I haven't shot my muzzle loader in probably 8 years but I just picked up a ph encore barrel and got the itch to start shooting black powder again. Back in the day I was using 777 pyrodex pellets. What are you all using now and why?
Thanks.
I haven't shot my muzzle loader in probably 8 years but I just picked up a ph encore barrel and got the itch to start shooting black powder again. Back in the day I was using 777 pyrodex pellets. What are you all using now and why?
Thanks.
I picked up an Omega a couple months back and have been using Pydrox RS powder. Only because it is what I could find in town. If I go to the city, I can get any of the substitutes but not black powder.
i use pyrodex pellets in my omega and in my encore they just work great i did try 777 but left a crud ring in my barrel i did try that blackhorn but pyrodex worked just as good and cost less
so i have to run a patch down the barrel after 2 or 3 shots big deal its part of the fun
in my T/C Hawkens i use pyrodex RS and in my kentucky rifle too
kids that hunt and fish dont mug old ladies
I like 777, but I am burning up some blackhorn 209 and plan to try real black for the first time soon.
I'm not sure that any are truely great. They all have positives and negatives, and all will rust up even a stainless gun if not cleaned up, so cost may be the bigges factor in the end.
Right now, my favorite is 777 loose FFG.
Real BP with Maxi-Balls or saboted Ly. #429421's. 70 - 80gr. FFg works very well for me.
Blackhorn 209 . No swabbing between shots, no crud ring. Less susceptible to moisture problems. Consistency shot after shot.
777 2f loose. Reasonably priced, available, shoots good.
Most of my "smokey" guns sit idle. Have 2 Savage MLIIs and a custom barrel for my Encore frame for smokeless ML shooting. Favorite powders are VV110, IMR 4759 and H4198. No crud ring, no smoke, no cleaning after every shooting session, incredible accuracy, incredible range for a "dead on" hold, CHEAP to shoot and reduced recoil! Well, if I have to shoot real "Holy Black" or a sub, then it's Swiss for hunting and competition and KIK or Black Diamond for plinkin or whatever. 10 ga
10 gauge: as per Robert Ruark, "use enough gun"
MOLON LABE
"I have a list, and am prepared for widespread civil disorder!" 10 ga
blackhorn209
Why: 70 shots without ever having the bore get tight.
I will agree with most of that, but for 2x the price of 777, it just isn't twice as good. And on the swabbing... You don't have to swab for easy loading, but accuracy will improve if you do clean. And you have to clean when you're done anyway. No free lunch.
So far, I have had better accuracy with the 777 and 777 209 primers, but nothing has been great in my gun.
10ga, where did you get your smokeless encore barrel?
Used pyrodex select for a few years, will use the rest of it later today in this pistol, yep its an in-line
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=136044
an older Knight, used mostly pyrodex and some 777
for a number of years now its Swiss most of the time
2 f in the .350's most of the time
the .410 will eat either 2 or 3 f
the .504 seems to like the 3 f
I also have some 1.5 f that I have not tried yet
why; its never hung on me and its consistant
Blackhorn 209 in my Knights. I really like not having to immediately clean.
I've liked the accuracy with Pyrodex, but it seems much more corrosive than Black.
Loose Triple 7 here. The Encore does not like the pellets. Two pellets is not enough and three is to much. My best load is right in the middle.
i don't do smokeless like 10ga but i do similar as he with blackpowder. Swiss for hunting loads for the much greater velocity, Goex for paper punching. lucky i only burn a pound of Swiss a year. in December 2010 i picked up three pounds Swiss from Graf's in Mexico, Mo when i was in the area for $21.99 a pound. now it's $24.99 a year later.
2F Goex in my Hawken, Triple 7 2F loose in my in-lines.
I tried Blackhorn 209 but for the cost it's not worth it. It also attracts moisture rather quickly.
I have always used Pyrodex RS and P. I bought a can of Triple 7 and it's finally almost gone, I will never buy that **** again, It's just super dirty compared to my Pyrodex RS. I also only use loose powders, I've witnessed too many issues with pellets.
dang. I didn't know "c r a p " was a dirty word. LOL that's funny. It's less dirty than Triple 7 anyway...
with the 30's and 50's you can make almost any load to 10 grains
30, 50, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150
but I won't use pellets Either... they get fouled SOOOO easily.
bought a bunch in the tubes... only half would even fire! Nice to find out in the bush!
and Black is near impossible to get up here, without remortgaging the house.
Loose Pyrodex P or RS it is....
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |