I shot my 243 with 24" bbl and my reloads for the first time today it was overcast weather.I was surprised to see flame from the end of bbl. My reloads use 40 gr H335 and 58 gr V max and Fed Primer in Win brasswhich was shown as close to "begin with".

I reload and shoot several small bores and never noticed any flame at all. Comments please.Thanks. berylh

That flame is powder burning outside the barrel that did not burn inside the barrel. Basically wasted powder. However, there are some powders that give off more muzzle flash than others. If you have a chronograph you could back off a grain or two and see if it has any effect on the accuracy or velocity...if not you are saving powder. I am not an expert so perhaps someone else has a different opinion.

Powder burns, not explodes, and it continues to burn to maintain pressure as long as possible, until after the bullet exits. That's why the flash exists and powder constinues to burn until the pressure drops. If there were no flash you can be sure the load is so light you wouldn't get much velocity either.

berylh -

Using the same boolit in my 24" bbl, I had the same experience using starting loads of Varget and CCI-BR2 primers in Fed. brass.

I switched to IMR 4895 (faster burning) and am now approaching 4000 fps with no flash or signs of excessive pressure.

Not sure, offhand, where your powder burn rate lies in relation to these two...?

Well if you have ever shot a rifle at night with H 335 in it, you will see a fireball that makes you think you just launched a Tomahawk Missle...

It will also light up the immediate area like it were daylight for a quick second or so...

you don't want a fireball, and especially if you are shooting in a prone position within very dry conditions out in the field.. I'd try another powder besides H 335...

It hasn't proved real accurate in any of my 243s anyway...with ANY bullet weight...

I'm not surprised that H-335 gave such a muzzle flash from your rifle. Seafire has it right regarding the flash.
I used to use that powder in a .308 Win. rifle with a 20" barrel. The ball of fire that came out of that short barrel was huge. i was shooting with abuddy in Nevada on a bright sunlit August day and when we shot that .308, the ball of fire was not only brighter than the sun light, be we estimated it to be about 4 feet across.
I did some research and what I found out is some powders generate hydrogen gas as part of the byproducts of combustion. When that superheated hydrogen gas hits the oxygen rich outside atmosphere, you get that bright flash and the extremely sharp muzzle blast.
If you want to stay with a ball powder for that .243, try W-760. I get good velocity and damned good accuracy with that in my wife's .243. It might as well be mine as I shoot it more than she does.
Paul B.

Thanks for all your help.I think it's a case of a novice using what was available.I load a lot of 20 caliber and it works good there.

After listening and looking around I loaded some H 4895 and hope to try them this week.

Thanks again.

berylh

quote:

Originally posted by berylh:
Thanks for all your help.I think it's a case of a novice using what was available.I load a lot of 20 caliber and it works good there.

After listening and looking around I loaded some H 4895 and hope to try them this week.

Thanks again.

berylh

The H4895 worked really well with no flame/flash and good groups.

berylh

Good to hear! Ain't that a great feelin?

Ball powder gives more muzzle flash. Add in a light bullet and you get a big flash.

One of these days I'm going to load a casefull of N560 behind a 55gr bullet in 243 just for fun!