Duckford, one thing I've found with 296/H110 is that it really likes a hard crimp. But from your small SD I would say that the crimp you were using was very adequate. As for your lower velocities, they aren't that much lower than what your book showed; well within results gathered with different pistols. It might all come down to the different barrel gap between the test pistol and your pistol. Testing like this is where something that has a non-vented barrel would be nice to have on hand. Something such as my Coonan Classic or a Contender with a 357 barrel.