357 Flame Cutting

[Duskykiller]

Just got back from the range tried several different loads. The 125 XTP in front od 15 grains of 2400 is very accurate for me. Will a load like this cause flame cutting? Also tried 9 grains of Unique. The Unique was not nearly as accurate and had slightly flattened primers. Clearly my model 28 like the 2400 load better.

 

[Duskykiller]

Just got back from the range tried several different loads. The 125 XTP in front od 15 grains of 2400 is very accurate for me. Will a load like this cause flame cutting? Also tried 9 grains of Unique. The Unique was not nearly as accurate and had slightly flattened primers. Clearly my model 28 like the 2400 load better.

 

[steveno]

high pressure and hot gas through an orifice (cylinder gap) will result in gas cutting on the top strap. it will only go so far and doesn't present a safety issue. the 2400 load will more likely cause some cutting than the Unique load.

 

[pownal55]

i found h110/296 to cut the most.

 

[Paul5388]

While it's obvious gases will cut, in this case it really seems to be more a function of particulates in the gases. Ball powders have larger and harder particulates than flakes have. 2400 is more like a ball powder than Unique is, so you'll have more flame cutting with it than a true flake will have.

 

[Hook686]

hmmmm 9.6 grains of Unique is shown by Alliant as max. I think the 9.0 grains would yield about the same velocity as the 15.0 grains of 2400 (Alliant shows 17.5 grains as the maximum).

I'm wondering why you got flattened primers with the Unique.

What length barrel are you shooting ?

As for flame cutting, I looked at all three of my .357 magnum revolvers (I use Unique & 2400 to reload with), and all had some flame cutting.

 

[pps]

Are these Federal primers?

 

[Duskykiller]

I am shooting a 28-2 wiht 4" barrel and yes the primers are Federal. They did seen very soft when loading. My loads are below maximum I was hoping that would at least reduce flame cutting.

 

[andyo5]

I had been shooting 158g jacketed hollow points with 14.5g of H110 in my 686 and although accuracy was great, the load produced flame cutting of the top strap. I switched to 2400 because I was informed that it would not promote flame cutting. I now load 14.5g of 2400 and found a significant velocity increase vs. the same load in H110. Accuracy is almost as good.
I have spoken to S&W customer service, and they advised me that flame cutting in magnums is common and does no real harm. Still, I don't like it!
Neither of these loads produces flame cutting in my GP100. Go figure!

 

[BruceM]

In my experience, gas cutting is inevitable when firing full power ammunition in magnum revolvers. Some bullet & propellant combinations are worse than others. This type of wear is usually self limiting as long as the gun's frame is not constructed from exotic materials. One notable exception to this is the Dan Wesson .357 Maximum which suffered from gas cutting to the point that it's manufacture was discontinued by DW.

In the case of W296/H110, it's true that it's use will give accelerated top strap wear. The flip around of this is that it produces less pressure at similar similar velocities than, say 2400 and the recoil impulse seems less punishing. Pick your poison. Wear due to gas cutting or the effects of recoil & pressure. Then again, you can turn your .44 magnum and .357 magnum revolvers into .38 specials and .44 specials by shooting reduced loads in them or shoot & enjoy them for what they are and designed for.

Bruce

 

[Paul5388]

Ruger made a .357 Max that was discontinued for the same reasons as the Dan Wesson. Of course, Dan Wesson also made a .360 DW that was .2" shorter than a Max and never had to discontinue it.

Bullet and powder choice is the cause of both Ruger's and DW's demise in the Max.