WC844 vs H335My son is trying to work up a

[gerrycaruso]

My son is trying to work up a load for his 223 bolt gun. He'd like to use a ball powder and has lots of WC844 which is supposed to be the same as H335. With H335 he put 5 rounds into 7/8" at 200 yards and the WC844 wouldn't put 5 rounds on the paper. I guess they're not exactly the same. This was with Winchester primers. I'll try a few with Ginex which I have lots of. They're relatively cheap at just over 60 bucks a thousand including shipping and hazmat.

 

[peterk123]

My son is trying to work up a load for his 223 bolt gun. He'd like to use a ball powder and has lots of WC844 which is supposed to be the same as H335. With H335 he put 5 rounds into 7/8" at 200 yards and the WC844 wouldn't put 5 rounds on the paper. I guess they're not exactly the same. This was with Winchester primers. I'll try a few with Ginex which I have lots of. They're relatively cheap at just over 60 bucks a thousand including shipping and hazmat.

What grain bullet?

 

[gerrycaruso]

60 grain sierra

 

[pastera]

WC844 might be like H335 but it is not as closely controlled so large variations between lots can be expected.
Manufacturers understand this and develop for each lot of powder they buy.
We buy by the pound not by drum so need a more consistent burn rate and energy content.

Unless you have a large amount of 844 of the same lot, I'd put it aside for plinking rounds and go with CFE223 or H335 depending on bullet weight (cfe for heavy)

 

[gerrycaruso]

Yes, I realize that H335 is cannister and WC844 is non-canister and varies from lot to lot. I didn't expect such a huge difference.

 

[EddieZoom]

Yes, I realize that H335 is cannister and WC844 is non-canister and varies from lot to lot. I didn't expect such a huge difference.

That is a pretty drastic difference, given same/same everything else.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Upped the powder charge from 25 to 26 grains and put 6 rounds into 1/2" at 200 yards. The bullets are just off the lands

 

[mac1911]

Yes, I realize that H335 is cannister and WC844 is non-canister and varies from lot to lot. I didn't expect such a huge difference.

I have not seen wc844 in years?
Most if not all WC844 is pull down surplus. How old it was then and now ….
I use a good amount of 844 for my 55 grain plinking loads its minute of 3” steel plate…..thats the extent of my testing