new to revolvers, powder blowback in face normal?

[RichM]

I picked up a SP101, 3 1/16 inch, .357 Mag and wanted to know if when firing 357 defensive loads(Magtech 125grain JHP 1319 fps per the box) if it is normal to feel a little bit of hot powder being blown back into your face?

The cylinder to forcing cone gap is less that 0.008 inch (smallest feeler gauge I have). Since this is my first revolver I'm not familiar with what the gap should be. I like the pistol, accurate and should make a nice camping piece.

Any advice?

 

[girvin02]

.008 barrel to cylinder gap sounds good, but you should not be getting hit in the face with flying debri. I don't know much about Ruger pistols, but perhaps the timing is off. Hopefully, someone with more knowledge will chime in.

 

[25-20 WCF]

It should not be normal. If there is a breeze blowing from the muzzle to you then perhaps yuo might get some smile in your face, but I suspect that something is not right. You are wearing eye protection right? Are you holding the revolver at arm's length from your body when you fire it?

Let another revolver shooter at the range fire it and see what he says.


.

 

[Larry Burchfield]

Powder

My thoughts on this subject is that with the barrel as short as it is you may be getting some powder back in your with the 357 loads because it is not burning all of the powder in the 3 1/16 inch barrel.
You might try it with some 38's and see if the same thing happens. Ihave a brand new pistol configured exactly like yours but have yet to fire it. maybe if I would get off my dead butt I could tell you what mine is doing.
Larry Burchfield
SEABEES/VIETNAM/67/68/69
DAV

 

[Oro]

normal to feel a little bit of hot powder being blown back into your face?

maybe with a really slow powder and a REALLY stiff head wind. But 125gr rated at only 1319 (and that's likely in their long test barrel or long-barrelled revolver?) does not sound like that slow a powder.

You need someone else to try it and take turns watching, and try different ammo. Magtech is not the finest ammo out there, so that could be the problem, but it's not junk. I use it occasionally and it's dirtier than other brands and the bullets are not as well made, but "in your face"? No. Either something one-time weird was going on or you have an ammo or gun problem.

 

[esq_stu]

I have never gotten blowback of powder from my SP101 or any S&W revolvers. I have with Taurus revolvers.

 

[bedwards1]

It doesn't happen often, but I have from time to time with all my guns. It depends I think on what powder your using. Some are much dirtier than others.

 

[Virginian]

I have never gotten direct blowback, and hope I don't, because that spells a major problem. If you are using any kind of rest, or even using a post for a support for example, it is not unusual to get reflected blow back from the cylinder gap.

 

[Six]

IME it's not unusual for the first few shots to send anything that was dislodged and left after cleaning (oil, dust, soot etc) flying around. It doesn't last more than a couple shots though. Same if I shoot some lead bullets and then JHP, the magnums will move any lube and soot that was around the forcing cone.

Other than that, no, not normal.

 

[RichM]

Thank you all for the replies so far, this gives me a good place to start looking.
Sorry for the lack of information, here are the answers to some of the questions.

@ 25-20 WCF: Yes, I'm wearing eye protection. Can't help it if I want to see more than 6 inches in front of my nose. I am holding the pistol in a two hand grip with my right hand dominant.

@Larry Burchfield: I started the day with some 38 special standard pressure target loads, but did not notice any peppering like I did the 357Mag loads.

@Oro: I was hoping that it is just a slow powder in a short barrel combined with a headwind at the range. I hope to take the SP101 to an indoor range with some friends that are more familiar with revolvers this weekend.

@Virginian: I wouldn't call it 'direct' blowback, but it is noticable peppering on my left cheek with the two handed right dominate hold.

@Six: I'm guilty. I fired 25 of the 38 special leaded round nose before firing 5 of the 357Mag Magtech rounds. The lead roundnose did not produce the sensation of powder in the face, where the 357Mag did.

I did not see any gross misalignment between the cylinder and the barrel while in full lockup.

But it does seem that the lower edge (6 o'clock position) of the cylinder is a little higher than the barrel bore (with the front sight at 12 o'clock). I would say that the co-axial distances are off my about two thousandths of an inch (eyeball estimate). That's an estimate, but I get a lot of practice at estimating thousandths of an inch at work. Side to side (3 and 9 o'clock) bore centers look dead on.

 

[Action_Can_Do]

Guess I'm unique. I've had this happen with several handguns. Mostly revos but I did get it from a 1911 once. A stiff wind, ported barrel, bad grip, and poor powder charge will all do it. I still don't know why my single six did it last week...

 

[pinkymingeo]

Spitting is not normal. It's usually a forcing cone problem, which Ruger can fix quickly and easily.

 

[NoirFan]

RichM, this is not normal. When I shoot Magtech's 158-grain magnum load, I consistently get a sting on my left cheekbone similar to what you are experiencing. Wish I had known that before I bought 500 rounds of them. When I switched to another magnum practice load the sting went away, so try switching ammo first before fiddling with the gun.

 

[chriske]

Sometimes, with some ammo, in some certain circumstances, it happens .
If it's every time, it's definitely not normal.

 

[RichM]

I had a friend try out some 357Mag loads and he noticed the same thing. He is a lot more experience with revolvers than I and found the behavior odd. But... we couldn't find any lead shaving or anything else wrong with the piece.

Tried some Blazer 357Mag 158 grain JHP with similar results, a lot less consistent in the feeling of hot gas on the cheek but I did get the sensation as well as my friend.

My personal conclusion is the pistol is fine and functional the cylinder to forcing cone gap is in spec but could be tightened up a bit in the future.

Thanks to all that gave advice and opinions helping me feel more comfortable with this pistol. Next in line is a de-horn, trigger polish and springs (9# or 11#?), a tritium front site (Mepro or Trijicon?) and a nice IWB mid-back holster.

 

[BCRider]

Shooting revolvers out in an open area range should not push gases back into your face. But the pressure pulse from the more powerful ones like .357 and up may feel like you're feeling that. In the indoor range I shoot at with the fairly confined barriers between the lanes I often feel a pulse of gas come back on me along with the pressure pulse due to the confined area and the amount of gases that are vented out the cylinder gap. More so again with .357 and stronger although I'm pretty sure I can feel it a little with +P. But with .38Spl there's nothing that I can feel other than the shock pulse.

 

[degnerd]

I have a S&W M60 3inch barrel that would always spit back w/ virtually every .357 load(.38's were fine). Sent back to S&W and they worked on the timing and forcing cone(maybe something else too,I forget). Got it back and it was better,though, I still experience it w/ the right (wrong) loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I would suggest calling Ruger and explaining your problem. I feel there's a problem with the revolver and it should be corrected now, not later. I own a S&W M640 w/2" barrel and never get anything spit back in my face. I shoot handloads and factory loads in it, all full power .357 Magnums including 145gr Winchester Silvertips. There's no reason your Ruger would spit back in your face, it's a quality revolver, not a cheapo piece of crap. Seriously, call Ruger...

 

[Virginian]

A point of clarification. I call blowback particles being propelled back at the shooter by the powder gasses. They sting when they hit. Powder, or other debris blowing around in the breeze after a shot, is a different matter all together.
I have had many revolvers, in several calibers, lots of Magnums, and only ever had one do this when the timing was off.