Where could a fella get........

[BukWild]

Black Mag Powder on-line? They have one link on their site and I don't see the powder there. I am interested in trying it, because I am getting nasty crud ring with 777. Thanks!

 

[Ron S]

I kinda got tired of the crud ring too! I was shooting 120grs.T7 in my Pro Hunter and using Mean Green window cleaner at the range to cut it out. It works well. Then I tried some Pyrodex Pellets (3) 150gr. Got the same POI,But No Crud Ring. I'm starting to re think about loads in the Pro. :? With the Pyrodex I can use a spit patch in the field,and never worry about getting the patch hung up in the bore. From the testing I've been doing latley,the Pro Hunter seems to even like the Pyrodex a little better. Our season starts Friday,and I will use the 3 pellet load for hunting. After the season is over I intend to do allot of range work,and see for sure which load the gun really likes best. I don't really want to convert the breech plug over to a small pistol case to use small primers. I like to have all the ignition(read flame) I can get,to make sure the gun will fire under all conditions. In fact today I used Fed 209A primers. They are about as hot as you can get. The accuracy is still there,plenty of fire,no blow back,and best of all NO Crud Ring with the Pyrodex ! Ron

 

[BukWild]

Thanks Ron! That is what I'm hearing, I will get some Pyrodex this weekend and try it, but am open to trying some of the others too, this is a whole new experience for me, and I'm liking it!

 

[MLKeith]

You asked about Black Mag'3. Magkor has gone into a merger with MDM and is in the process of making a solid propellant-bullet combination called the "Thundercharge". All Black Mag'3 powder has been directed into this exercise and no loose powder will be available until likely the first of next year. I had good luck with it when it was available. Hopefully this new merger will eventually make it even more available.

 

[toytruck]

Re: Pyrodex, don't forget to cleanup after range use or hunting!! I wouldn't even use it for a fouling shot. That stuff will eat metal as soon as it is fired and probably more corrosive than real black powder.

I personally don't have a problem with pyrodex. The accuracy is there and less crud than T7, blowback in my Encore is the same. For those that "forget" to clean their guns till next year, are going to be in shock if they don't clean it all out but good.

 

[cayuga]

Pyrodex is a great powder .. no question. A powder does not last for as many years as Pyrodex on the market and not have some excellent qualities that hunters and shooters want. The crud ring is soft and easy to clean, and the powder has good power and consistent accuracy to it.

As Toytruck pointed out though.. Pyrodex is the most corrosive powder out there that we can shoot. A while back I ran tests on a steel lawn mower blade. I took it back to bare metal, degreased it. Wiped it down with alcohol, dried it, then ignited various kinds of powder on the blade. Then I just sat back and watched it rust.

If memory serves me, with in two days, the Pyrodex RS powder and Pyrodex P started to show signs of attacking the metal. It was THE fastest of all powders to begin the rusting process. Even black powder held out longer then Pyrodex which was a surprise. Some of the powders like Pinnacle, APP, and Triple Se7en did not even start to shot signs of attacking the metal for a very long time.

Now granted a lawn mower blade is not a rifle barrel. Different steel and all. But I did think it demonstrated that Pyrodex was the fasted and also the most aggressive of all the powders, when it came to rusting.

This test does not take away the good points of Pyrodex though. It is a good powder. A consistant powder. It will shoot well in inline rifles. Just be sure that if you use it during the day and shoot that rifle, you clean that rifle the same evening. Then you load fresh the next day and you are on your way...

 

[Ron S]

Yeah,I can't stand to "not" clean my gun after shooting it. Shot it today,and cleaned out most at the range,then the rest at home. I've found the Rusty Duck solvent will clean about any brand of powder residue,in a guns bore. What got me on a Pyrodex kick was,#1. I was tired of the crud ring. and #2. I get great accuracy(as good as anything I've tried),and I can just use a spit patch while hunting,between shots, (no more stuck cleaning jags in the field). I also noticed that in the T/C videos that Greg Ritz uses Pyrodex Pellets. I'm pretty sure he can afford to shoot any powder he wants,so there must be a reason,he is using it? Ron

 

[choc-dog]

I am sure Gregg Ritz gets his powder from the T/C under-ground firing range. They still use pyrodex..Hodgdon must have made them a deal T/C could not refuse.

Hodgdon 777 still dominates the market in pellets and loose powder.

chocdog

 

[Ron S]

Yeah,I still like the 120gr T7 loose load,for range work! My gun can't tell much diffrence in T7,or Pyrodex,but my cleaning (jag/ram rod) can! Since I've went to the Bore Butter route, ( flame suite on) of 2 patches one with windex,and one dry, followed by a patch with a light coating of BB on it,between shots the gun has never loaded,or shot better! ! It also cleans easier between shots,and is effortless to load. It has also ended my quest to find a easy loading bullet/sabot combo. I can now load T/C Shock Waves with the factory supplied sabot,with one hand,and no ball starter. The gun also shoots to the same POI from the first shot,to the last! I don't know how it all comes together,but it works in my gun,and two other (friends) guns as well. The light film of BB must help the sabot survive it's hard ride down the bore better. What we have found is,the sabots fired without BB are litterly destroyed,(petals missing, bases mushroomed way out,and a general look of being burnt up). The sabots picked up down range,shot through a "lubed" bore look like you could use them again! I don't really know how it works,it may be like a round ball load with the lube protecting the patch on the ball,the BB may be protecting the sabot,thus increasing the accuracy? Like I said before, I don't really know for sure what it does,but I do know it has worked in a Pro Hunter,Knight,and a Omega. All have loaded easier,and shot more accurate,using this system. I don't think BB is the only answer to this. There may be lubes that work as well/or better (I plan on trying other patch lubes) after the season is over. I didn't come up with this combination,I was told to try it from another shooter. I kinda thought it was "off the wall" but what the heck,I'd give it a try. I was expecting it to load easier,but never dreamed of the accuracy improving too! :shock: Ron

 

[Underclocked]

Ron, you swab the bore lightly with bore butter before any part of the loading scheme? Seems like that would result in powder sticking to the walls of the bore - but maybe the sabot pushes any stragglers on down to the rest of the charge? I was just wondering if it might be better to put a little bore butter (or similar) around the base of the sabot and perhaps get the same result?

I believe Semisane is also getting improved results by lightly lubing his bores After seating the projectile.

Interesting.

Chuck, test this thoroughly. :wink:

 

[choc-dog]

I thought the consensus was you should NOT use any bore butter in the barrel except to store it...maybe.

Chocdog

 

[MLKeith]

Yep; Ron was right the "flame suite" is on. I think many believe that bore butter works as a sabot lube and many believe that it will protect the barrel. I personally would use it as a sabot lube way before I would use it as a barrel protector due to the tendency of bore butter to trap moisture or contaminants below the film of butter causing damage to the metal. It will only work as a protector if the barrel is COMPLETELY CLEAN AND DRY when it is applied.

 

[meateater]

I have had others tell me that they use BB as a sabot lube and they swear by it, achieving the same results as Ron. I may now have to give it a try.