H110 is the Devil! & I’m so Stupid. Flame cutting my 629 5” pre-lock.

[Mark_Mark]

OK, right here, STOP! Seriously, DO NOT DOWNLOAD W296/H110 like this. I'm assuming this is a .44 Magnum load based on your bullet weight. I'd wager a real $5 bill that half of the issue you're seeing is due to downloading this powder so severely. There are just too many of us who used it for a long time with nowhere near the metal-eating effects your pictures show. I've had 3 4 different .44 Magnum revolvers and way more different .357 Magnums pass through my care since I started reloading as a teenager, and I cannot for the life of me remember seeing any of them eroded that badly. And W296/H110 was almost always my preferred powder for loading MAGNUMS, mostly because it was easy to find and easy to load. I remember an old Winchester pamphlet explicitly stating not to reduce the charges listed, so we just loaded what was printed in the manual and went on our way. As others have stated, it's a one-trick pony, but for that trick it's tough to beat.



It'll hold. I once reloaded some heavy 300-grain LBT hardcast bullets for a Super Blackhawk and used a few (OK, maybe a whole box of 50) in the 629. The gun survived just fine.

If you're looking to do a lot of plinking with your .44 Magnums without wearing out your shooting hand, get yourself some 240 grain SWCs, a bottle of Winchester 231/Hodgdon HP-38 and a big pile of empty .44 Magnum cases. The majority of those 15,000 rounds I put through that 629 were using this combination, loaded to about 950-fps from a 6" barrel. It's more muscle than any common semi-auto round can generate (yes, I'm deliberately trying to trigger the 10mm Auto guys), easy on the gun, easy on the shooter and very accurate.

Great, all of this reading, typing and reminiscing is making me want a .44 Magnum again. And of course S&W had to introduce the 629 Mountain Gun without The Lock this year. Maybe I can sneak one past the wife as my anniversary gift this summer...

oooh yeah… 629 Mountain Gun!!!

Heck yeah… .44 mag Full house is FUN! lets you know your alive! better than coffee

but those wood grip got go! lol

 

[Kookla]

someone could invent a titanium shield or ceramic insert that’s replaceable! Could make thousands of dollars !!

FA did do replaceable cones but was a flop, I have one of those revolver ls

S&W does or did have this on their frames. Can't recall which. Just a piece of steel. Found a pic here

 

[Show Me]

My first Handloading was done with Winchester powders because to a beginner like me Winchester was all that. " Do not reduce " with 296 or I used 231. In the Winchester pamphlet or brochure it also said 748 in .223 was not to be reduced. Then later a Hodgdon paperback from the grocery store showed start and max.
This GP100 5 inch has shot my homemade FTX with H110 since the FTX first came out.
I don't shorten the brass and fill to the bullet. When temperature isn't unpleasant I'll shoot five speed loaders through it. Every weekend right here at home . Slightly marked. Must take quite a volume to end up like the pictures shown .
Anyway made me look. How many others just did the same .

 

[Show Me]

S&W does or did have this on their frames. Can't recall which. Just a piece of steel. Found a pic here
View attachment 1260202

Exotic metals and aluminum?

 

[Mark_Mark]

S&W does or did have this on their frames. Can't recall which. Just a piece of steel. Found a pic here
View attachment 1260202

that SMART!

 

[Kookla]

Exotic metals and aluminum?

Not sure which.

 

[wanderinwalker]

oooh yeah… 629 Mountain Gun!!!

Heck yeah… .44 mag Full house is FUN! lets you know your alive! better than coffee

but those wood grip got go! lol

View attachment 1260201

I'm a maniac and I actually prefer solid wood grips on "hard kicking" .357 and .44 Magnums. The Super Blackhawk I referred to earlier had the awful square-trigger guard "Dragoon" grip frame and a big fat Hogue or Pachmayr grip. It was horrid to shoot until I made a set of grip panels for it. They were roughly that same size as the wood grip panels Ruger used at the time, but I shaped them with a tear drop profile: skinnier at the front, fatter at the back. Took all of the sting right out of it finally stopped the trigger guard from rapping knuckles.

S&W does or did have this on their frames. Can't recall which. Just a piece of steel. Found a pic here
View attachment 1260202

Smith and Wesson only uses those blast guards on the Scandium frame revolvers, and maybe some of the aluminum frame models. It's meant to be a sacrificial piece and I'm reasonably confident can be replaced by the factory if it gets worn through. I've even read reports of those blast shields going MIA on people.

