So, I don't know why there's pull-down powder around.

There WAS a bunch of new WC-844 around about 10 years ago. It was getting old because we weren't in a war. It was sold to places like www.gibrass.com , Hi-tech, and Pats reloading.I bought 24 pounds of it @ $80.00/8 pound jugs. It is excellent powder. I used it up, sold some to another 2 shooters, and just bought some of the pull-down stuff. A bit slower than the first batch, but that can happen from one lot to another of any of it.

 

[kingmt]

Sorry that I don't have experience with the T powders to go with this post.

I have read that the T powder is faster. I would suggest calling the seller & asking them. I have spoke to the owner of gibrass & hitech which have good knowledge of most of what they sell.