Is it worth going black powder on traditional muzzle loaders?

[DeathValleyMike]

I have my old TC Hawken 54 Cal that I haven’t shot in 20 years.
I used to hunt with it using the orange label standard pyrodex at 80 grains and Buffalo 350 conicals.

I was thinking about getting it back out and shooting it again for fun using black powder and patched balls.
Is it worth the effort in your opinions, or just stick to what I know?

I don’t plan to hunt with it. Just plinking here and there.

 

[CatamountRob]

I used to use Pyrodex with good results but there was no place local that I could buy anything else. I don’t think Pyrodex has any real advantage except easy availability so if black powder is available, that’s what I’d be shooting now.

 

[FredB]

"...shooting it again for fun..."
I think you have answered your own question. Yes.

 

[deermanok]

Absolutely worth it. Why not?
Round balls are cheap.
Which ever powder you can get will work fine.

 

[Ron Huff]

If you keep your gun clean Pyrodex or Triple Seven will work nearly as well as Real Black. Cleaning well is the key. Since you are just plinking shoot what is available and have fun.

 

[mspaci]

I prefer goex in sidelcks

 

[BP Addict]

I had used Pyrodex P for years. I read that it was cleaner burning and had less pressure.

When I moved back to Oregon in 2011, I could not get any decent groups. I switched to Black Powder and they shrank. Before the recent shortages, most clubs had BP they sold to their members so it was easy to obtain. After moving 35 miles north, I'm about 20 mins from the Gun Works Muzzleloading Emporium in Springfield. If BP was hard for me to get, I'd be forced to use the subs.

I did experiment with Triple Seven for a while. It was NOT designed for sidelocks and my results told me so.

To answer the OP's question, I get better accuracy with BP.

Happy Shooting!

Walt

 

[Les Harris]

I shoot black powder and round balls in mine and they are cheap and accurate.

 

[LAUDY1962]

Pyrodex works., I have shot my T/C renegade in 54 cal for years with 80 Grns for plinking all day. If you can BP shoot it... Have fun and fire away

 

[MrTom]

In my area black is nonexistent due to storage regs. Any of the other subs are pretty available. I have to travel over 90 miles to find black powder.

 

[Shorty]

If black is what you want, order it online…

 

[user 30577]

Yes, you won't regret shooting thru black...and...its cheaper than pyrodex.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Got some pyrodex when I got my 1858 revolver. When out, I got 3F real black. Prefer shooting the real black. No more or less messy, less instant rust.

 

[sheriffjohn]

May be just my imagination, but comparing results of really old black powder (from the 1960's) that was opened and partially used decades ago and pyrodex RS similarly opened not that long ago, they're not the same. Pyrodex had clumped up, black did not. I shoot 'em both on occasion to use them up.

My flintlocks do not like pyrodex. Old pellets sometimes come out "fizzling". They suck.

 

[drpatton]

I was thinking about getting it back out and shooting it again for fun using black powder and patched balls.
Is it worth the effort in your opinions, or just stick to what I know?

Pyrodex may be cheaper and it appears to be everywhere. Can you get BP in your area? If you can, which brand?

Swiss is the best. It is the most efficient and cleaner burning. Goex isn't back out on the market as yet. I don't know anything about Schuetzen.

Availability and cost may drive your decision.

 

[drpatton]

My flintlocks do not like pyrodex

I used 4FG in the pan and 6 grains of 4Fg as a starter down the barrel before the main charge of Pyrodex. I never had an issue. So, maybe you need 10gr as a starter with old Pyrodex.

 

[Doccbst1]

777 FF powder not pellets- think of it as cleaner super charged BP, available everywhere and fair price.and run a patch every few shots if range shooting. 90g or less 100 will ring your bell. Clean w/hot water /modern BP solvent, TC 17 is amazing. Should do patched balls fine if not conical are cheap, My TC’s a .50 w/original maxi-balls.
https://accessories.tcarms.com/firearm-type/t17-blackpowder-bore-solvent-8-oz.-bottle/31007488.html

 

[bigtruck68]

i use only black powder, i did try some of the others during the shortage last year, schultzin was ok but i tried American pioneer powder and it was really bad, hav enever got to try swiss yet.

 

[Idaho PRB]

I shoot only black because of the difference in ignition temps.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Schutzen is good stuff, Grafs house brand is simply rebranded Schutzen, and both have been available with some regularity in all the F grades. Caps are still the big issue.