I haven't ever used this powder in my reloads before but I do notice in the manuals that it often gives you several more fps in most loads. Anybody find that it is temperature sensitive? I picked up a couple of pounds for fifty bucks to try so the price was right. I should mention that it's to load in a .308
Opinions wanted on Win 748 powder
- Thread starter sure as shootin
- Start date
W748 has more temperature sensitivity than powders designed to be insensitive. Safe bet is to work up a load in hotter weather.
Or warm your test cartridges to body temperature.
I used a bunch of it in the past in .223 Rem. These days I'm using mostly using extruded powders for rifle.
Or warm your test cartridges to body temperature.
I used a bunch of it in the past in .223 Rem. These days I'm using mostly using extruded powders for rifle.
I've been using 748 for the last 40 years or so- been a good powder to me and use it in 308- 180 grainers and lughter- remmy 742, savage 99, and a bunch of m14s- both real and clone- never ran into any temperature problems - if u just the 1lb, that's fine, but I still have the original KEG I got back in the 90's
but consider this ZEDIKER uses it in his MATCH loads for the 168 grain SLR- special long range LOADS FOR THE M -14
but consider this ZEDIKER uses it in his MATCH loads for the 168 grain SLR- special long range LOADS FOR THE M -14
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did u miss the part where he already HAS the powder- what he's wondering is what he can use it for, not what to use in a 308- btw, xedikers slr load- 44 grains 248. 165-168 grain bullet , magnum primer, and lc case- I use it for 223 as well
remember EACH individual rifle will have its own powder/cartridge recipes that perform best in THAT particular rifle-
remember EACH individual rifle will have its own powder/cartridge recipes that perform best in THAT particular rifle-
thepolinator
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Sudbury, ON
Its very nice in 223 and 7x57
I don't get it, I'm an American and you Canadians are saying 748 is temp sensitive?
Its freakin COLD in Canada and it doesn't get as hot as our southern states where the temperature gets much warmer.
Even in the summer in Canada its cooler because you are all swatting mosquitoes and keeping the air moving.
Bottom line, ball powders are powder measure friendly and our military likes ball powders because they load the cases by volume and not weight.
And I use two ball powders in my AR15 rifles, H335 and 748 and Varget in my .223 bolt action.
P.S. I try not to shoot when its hot outside and prefer to stay inside in the air conditioning and thinking I would rather be in cool Canada.
Its freakin COLD in Canada and it doesn't get as hot as our southern states where the temperature gets much warmer.
Even in the summer in Canada its cooler because you are all swatting mosquitoes and keeping the air moving.
Bottom line, ball powders are powder measure friendly and our military likes ball powders because they load the cases by volume and not weight.
And I use two ball powders in my AR15 rifles, H335 and 748 and Varget in my .223 bolt action.
P.S. I try not to shoot when its hot outside and prefer to stay inside in the air conditioning and thinking I would rather be in cool Canada.
I use Varget in my .308 under 130 gr. TTSX and only use this combo for deer because I have a 30 WSM for the big stuff but I thought I'd like to try the Win 748 to work up a load in my two adult kids' .308 using 150 gr. TSX which I also happen to have on hand. Since the .308s are their only rifles I thought the 150 gr. TSX would be a good projectile for them for all game,,,,deer, elk, moose, bear, but I want to use a powder that will give more fps to insure reliable expansion of the 150 gr. TSX. I doubt either of them will ever be shooting beyond 250 yards.
Thanks for all the comments so far~
"good projective for all game" ?- yea, right- a 150- that's the FACTORY load for deer- and small ones at that- do a little more reading and you'll see that 150s are the BARE MINIMUM - maybe that's why all the naysayers for the 748= they all use light weight deer loads- where I live in alberta, we get moose, elk, mulies( and I;m not talking cyrus) cougars, and both kinds of bear- I wouldn't consider leaving the house with anything less than 165s in the magazine and belt
- Location
- In the shadows of the Rockies
OK results in 223, 308 and 35 Whelen. Seems magnum primers are recommended so it might be harder to ignite than other powders?? Have experienced hang-fires with it in 458 WM which was remedied by keeping load density near 100%. Not a preferred powder for me.
748 is an excellent general purpose ball powder. Sort of the ball powder equivalent of 4895.
It gives excellent velocity in 223, 30-30 and 308. And accuracy is good because it measures perfectly through a powder thrower.
It is temperature sensitive, but there is a good work around for this. Develop 2 loads - summer and winter. Or, develop a summer load and just accept that the velocity will be a bit less in hunting season.
In the fall -winter I take my ammo to the range in a cooler. In the cooler is a pair of 2 litre pop bottles filled with hot tap water. This keeps the ammo at summer like conditions.
