reduced powder for 300 win mag

[Mas]

Question: can I load 300 win mag near the minimum loads? For example, for the Hornady 225 eld match and H 4831 SC powder, the Hornady loading data gives 60.4 gn-70.4 gn. Is the lower bound practically viable? Or is it only for very special setup?

In the Hornady reloading book, there's an interesting remark:

When using cases of this size, it is imperative that reloaders work with near maximum loads. Reduced loads with slowly burning powder can produce dangerous hangfires, large muzzle flashes, and perhaps dangerously high pressure.

How is it possible that low powder charge can create dangerously high pressure?

 

[mdmp5]

pressure and volume are inversely proportional in a closed system. The space between the bullet and the case can be thought of as a closed system until the bullet exits the muzzle. If you don’t get the bullet moving forward quickly, pressure builds because volume is not expanding at a great enough rate to offset the pressure rise. That’s the best way I understand it, although i don’t encounter that issue.

 

[Mas]

That's a very good explanation, thanks a lot! Let me rephrase just to make sure I get it:

As the powder is burning, the bullet is also traveling inside the barrel. The burning of the powder increases the pressure while the traveling of the bullet decreases the pressure so these two effects compete with each other. If the powder is too low then there's a chance that the bullet could't travel far enough to ease the high pressure caused by the burning powder.

Is that correct?

 

[Mas]

Question: can I load 300 win mag near the minimum loads? For example, for the Hornady 225 eld match and H 4831 SC powder, the Hornady loading data gives 60.4 gn-70.4 gn. Is the lower bound practically viable? Or is it only for very special setup?

In the Hornady reloading book, there's an interesting remark:

When using cases of this size, it is imperative that reloaders work with near maximum loads. Reduced loads with slowly burning powder can produce dangerous hangfires, large muzzle flashes, and perhaps dangerously high pressure.

How is it possible that low powder charge can create dangerously high pressure?

Btw thanks for replying to both my posts today!