Topic: Average pressures inside firearms

[oli dalby]

I am a PhD student in the UK looking at OGSR analysis. I am getting very promsing results from extracts carried out on samples shot by handguns and revolvers but not from rifles and shotguns. I am wondering if this could be due to the increased pressures experienced in rifle and shotguns. I have been trawling the internet and library for some average figures of the types of pressure ranges encountered for revlovers (.357mag/.38spl), pistols (9mm), rifles (.22LR/7.62x51) and shotguns (.410). If anyone can direct me to a good reference for such information it would be a great help.

Many thanks,
 
Oli Dalby. 

[Evan Thompson]

More background on the subject.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01370.x/full

[Jerryp]

Many of the U.S.  reloading manuals such as Hornaday, Seirra, Speer, etc.... will have much detail about chamber pressure and recorded chamber pressures for various calibers and loads.

[Bob Hart]

If you go to the SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturing Institute) website

      http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/index.cfm

you will find reccomended maximum chamber pressures for all calibers, along with good background informatiom on the subject.  Good luck on your project.

Bob

[oli dalby]

Thanks guys for you help and advise. This information will be very useful.

Oli.

[Laura Draga]

If you haven't already, you may also want to look at other internal ballistic considerations such as burn time (i.e. that more of the propellant, and therefore the organic component thereof, will be consumed within a longer barrel). After all, deposited GSR is just stuff that didn't get burned up.

[Dalibor]

Good place to strart searching information about pressure inside firearms is The Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House, Banbury Street, Birmingham B5 5RH, England, Tel. 0121 643 3860, Fax 0121 643 7872.
And 35 quids for CIP CD available there would be a well spent money.

[Alison Quereau]

If you haven't already, you may also want to look at other internal ballistic considerations such as burn time (i.e. that more of the propellant, and therefore the organic component thereof, will be consumed within a longer barrel). After all, deposited GSR is just stuff that didn't get burned up.

I think Laura has an excellent point.  Oli, you mentioned 22 LR as one of your rifle calibers.  High pressure would not really be an issue with this caliber, so perhaps it is the barrel length that is affecting your results more.