brokencowboy
Member
I was trying to work up a load for my S&W model 21 .44 Special using IMR's PB powder. I was shooting my last string of 6 rds. using my chronograph to check the bullet velocity of the different powder charges I had made. The first four I shot were disappointing, only pushing the 240 gr bullet at about 560 fps. Then fifth round clocked in at just over 300 fps. When I touched off the sixth round, that's when something weird happened. There was a loud KABoom & the gun almost jumped out of my hand from the recoil. When I checked the chronograph, the reading was 1128 fps. I tried to eject the eases & one was so streached that I had to use my squib rod to push it out of the cylinder. I checked the cylinder, frame & barre1 for any signs of cracks, swelling ect. To be sure the gun was still working, I loaded six rounds of my carry ammo & fired them through the chrono & they were clocking at previously tested speeds, so I think the gun is okay.
What I don't understand is why did I get such a light load followed by what appears to be a double charge. I have been loading for over 10 yrs. & have never run into a situation like this. I use a Dillon 550 press & these rounds were the last of a set of test rounds I had run for this test. I used an Ohaus 1010 scale to check the powder drop in setting up the load, then checked about every fourth case to make sure the weight was right. If anyone out there have any ideas, any comments would be appreciated,
What I don't understand is why did I get such a light load followed by what appears to be a double charge. I have been loading for over 10 yrs. & have never run into a situation like this. I use a Dillon 550 press & these rounds were the last of a set of test rounds I had run for this test. I used an Ohaus 1010 scale to check the powder drop in setting up the load, then checked about every fourth case to make sure the weight was right. If anyone out there have any ideas, any comments would be appreciated,