As long as it has been stored unopened under decent conditions it should be fine. I think Winchester stopped producing 452AA in the mid-nineties, but if it's in a metal can with a white paper label it's '80's vintage, or even earlier.

Check for an acidic odor or rust colored flakes as signs of decomposition. Freshly opened powder will have a sweetish solvent odor, but nothing to wrinkle your nose.

I have 12 gauge data for that powder but I'll have to get out my old Lyman #3.

Is there any particular load you would want to see?

 

I believe, but not sure, that 472 is the same as Hodgdon's HS-7. If it is just a little slower than HS-6. I believe that it was for heavy field and magnum 12 ga loads and maybe 28 ga.

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Win 452AA was an excellent ball powder and was quite popular back in the '70's for duplicating 12 ga 2¾ dram equivalent - 1⅛ oz. AA reloads. It was a clean burning powder and metered very well and unfortunately for some unknown reason Win discontinued it.

There is plenty of old data out there and if you give us an idea of what kind of load / hull you are trying to put together I can dig through my library to see what I have.

Win 473AA was Win's 12 ga. handicap and 20 ga powder at that time. It is not the equivalent of HS-6; the old Win 540 and HS-6 are reported as the same per Hodgdon. Win 473AA was more akin of International / Green Dot, though again not a direct replacement. It was another fine powder which was discontinued for some unknown reason.

 

I have a W-W Ball Powder Loading Data Book from 1976 that shows 452AA used in a variety of 12 gauge 1 oz and 1 1/8 oz loads. Many of the components listed no longer exist or may not be of the same dimensions as back then. One load listed that was commonly used back then consisted of the old style 12 gauge AA hull, WW209's, WAA12 wad and 20.5 grains of 452AA for a listed 1200 FPS. Charges varied from 22 to 23.5 grains for 1 oz loads and from 19.5 to 21.5 grains for 1 1/8 oz loads depending on hull, wad and primer. It was a decent 12 gauge target powder. Perhaps someone with a newer data book showing 452AA can give you some loads that use components available today or one of the more experienced experimenters could come up with a load or two.

On a side note it listed 1 oz loads at 1150 fps as "for children". I guess we were tougher back then.

 

10 pounds if good old 452AA...your z lucky man!

 

As mentioned 452 AA is a very good 12 ga target powder. Its been a couple decades at least since it was last manufactured, it was eventually replaced by WST in the line up. I would use it without a second thought if the powder had not deteriorate.

As an aside, the old Winchester 540 powder is the same as Hodgdon HS-6 and Winchester 571 is the same as HS-7. Unfortunately, HS-7/571 has been discontinued and I wonder how much longer HS-6 will be around. I can't remember if it is on the soon to be discontinued list or not.

 

A little bit of nostalgia. I found 1 lb can in a lot of reloading equipment I bought last year. Rusty on the outside but the powder was still good. Ended up loading some low pressure 7/8 target loads with it just to be on the safe side.

 

One of my all time favorite powders. I also have loading books with plenty of recipes. Back then the data was highlighted to show recipes that duplicated the AA target loads.

 

Do you know if the 452AA powder is a direct substitute for the older AA12S powder that it replaced in 1973?

 

Great .45 auto powder too!

BP

 

Great .45 auto powder too!

BP

You got that right! I burned up somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 pounds of it, exclusively in .45 ACP loads before it was discontinued. Then I switched to WST.

My brother gave me a 3 pound can of 452AA in 2007 because he can't shoot anymore. I'm saving it for a rainy day...

 

Thanks for the very helpful information. I currently have a whole bunch of once fired (by me), Winchester AA hulls - the new style - light target loads. Out of the box they are 2 3/4", 2 3/4drams, 1145fps, 1 1/8oz, 7.5 shot.

Any thoughts on using the new style hulls with this old 452AA? I know HogRider 357 posted a pic of the AA HS hulls, but wanted to ask anyways.

BTW, great forum!

 

I loved 452, and 473 for that matter, and would still be using both if Winchester hadn't dropped them. I'm confident that your unopened keg will be fine and that you will like the way 452 loads and shoots. Lucky guy.

 

As an aside, the old Winchester 540 powder is the same as Hodgdon HS-6 and Winchester 571 is the same as HS-7. Unfortunately, HS-7/571 has been discontinued and I wonder how much longer HS-6 will be around. I can't remember if it is on the soon to be discontinued list or not.

Thankfully HS-6 is not on the discontinued list, it sees lots of use in handguns.

Really off topic, HS-6 is one of two powders (Longshot is the other) that will let you duplicate the speed of the classic .38 Special +P FBI Load at normal pressures and better it at +P pressure. It's is a fantastic load in any .38 and the lightweight .357 carry guns that are so popular.

