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From: bercov@bevsun.bev.lbl.gov (John Bercovitz)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Downloading Centerfire rounds
Message-ID: <35665@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 91 20:05:57 GMT
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In article <35613@mimsy.umd.edu>
 uunet!clodii.columbiasc.NCR.COM!keith@cs.UMD.EDU writes:

#   I am curious about what would happen if I were to download a .270cal
#round from my normal 50 grns. to say...about 30 grns. Would this be a
#dangerous thing to do?

You could probably get away with it for years, but enough people have
blown up their rifles this way that it's not worth taking the chance.
The theory of why these low-loading-density detonations happen is not
well developed.  I think the best explanation is to be found in 
"Pressure Factors" by Brownell, Wolfe Publishing.  c1990?

#What about the sound level? Would it be significantly lower or just a
#little lower?

I guess that would depend on whether or not she blows up.  It would be
a lot lower noise level if everything goes well since pressure varies
with load according to a fairly high exponent.  (The exponent varies too.)

      JHBercovitz@lbl.gov    (John Bercovitz)