Win 748

[greystone]

Anybody have any experience with this powder in a 204? I see my dealer has some on the shelf and I've been thinking about trying it. Thanks. Dave

[Ruger No. 1]

Its not a very "stable" powder, The pressure changes when the temp changes.

[Hotshot]

Virtually the same as H335 and AA2460. It should work great, especially with 32 grain bullets.

[jo191145]

I'll be shooting 748 in the 204M Challenge. Works great with 35 Bergs (I hope). Never tried it with the 40 Bergs. Never spend much time on bullets that do not come in a yellow box for the 204.
Back in 2005 as a totally green reloader it was the first powder that outshot Hornady 32 factory ammo for me.
Discontinued using it until just recently because it wasn't sexy enough.

Try some if you like. Its most tunable with neck tension and primer selection. 205M highly reccommended.
Fed 205 or CCI -450 runner ups. 29.2gns with a 35 Berg on top 2.265 COL.
.255 bushing no expander ball in a Redding S series FL sizer set up for very slight crush fit. Oddly enough when I first revisited this powder I found out FL sizing produced better groups using my standard FL die as opposed to neck sizing..
I bought the S series just to be able to adjust the tension. From the little I've shot this load it seems to be worth it.
I'll know more after next Sundays egg shoot.

[OldTurtle]

W-748 is my standard powder for my 39SBKs...

I've found that dropping almost a full grain below the max charge gives me the most consistently accurate groups.



I also use it very frequently in my slow twist (1/14) .223 with 40gr V-Max bullets with about the same results.

The only other powder I've had even close results using in the Ramshot X-Terminator....

Both powders flow easily through my powder dispenser without any 'bridging' problems and give consistent charges for volume work.

[Bunnybuster]

I started working with it this week, with Hornady 32-gr bullets. I shot a ladder of 3-shot groups today from 27.0 to 29.3-gr, in 0.3-gr increments. Didn't see any pressure signs, and might try the Hornady manual listed 29.6-gr max, at 4100-fps.

In my Ruger No. 1, with a light sporter barrel, the best results were at 27.0, 28.8, and 29.4-gr loads.

I'm going to load up ten loads at 28.8, and 29.4-gr tomorrow, and shoot them through the chrony to see how fast they are moving.

The Hornady manual lists 748 for all of their bullets, and shows it as one of the maximum velocity powders for the 40, and 45-gr bullets.

[Silverfox]

My testing with W748 in the .204 Ruger was done during the second week of August of 2004. I didn't have any reloading data at my disposal and was "flying by the seat of my pants" and guessing at starting loads and max loads. I did blow a few primers during this time and stretched a number of primer pockets, but through dumb luck and the Good Lord's intervention, I didn't lose an eye or any of my extremities.

Here's a couple of targets and load statistics for some of my early modified ladder handload testing for the .204 Ruger. Note, the powder charge weights on the bottom target for Win 748. The load of 29.9 gr. gave me 4,036 fps. One would think a load of 30.0 would be quite safe and increase velocity only a matter of a few feet per second????



After I tested the Win 748 loads above with the 32 gr. V-Max I decided I'd try to get a velocity a little closer to the advertised 4,225 fps that Hornady was touting. Here's a modified ladder test I did with four heavier charge weights of Win 748 than the four loads listed above.



Common sense should have told me to stop shooting those Win 748 loads after the first one at 30.0 gr. gave me 4,250 fps. But NO, I not only fired the 30.5 gr. load, but also shot the 31.0 and 31.5 gr. loads as well. That last load of 31.5 gr. didn't give me hard bolt lift and the primers, while the shoulders were not fully round any longer, they were not flattened and square. However, after decapping these four casings I could seat new primers to the bottom of the primer pocket with just just light finger pressure

I am sure that if you have read threads where I give suggestions on powder charges you have also read where I have told reloaders to go up only .2 of a grain at a time??? Well, I wasn't operating under that bit of wisdom back in August of 2004, but I certainly used that rule after that day!!!

When I see the accuray OldTurtle is getting with his load of 26.3 gr. of Win 748 with the 39 gr. Sierra BKs, I might just have to use a bit more of that near full cannister of Win 748 that I have in my reloading room.

[varget204]

with 40 berger 28 gr.141@100;27.8gr & 40 -max .058 savage 12fv 26" 1in 12 twist.

[Blacktail53]

I just got back from the range with the .204.
I ran a quick test with the 32gr V-Max and 28gr of W748 started with BR-4 primers.
The results looked very promising and I plan to continue with W748 - however - I used the last of my BR-4 primers and only have 400's and 6 1/2's left!

That 28gr load is in the middle and should run around 3800 fps.
Load spectrum runs from 26.4 to 29.6gr's for W748 and the 32's.

So here's my question: Using the reg small rifle primers, do you see any reason not to load 28grs or should I back off to say, 27gr and go from there ?

I'm not looking for speed. Just a good consistent load for shooting ground squirrels - without primer issues.

Thanks, BT53

[jo191145]

The 400's should hold at 28.0gns with a 32gn pill. Of course its always safer to drop low and start back up. Always need some foulers anyway.
The 400's are rather thin for the 204 but will work in a pinch using due caution.

I would not recommend using those 6.5's in the 204 for any load whatsoever. They are designed for much less pressure than the 204 creates. Buy a 22 Hornet for them

[Blacktail53]

Thanks JO,

I'll try a few and see what they look like.