beekeeper wrote: I do not doubt it is possible to ring a chamber.
The people who talk about it have had it happen to them.
What I do not understand is how it happens and would like an explanation of how.
Now I am not the sharpest pencil in the box but it seems to me to be sort of impossible for a dacron puff of 1/2 grain to ring a steel chamber .
To ring a chamber would require a solid obstruction and a blown cartridge if not an explosion would it not?
I use 1/2 grain of dacron over IMR or H 4198 in my 7.62X54 R rounds and in my 8 MM Mauser rounds as the powder is very position sensitive and have had no problems(so far) and have considered it in other calibers as well but if there is going to be a problem I would like to know about it and be prepared.
I am interested in any particulars that anyone knows for a fact.
beekeeper
You are right in a way, the 1/2gr of Dacron is not obstructive in its self, but I think it is a combination of unburnt powder and the Dacron. It is not an explosion that would cause the ring, so it has to be the combination to cause an obstruction.
In short, I've been using Dacron or cotton and Sil Plate wads for 5 years now with most likely 4,000 or 5,000 rounds shot with no problems. I don't use 1/2gr of Dacron, but use the least amount of material that will hold the powder in position. I believe the least amount of material is the safest. (no garantees)
I think the shooters who have ringed a chamber were using 3-4gr of Dacron to fill the space completely but loosely, then at ignition the unburnt powder compresses the loose Dacron. Most the time it is shot out, but then one time it acts as an obstruction, then a ringed chamber. No proof, just my thoughts.
My facts are shot under match conditions, no shaken or disturbed rounds. Hunters toting such ammo may have problems as carried rounds may loose the Dacron wad in the powder and get mixed in any messy configuration..............DanW