Excessive Pressure?

cgpro856 · May 3, 2005, 07:45 PM

I just got home from the range. I shot a box of winchester WIN-CLEAN .357 MAGNUM and I'm confused about pressure signs. I was under the impression that flattened primers and primers that flowed back into the firing pin hole were sure signs of too much pressure. These factory loads totally flattened the primers (so much that they flowed out of the pocket and a little bit across the base of the case, and back into the primer hole). No primers were punctured and no cases split, but I have always stopped my reloads at the point that they just started to flatten the primers enough to square off the edges. Does this mean that I can go hotter on my reloads or are these factory loads what would be considered too hot??

What do you guys look for as far a pressure signs go?

btw, I also shot a few from my buddies gun and they looked the same as mine, so It's not my gun that caused the flattened primers.

Thanks,
Chris P.

LHB1 · May 3, 2005, 09:03 PM

Sounds to me like either those rounds are hotter than normal loads OR they use a softer than normal batch of primers OR some of both.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

Sturm · May 3, 2005, 11:45 PM

I would mic the casehead if there are questions concering overpressure. Flattened primers on their own do not automatically indicate overpressure. if you don't have a mic, use the sharp edges of your dial calipers .200" above the case rim. You will of course need a dimension for comparison from cases that are in spec, from factory ammo, or cases you have resized. The reloading manuals list the spec diameter of .391", so don't be shocked if yours are a couple thousandths smaller. Most everything I run into these days seems to be slightly smaller than spec dimension in length and diameter!

41special · May 7, 2005, 09:56 AM

I've had the same concern with my .41 MAG loads for years now.

Here's how I finally solved it :

I'd been flattening the primers in my M415 for months no matter how low I went within reason, they still went flat.

But in 8-10 reloads, the cases never split and neither did the primers.

So I figure, in that gun, primers flattened means next to nothing.

______________________________________________

An old west lawman once said when asked why he carried a .45, "because they don't make a .46"

Kayser · May 9, 2005, 12:36 AM

Winclean is a very hot load. The first time I put some through my Python indoors, I could not believe the flame generated. Both muzzle flash and cylinder gap flames. I've avoided it since then - plain jane WWB for my range ammo.

Leftoverdj · May 9, 2005, 12:15 PM

Decap one of those WinClean Cases, and you will see why the primers are flat. Those cases have hugely oversized flash holes. Win musta had their reasons for doing it that way, but I dunno what they were, and I don't consider those cases reloadable.

Paul B. · May 10, 2005, 10:00 AM

Leftover, those cases are reloadable. I have a bunch of them in .45 ACP and I've been reloading them with no problem. Didn't even have to change the load, although I did drop back and work back up.
Winchester even acknowledges that they are reloadable and you know how they feel about reloading.

Paul B.

Leftoverdj · May 10, 2005, 01:15 PM

Paul, you go right ahead. I'm the cautious sort and have cases. Five, ten years down the road if you adventurous types don't have any trouble, I'll consider using those cases.

I'm not criticizing anyone who reloads Win-Clean, just saying that huge flash hole makes me nervous and it's gonna be somebody other than me who reloads them for a while.

May 3, 2005, 07:45 PM	#1
cgpro856 Junior Member Join Date: February 13, 2005 Posts: 14	Excessive Pressure? I just got home from the range. I shot a box of winchester WIN-CLEAN .357 MAGNUM and I'm confused about pressure signs. I was under the impression that flattened primers and primers that flowed back into the firing pin hole were sure signs of too much pressure. These factory loads totally flattened the primers (so much that they flowed out of the pocket and a little bit across the base of the case, and back into the primer hole). No primers were punctured and no cases split, but I have always stopped my reloads at the point that they just started to flatten the primers enough to square off the edges. Does this mean that I can go hotter on my reloads or are these factory loads what would be considered too hot?? What do you guys look for as far a pressure signs go? btw, I also shot a few from my buddies gun and they looked the same as mine, so It's not my gun that caused the flattened primers. Thanks, Chris P.

May 10, 2005, 10:00 AM	#7
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Leftover, those cases are reloadable. I have a bunch of them in .45 ACP and I've been reloading them with no problem. Didn't even have to change the load, although I did drop back and work back up. Winchester even acknowledges that they are reloadable and you know how they feel about reloading. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!

May 3, 2005, 09:03 PM	#2
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	Sounds to me like either those rounds are hotter than normal loads OR they use a softer than normal batch of primers OR some of both. Good shooting and be safe. LB

May 3, 2005, 11:45 PM	#3
Sturm Junior member Join Date: March 2, 2005 Location: Central Texas Posts: 584	I would mic the casehead if there are questions concering overpressure. Flattened primers on their own do not automatically indicate overpressure. if you don't have a mic, use the sharp edges of your dial calipers .200" above the case rim. You will of course need a dimension for comparison from cases that are in spec, from factory ammo, or cases you have resized. The reloading manuals list the spec diameter of .391", so don't be shocked if yours are a couple thousandths smaller. Most everything I run into these days seems to be slightly smaller than spec dimension in length and diameter!

May 7, 2005, 09:56 AM	#4
41special Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 263	I've had the same concern with my .41 MAG loads for years now. Here's how I finally solved it : I'd been flattening the primers in my M415 for months no matter how low I went within reason, they still went flat. But in 8-10 reloads, the cases never split and neither did the primers. So I figure, in that gun, primers flattened means next to nothing. ______________________________________________ An old west lawman once said when asked why he carried a .45, "because they don't make a .46"

May 9, 2005, 12:36 AM	#5
Kayser Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2002 Location: Illinois :( Posts: 550	Winclean is a very hot load. The first time I put some through my Python indoors, I could not believe the flame generated. Both muzzle flash and cylinder gap flames. I've avoided it since then - plain jane WWB for my range ammo.

May 9, 2005, 12:15 PM	#6
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	Decap one of those WinClean Cases, and you will see why the primers are flat. Those cases have hugely oversized flash holes. Win musta had their reasons for doing it that way, but I dunno what they were, and I don't consider those cases reloadable.

May 10, 2005, 01:15 PM	#8
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	Paul, you go right ahead. I'm the cautious sort and have cases. Five, ten years down the road if you adventurous types don't have any trouble, I'll consider using those cases. I'm not criticizing anyone who reloads Win-Clean, just saying that huge flash hole makes me nervous and it's gonna be somebody other than me who reloads them for a while.