Muzzle blast

Gunplummer · June 28, 2015, 06:51 AM

I have an 18" barrel 7x57 that I don't use hot loads in, but the muzzle blast is awesome. I am using Rem. 150 Grain PSP with 43.0 Grains of IMR 4350. When I go to the range the guys next to me always ask what the heck I am shooting. Think it is the short barrel? Anybody else have a short barreled 7x57 that is like that?

Mobuck · June 28, 2015, 07:33 AM

I'd say the 18" barrel is a contributing factor. My 7x57's have 24" barrels and are quite tame even with hotter loads. Factory Remington loads are easy on the ears.

RKG · June 28, 2015, 08:28 AM

Muzzle blast is the result of suddenly exposing a mass of hot, high pressure, highly deoxygenated gas to atmospheric pressure. A fraction of that gas will react with the oxygen in the comparatively oxygen rich environment. This oxidation can produce a visible flash.

Since the pressure and temperature of the released gas mass is a function of combustion chamber volume immediately prior to release, and combustion chamber volume at that instant is a function of barrel length, one would expect a shorter barrel to yield a greater muzzle blast, all other variables held equal.

g.willikers · June 28, 2015, 09:54 AM

^^^
What he said...

It might help stay friends with your fellow range pals by making sure the muzzle is forward of everyone.

precision_shooter · June 28, 2015, 12:40 PM

^ that, or find another powder that will give you a full or near 100% complete burn in the shorter barrel.

Gunplummer · June 28, 2015, 01:00 PM

I don't get a flare up out of the barrel. It is the noise and pressure that amazes most people. They usually think it is some kind of magnum. You can see the pressure wave in the grass and the dirt jump in front of the table. I have or have had a lot of short barreled guns, but none like this. I thought maybe some one else had a Ruger ultralite 7x57 or something along that line to compare it to.

mehavey · June 28, 2015, 02:30 PM

You're running in excess of 12,000psi sudden release at that 18" muzzle point,
with about 11% of your residual powder burning right there.

I'd suggest an equal amount of either 4895 or 4064 for better use of your
propellant... AND ~300fps faster velocity.

Gunplummer · June 28, 2015, 10:30 PM

Maybe I could try a little adjusting, but it is right in there now.

reynolds357 · June 28, 2015, 10:51 PM

What 18" barreled rifle burning that much powder does not have a huge muzzle flash?

rickyrick · June 29, 2015, 01:02 PM

I've recently tried a linear compensator on a short barrel.

It really helps direct all that madness forward.

It will probably increase your felt recoil, but it is straight back.

jmr40 · June 29, 2015, 01:14 PM

Quote:

^ that, or find another powder that will give you a full or near 100% complete burn in the shorter barrel.

Any powder is going to give a full burn in an 18" barrel. Even the slowest powders will completely burn in any barrel long enough to be legal and still give the fastest speeds. It might be an issue in a shorter pistol barrel in something like a TC Encore.

Noise it relative. I shoot a similar 308 from 16-18" barrels, they are louder than a 22" barrel, but not excessive to me.

T. O'Heir · June 29, 2015, 02:06 PM

"...the muzzle blast is awesome..." Shoot next to a .338 Win Mag some time. Any cf rifle with an 18" barrel will have awesome muzzle blast.
Muzzle blast is the result of suddenly blowing the air at and around the muzzle out and away. Nothing to do with atmospheric pressure. Isn't the flash either.

603Country · June 29, 2015, 04:53 PM

I used 4064 in my 16.5 inch barreled Ruger Compact, and the muzzle flash wasn't bad. Try the 4064.

June 28, 2015, 06:51 AM	#1
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Muzzle blast I have an 18" barrel 7x57 that I don't use hot loads in, but the muzzle blast is awesome. I am using Rem. 150 Grain PSP with 43.0 Grains of IMR 4350. When I go to the range the guys next to me always ask what the heck I am shooting. Think it is the short barrel? Anybody else have a short barreled 7x57 that is like that?

June 28, 2015, 09:54 AM	#4
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	^^^ What he said... It might help stay friends with your fellow range pals by making sure the muzzle is forward of everyone. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

June 28, 2015, 12:40 PM	#5
precision_shooter Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 2,475	^ that, or find another powder that will give you a full or near 100% complete burn in the shorter barrel. __________________ "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." - Thomas Jefferson, 1776

June 29, 2015, 01:02 PM	#10
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	I've recently tried a linear compensator on a short barrel. It really helps direct all that madness forward. It will probably increase your felt recoil, but it is straight back. __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

June 29, 2015, 02:06 PM	#12
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...the muzzle blast is awesome..." Shoot next to a .338 Win Mag some time. Any cf rifle with an 18" barrel will have awesome muzzle blast. Muzzle blast is the result of suddenly blowing the air at and around the muzzle out and away. Nothing to do with atmospheric pressure. Isn't the flash either. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

June 28, 2015, 07:33 AM	#2
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	I'd say the 18" barrel is a contributing factor. My 7x57's have 24" barrels and are quite tame even with hotter loads. Factory Remington loads are easy on the ears.

June 28, 2015, 08:28 AM	#3
RKG Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 562	Muzzle blast is the result of suddenly exposing a mass of hot, high pressure, highly deoxygenated gas to atmospheric pressure. A fraction of that gas will react with the oxygen in the comparatively oxygen rich environment. This oxidation can produce a visible flash. Since the pressure and temperature of the released gas mass is a function of combustion chamber volume immediately prior to release, and combustion chamber volume at that instant is a function of barrel length, one would expect a shorter barrel to yield a greater muzzle blast, all other variables held equal.

June 28, 2015, 01:00 PM	#6
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I don't get a flare up out of the barrel. It is the noise and pressure that amazes most people. They usually think it is some kind of magnum. You can see the pressure wave in the grass and the dirt jump in front of the table. I have or have had a lot of short barreled guns, but none like this. I thought maybe some one else had a Ruger ultralite 7x57 or something along that line to compare it to.

June 28, 2015, 02:30 PM	#7
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,896	You're running in excess of 12,000psi sudden release at that 18" muzzle point, with about 11% of your residual powder burning right there. I'd suggest an equal amount of either 4895 or 4064 for better use of your propellant... AND ~300fps faster velocity.

June 28, 2015, 10:30 PM	#8
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Maybe I could try a little adjusting, but it is right in there now.

June 28, 2015, 10:51 PM	#9
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	What 18" barreled rifle burning that much powder does not have a huge muzzle flash?

June 29, 2015, 04:53 PM	#13
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	I used 4064 in my 16.5 inch barreled Ruger Compact, and the muzzle flash wasn't bad. Try the 4064.