From: "Alex Hamilton", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[snip]
My use of wadding goes back a long way and was centered
around preventing the detonation of small charges of
very fast burning powders.
[snip]
That is very interesting, John, but my understanding of the internal
ballistics is that it is the slow powders that are more likely to
detonate, although the possibility is both remote and cannot be induced.
With fast powders every ignition is almost a detonation so whether
compressed with wadding or not these powders cannot burn any faster than
their intended rate of combustion. What is commonly taken to be a
detonation with fast powders is most probably a double charge.
[snip]
16gr of 2400 (I know its not fast burning - but its a nice
rifle) behind a 320gr cast bullet in a 45/70 created a
virtual flintlock - the hangfires were astounding. The 9th
shot failed to go off at all and the bullet was nudged out
of the case into the freebore of the chamber, requiring a
tap out with a rod.
[snip]
I use 16 grs of 2400 in 303 and that is less than one third of case full
and in a 45-70 it will be even less.
What you have there is a rapid drop in pressure causing incomplete
combustion as well as unreliable ignition depending where the powder is
at the time of ignition. If you try a bulkier powder like Red Dot or
Unique you might find that consistency and accuracy will improve without
wadding and without "bayonet thrusts".
A good friend of mine used carboard wads on top of the powder in his
45-70 and that ringed his chamber and ruined a brand new rifle, so be
careful and develop a load that does not require wadding.
Alex
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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