Gas blowback on revolver cases

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LRS_Ranger

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Yesterday I went out and shot my 357 and 480 reloads for the first time. After firing, case rims were blackened, and after ejecting them, it was obvious that the cases were not sealing off the chamber. Lotsa soot and a pretty clear markings on the cases. Does this mean that I should load them a bit hotter next time? Also, it was pretty cold so I am thinking that that might have lowered my pressures as well. Thoughts?
 
Did you work-up the load? How is the accuracy? I would not give up accuracy for clenliness.
 
You made no mention of what your loads were, so just telling you to up the charges cannot be done safely.

But, H-110 / W-296 will not burn at low pressure.

It is not particulary cold sensitive, so you "probably" just didn't use enough of it to get a clean burn and normal pressure.

In fact, if pressure was that low, you are skating on thin ice with that powder & charge weight.

This from Hodgdon about that!
Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% from Max and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.
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Go to the Hodgdon website for recommended load data.

If you want lighter then max or near max loads, you are using the wrong powder!

rc
 
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In fact, if pressure was that low, you are skating on thin ice with that powder & charge weight.
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You can tell that from the amount of soot described by the OP?
 
I am using loads out of my Hornady book.

357:
125gr berry's FP
19gr H110
Winchester WSPM primers
Winchester brass, new
Chronos 1200FPS out of my 2 inch SP101

480:
400gr XTP MAG
20gr H110
WLP primers
Once fired Speer brass
Chronos 1020 out of my 7 inch Super Redhawk

They shot alright, though I didn't shoot for groups, I just blew up rotting fruit and pop cans, I'm not used to having this much blow by, and I was wondering if upping the load or shooting in warmer conditions would help. Extraction on all cases was easy, and I am not at the max data yet, so I don't think that I am in the danger zone at all.

Will excessive blow by hurt the cylinder walls at all?
 
This will not work -125gr berry's FP- in a 357, with H110. Velocity to high at a max loading. Change bullets or powder.
The 480 loading looks fine compared to Hodgdon website. Maybe more bullet pull/neck tension would help. Check your expander ball, .004" under bullet diameter is ok. A nice crimp helps also.
 
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http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq.aspx?n=142878
Velocities depend on the caliber, but as a rule of thumb, we recommend you don't shoot our plated bullets over 1200 feet-per-second. Our 44's actually shoot best around 1150 fps. 45's are generally good at 850-900 fps. Our bullets are not recommended for magnum velocities.
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If you load the 357 to Hodgdons maximum listing to get a clean burn, you will be over the fps they recommend. If the case rims blackened are not a major problem for you, keep shooting them. :)
Plated bullets occupy a position between cast bullets and jacketed bullets. They are soft lead, but have a hard outer shell on them. When loading plated bullets we have found best results using low- to mid-range jacketed data in the load manual. You must use data for a bullet that has the same weight and profile as the one you are loading. Do not exceed mid-range loads. Do not use magnum loads.
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In 357 , Hodgdons list 22gr of H110 for a starting load with 110gr bullet. You need more pressure for a clean burn.
 
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Sooted cases comes from low pressures. Use a hotter primer, or go up on the charge if the data allows, or both. Sure, cold affects it some. AA #9 is less sensitive to downloading and cold temps than W-296/H110 IMHO. You still can't download it a lot.

I have a couple of 1200 to 1300+ FPS loads with 125 Gr bullets (Either jacketed or Powerbond plated), but I use faster powders. (N340 & Unique) AA #9 is not very appropriate (incomplete burn) for 125 Gr bullets at under 1300 FPS, so I am sure H-110/W-296 isn't either.
 
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