Ball powder vs. grain in the 30-378 wby

[cobra]

I am starting to develop loads for a 30-378 and I'm familar with the barrel errosion problems. I just wanted to know if a ball powder like H870 would be better about that then a grain powder like H50BMG? I believe I read something brief about that on this site but I can't seem to find it agian. Any replies would be appreciated.

 

[kraky]

You might go to Accuratereloading.com and check out the reloading pages for some data. There was another website that had great info but, I can't remember it right now. You might also e mail barnes bullets--they have been and excellent tester of the 30-378. Also the hodgdon website may be good. If I remember right AA8700 is considered a good powder as is h5010, hodgdon bmg, and h4831.
Personally I hate ball powders for an application like this cause they burn so darn dirty compared to a stick powder.

Barnes data is pretty "warm" don't excede it!

 

[Charles A]

From what I remember,H870 is highly graphited and is real dirty, but it does a better job of not wearing out a barrel. Unlike H50BMG, and H5010, wich have burned out barrels in as little as 600 rounds.

 

[Brent]

It's all my brother uses in his 338/378wby, H870 that is. BEWARE, the new Barnes manual 30/378 data is missprinted, I think I found 165gr data duplicated number for number under the 180gr load. This manual is very dangerous and should be crossreferenced exstensively when used. I have found other duplications with other cartridges too, 06, 7mm, and others. Way whacked out loads on some as well.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Before you work up loads using H870 you might be interested to know that Hodgdon has discontinued this powder a short while ago.
VH

 

[HoytemanPA]

Cobra,
H1000 for 200's, RL25 for 220's has worked the best so far for me. Haven't given the H50bmg a fair enough try as I have only used a pound and a half of it so far. Cleanup isn't bad with any of these three. A point to remember is if you shot 600 rounds of the factory stuff it would be to the tune of $2,550. So to my way of thinking a barrel that lasts that long costs 5 times less per shot than the ammo to feed it. At least that is the explanation I am giving the wife when I do wash this one out.

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Fellows
Ball Powder such as H870 and WC 872 works fine in any large overbore case.
The wear factor is "MUCH" better then the large stick powder such as 5010. We found this out many years ago.

I know of one 30/378 owned by a LR hunter at Williamsport that was shot out in 400 rounds using the BIG stick stuff 5010 which is much like 50BMG.

I use nothing but the WC872 in any of my LR Hunting rigs and that includes the 6.5/300 Weatherby, 7mm Mag, 7/300 Weatherby Mag, any of the 30 Cal mags and improved 30s such as the 30 Goodling and 30 Bear, 30/378, 300 Tomahawk and of course the 338/416 Rigby Improved. I don't use Moly bullets in these rifles either.

I once took a rifle (30 Bear) to Bruce Baer to have the barrel set back because I thought I had enough rounds through the barrel to warrent a set back. After checking the bore he said I really didn't need to do that because it didn't have many rounds through the barrel.
He said that barrel couldn't have more the 500 rounds through it. When I told him it had near 2000 he couldn;t believe it. I only shot WC872 in that rifle.

Ball powder works for me and I get many rounds through a barrel before I have to rebarrel. It is heat sinsitive and seems to work best in hunting conditions and colder weather like 50 degrees and below.

If trying to shoot 1000 yard matches in "hot weather", ball powder seems to want to give you a flyer or two in a 10 shot string. Hence, heat sinsitive.

Chris
Glad to see your getting the results you are out of the H870 powder. I did use it in my rifles before switching to WC872. Works great in my Tomahawk. WC872 is just a tad slower. Not much though.

Later
DC

The smell of burning gun powder makes me horney. So does diesel smoke.

[ 01-03-2003: Message edited by: Darryl Cassel ]

 

[texas]

Chris I think you posted the website for Bartlett before but can't be sure. Also where do you find loading data for the WC872?

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Texas

Use the H870 data.

You can go about 1 to 2 more grains of WC872 if using 100 grs or more of H870 such as when loading the 30/378 or the 338/378 or 338/416 Rig IMP.

Later
DC

 

[texas]

Thanks DC hope that you might try out that Sierra 250gr SMK and let us know how it works in your 338/416.

 

[Guest]

texas-- Check the archives--DC has posted some results awhile back on the .338 250SMK; Its doesn't fare to well against the 300 gr., the BC is much lower and the 300 really packs a punch at extreme distance...
The Bartlett website is here... http://www.gibrass.com/

 

[texas]

Chris thanks for the heads up.

 

[Guest]

I've been running around 105 gr of H870 through my .300 Tomahawk and it isn't any dirtier in this gun than some of the stick powders. I also heard that H870 was discontinued, but I intend to order 16# of WC872 from Bartlett in KY. It has a very similar burn rate and costs only $40 for an 8# jug. It is surplus 20mm Vulcan powder, but it is new, not from pulled rounds. I found out about it from DC, as this is what he uses...

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Texas

I wouldn't waste "my" time with the 250 gr 338 Sierra MK in my 338/416 Rigby with the 37" barrel. The rifle was built for the 300 gr and the results are unreal. If it's not broke, I won't fix it.

The 250gr only has a .5 BC and that's not anywhere near what the the 300 gr produces and not good enough for the ranges I like to reach out with my 338/416.

The 250 gr 338 would be for a smaller case OR a large case with a shorter barrel such as 30" or less where you can't get the desired velocity out of the 300 gr bullet.

Ray Romain uses the 250 Gr in his 338/375 (just an improved Weatherby case) Case and has a 34" barrel. We teamed up on a Colorado Mule deer this past season and he got it at 1800 yrds with his rig. The bullet arrived with 800 Foot pounds of energy and after closer inspection penitrated both shoulders and exited the far side. The exit hole was very small being about 1" diameter.

His shoots very well, but won't hold a candle to the 338/416 with a longer barrel, 300 gr MK and larger case as per energy and velocity at extreme range.

Later
DC

PS---Chris, how do you like those legs Jim makes? They are top of the line.
Someday I'll have to show you how the Cam and crank shaft gears and chain work on my table for the elevation.

[ 01-04-2003: Message edited by: Darryl Cassel ]