# Revolver muzzle velocity?



## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I just finished loading 400 cartridges for my 357. I made light practice loads using a 158 gr LSWC bullet and 4 gr of American Select. The muzzle velocity is something like 800 ft/sec. This is fine with me although you can almost see the bullet go down range. I want to avoid the lead fowling you get in the barrel if they are too fast.

I have some copper jacketed bullets in 158 and 180 grain so I looked at making some higher power loads in case I run into a bear or want to stop a Buick. The loads listed in my Lyman's manual have about 1000 ft/sec as the max. 

Do handguns have low muzzle velocities? My 30-06 is 2200 ft/sec and 12 gauge trap loads are 1200 ft/sec. Is this because revolvers can't handle the chamber pressure or, maybe, the recoil?


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Well.. a .45 from a 1911 is around 830 FPS, and a 9mm is 1200-1300 or so, depending on the load, could be more or less, but that's an average..

THe pins on the recolvers don't like to take a lot..

I had some .357 loads that were loaded to about 1650, and it was really tough on my Ruger Security 6... They hurt quite a bit too on you wrists..


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## dademoss (May 2, 2015)

Barrel length plays a part, here is chart of barrel length vs velocity:

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I have a brass framed 1858 and I have to load it light because a heavy load will stretch the frame.. I've been wanting a steel framed one pretty bad, but just can't justify the price now for a "toy", as compared to guns that I carry every day... 

With a steel frame 1858, you can put as much powder as you can fit in it so long as the ball fits down in the cylinder without hitting the frame.. You can't do that with a brass frame gun.. it will destroy it.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

hand guns have 2 things working against them for muzzle velocity 

case volume and burn time in the barrel


here is a good reference for how barrel length effects the velocity of a cartridge 
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html

I guess in many pistols there is a third thing working against muzzle velocity and that is pressure 

older cartridges like 38S&W can not exceed 10,000psi so they get a max velocity around 700fps but a 9mm Luger is a similar size cartridge but is designed to run up around 32,000psi so the same bullet can go faster 1100fps even with the case volume similar 

most pistols are limited to around 35,000 psi because their design isn't intended to hold any more , and since a 44mag firing a 240gr bullet 1400fps from a 7 inch barrel is already a hand full they probably don't need to hold much more and still be practical as pistols.

while 223, 308, 30-06 and such run at around 60,000psi max 

rifles also incorporate longer burning propellants I could call them powder but truthfully many of them are ball or stick form the sticks look like small pieces of pencil graphite an 1/8th to 3/16ths long , this lengthens burn time and provides the gas volume to push the bullet aka piston out of the cylinder aka barrel 

rifles rounds intended for long barrels suffer significant velocity losses in short barrels because they are building volume to give that bullet a push out the end over much of the barrel also because of the slower burning propellant it needs time to use that time length is needed 

you can get velocity without pressure to some extent , one example is 219 zipper vs 223 you can get nearly the same velocity from both 
219 zipper is a nexked down 30-30 case to .224 so both fire the exact same .224 bullet of the same weight 
but 223 is 1.68cc and 219 zipper is around 2.4cc the zipper case has almost half again as much volume as the 223 case but runs at only 35,000psi while 223 is 60,000psi max


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Are there powders that will burn completely in such a short barrel?


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

I am a little concerned here at the knowledge level of your questions when asked AFTER you've been reloading. If you have even one reloading manual that you've actually studied, all these questions would be readily answered.

May I ask you first, what background literature have you read related to reloading, and gun handling in general? Have you gotten a RCSB, or Hornady, or Lyman manual? Have you seen a copy of "The ABC's of reloading"?

I'm not trying to be mean or snarky, I'm genuinely concerned that you may be technically overextended at the level you're working at. My recommendation is you get more background literature to answer your questions before any further reloading adventures. Here's copy of ABC's that you could pick up for just 10$.http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...&qid=1457541929&sr=1-3&keywords=ABC+reloading
It's 10$ that might be some of the best money you've ever spent!

To help answer some of your questions, your 357 load is designed for light target shooting. Most likely it is a soft-swaged lead bullet, not a cast one. With soft-swaged bullets (economy) low speeds are the rule because of leading. If however the same bullet was HARD-CAST instead of swaged, velocities can go MUCH higher. I cast a SWC in Lyman #2 alloy (90/5/5% lead/tin/antimony) which I push at 1440fps out of my revolver, and 1810fps out of my .357 rifle. When you cast your own bullets you can also control bullet fit to your individual barrel, which is almost as important to leading as is the speed.

The bullet velocity of your .30-06 load is very low. Most .30-06 loads with 165-180 grain bullets are going somewhere around 3000fps. Again, this suggests to me you need more background reading and good reloading manuals.

Please ask more questions! We'll be glad to help you, but please do that before you head back to the reloading bench!


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I am a fairly experienced reloader. I am using data and info from a Lyman Reloading Handbook. 

The reason I made light loads is to practice shooting the handgun. They are the minimum loads. I use them specifically to keep the velocity down so minimizing leading of the barrel. I do see that I could load the 357 up to about 1200 ft/sec. 

I was just wondering why the muzzle velocities for the revolver are about the same as my trap loads and way less than my rifle.


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## tamarackreg (Mar 13, 2006)

Lots of good info here:

http://www.handloads.com/


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Hand guns do not have the beef in the receiver area that rifles do plus have shorter barrels so could not achieve the FPS a rifle can get because of different burn rate powders and the heavier receivers even with auto loaders. 
Shot guns MV is similar to a hand gun because they use in many cases the same powers as hand gun powder.

Muzzle loaders is a whole different ball game using black powder and substutes.

 Al


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## JawjaBoy (Jan 21, 2013)

Nimrod said:


> I am a fairly experienced reloader. I am using data and info from a Lyman Reloading Handbook.
> 
> The reason I made light loads is to practice shooting the handgun. They are the minimum loads. I use them specifically to keep the velocity down so minimizing leading of the barrel. I do see that I could load the 357 up to about 1200 ft/sec.
> 
> I was just wondering why the muzzle velocities for the revolver are about the same as my trap loads and way less than my rifle.


Velocities in handguns are lower than rifles because the powder charges are much smaller and the barrel is much shorter. Less powder and less room to get a full burn means much lower velocities.


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