savage/ what is the largest, safe load of 777 pellets

[little red]

I cant hunt with smokeless here in michigan, in muzzleloader season and want to use 777 pellets. Can i use a larger than normal load of 777, in a savage because it was built for smokeless pressures? Maybe 200 0r even 250 grains of powder?

 

[RAF]

Why would you want to put that much powder in it. I suppose the rifle could take it but your shoulder sure wont. I'm sure 120 grains of loose T7 will give you velocities close to book loads of smokeless.

 

[Pocampo]

little red,
the max recommended 777 (pellets) load is 150grs. Going above this probably wouldn't do you any good anyway as the velocity will actually start to decline beyond 180grs due to pushing a mostly- unburned fourth pellet up the barrel along with the sabot and bullet, and the recoil will be EXCESSIVE to the point of painful.

120grs of BP (Pyrodex) will give you a velocity of 1600-1700fps depending on 250 or 300gr bullet used, and 3 pellets 777 (150grs) will give you 1900-1950fps depending on bullet used 250 or 300gr.

Compare this to a recommended load of 44grs of AA5744 and the velocity jumps to 2200-2275fps depending on bullet used 250 or 300grs and energy jumps to 3250f.p.e with a 300 gr XTP.

A 3 pellet load of 777 using a 300gr hornady XTP bullet will yield appx 2430f.p.e. at the muzzle and is still more than adequate for whitetail deer at ranges to 200yds.

Pocampo

 

[bsn]

Many guns fail to completly burn 150 grains of powder so it would be a waste. The best way to find a load is to load for accuracy, any load in a .50 over 70 grains is enough to kill anything that walks. I have found most guns like sabot loads the 100-130 range and full bore loads in the 70-100 grain range.

 

[RBinAR]

Well I have a much different opinion than most who have reported so far.

I've shot the 10ML to 2200fps with the 250 grain SST and Pryodex pellets and the recoil is there but not beyond the capacity of most shooters.

I used Pyrodex pellets and NOT 777 and would not know a 777 load.

Using granulized powder Pyrodex or 777 is a waste of time you won't be able to increase speed much and the recoil will soar. The reason the pellets work (I think) is because they are not a good fit in the bore and they have a hollow core with a starter on the bottom end of the disk. All that adds up to more oxygen for the load and a better ignition sequence and thus you are able to shoot faster.

I have never shot more than four 50 grain pellets and would encourage that as a maximum load. I also used the three hole vent liner which helps with ignition.

 

[bsn]

RBinAR next time it snows try shooting that load and see if your pellets are really burning completely. Black powder does not need any additional oxygen to burn. Pellets actually burn at a slower rate than powder because of their higher density that?s why pellet manufacturers recommend a 209 primer. If you are getting higher velocity with four pellets verses three I would suspect that the fourth pellet?s weight and is helping the other pellets burn completely, the same as a heavier bullet will burn a charge more completely.

 

[jims]

To RB in AR I have some .45 caliber pyrodex pellets. If one used them in a .50 caliber muzzleloader in keeping with the extra space/oxygen around the pellets do you think they might work better than the .50 pellets in a .50 muzzleloader? Thanks

 

[RBinAR]

RBinAR next time it snows try shooting that load and see if your pellets are really burning completely. Black powder does not need any additional oxygen to burn. Pellets actually burn at a slower rate than powder because of their higher density that?s why pellet manufacturers recommend a 209 primer. If you are getting higher velocity with four pellets verses three I would suspect that the fourth pellet?s weight and is helping the other pellets burn completely, the same as a heavier bullet will burn a charge more completely.

The next time it snows in Shreveport......? Ehhh maybe I'd better think of another plan.

I'd have to totally disagree with you about the oxygen point. It is smokeless powder that doesn't need oxygen.

And as far as adding more weight it's a lot easier to shoot a 300 grain bullet to check that out than worry about the extra 36 grains of the pellet.
But I don't know of any source that says pellets will shoot 300 grain bullets faster than 250 grain bullets.

 

[RBinAR]

To RB in AR I have some .45 caliber pyrodex pellets. If one used them in a .50 caliber muzzleloader in keeping with the extra space/oxygen around the pellets do you think they might work better than the .50 pellets in a .50 muzzleloader? Thanks

I don't know! I haven't tried anything other than the pellets and I got the idea from the Ultmate rifle that claims they can shoot as much as 5 pellets.

Still I've found that 4 is enough so I haven't even thought about 5.