Almost out of H 870
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Engineering101
Well-Known Member
US 869 is a ball powder with almost the same burn rate as H870 but... it is intended for BIG cases. It would work but I'd look at something like RL-26 which should perform really well in the cartridges you mentioned.
I use IMR 7828 ssc and long cut in both cartridges as the most accurate powder tried. I'd highly recommend it for 180 gr in 300wm and 168gr in 7RM.
JeffVN
Well-Known Member
+1 a lot depends upon the weight of the projectile you are going to shoot.
I run 175 gr. smks, 180 Berger Hybrids, 180 Berger VLDs, and 195 gr. Bergers in my 7WSM with IMR 7828 SSC, H4831 SC, Retumbo, and H1000.
I run Retumbo and H1000 in my 7 Dakota under the same projectiles (planning to try RL-26 based upon QL numbers).
I never tried H870, but will take a look at it in QL.
+1 It is probably worth looking at RL-26, that seems to work great in medium magnum cartridges, depending upon the bullet weight.
JeffVN
I run 175 gr. smks, 180 Berger Hybrids, 180 Berger VLDs, and 195 gr. Bergers in my 7WSM with IMR 7828 SSC, H4831 SC, Retumbo, and H1000.
I run Retumbo and H1000 in my 7 Dakota under the same projectiles (planning to try RL-26 based upon QL numbers).
I never tried H870, but will take a look at it in QL.
+1 It is probably worth looking at RL-26, that seems to work great in medium magnum cartridges, depending upon the bullet weight.
JeffVN
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
if you are looking for a cheap alternative, some are still selling wc 872 and wc 867... they are both around the same burn rate as your h870 and would likely shoot similarly. You would need to work up your loads. I currently shoot wc872 (that I purchased at Wideners a few years back) in a couple of loads, but you may have to dig a bit on who has mil-surp powders after the last run on stuff...
If you want the best performance, I'd go with the earlier mentions of a slower rl powder, but the wc series powders are decent if you don't mind 50 cal. ball powders.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Take a look at RL26 and RL23.
dgr416
Well-Known Member
Yep I still have four kegs of h-870 .I use it in my 264 win mag.I have been trying the wc-867 powder its very temperature depend shoots better in Cold weather .
WildRose
Well-Known Member
In that you certainly are not alone.
dgr416
Well-Known Member
Those surplus powder are uncoated which means they behave totally different than regular coated powder .My 264 win mag Has only shot h-870 in it .I used up the one pounders and found four kegs when I heard it was no longer being sold .The wc867 powder kicks alot more in my264 loaded same grains as the h870 .I use reloader 25 in my 338-378 which eats powder like Godzilla.I hated for h870 to disappear .Reloader 15 is suppose to disappear too I need to get a bunch more of it too .
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Older powders lack the coatings of more modern powders simply because the chemistry has changed over the years as more has been learned.
In general I find that faster burning powders using the same caliber bullets of the same weights compared to the slower burning powders have a sharper felt recoil than the latter. One exception to that generalization is H1000.
Since the explosion of the slower powder is more drawn out than with the faster powders it makes sense but I don't know how it can be proven or disproven though since "felt recoil" is a very subjective thing and each shooter will perceive recoil differently based on a host of factors.
I think based on my limited experience with it you'll grow to like RL17 if you give it a try and the temp stability of RL26 over 25 if you give them a chance.
Have you tried RL16 at all? I've seen mixed results from people commenting on it.
dgr416
Well-Known Member
I use to go though kegs of reloaded 15 with my 416 REM mag and my dillion 550 reloader .I have not seen loads for reloaded 15 for the 416 REM mag yet .I can really tell the difference in the kick between h-870 and wc-867 its way harder with the wc-867 .I bought the 867 for my 338-378 but am kinda afraid to use it .I have only used reloader 25 in my 338-378 .Its just easier to have one powder per caliber than to have a bunch of different powders .You can buy pallets of the wc 867 powder for about .25 a pound but you have to buy almost a ton at a time and have a fireworks permit to have it !
