WXR powder from Winchester

rickyb

New member
I stopped off on my way to visit a friend a couple of weeks ago at a sporting goods store and found a 8lb keg of Winchester WXR powder. I have always shot the fail safe ammo from Winchester in my 7mm STW. It was before I knew to reload and my Winchester M70 shot those 140 gr CT ballastic tips really well. I have also purchased a 25-06 in Winchester M70 and got two boxes of fail safe ammo with the purchase. They are 115 gr CT ballastic tips. So far so good right.
I have since found out that Winchester doesn't make the powder anymore and I can find very limited data on loading for it. A friend and myself took a 7mm STW fail safe shell and dumped the powder and we cant find any difference in it than the WXR powder. We also did the same with the 25-06 and under a heavy magnifying glass we can see no difference. I have found some load data on the 25-06 and WXR powder. My biggest concern is the 7mm STW and the 80 gr that came out of the case. Anybody have any info on this powder with the 7mm STW. I think I will decrease the load by 10% and work up to the 80 grains watching for pressure and using my Chrono. I ask this on another site for 7mm STW and they didn't think it was a good ideal trying to duplicate that factory load. When looking at a powder burn chart this WXR powder is right in front of IMR 7828 so could I use load data for it? Rick
 
Originally Posted By: rickybI stopped off on my way to visit a friend a couple of weeks ago at a sporting goods store and found a 8lb keg of Winchester WXR powder. I have always shot the fail safe ammo from Winchester in my 7mm STW. It was before I knew to reload and my Winchester M70 shot those 140 gr CT ballastic tips really well. I have also purchased a 25-06 in Winchester M70 and got two boxes of fail safe ammo with the purchase. They are 115 gr CT ballastic tips. So far so good right.
I have since found out that Winchester doesn't make the powder anymore and I can find very limited data on loading for it. A friend and myself took a 7mm STW fail safe shell and dumped the powder and we cant find any difference in it than the WXR powder. We also did the same with the 25-06 and under a heavy magnifying glass we can see no difference. I have found some load data on the 25-06 and WXR powder. My biggest concern is the 7mm STW and the 80 gr that came out of the case. Anybody have any info on this powder with the 7mm STW. I think I will decrease the load by 10% and work up to the 80 grains watching for pressure and using my Chrono. I ask this on another site for 7mm STW and they didn't think it was a good ideal trying to duplicate that factory load. When looking at a powder burn chart this WXR powder is right in front of IMR 7828 so could I use load data for it? Rick

NEVER judge a load from what is in a factory case.

They do NOT use canister powder. Because it looks the same, means nothing. It is a good way to get hurt.

Get a loading manual.
 
Catshooter I got four manuals and this powder isn't in any of the ones I got. I even bought a Nosler manual hoping they had it. That advice is what I have been hearing and I guess I will stick with it. I have found a old manual on the web for WXR in the 25/06 and the 7mmSTW wasn't in there so I can always load for the 25-06. Rick
 
WXR was an extruded double-base powder from Sweden(Eurenco),
Been around 4 years ago that it was discontinued.
The General Dynamics plant that Ohlin USED to own in Fl, is a ball powder plant; as is the rest of the "Winchester" line, so not terribly surprising that it left... However it wasn't around long, so not surprising that there is little info on it.

Back in the day the testing and SPECULATION was that it was simply re-labeled RL-22.
 
One powder being next to another means nothing either.
I have never used the service, however I have been told (friend who has) that Sierra is very helpful with load data, no matter if it`s their product or not. You might try sending them an e-mail and ask.
 
Originally Posted By: 243kimberSimilar as H414 and W760.

H414 and Win 760 aren't similar, they are the very same powder.
 
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Well I have read where a lot of more knowledgable reloaders don't even use books for max loads. They know that each rifle will tell them the max load as they work up. Ok thats all I know and I think I will be fine starting out with 70grains of this WXR powder and working up in my 7mm STW. I know the powder in it was 80.0 grains and I have the velosity written down at home. If I work up to 80.0 and don't exceed the velosity with chrono I can't see doing this is doing anything wrong. Lord knows I want to keep my eyes and face and lets not forget about the fingers. Rick
 
Originally Posted By: DarkkerDon't use velocity readings for finding your guns max. Use head expansion, then primers second as pressure signs.

Head expansion tells you nothing...

Read primers because that is where things fail.
 
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