777 Magnum Pellet

[vabowhntr]

Has anyone every chronographed just one pellet? I am working up a load for my daughter in her Rossi (which suggests pellets only) and it suggests using one pellet to start. I was wondering if the Mag pellet may give a significant increase in energy, and if it would work on deer to 50 yards or so.

Also, does anyone know what the actual diameter of the pellets are? Her gun is .45 cal and the guy at the local shop thought the .50 cal pellets will fit in a .45 cal rifle. Don't want to buy them and find out they won't work.

 

[cayuga]

Simply because I can not answer your questions I will not try to guess whether that pellet would fit. Instead of one pellet (and I am taking for granted you have not bought powder for the rifle yet) instead just try 50-70 grains of loose powder. One of the magnum pellets is supposed to be equal to 60 grains of loose powder. As long as the deer are under 75 yards she should be fine. Load her up a couple of tubes of pre measureed powder and she should be in business.

I have a book written by an old time flintlock shooter. His pet deer load was 50 grains of powder and an patched roundball. Now I am not saying that is a load I would suggest or use, but the point is, he used that load for many years to successfully hunt white tail deer. His thought was get close, and the ball entered the deer, and expanded all its energy in the deer with that charge.

In your daughters case, a low charge and something like a non magnum XTP should work just fine. It should enter, expand, and do lots of damage.

 

[vabowhntr]

Cayuga,

I have been shooting it myself with 60 gr of loose t7 2f and either 180 gr TC Cheapshots or 155 gr or 200 gr XTP's. It shoots all of them fairly well (about 1" at 50 yards). It really likes the 240 gr Knight/PR .40cal all lead in a sabot. The 4 shots I have taken with that combo all went into the same hole. I just don't have enough of these left...

That being said, as a father, I have minor concern that the manual calls for pellets only. I want to make sure I am not giving her something that is dangerous, although I can't for the life of me figure out why 100 gr of pellets would be OK, but 60 gr of loose t7 2f wouldn't :? .

Oh, and I have not been able to find the .45 cal t7 pellets or pyrodex pistol pellets locally, which is why I was wondering about the t7 mags.

Thanks- Vabowhntr

 

[paia]

I just went down to my basement and tried it; a 777Mag pellet will not go down the bore of my .45 muzzleloader.

I think you are fine shooting loose 777--that's what I would do.

Good luck hunting and have fun with your girl.

 

[cayuga]

Unless there is something wrong in the design of the breech plug, I do not see why that rifle would not shoot loose powder. But to be safe, I would at least send Rossi a e-mail and double check that loose powder can be used.

I did go to there sight and look at the manual. You are right, they do suggest Pyrodex pellets. And it keeps talking about pellets through the manual. Although I did not read the manual real close, just skimmed the parts. An interesting little rifle you have there. It looks like a great little rifle.

 

[vabowhntr]

Yeah, I picked up the youth stocked version in stainless from a guy at work whos son had outgrown it with a BSA BP 1.5-4.5x scope for $75 :shock: . It reminds me a lot of my Sidekick without the silly primer carriers. So far it seems to work very well, I just have a little concern in the back of my mind as they only want you to use the pellets. Of course they also say you should only use the Barnes bullets, so maybe it is just a marketing scheme? I hope I can pick up a full size stock for it as well. It should last her a while that way. ( If not for her, maybe I will use it.)