As an observation I've noticed that my revolver,GP100 6" full lug .357 mag, gets hotter running through 125gn 38s loaded with hp-38 than running through 140gn magnums loaded with blue dot. Does hp-38 really burn that much hotter? Is this fast powder vs slow?
hp-38 running hotter than blue dot. Stupid question of the day.
- Thread starter JRWhit
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Rushthezeppelin
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My experience is about as anecdotal as yours although I have less variables. I use w231 with 124gr plated 9mm and have done a fair amount of comparison to several factory 124gr loadings. I too have noticed with your powder's almost twin that it gets hotter than the factory stuff I shoot. Its WAY cleaner than most factory stuff though and with my combat tupperware pistol I don't notice it actively while shooting.
Could just be that with the lighter .38 spl loads you are shooting more rapidly than you do with the .357 mag loads that take a bit more time to recover from recoil. Not sure what contributes more to the heat in the barrel, powder burning or bullet friction, but rapid fire sure heats them up.
rfwobbly
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Well, for one thing "faster" powders are also "hotter" burning powders.
If the OP or someone else has a no-contact infra-red thermometer or can borrow one perhaps they could actually do a experiment with the 2 loads and see what the actual temp of the barrel is after one shot of each load starting from a cold barrel out of the same handgun. Empirical evidence always trumps supposition. It would be interesting for the rest of us too.
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