 

[Mark_Mark]

My first Handloading was done with Winchester powders because to a beginner like me Winchester was all that. " Do not reduce " with 296 or I used 231. In the Winchester pamphlet or brochure it also said 748 in .223 was not to be reduced. Then later a Hodgdon paperback from the grocery store showed start and max.
This GP100 5 inch has shot my homemade FTX with H110 since the FTX first came out.
I don't shorten the brass and fill to the bullet. When temperature isn't unpleasant I'll shoot five speed loaders through it. Every weekend right here at home . Slightly marked. Must take quite a volume to end up like the pictures shown .
Anyway made me look. How many others just did the same .

View attachment 1260206

I’m looking at all my guns! nothing crazy at all

 

[EMC45]

Not a huge magnum junky. I have Blue Dot, Herco and H110/Win296 (same) that’s rarely used. I prefer to load with Unique for the bigger/slower stuff.

 

[CraigC]

.004" is not too tight.

H110 should never be downloaded. 21.0gr is too light, 16.0gr is WAAAY too light. You can have detonation which is worse than flame cutting. H110 needs high load density, a magnum primer and a good crimp to build up pressure and burn properly.

Unless, you've shot 10,000rds through it, I'm starting to think the reduced loads could be the culprit.

 

[243winxb]

someone could invent a titanium shield or ceramic insert that’s replaceable

I think the 329PD had one?
Problem was 296 or 110 ate it too.

 

[Mark_Mark]

.004" is not too tight.

H110 should never be downloaded. 21.0gr is too light, 16.0gr is WAAAY too light. You can have detonation which is worse than flame cutting. H110 needs high load density, a magnum primer and a good crimp to build up pressure and burn properly.

Unless, you've shot 10,000rds through it, I'm starting to think the reduced loads could be the culprit.

going to get a tattoo on my arm… “Don’t Down Load H110”

 

[jmorris]

I shoot 50 +P+

+P for 44 mag loads is up to 43,500 psi, +P+ starts at 43,501 and goes all the way to kaboom.

Most ammunition makers of over pressure ammunition, generally have warnings if they want you to avoid things the ammunition will harm.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I think the 329PD had one? View attachment 1260224
Problem was 296 or 110 ate it too.

everything gun related is already been done!

 

[Mark_Mark]

+P for 44 mag loads is up to 43,500 psi, +P+ starts at 43,501 and goes all the way to kaboom.

Most ammunition makers of over pressure ammunition, generally have warnings if they want you to avoid things the ammunition will harm.

View attachment 1260234

Colt Anaconda is on that list and Smith is NOT…. hummmm - I do LOVE COLTS! Colt Grizzly is looking HOT to!

Ruger is on every Doomsday prepares list

 

[CraigC]

The Buffalo Bore 340gr load is in the neighborhood of 50,000psi. Brian Pearce also published loading data in Handloader that is for the Redhawks and it also 50,000psi. Using similar loading practices I get a 355gr WLN to 1350fps and 330's at 1450fps. About as fast as the original 240gr loadings.

 

[jmorris]

Colt Anaconda is on that list and Smith is NOT…. hummmm - I do LOVE COLTS! Colt Grizzly is looking HOT to!

When I was a kid, I spent days working up 357 magnum loads up to 41 magnum power levels, now I just grab a 44 mag and download it.

Not only is that faster and safer but the firearms are also not exposed to abnormal wear.

If you need to run +P+, to get the results you need, you probably have the wrong gun to start with.

 

[fxvr5]

+P for 44 mag loads is up to 43,500 psi

Where did you get this number?

 

[Mark_Mark]

When I was a kid, I spent days working up 357 magnum loads up to 41 magnum power levels, now I just grab a 44 mag and download it.

Not only is that faster and safer but the firearms are also not exposed to abnormal wear.

If you need to run +P+, to get the results you need, you probably have the wrong gun to start with.

my bad… I ment the Colt Kodiak .44 mag

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

CHECK! I’m going to get a Chalk Board and write

“DO NOT DOWN LOAD H110”

500 times till my fingers hurt

Under that write, “I will never over-crimp revolver cartridges!” another hundred times. Too much of a good thing turns into a bad thing. Too much roll, done the wrong way, bulges the neck and reduces the neck tension your sizing die created.

Trust me, I know these things.

 

[jmorris]

Where did you get this number?

