Wc 867

[270WSMXBolt]

This is my first post, Thanx in advance for your help. I'm trying to load some rounds for my hunting bud and the recipe he gave me calls for WC 867 powder. I can't find any retailers who can provide this powder. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bearhunter]

Your bud is giving you a "load recipe" for a SURPLUS powder that was supplied by Higginson's, a dealer out of Ontario.

Some local gun shops carried their products to offer as cheap alternatives to commercial canister grade/packaged powder. Usually it came in BULK plastic bags of 7 pounds each.

It's good powder.

It's also quite versatile but works best with heavy bullets for caliber. It's a Ball powder, rather than extruded.

It has a quickness rate of around 95-105, depending on which lot you have and whose chart you use. This is the same burn rate as Reloader 22. A bit slower than H4831.

There really is a HUGE DIFFERENCE in the burn rates from lot to lot. Unlike canister grade powders, the batches are made up to a different standard. Not that it's a lesser standard. Just that each lot isn't that close to the next.

I had three different lots at one time and each lot was different enough from the other that the quickest would produce a lot more pressure than the other two. With all three lots, I started with AA3100 starting loads in my 280 Winchester. For the mid range lot the data was almost, not quite interchangeable.

It was used for milspec loads in 50BMG and 20mm rounds.

You don't mention the cartridge you're loading for. That makes it more difficult.

If you know the velocities, just go to a suitable powder, like RL22 as a replacement and load accordingly. You should be ok.

I won't load cartridges for anyone if they give me a "recipe" for the simple reason that powder changes quickness between lots. If it's a small case, such as the 223rem, 2-3 tenths of a grain can make a lot of difference in accuracy. No matter what, any load you do, if it doesn't perform well in the rifle it's intended for, IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT.

Just a suggestion, if you're going to pursue this, get the rifle as well and work up a load, with canister grade powder, that is accurate and consistent.


I doubt you will be able to purchase any WC867, other than maybe at a gun show. I don't believe Higginson's sells surplus powders any more.

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[270WSMXBolt]

Wow you know your stuff. Thanks very good info.
The recipe was developed with the help of his cousin who is a Very highly skilled officer. One of the best in our country, so he probably obtained the powder through channels that are not typically available to a plumber like me. Unfortunately he is temporarily working back east and can't remember if he has any left. So I'm trying to source the stuff but most retailers only carry the typical go to powders.
The recipe is for a 300 WSM round with 165 grn GMX bullet.
Cheers Geoff.

 

[Ganderite]

Unless you can get some of the same powder as his original recipe (I mean the same lot#) then you can't use his load data.

What you can do is buy a suitable powder (like 4831SC) and load him 5 of each in o.5 gr increments from 65 to 68 gr and let him test and see what works.

A canister grade powder (like what the dealer sells) is a powder quite similar from lot to lot, so you can buy a new can and use the old data.

There is nothing wrong with buying a non-canister powder (most of my shooting is with non-canister grade powders) but you should buy multiple 8 pounders of it, or a drum, so your load data remains useful for a period of time.

 

[270WSMXBolt]

Thanx, I will pick up some of that powder when I get a chance
Is there a link to a page that can give me a burn rate comparison for some of these powders.
I'm not stupid, just new to this and my pappy told me "The only stupid question is the one you don't ask"
Thanx again for your help. Geoff