3F powder use in modern muzzleloader

Comparing using smokeless powder to using 3f is quite a stretch.
I have shot 3f in nearly every black powder rifle I have owned. I generally load about 10 percent less than I would with 2f and fine tune the load from there. If a rifle is not safe to shoot 3f powder out of you won't catch me shooting 2f powder out of it either.
Just my opinion.

CVA actually says dont use smokeless in ANY muzzleloader. Which most of know is incorrect since Savage has data for THEIRS. Many other custom builds do also but this isnt about smokeless. Im not sure how it even applies to this topic. MML does not approve of using or discussing smokeless in ANY non approved platform. Neither do i. The analogy is silly at best.

CVA says 3 pellets is ok but that makes way more PSI than 100gr of loose T7 3FG. Simple logic tells me that is absurd. It also exceeds Hodgdon recommendation by 50%.

You cant claim one ok and say the other is not in this context. In defies simple common sense.

Ive used T7 3FG in numerous 50cals including BPI products without the least bit of concern. Simply reducing the starting charge by roughly 10% usually results in nearly identical FPS as 2FG (depending on bullet weight). Lymans black powder manual confirms this to be fairly accurate in terms on FPS and peak pressure. Some bullets will shoot better with one than the other. Just like some will shoot better with more or less powder.

I was discussing CVA manufacturing recommendations and the use of 3F in CVA break action muzzleloaders. I was not discussing smokeless just what CVA recommendations on it were also and how some people use it to. I don't think that would be construed as discussing smokeless. I don't intend to ever use it so it is of no matter to me, I would not be properly educated in smokeless to even discuss it. All I know is it can blow up normal muzzleloaders if it is used in them, don't know anything about savage either.

Maybe you should explain your findings about the powder pellets to CVA, might be something the CVA engineers missed. CVA would probably really appreciate it, and change their recommendations on using 3F in their inline guns. Then everyone could be happy. Myself I am content to use the recommended 2F Powder in my Accura V2. I think there are more than enough different 2F powders for me to make a selection. I currently use BH 209 powder, I haven't checked but it might even rival the velocity and accuracy of 3FG out of a break action muzzleloader.

Thank you for the heads up on the smokeless

CVA can look at the Lyman BP manual just like i can. Its no trade secret and gathered from a 22" test barrel IIRC under controlled conditions.

Recommending 3 pellets when/if you claim 3FG is bad shows very poor judgement. Its not an opinion, its fact based on real data from a respected 3rd party. One of the leaders in the industry.

As Flounder said, if Triple7 3FG is unsafe in a ML then i wouldn't use Triple7 2FG either. The facts support this conclusion.

You are one up on me, I don't know anything about that, good luck with that.

I also use 3f powder in all of my percussion guns, inlines or sidehammers. But I am using T7-3f powder. Get great results. It indicated 10% more power than T7-2f but I really do not see that in velocity tests.

The down side is if you are shooting heavy lead conicals from a long bore - the 3f burns so mush faster than 2f it tends to burn out before those 400+ grain conicals get out of the bore.

Also with caps - no crud ring... if you are using a synthetic bare oil... rather than a petroleum based bore oil.

3f and 2f 777 are the EXACT same powder (in composition). 3f just has smaller size granules. So when you measure it by volume, it will weigh more for the same volume than the 2f.

If you understand that and reduce your volume, there is no reason not to use it in a 50 cal rifle. I am currently using it in a White, a Knight inline, and a T/C sidelock

You have to realize that owners manuals are written to CYA.

According to the MSDS the T7 pellets are the same composition too. One MSDS covers both granulated and pellets.
https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/MSDS%20File ... t-2013.pdf

Im not recommending pellets. This is strictly for information purposes.