Excessive flames out of REAR of revolver cylinder-Normal?

[Jellymon]

Thought it would be fun to get a slo mo video of my revolver and noticed a lot of flame coming out of the rear of the cylinder. I'm aware of the flame out the front of the cylinder is normal, but I wasn't able to find another video/picture with the flame coming out the back. The back of the cylinder/cases/and frame behind the cylinder is also getting extremely dirty. Only one cartridge was being loaded at a time. Just wondering if this is ok or if there is an issue I'm not aware of. If you recognize where I am, I am not shooting the steel.

Load is accurate. Here is my info-

Ruger Redhawk 4" .44mag.

23.3 gr of Win296. Mid powder charge. Winchester large/magnum pistol primers. Herters brass.

240gr nosler sporting handgun bullets. Fairly heavy crimp.

[Jellymon]

Cases

[h20hunter]

Tag as I'm getting ready to start loading for my 460.

[BULLBLASTER]

Whoa!  No idea of that's normal or not but crazy pick

[Ddouble]

Get out the marshmallows!

[duckmen1]

Trying to cook the animal before it's dead.

[b23]

What does the primer end look like, is it escaping gas out around the primers?  Take some pics of the primer end of those same cases and post them.  The cases appear to have a good amount of soot on them.  How many times have these cases been loaded/fired??

[jeffro]

Something is seriously wrong.
Overload, over crimped, to much head space, over sized bullet?
Personally I wouldn't shoot it
Try some factory ammo and see if the results are the same.
Make sure your hands are clear and wear some leather gloves.

[b23]

Cases

The upper right case, is that a crack in the case or just a line from the soot?  It almost looks like a crack in the case but I can't tell for sure.

[Firedogg]

  That's an aweful lot of blowback through the cylinder(s) is it is not a primer issue. Plus with that much flame you are wasting powder since it is burning well after the round leaves the barrel. I would look carefully at that primer seating or primer/case combo.

[Jellymon]

Third time this brass has been fired. Back of cases/primers look good. No pressure signs/flattened primers. Had less crimp on first loading and bullets were moving a tiny bit under recoil so i crimped a little more. Cases/gun was just as dirty at the rear with both settings.
Never took a video of factory stuff so dont know about the flames, but everything else is the same besides the rim of the cases getting dirty. Bullets in spec and using the mid load in nosler book. Calibrated scale before using.

[JimmyHoffa]

I don't recall seeing that much out the rear of the cylinder before. 

[Jellymon]

Cases

The upper right case, is that a crack in the case or just a line from the soot?  It almost looks like a crack in the case but I can't tell for sure.

I thought that a first as well. Just soot. Looks like a line because thats where the extractor/star meets the cylinder. Cleaned off its perfectly smooth.

[Jellymon]

The primers are very tight going into these herters cases. This is the last time im going to load them.
Im thinking too much of the slow burning powder for a 4" barrel?

[RadSav]

All my Rugers have had a good amount of gas escape between the cylinder and the barrel.  I expect the cold empty cylinders are working as a vacuum.  Have you run a video with a full six? 

Years ago I had a Blackhawk 44.  I took off my new camo jacket and used it as a rest for a long shot attempt at a yote.  Shot was successful, but after walking out to the dog I looked back to see my jacket in fire!!!  That was an expensive coyote!

[yorketransport]

It's just time to either anneal your brass or throw it out. The cases have work hardened from multiple firings and they just aren't expanding to fit the cylinder walls as tight any more. The black soot on the case is just like getting "smoked" case necks on well used rifle brass. Fresh brass will expand and seal off the chamber and limit the blow by gas/soot.

I'd be willing to bet that those cases don't size as smoothly as they did on the first pass through a resizing or expanding die. It probably feels like it's grabbing more than it used to. I'd expect to start seeing cracked cases after a couple more loads on that brass.

[Jellymon]

Thanks for the input. Im going to toss this brass, lower the powder charge, and see what i get from there.

[yorketransport]

Thanks for the input. Im going to toss this brass, lower the powder charge, and see what i get from there.

Lowering the powder charge may actually make it worse. Win 296 (or H110) doesn't do well with reduced loads. You're right in the middle of the charge spectrum so I'd probably try going up to either 23.5 or 23.6gr. Win 296 burns cleaner and more efficiently towards the top loads.

[Jellymon]

Too much crimp? This is a little bit more then I had when the bullets were backing out a tiny bit after about 4 to 5 shots.

[Jellymon]

Back of cases.

[Jellymon]

Thanks for the input. Im going to toss this brass, lower the powder charge, and see what i get from there.

Lowering the powder charge may actually make it worse. Win 296 (or H110) doesn't do well with reduced loads. You're right in the middle of the charge spectrum so I'd probably try going up to either 23.5 or 23.6gr. Win 296 burns cleaner and more efficiently towards the top loads.

Ok. Ill try that. Thanks.

[yorketransport]

Thanks for the input. Im going to toss this brass, lower the powder charge, and see what i get from there.

Lowering the powder charge may actually make it worse. Win 296 (or H110) doesn't do well with reduced loads. You're right in the middle of the charge spectrum so I'd probably try going up to either 23.5 or 23.6gr. Win 296 burns cleaner and more efficiently towards the top loads.

Ok. Ill try that. Thanks.

I should have clarified to try this in either new or at least different brass. Otherwise it won't change anything.

[Jellymon]

Yeah, I'm going to get better brass. Also, these were from factory loads and even on the first loading the primers were very tight going in. I had a couple cases from another brand and the primers went in easy and smooth.

[thinkingman]

It's just time to either anneal your brass or throw it out. The cases have work hardened from multiple firings and they just aren't expanding to fit the cylinder walls as tight any more. The black soot on the case is just like getting "smoked" case necks on well used rifle brass. Fresh brass will expand and seal off the chamber and limit the blow by gas/soot.

I'd be willing to bet that those cases don't size as smoothly as they did on the first pass through a resizing or expanding die. It probably feels like it's grabbing more than it used to. I'd expect to start seeing cracked cases after a couple more loads on that brass.

Exactly what I thought when I read 3X loading.
Work hardened brass that doesn't swell/seal the chamber as it should.