The only manufacture that claims to load +P for the 44 magnum, that I know of.

Garrett Cartridges Inc.

www.garrettcartridges.com

It's not SAAMI but they also don't use the +P+ designation...so if we are splitting hairs, we have to cut them both.

my bad… I ment the Colt Kodiak .44 mag

View attachment 1260237

When I want to get the most out of a .44 magnum, I always grab a rifle or a Contender. I suppose there are also cheaper alternatives to beat on for revolvers too, the SBH being one of them.



If I was worried about the damage you have caused and wanted to mitigate it I might chop up a feeler gauge and attach it uner the top strap or fasten it to the scope mount. I have used feeler gauges as reed valves in air compressors in the past, they are a lot more durable than many give the thin metal credit for.

Probably have to epoxy it long way but it wouldn't require any bends.


Something that went around and fastened to the mount would cover the needed area and be easier to swap out.



All of that is more difficult that just avoiding firearms with a cylinder gap though, at least when playing at the top of the power spectrum.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Under that write, “I will never over-crimp revolver cartridges!” another hundred times. Too much of a good thing turns into a bad thing. Too much roll, done the wrong way, bulges the neck and reduces the neck tension your sizing die created.

Trust me, I know these things.

I know… years here of beating it in my head has taught me well.

Look at that gentle Squeeze Crimp! with beautiful neck tension! Michelin Star quality

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I'm a maniac and I actually prefer solid wood grips on "hard kicking" .357 and .44 Magnums. The Super Blackhawk I referred to earlier had the awful square-trigger guard "Dragoon" grip frame and a big fat Hogue or Pachmayr grip. It was horrid to shoot until I made a set of grip panels for it. They were roughly that same size as the wood grip panels Ruger used at the time, but I shaped them with a tear drop profile: skinnier at the front, fatter at the back. Took all of the sting right out of it finally stopped the trigger guard from rapping knuckles.



Smith and Wesson only uses those blast guards on the Scandium frame revolvers, and maybe some of the aluminum frame models. It's meant to be a sacrificial piece and I'm reasonably confident can be replaced by the factory if it gets worn through. I've even read reports of those blast shields going MIA on people.

Super Blackhawk

Blackhawk w/ Dragoon frame

Single Six WMR (for comparison)

Recoil is best controlled at the loading bench, IMO. The grips just need to fit the shooter’s hand and be comfortable.

The H110/W296 lesson is, You have to stay between the lines and not try to take shortcuts. I still load plenty of W296 - for heavy weight .357 and .44 - but I learned the hard way that the SuperVel journey is filled with folly.

 

[Mark_Mark]

The only manufacture that claims to load +P for the 44 magnum, that I know of.

Garrett Cartridges Inc.

www.garrettcartridges.com

It's not SAAMI but they also don't use the +P+ designation...so if we are splitting hairs, we have to cut them both.



When I want to get the most out of a .44 magnum, I always grab a rifle or a Contender. I suppose there are also cheaper alternatives to beat on for revolvers too, the SBH being one of them.

View attachment 1260238

If I was worried about the damage you have caused and wanted to mitigate it I might chop up a feeler gauge and attach it uner the top strap or fasten it to the scope mount. I have used feeler gauges as reed valves in air compressors in the past, they are a lot more durable than many give the thin metal credit for.

Probably have to epoxy it long way but it wouldn't require any bends.
View attachment 1260243View attachment 1260241

Something that went around and fastened to the mount would cover the needed area and be easier to swap out.

View attachment 1260242

All of that is more difficult that just avoiding firearms with a cylinder gap though, at least when playing at the top of the power spectrum.

this is GOOD! Feeler Gauge with Epoxy, or even a feeler wrap like yours! Ordering some cheap Chinese feelers right now, before they are not cheap anymore

 

[fxvr5]

The only manufacture that claims to load +P for the 44 magnum, that I know of.

Garrett Cartridges Inc.

www.garrettcartridges.com

1) They indicate what they load it to, but SAAMI does not recognize a +P for 44 Magnum. Therefore, it does not exist and you can't claim there is a +P limit for the .44. You need SAAMI's approval. In this case, to paraphrase you, +P goes all the way to kaboom.

2) Garrett lists the pressure as 43,500 CUP, not psi as you claim.

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SAAMI-Z299.3-2022-Centerfire-Pistol-Revolver-Approved-12-13-2022.pdf