Triple 7 over American Pioneer

Clean up is easy, I have been using Black Mz by alliant for a while now and prefer it over T 7. T 7 leaves a white residue that can be stubborn to remove. Black Mz is not as energetic but cleans up easily plus it's a lot less expensive.

How dirty can any of them, including Black Powder, really be? Unless you're shooting a CAS match or doing a reenactment?

I've often wondered why "cleanup" is a selling point for folks who aren't shooting 30-60 rounds without wiping.

Scrub with soapy water, rinse with clean, dry, then oil to prevent rust.
(I've spent more time getting the carbon off an M16A2, birdcage flash hider than cleaning up BP)

I'd pick a propellant on how consistent were the groups it gave, and price/availability, and if it had to comply with some sort of storage regulation, or hazmat fees where I lived.

LD

test drive said:

will 777 clean up as easy as American Pioneer ? Been useing American Pioneer powder for years and it cleans up nice and easy with a little soapy hot water but I’d like to try 777

Click to expand...

It depends on the type of gun [inline rifle or revolver], how much powder is being loaded and even the type of primers used.
Compared to APP, its cleaning difficulty can vary from being only slightly more difficult to being considerably more difficult.
It is a useful powder and worth trying but it's only better than APP for some applications based on personal preference.
The more powder loaded, the more difficult 777 can be to clean.

APP residue cleanup is easy with Windex with vinegar. It just instantly melts away then a quick shot with Ballistol and all done. Also just found that after shooting 160 rounds of black powder through my Uberti 1873 in 44-40 over three days if you run ten rounds of APP through it, it actually cleans the barrel for you. The only thing I don't like about APP is the fine residue you get on your loading equipment sticks like concrete if you don't clean it off right away.

A typical weekly Wednesday range visit will include 48 to 96 shots with one or more of the cap and ball revolvers, or 50 to a hundred rounds of 45 Colt in one of the conversions, black powder or Trail Boss or a combination of both. To me one shot or 50 shots with black and the guns has to be cleaned.
The Colts, ROA’s and R&S will all shoot the 48 rounds with no problem. The Armi San Marco NMA will require a cylinder dismount after 12 to 18 rounds.
I also have two single shot pistols but they get a wet patch after two or three shots.
This is with Graffs house brand of 3f, my primary concern is more bang for my buck.

Course, this is casual recreation shooting at 12 yards, and no ones keeping score.
On the point of accuracy, off hand shooting, at my level I seriously doubt if the powder brand would make a difference.

Once the wood is pulled and the piece goes under the hot water tap with some Dawn, a tooth or bore brush, powder fouling is academic. High pressure air blow down and a liberal application of Balllistiol and done. Tops 10 minutes per piece.

Just my three cents worth.

LRDGCO said:

Lots and lots of good BP lube. T7 seems to have an almost sugar-like component and bakes on hard in the barrel.

Click to expand...

This is referred to as the "crud ring" that is a bi--- to remove. One thing that helps is to make sure that you use muzzleload 209 primers rather than normal centerfire 209 primers.
The muzzleload primers aren't as hot as the shotgun primers and lower ignition temps don't bake the 777 on as bad. This is only applicable if using an inline rather than a sidelock.