Answer to a long ago question

[photog]

TheAquaSpaceCow TheAquaSpaceCow is offline
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Default Win 296 in 38 special
Okay I know you are all going to say "No don't use Win 296 in 38 Special it's too slow"

The question is not about accuracy or whatever. I just want to know will magnum primers in a 38 special case blow a 125gr cast lead bullet with 0.5cc of Win 296 out a 4 inch barrel. If there is extra powder that blows out and makes a fireball, that's a bonus.


This question was asked a few years ago.
The answer is muzzle velocity is 550fps per Quickload for 7.7 grains of Win 296 (.5cc), 125 grain cast Lee boolit, 1.1" OAL, in a 4" barrel. Load is 65% case volume.

Quickload gets you in the ballpark, but the numbers can be off by 20% in my experience, so don't rely only on it. Pressure is 5350psi, which is pretty low, and you are only burning 20% of the powder.

Hope that helps

[bazineta]

OP, is this a load that you use regularly, or something that you ran through Quickload?

[TomReloaded]

Isn't this a flashover risk, like with h110?

[bazineta]

Isn't this a flashover risk, like with h110?

296 and 110 are the same thing.

Traditionally, yes, these had warnings not to load them light, and the usual advice is load to the spec, i.e., case full or nearly so, magnum primer, stout crimp. Reason given was usually that deviation from that tended to result in incomplete ignition, resulting in an obstruction, which can be the start of a bad day.

I can't seem to find the warnings on Hodgdon's site now, thus my question to the OP.

[TomReloaded]

H110 and 296 both do not have 38spl load data posted on their site.

Officially, the powder manufacturer is saying do not load 38 special, at all, with either powder. RCBS published data, but its over 10 grains for a 150gr bullet.

The flashover risk is that your gun explodes immediately. I would not load unpublished loads from extrapolated data. Quickload is a fantastic program, but its an extrapolation that works best within known constraints. A 7.7gr/125gr load may not be safe when the only published load I see is from a press company, showing 10.7gr/150gr charge/bullet!