When shooting, I put the 5 test rounds in my inside shirt pocket. This keeps each round toasty hot until needed.
This techniques means my ammo is good for summer conditions.
It gives excellent velocity in 223, 30-30 and 308. And accuracy is good because it measures perfectly through a powder thrower.
It is temperature sensitive, but there is a good work around for this. Develop 2 loads - summer and winter. Or, develop a summer load and just accept that the velocity will be a bit less in hunting season.
In the fall -winter I take my ammo to the range in a cooler. In the cooler is a pair of 2 litre pop bottles filled with hot tap water. This keeps the ammo at summer like conditions.
When shooting, I put the 5 test rounds in my inside shirt pocket. This keeps each round toasty hot until needed.
This techniques means my ammo is good for summer conditions.
I just learned something today!
Actually a 30 call 150 gr x bullet will handily take all of the game you mentioned. - dan
Well Mr. Star, You took in too much territory in your broad statement above!
I am looking at a Winchester Ball Powder Loading Data manual, I don't k now what year, but it is marked Eighth Edition. In a 34 page manual, covering shotshell, pistol and rifle, it does not, anywhere in the manual, mention the word primer. That is, it does not say in the entire manual, showing every type of their ball powder, in every class of firearm, that a magnum primer should be used. Primers are not mentioned.
In referring to Winchester Ball Powder #748, it states, "Rifle powder popular with bench rest shooters in cartridges such as 222 Remington. Wide range of applications in calibres 222 to 458 Winchester Magnum."
Here is their complete statement, Ball Powder Propellant.
Winchester smokeless propellants meet almost every reloading requirement. Our exclusive manufacturing process produces power with excellent ballistic uniformity. Smooth flowing for precision metering, cleaner and cooler burning--these are just some of advantages you'll have when you use Winchester Ball Powder Propellant. It fulfills the specific requirements of the most discriminating reloader. Winchester Ball Powder propellant duplicates the exact same high standards and quality of Winchester factory loads.
* 10 different Ball Powder propellants-for shotguns, rifles and handguns-for a wide range of calibres and gauges.
* Offers the greatest chemical stability ever attained in small arms propellant.
* Low barrel erosion due to lower flame temperature.
* High energy, clean burning.
* Less muzzle flash.
* more uniform "thrown" charges due to smooth flow of Ball Powder propellant.
* All Winchester powders are double-based for maximum energy."
Where does it mention one word about being temperature unstable? (It doesn't)
So, are you going to keep on warming the cartridges to your body temperature and loading lighter in hot weather, and a whole host of other unproven theories on these blogs, or are you going to do like a great many of us have always done, just go by what Winchester states in their own manuals, load whatever primers we usually use and shoot the same loads in any temperature that comes along?
Bruce
No offence but I think you need to do a little more reading on Barnes TSX or TTSX projectiles. Because they are are monolithic bullet (copper) they'll retain almost 100% of their weight upon impact so in essence it's like using a 175 - 180 gr. cup and core or bonded bullet which loses considerable amount of it's original weight. Also because it's a lighter bullet it has much greater velocity when loaded to maximum levels. Now I wouldn't EVER target grizzlies with it but 150 gr. TTSX / TSX are really all you need for any ungulate loaded to 2900 fps, especially if you know where to hit them. Take them out at the shoulder,,,,,little to no meat damage and no lead dispersed through the front half of their body.
So I did a load work up this morning before all the comments finished coming in but I used Fed 210 primers. Am I to assume these primers are OK? It is the first time I've used a ball powder so I didn't even consider using magnum primers, as suggested above. Sure don't want to pull all the bullets to start over. I just used the Barnes data for the 150 gr. TSX and Win 748 was listed as one of the powders you could use,,,,, and the Fed 210 was the primer listed to use.
Powder stability is my main concern.
With all due respect Bruce, the excerpt reads to me like a bit of marketing hype. Show all the pros and no cons!
If the primer didn't matter, why is Winchester selling magnum primers in both rifle and pistol?
SPEER NO 11, PAGE 27, magnum primers- on ignition, magnum primers give a longer, hotter flame- their use is RECOMMENDED where temperatures reach 0 (1) or MOST BALL POWDERS(2) OR SLOW BURNING RIFLE POWDERS like mrp and imr 4831- moreover , I use the exact same recipe as what zidker uses and he uses cci mrps-and thas good enuff for me
moreover DO NOT credit me with saying that 748 is unstable- I said quite the opposite- it's been my goto for over 40 years
My post was to show what Winchester recommends in their manual, eighth edition, with their old time Ball Powders.
I am not going to argue about primers, or anything else.
I am only stating information directly from Winchester.
However, notice my next post.
