Old Winchester powder? - The Firearms Forum

DixieLandMan · 11-01-2011, 03:18 PM

I have several Winchester powders that I'm not sure what they would work well in. I load for 9mm, .38/.357, .41 Mag, .45 ACP and .30-06.
They are W680, W785 and W760. I have a can of W231 and I think that is mainly for pistols. If this is a repeat thread, please let me know. Thank you!

Bindernut · 11-01-2011, 05:08 PM

IF you know for sure that's what's in the canister...
You can use the W760 in your 30-06. It is roughly the same burn speed as IMR4350 and I still use it for my dad's .270 loads.
W231 is a good pistol powder that will work for 9mm, .38Spcl, & .45ACP.
If you can find data, it also makes a fine light load powder for the .41mag too...think ".41 Special" level loads.

W680 hasn't been available for several years now. It's roughly the same burn rate as IMR4198 and is a good fast-burner rifle powder.
Not really useable for any of the cartridges you're loading...except reduced charge loads for the .30-06.

W785 is long gone as well. It was dropped sometime in the late-70s or early-80s. It's a very slow-burner, comparable to H1000. It was replaced by WMR, but data is not interchangable!

As much as I hate to waste powder, I would feed the flowers with the 785 and the 680 and put the cans on the shelf as knick-knacks.
Those two aren't really applicable for what you're loading now and you would need to scrounge up some old data to use those two.

If you know for sure that the 231 and 760 are what they are, then they're useable.

Jim K · 11-01-2011, 05:15 PM

I think all or most of those powders are currently available, so the best approach is to pick the cartridge you want to reload, then use:

http://www.wwpowder.com/basic-manual-inquiry.html

to determine whether one of the powders you have will work for reloads.

Jim

Bindernut · 11-01-2011, 05:26 PM

Jim,
785 and 680 are long gone as per my last post. Winchester really trimmed down their powder lineup quite a few years ago. When you get to the old powders, yes some of them had a Hodgdon equivalent (like all of their current powders do), but some of them didn't.

231 and 760 are the only two left of the four that dixielandman has. Data is readily available in most reloading manuals for those two.

And if I didn't mention it before

...only use them if it is known that's what's in the cans. If it's an opened, partial can then it's hard to verify the contents.

Gabob · 11-01-2011, 06:42 PM

Winchester 680 is the same as Accurate Arms 1680

gun-nut · 11-01-2011, 08:25 PM

just something to think about. I do try to look at garbage sales for older reloading manuals. I have 2 that are loaned to a friend so he can read on reloading to get started as of now otherwise i would look for ya. Gun shows are a good place to start as well.

Waldog · 11-02-2011, 03:05 PM

Win 785 is an excellent powder for MAGNUM or cases that require slow powder like the 25-06 or even 30-06 with HEAVY BULLETS. I still have 8 lbs that I know is 25 years old. Still shoots great.

Should work well with cases like most smaller bore Weatherby magnum; 257, 300 etc.

11-01-2011, 03:18 PM	#1
DixieLandMan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 607	Old Winchester powder? I have several Winchester powders that I'm not sure what they would work well in. I load for 9mm, .38/.357, .41 Mag, .45 ACP and .30-06. They are W680, W785 and W760. I have a can of W231 and I think that is mainly for pistols. If this is a repeat thread, please let me know. Thank you! -->

11-01-2011, 05:08 PM	#2
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,453	Re: Old Winchester powder? IF you know for sure that's what's in the canister... You can use the W760 in your 30-06. It is roughly the same burn speed as IMR4350 and I still use it for my dad's .270 loads. W231 is a good pistol powder that will work for 9mm, .38Spcl, & .45ACP. If you can find data, it also makes a fine light load powder for the .41mag too...think ".41 Special" level loads. W680 hasn't been available for several years now. It's roughly the same burn rate as IMR4198 and is a good fast-burner rifle powder. Not really useable for any of the cartridges you're loading...except reduced charge loads for the .30-06. W785 is long gone as well. It was dropped sometime in the late-70s or early-80s. It's a very slow-burner, comparable to H1000. It was replaced by WMR, but data is not interchangable! As much as I hate to waste powder, I would feed the flowers with the 785 and the 680 and put the cans on the shelf as knick-knacks. Those two aren't really applicable for what you're loading now and you would need to scrounge up some old data to use those two. If you know for sure that the 231 and 760 are what they are, then they're useable.

11-01-2011, 05:15 PM	#3
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Old Winchester powder? I think all or most of those powders are currently available, so the best approach is to pick the cartridge you want to reload, then use: http://www.wwpowder.com/basic-manual-inquiry.html to determine whether one of the powders you have will work for reloads. Jim

11-01-2011, 05:26 PM	#4
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,453	Re: Old Winchester powder? Jim, 785 and 680 are long gone as per my last post. Winchester really trimmed down their powder lineup quite a few years ago. When you get to the old powders, yes some of them had a Hodgdon equivalent (like all of their current powders do), but some of them didn't. 231 and 760 are the only two left of the four that dixielandman has. Data is readily available in most reloading manuals for those two. And if I didn't mention it before ...only use them if it is known that's what's in the cans. If it's an opened, partial can then it's hard to verify the contents. Last edited by Bindernut; 11-01-2011 at 05:28 PM..

11-01-2011, 06:42 PM	#5
Gabob Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SW GA CSA Posts: 1,161	Re: Old Winchester powder? Winchester 680 is the same as Accurate Arms 1680 __________________ NRA Endowment Member Keep Your Powder Dry

11-01-2011, 08:25 PM	#6
gun-nut Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: ohio Contributor Posts: 931	Re: Old Winchester powder? just something to think about. I do try to look at garbage sales for older reloading manuals. I have 2 that are loaned to a friend so he can read on reloading to get started as of now otherwise i would look for ya. Gun shows are a good place to start as well. __________________ Don't retreat just reload.

11-02-2011, 03:05 PM	#7
Waldog V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 155	Re: Old Winchester powder? Win 785 is an excellent powder for MAGNUM or cases that require slow powder like the 25-06 or even 30-06 with HEAVY BULLETS. I still have 8 lbs that I know is 25 years old. Still shoots great. Should work well with cases like most smaller bore Weatherby magnum; 257, 300 etc. __________________ I'm the Christian conservative male CNN warned you about!!