Pyrodex pellets vs 777 pellets

[KraQr4x41]

Does one pellet have an advantage over the other?

I was shooting 3 pellets (150gr) of Pyrodex last year out of my CVA MR and it did have good results.

The 777 pellets look larger in size than the pyrodex so would 3 pellets of 777 have similar results.  I read comments somewhere that 3 - 777 pellets should not be used due to the pressure.

I clean after each shot so that really isn't an issue of keeping it clean.

Just don't want to cause no damage to my MR if 3 - 777 pellets is actually not recommended.

 

[KraQr4x41]

Maybe I will just use 2 magnum 777 pellets of 120 gr and that should put me on par with getting the max power and easy clean up.   

back to the range, running late getting it setup this year.

 

[patocazador]

From what I've read 777 has ~15% more power than Pyrodex volumetrically. 
Try 2 pellets and then go up from there and compare results   .. and recoil.

 

[exMember]

Does one pellet have an advantage over the other?

I was shooting 3 pellets (150gr) of Pyrodex last year out of my CVA MR and it did have good results.

The 777 pellets look larger in size than the pyrodex so would 3 pellets of 777 have similar results.  I read comments somewhere that 3 - 777 pellets should not be used due to the pressure.

I clean after each shot so that really isn't an issue of keeping it clean.

Just don't want to cause no damage to my MR if 3 - 777 pellets is actually not recommended.

Each pellet Manf. will tell you how many pellets = what grains. T7 and Pyrodex both come in 50 grain and 30 grains pellets, as well as 60 grain for the T7 magnum pellets. Never go by the length of them, T7 is 15% hotter than pyrodex and so they already reduce the T7 pellets by that % and so they may look shorter than say Pyrodex.

Most guns made these days are rated for 150gr Pellet loads, this all depends on the Manf. of the rifle and what they recommend.  For us muzzleloader shooters, its not the pressures, but the poor accuracy these 3 pellets loads often offer us. Most of us here get by with 100 to 110 grains of powder.

The MR is rated for 3 pellet loads, but start at 100, take 3 shots, cleaning between each shot and work from there. Loose powder IMO is the way to go, but if you're new to MLing, then pellets can make things a little easier until you get a good idea of this smokepole stuff.

 

[Okie Hog]

For many years i used 50 grain Pyrodex pellets interchangeably with the grain equivalent of granular Pyrodex. 100 grains of granular Pyrodex shot to the same POI as two 50 grain Pyrodex pellets. the smae was true of 150 grains of granular Pyrodex and three 50 grain Pyrodex pellets.

Pyrodex pellets have a blackpowder igniter on one end. The black end of the pellet goes down. 777 pellets do not have this feature; they are harder to light.

 

[KraQr4x41]

I have taken a few deer now with my muzzle loader.   Things I have noticed which possibly could be related to shot placement but maybe not as I considered all shots to be on target.

When I started I only used 2 pellets of pyrodex and when I shot a deer I rarely had a good blood trail using harvester PT Golds.   It would sometimes penetrate both sides of the animal but not always. Every time it was a tracking job to find them of maybe 75-200 yards

Last year I started using 3 pellets of pyrodex and same bullets.  I shot 3 animals with this setup and even out to 100 yards it dropped the animal in its tracks or was a short 25-30 yards trail with a heavy blood trail.

My assumption is that the extra power helped expand that bullet better or even split it to create more internal damage.

I am now considering Triple 7 pellets and noticed they were much larger than pyrodex pellets and I was just curious if anyone had used 3 in their MR and if they actually burned as well as the pyrodex seeing how they are larger in size.  

Short on time to do the testing needed, I was just seeking opinions on the use of 3 pellets and others results and may just use 2 triple 7 magnum loads equal to 120gr to get started.

 

[Muley Hunter]

Maybe trying a better bullet like a Barnes would be a better choice than more powder.

 

[Okie Hog]

Triple Seven granular powder is reputed to be about 15 percent stronger than Pyrodex RS. The same is not true of Triple Seven pellets: 50 grain Triple Seven pellets are no more powerful than 50 grain Pyrodex pellets. They just cost more.

