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Old April 14, 2013, 10:15 PM   #2
11B-101ABN
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Join Date: March 29, 2010
Location: Eastern Iowa USA
Posts: 47
WC852

WC852 was used for military 30 caliber machine guns and rifles, including the M1 Garand, for several decades. From the Army Ammuunition Data Sheets TM 43-0001-27 dated 1981, here are two loads from the book I have used, and had good results with: 1.) 50 grain of WC852 with a 145 grain tracer bullet produced 50,000 psi, and 2665 fps. 2.) 55 grain of WC852 with a 165 grain armor piercing bullet produced 54,000 psi and 2715 fps. If you substitute your 150 grain jacketed bullet and start at 50 grains, and do not exceed 55 grains for a charge weight, you should be ok.
Jeff Bartlett from Bartlett Reloaders sold that stuff for many years and recommended using IMR 4831 data to load WC852. You might consider contacting him for info.
Lake City Ammunition Plant has not made .30 caliber ammunition since the mid 1970's so your WC852 surplus powder is probably approaching 35 years old, and depending on the way it was stored, may have changed composition.
There have been warnings about using slow powder and heavy bullets causing damage to the M-1 Garand operating rod, but your 150 grain bullets should be OK. There are not many load books that will reference Military Surplus powders so if you are relatively new to reloading, the safest thing to do is find someone close to you who has worked with WC852.
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