[BigFatKen]

I had a 777 brand #209 primer fail to ignite the charge on a nice deer. Load was two 50-50 Prodex pellets under a 250 gr Hornady pointed .45 bullet.

The rifle is rated 150 gr. Can I load some loose 777 powder as a "kicker" to help it to fire?

[alsaqr]

Yes, you could use about 5 grains of 777 powder to light off the pellets. However, if the primer will not light a properly loaded Pyrodex pellet something is drastically wrong. Pyrodex pellets have a black powder igniter on one end. The pellet is loaded into the gun black (igniter) end first.

Had some of the Clean Shot pellets that absolutely would not light on their own. Used about five grains of Pyrodex RS to light them off.

[scrat]

I have not had the problem thank god. all i know is that you should clean the flash hole and use a primer to clean out the barrel before actually using it. Then make sure the black side of the pyrodex is down. Did you try another 209 primer after it failed to fire the first time.

[the-ghost]

sounds like dirty breech plug.

[BigFatKen]

However, if the primer will not light a properly loaded (bold added,) Pyrodex pellet something is drastically wrong. Pyrodex pellets have a black powder igniter on one end. The pellet is loaded into the gun black (igniter) end first.

I just looked at a pellet. How coukl I have missed this? I put the pellets into reload tubes last year. If there was a warning on the packages I bought at Wal-mart.com , I did not pay attentiion.
Very much my bad. I'll get her next time, if I do my part.

[BigFatKen]

I am ready to load it up for tonight. I can use loose 777 but I would have to weigh it out on a scale.

I can use one grain by weight of FF BP and the pellets. Or the pellets alone with the BP end toward the flash hole as described above.

Which to choose? If you think should use the loose 777, please tell me the scaled weight of 777 to come close ot two 50-50 pellets.

I can use the FF BP but it is sighted in for the two pellets. I misplaced my voluume measure and I will have to weigh anything loose on a scale. It will get a through cleaning after I fire it so the FF BP is not a big problem.

[mykeal]

777 by weight is too far off the page to replace pelletized Pyrodex and expect the POI/POA relationship to not change.

Just load the pellets properly. Once the season is over, take all the pellets you own and donate them to a local sportsman's club youth organization or something, and work up a good real bp load for your gun.

[Redhawk1]

My advice is just load the Pyrodex correctly and don't worry about the triple 7 powder. If it does not ignite you have other issues. I have never had a problem getting Pyrodex or any other powder to ignite using 209 primers.

[BigFatKen]

I loaded the two pellets black end down with 0.5 gr by weight of the FF BP under it.

[Snaggletooth]

Could your pyrodex have been old? I loaded a pistol and left it for about 6 months and when I shot it it sounded like roman candles frying in the muzzle. Pyrodex attracts moisture. My gun was stored in a closet but we have high humidity.

[BigFatKen]

One year old. I have now been told to put the black end towards the ignition. I am 100% sure that was the problem. I paid no attention to this before. The first 20 shots may have had 10 backwards but they all fired.

This fired on the second primer.

[Pancho]

BigFatKen, as mykeal mentioned blackpowder substitutes should only be compared by volume not weight. 3/7 is very light by comparison to black powder and if you use weight to measure your loads you could be seriously overloaded

[BigFatKen]

I only put in a pinch of BP. It may be 2 gr by measure but the gun is rated 3 pellets.

[jthiel]

it doesnt even take a year for pyrodex to go bad, i had some i left in my waterproof shooting bag from last spring, it must have picked up some moisture and like the other guy said, i was shooting "roman candles"

[BigFatKen]

Next year it will be the loose 777, now in a tight black plastic jug.