Working with Reasonable Priced Supplies

RL338 · Apr 15, 2022

Late last year I picked up some cheap powder and bullets. The powder WC867 was 16lbs/$84 plus shipping and hazmat and bullets were Blem Hornady 230gr A-tip for $46/100 (I think). So with crappy weather today I dug them out to try in the 30-378. The powder bottle states loads similar to H1000 - US869 , that’s a large gap.

So I started low and went up.
97grs - 2912 fps
100grs - 2923 fps
102grs - 2938 fps
5 grain gave me a net of 26 fps , wow
Continued on
105grs -3033 fps
107grs - 3073 fps
109grs - 3150fps
Now I’m getting somewhere with my velocity. 109 there was a faint ejector mark. So I went a little more to see if I had maxed out.
110grs - 3222fps still faint mark
111grs - 3263fps stiff bolt
This was using new Hornady brass seated at 4.100”. For starters this ball powder needs some pressure to start building velocity. Not really comparing apples to apples digging back on my old load data which was a different barrel with 230gr Berger Hybrids (factory 26” 1:10 twist compared to now 28” 1:8 twist) it runs close to my Retumbo data. I loaded some at 108.5grs to try on paper sometime when weather gets nicer.

They don’t fit in the box very well

TackDriver284 · Apr 15, 2022

Wow, 3200 fps plus with a 230 grain bullet. It should hit like a train and down any animal in North America. Hodgdon shows book max with US 689 at 3134 fps, you are in that ball park plus your 28 inches of barrel puts you further up in speed. I see you are getting more speed past 107 grains than the lower charges. I would try 107 to 109 grains with some 3 round groups. Keep us posted on results.
BTW, What magnum primer are you using to light that big case?

RL338 · Apr 16, 2022

TackDriver284 said:
BTW, What magnum primer are you using to light that big case?

For this I’m using the standard Federal 215s , which I have enough of. I did load the rest of the brass at 108.5grs to see what I get. Being this is a ball pull down powder I would like to see this summer how temp stable it is. I’m thinking not.

frankm · Apr 17, 2022

I doubt it’s temperature stabile. Group some of those you loaded and see what they do when it’s 80-85 degrees out. Can play from there.

Good luck.

jimbires · Apr 19, 2022

I've heard talk of it , but I don't think I've ever seen this no name powder for sale anywhere , where did you buy it ? I think I've read it's military pull down powder . 16 pounds for $84 , that's a lot of cheap shooting . let us know how you make out with it .

RL338 · Apr 19, 2022

I got it off of GB. The seller was running a bunch of pulldown powder on there. This one with multiple listings , when one would sell another one would start. I kept putting $85 bids on the WC867 powder until I won one. This was the slowest one they were listing. This wesite shows how it was packaged when I received it. Maybe it was them selling it I don’t remeber anymore.