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I am loading a hornady 110grain xtp with 23gr of win 296 (like my manual suggests).

Is it normal to have lots of "blow by" going around the case in the chamber and under the extractor and recoil shields?They are extremely fun to shoot but I feel like they get the gun suuuuper dirty. The brass gets really dirty too. Anyone else have the same happening when shooting high power loads?
 
110grain xtp with 23gr of win 296 (like my manual suggests).
I suspect what is happening is the bullet is leaving the barrel before the powder is completely burned and you are getting unburned or partially burned powder fouling.

While this load may be 'shown' in your manual it is a top end, hypervelocity .357 Mag load and should be used with caution and may not be safe for long term usage in your gun.
 
I'll agree to the notion it'sa fairly slow burning powder for a light billet like a 110. You're probably getting a ton of left over powder burn and flash.
 
too light.
While it shoots it's not enough to flare the case to make a seal before the bullet exits.

You also get a lot of blowby making low power subsonic .300blk loads for the same reason.
 
Light/short bullet allows the hot propellant gasses to jump around and over them as they leave the cylinder and enter the forcing cone, before they can seal into the riflings.


Great way to hammer the forcing cone and split the barrel on an older Model 19 S&W.
 
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and split the barrel on an older Model 19 S&W.
I don't l know about any actual barrels splitting but there were certainly a lot of forcing cones cracked.

Lots of theories about as to exactly why but most were attributed the the use of the SuperVel ammo which developed extremely high pressures.

The slight flat on the bottom of the forcing cone of the K frames was a weak spot and no doubt contributed to the problem but any revolver can be damaged from continual shooting of extremely high velocity ammo with light bullets due to excessive flame erosion.

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I am loading a hornady 110grain xtp with 23gr of win 296 (like my manual suggests).

Is it normal to have lots of "blow by" going around the case in the chamber and under the extractor and recoil shields?They are extremely fun to shoot but I feel like they get the gun suuuuper dirty. The brass gets really dirty too. Anyone else have the same happening when shooting high power loads?

What.....No magnum primer?

YES, manuals may/might differ. But my Speer #10 manual says to use a magnum primer with W296 loads.

Mind you that it won't guarantee likeable results. Sometimes the case dirtiness will also be a factor of the brass' elasticity. Aka: the ability (or not) to stretch and come back a little (to fill the chamber adequately preventing blow by gasses).

Brings to mind.....SASS shooters, who like to down load their cartridges. They also frequently get dirty cases too with straight walled pistol cartridges. But then, throw in bottle necked pistol cartridges (example: .44-40 and .38-40, etc...) and the problem seems to be "less of a problem" with downloaded cartridges. They say it's because of the bottle necked shape...."sealing better."

So then.....
Sometimes you don't like the results. It happens. So perhaps, try another powder.

Rrrright.......because I used to like Unique with some of my .45 ACP loads. But, no longer (for your same sort of complaints). LOL. Unburnt powder flakes found on my arms. But yeah..... the loads were "fun."

Aloha, Mark
 
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Of course I use magnum primers! So I should either use a heavier bullet with the 296 or a different powder? It makes nice fireballs and a massive "boom". They are really fun to shoot... but I probably should dial it back a bit then . :oops: I was particularly wondering why the cases wont seal right in the chamber and this dirty blowby happens.

Screenshot_20200308-230141.jpg Screenshot_20200527-192304.png
 
So I should either use a heavier bullet with the 296 or a different powder? It makes nice fireballs and a massive "boom".
Only you can answer this for yourself but I would recommend you lighten it up somewhat for your own safety.

Personally I do not find 'nice fireballs' or a 'massive boom' advantageous to quality shooting as I prefer accuracy, economy, and ease on the gun and me as well but to each his own.
 
Only you can answer this for yourself but I would recommend you lighten it up somewhat for your own safety.

Personally I do not find 'nice fireballs' or a 'massive boom' advantageous to quality shooting as I prefer accuracy, economy, and ease on the gun and me as well but to each his own.
Yeah, sounds like its hard on the gun. I don't shoot a lot of them but I'll look for something less fiery haha
 
The 23 grn W296 load with mag primer and the 110 grn JHP was the max load listed in the manual (Speer #10), And the same combo, only with 21 grn of W296, was the min load listed.

Finding unburnt powder under the extractor star or in the bore or chamber is just that.....unburnt powder. IMHO....yup, it's telling you something and Yes, it could be a problem. Anyway.....it's all up to you on how you want to address it (or not).

BTW.....speaking of my low powered .38 special SASS loads using really old (many times reloaded) brass cases. I don't worry too much about "dirty brass cases." As for me, the dirty/black coloration, will seldom go more than 1/2 way down the case body. And, I don't typically clean or polish my brass before reloading them. I just run them trough the carbide sizing die and continue with the process.

Plus, I know you didn't ask but......YES, I also get more neck splits with nickel plated cases vs brass cases.

Aloha, Mark
 
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Interestingly my Winchester ball powder load data manual from 1977 does not even show a load for a 110 grain bullet using 296 and neither does my Speer manual from the same time.
The Winchester manual also has an additional notes about 296 including specifically mentioning very heavy crimp - which is indicating the powder needs to be contained as long as possible for a complete burn which would also be facilitated with s heavier bullet.
The fireball you are experiencing is evidence of incomplete burn and I recommend you consider something else.
By contrast I have used 296 in the past with 158 grain XTP bullets and 16 grains for use in .357 rifles where it performed excellenty, with outstanding accuracy and left clean cases with no unburied powder.
 
I'm personally a big fan of 2400 for magnum loads, here is a page with 110 Hornady load data.

It has some other powders in there as well you might want to try, I have no experience with those personaly so I can't speak to their abilities.

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Wait, It's not unburned powder under the extractor and such, its sooth. There is tons of sooth that goes past the cases and back onto the had/firing pin/recoil shield area.

It could be listed under H110 in the 1977 manual, pretty much same powders! Anyway, I am looking to load something with my 110 or 125gr bullets that gets velocity above 1500fps and that load data looked pretty good. However, not if its too hard on the gun, or maybe i don't crimp it hard enough?
 
It could be listed under H110 in the 1977 manual
H110 is a Hodgdon powder and this manual was for WINCHESTER Powders only..

WW 296 is a WInchester powder.

They are different powders and data is shown for each however both manuals show loads with 296 (and H110) as starting with 125 grain bullets - neither with 110 grain bullets.
 

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