That old school soft lead 158 grain SWC hollow point can still hang with the best of the modern loads in these small guns.

 

An AA is an AA old or new style. If you got old AA data it works fine in the HS too. (12 and 20 ga)

BP

 

Good 12 gauge target powder and also 45 ACP and 38 special powder. I was disappointed when it was discontinued. As long as it smells good then it should be fine.

 

I use old powder. If it smells pleasant (not acrid) and does not appear rusty and has no clumps when you screen it then I would be happy to help you dispose of it without concern. (What is your location, just in case you want help?)
I use it in 12 ga. and handgun reloads. My stash is ever diminishing.
AFAIK this was also sold by Hodgdon as Trap 100, and old Hodgdon manuals have the handgun data.

 

I have also used 452AA for light gallery loads for a .44 Mag and a .44 special. It worked very well and was clean burning.

 

Thanks for the comments guys! Next, what recipe and load should I shoot with it? I am a little newer to reloading but here is what I have for inventory at the moment.

My current stock is: MEC 600 Jr. set for 12ga, 2 3/4, 1 1/8oz charge bar.

I have plenty once fired (by me) red and gray Winchester AA HS hulls that were originally loaded with 2.75DRAMs / 1145fps and 7.5 shot.

For primers I have Winchester 209, Federal 209A and about 1000 older Federal 209 (no 'A').

I also have Claybuster WAA12 wads.

I don't mind buying other wads or primers to fit a recipe.

I won't be using it in any 45ACP, just 12ga WAA HS.

Any help with recipe is greatly appreciated! I don't mind buying different ingredients if it makes a good shotshell.

 

Thanks for the comments guys! Next, what recipe and load should I shoot with it? I am a little newer to reloading but here is what I have for inventory at the moment.

My current stock is: MEC 600 Jr. set for 12ga, 2 3/4, 1 1/8oz charge bar.

I have plenty once fired (by me) red and gray Winchester AA HS hulls that were originally loaded with 2.75DRAMs / 1145fps and 7.5 shot.

For primers I have Winchester 209, Federal 209A and about 1000 older Federal 209 (no 'A').

I also have Claybuster WAA12 wads.

I don't mind buying other wads or primers to fit a recipe.

I won't be using it in any 45ACP, just 12ga WAA HS.

Any help with recipe is greatly appreciated! I don't mind buying different ingredients if it makes a good shotshell.

Here are some loads from the same booklet that HogRider357 showed in the first picture in his post.

 

I used 19.5 and 20.5 grains with W209 primers and AA or Claybuster AA replacement wads in AA hulls. I believe the MEC bushings were #29 and #30, respectively, but double check me.

 

I had a request for 20 and 28 ga. loads, so here you go.

 

Thank you kindly sir! Will keep this info on hand for my reference needs!

BTW, I loaded my first 50 shells last night. WWAAHS, .12ga, Fed209(no A), WAA12 wad, 19.5grains, 1 1/8oz. of #8. I will switch to Win209 primers when my supply of Fed209(no A) runs out.

I weighed ten in process shells for proper grain and shot weights. With all components loaded and running on a single stage MEC, every powder load came in at 19.5grains. I had a slight variation in shot weights by my estimation of +/- 3-6 pellets. Crimps were perfect, looked factory fresh.

Will be shooting them this weekend.

 

Hodgdon lists loads in their older manuals for Trap 100, which according to the information I have is the same as 452AA. I have just 1 Tbsp of it left from an 8 lb bag, and have moved on to the 2 lbs of 452AA. I have loaded Trap 100 in 38 special and just recently chrono'd my load. The Es and Sd were pretty decent.

I have not chrono'd my 452AA loads yet.

473AA, was a very good shotgun powder IMO, and it was HS-5 in the Hodgdon line.

540 > HS-6

571 > HS-7

I did find that the W-W was different from Hodgdon, almost like they were the same formula, but from a different lot. This is evident when you compare older 296 data to H110 data, up to about a 1% variation sometimes. Hodgdon data today has them equal, same lot # ?

 

Going back, Winchester AA452 was the replacement for AA12-S powder and was used in the AA factory target 32gram 2&3/4 dram loads from the time of its introduction until it was discontinued.

The load you list is basically one that was published at the time. I loaded a number of the larger canisters of it for 12ga. target loads w/it at the time and was always satisfied by its performance

 

Lymans #3
1-1/8 oz. target load 1200 FPS 9900 LUP)
Win AA Hull
W-209 Primer (Or Federal 209, NOT 209A)
20.0 grs Win 452
Win WAA12 Wad
1-1/8 oz shot