Question on WC 872(n) & WC860

I've got a question for about the above. I have been using IMR 4895 for many years for both 30-06 & 308 Win. used primarlly in O3's and Garands along with the M1A1. Like everyone else I'm trying to stretch that lincoln as far as possible. I've delt with Jeff Bartlett for a long time. My question is I was considering his WC872 (n) along with WC860 . It's about half the cost of IMR 4895 I have no complaints about the commerical IMR 4895 other than it's price tag. Does anyone out there have any experience with the 872 or the 860.

Welcome Chief,
I am on my second 8lb jug of 860. I have no idea of the advisibility of using it in a Garand/M1A action, but I wouldn't try it - I think it's much too slow. That said, I've had reasonably good luck with it in .308, .30-06, 7 & 8mm Mauser, 7.5Swiss with cast boolits. You can't fit enough of it in a case to load overpressure, so it is about the safest rifle powder ever. I have seen decent and occasionally great accuracy with it, but the velocities have been a bit on the low side for hunting. It can be a very dirty powder due to its slow burning rate. (It may burn cleaner with jacketed bullets, but I have not tried them. I have been told that duplex loads with it are reasonably clean, but experiments along that line did not appear to make a lot of difference in my .308.) I would not hesitate to try it in any bolt or single shot action. It seems to be just the ticket for a paper puncher, which is what I use it for now. I have not had very good results in cases of smaller capacity than .308, like .30-30, and I have not tried it in a magnum as I don't own one, but I would think that since it is pulled down from 50BMG, the bigger the case, the better. Fill up a case to the base of the neck, wiegh the charge, reduce by 10% and work up from there. It is compressable, so you can go to the top of the neck. Look in the loads section from the HomePage and do a search in the Surp Powder section on CastBoolits for more info.
I have never tried 872, but if you are ordering from Jeff, the surp 4895 is excellent if he still has some in stock.

Thank you for the reply. I was hoping on saving a little. Guess I'll have to stick with 4895

Hi.....we use 872 in our mags. My lot of 872 is labelled slower than 870. It might work well with very heavy bullets in 30-06 but there are probally better powders for 3006

Anyone have experience with this powder and cartridge. I'm looking for a way to cheapen feeding this cal. Dale