Those pellets are akin to solid rocket fuel.

http://hodgdon.com/ml-warning.html

 

[MLN1963]

Triple Seven granular powder is reputed to be about 15 percent stronger than Pyrodex RS.  The same is not true of Triple Seven pellets:  50 grain Triple Seven pellets are no more powerful than 50 grain Pyrodex pellets.   They just cost more.  

Those pellets are akin to solid rocket fuel.  

http://hodgdon.com/ml-warning.html

The Pyrodex leaves a lot bigger smoke cloud than the 777 IMO.

 

[KraQr4x41]

Triple Seven granular powder is reputed to be about 15 percent stronger than Pyrodex RS.  The same is not true of Triple Seven pellets:  50 grain Triple Seven pellets are no more powerful than 50 grain Pyrodex pellets.   They just cost more.  

Those pellets are akin to solid rocket fuel.  

http://hodgdon.com/ml-warning.html

So in referencing that warning message on the hodgdon site;

[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]The maximum load per shot should never exceed total Pellets containing more than 100 grains volume equivalent. That means, no more than:[/font]
[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]45 Caliber 1) Two (2) 50 grain Pellets [/font]
[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]2) Three (3) 44/45 caliber 30 grain[/font]
[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]50 Caliber 1) Three (3) 30 grain Pellets, or[/font]
[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]2) Two (2) 50 grain Pellets, or[/font]
[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]3) One (1) 50 grain Pellet and one (1) 30 grain Pellet[/font]


[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]You should never use 3 pellets of 50 gr powder anyway.  [/font]


[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]Confusing when the rifle maker and the powder maker cant agree on what the other can support via their product.[/font]


[font='Times New Roman', Times, serif]I just had such good results with using the 3 pellets of pyrodex, now I should either heed the warning and go back to 2 pellets or just stick with what has been working with 3 pellets of pyrodex and ignore trying 777 use.[/font]

 

[KraQr4x41]

Maybe trying a better bullet like a Barnes would be a better choice than more powder.

Good advice and I will do that but I have about 100 more of these PT Golds to shoot up first.

 

[exMember]

Im not sure why they do that. I think it was due to so may rifles at the time having a 100gr limit and then the magnum charges started getting pushed big time.

 

[Okie Hog]

For years i used three 50 grain Pyrodex pellets with no ill effect to the gun or me.   My longest shot ever was a wild hog using three 50 grain Pyrodex pellets and the .430 240 grain XTP bullet in my CVA Mag Hunter.  The range was just over 300 yards.  i don't count that shot because the bullet never hit the hog.  It   hit a rock just under the hog.  Fragments of the bullet ripped the hogs belly open.   He went about 50 yards and bled to death.

 

[KraQr4x41]

Ok,  so I finally got the chance to buy me a box of Pyrodex and a box of 777 pellets. It took me 2 days of shooting changing out sabots, bullets, and pellets to look at variances and outcomes.

My results were that my CVA MR simply did not like the Pyrodex pellets as much as it did the 777 pellets.     I used 100 grain and 150 grain combos and results always came out better for the 777.  I cleaned after each shot and barrel never got hot.

I actually was timing the impact on a metal target in one test and 777 clearly made it gong quicker than the pyrodex.   My MR was simply more accurate with the 777 pellets than it was with the pyrodex as well.

Biggest difference I can note is that the 777 produced less smoke and was easier to clean than the pyrodex. When cleaning after every shot all of this adds up so you see the difference quickly.

This might be all a mute point once I move over to the BH209 but due to time constraints of an upcoming hunt I went with what i know, and what works.

Its kind of funny how different my ACCURA V2 is from my MR in what it likes to shoot right down to the style/type of sabot.

For now, Im sticking with 777 pellets until I get back and start working on the BH209 load.

 

[Muley Hunter]

I'll bet 110-120gr of BH will equal the 3 T7 pellets you're using. It's a more efficient powder, and I feel most of it burns.

 

[KraQr4x41]

I'll bet 110-120gr of BH will equal the 3 T7 pellets you're using. It's a more efficient powder, and I feel most of it burns.

Agreed,  and I will be moving to that direction right after this next hunt.   Just wanted to be confident in what I know works for me at this late date.    I already picked up the BH209 and ready to get to testing asap.  Just running out of time to get back out to do any shooting.

 

[Muley Hunter]

Smart move. Good luck with your hunt.