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Win 296 light load

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:19 pm
by Hakaman
I have been loading my 44 mag with Win 296 @23g (book says 22-24g).This is a hefty load with plenty of kick. I loaded 10 rounds ea @ 21g, 20g, 19g, 18g, and 17g, and enjoy the 17g load. This of course is below the book range, and I have heard some warnings about loading this way with 296. What is your experience ?

Re: Win 296 light load

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:48 pm
by ruger22
I have zero experience with reloading. Sorry I can't help. but I thought I'd post something so your new thread wouldn't be so lonely. I hope you get some good replies, but GTO is pretty dead these days.

Re: Win 296 light load

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 7:46 pm
by bearandoldman
for light loads for 25 yards have had good licj with Trail Boss, it fills the casw well and is used for cowboy loads. try around 33 to 4 grain, have used 205 in .38 and it wors great at 25, will not hit the paper at5
this was with HBWC soft lead bullets

Re: Win 296 light load

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 8:51 am
by blue68f100
W296/H110 does not download well at all and gets very spikey when done. This powder was designed for full power loads for the Magnums and 30 carbine. Use a different powder if you want reduced loads. TB is good as well as a few others. Most powders will be very dirty when down loaded.

Re: Win 296 light load

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 3:31 pm
by noylj
296/H110 is a relatively difficult powder to ignite that requires pressure and temperature to burn.
It was found that going much below the MAX load, one could end up with a partial molten mass of powder stuck in the barrel and the NEXT shot would see a KB from the obstruction.
This is not an every time occurrence, nor is it one where you can go on past problem-free shooting to know you are OK.
Most loading manuals, I would hope, have warnings, but they are often rather poorly written.
From Hodgdon:
H110 Loads should not be reduced more than 3%. Reduce H110 Loads 3% and work up from there. H110 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction).
This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or
bystanders.
DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.

Re: Win 296 light load

Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 9:54 pm
by Hakaman
I instead have loaded some lighter rounds with Winchester 231 as per Lyman reloading manual. They are all within the suggested range the book offers, but are at a slower FPS then the full loaded Winchester 296 rounds. I am not going to lower the Winchester 296, nor any other powder outside of what the book suggest.