Black powder vs black powder pellets?

[theboyscout]

I have always used and been trained with regular black powder and muzzle loaders. Powder patch ball has been the name of the game for me; but I recently have been doing some research and seem these black powder 50 grain pellets and I'm curious if they are the same as any powder. I found out about these patches when doing research on a Remington 700 ultimate muzzle loader, so:

1. Are the 50 grain caps the same thing as 50 grains of pouring powder?
2. Can the caps be used in any muzzle loader?
3. Can you interchange between using caps for one shot but pour powder in a second shot?
4. Does anyone know about the remington 700 ultimate muzzle loader and if you can use both powder or the caps only?

 

[drobs]

I've used the Pyrodex Pistol Pellets. They work. I read a complaint on another forum of a fella having problems with the Pyrodex Pistol Pellet. Seems he was putting lube under his ball that caused ignition problems. Seemed he was causing the problem by adding lube and not wad below the ball.

 

[MEHavey]

If you are using an in-line w/ 209 shotgun primers, pyrodex pellets are probably OK -- weight-for-weight.
Sidelock ? Forget it. Stick with your tried & true real BP background.

In either case, patching the roundball ball remains the same unless using an in-line w/ modern sabot'd bullets

 

[big-ugly]

Pyrodex pellets in a percussion sidelock? Sure thing, no problems. Just take some to the range to ensure that your particular rifle doesn't experience hang-fires with them. I've used the pellets both in my inline and Great Plains Rifle, no problems in either rifle. I prefer loose powder and primarily shoot Pyrodex RS now, but for hunting I use the pellets as they offer a much quicker follow up shot if need be.

 

[MEHavey]

`never had anything but trouble w/ pellets in a sidelock -- and usually watched similar problems when as range officer saw pyrodex "in general" used by others in self-same sidelocks.

if the OP has access to real BP, I recommend it over anything else -- and if quicker charging is required, carry the pre-charged BP in a tube like the skirmishers do. (still, you have that pesky patched ball to contend with. So if the OP really wants quick load -- get a rifled musket.)

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

I carry Pre-measured loose Real Black Powder in a tube with a snap on cap while hunting. I do not imagine pellets being any faster or easier to load than a pre-measured charge of loose powder.
It is worth noting that Pyrodex pellets require more energy to ignite than actual Black Powder does. When using a percussion cap under less than ideal conditions (which seem to be the norm when I'm hunting) Real Black Powder will continue to perform beyond the point where Pyrodex Pellets fail.

 

[PapaG]

Never seen pellets made from real black powder. Have never cared for the substitutes. I'm still shooting, though not a lot any more, real black DuPont, C&H, Elephant, and GOI from way back.

 

[243winxb]

remington 700 ultimate muzzleloader owners manual is available online . Google it. Look for a PDF file to down load.

The pellets i have seen, have a starting powder charge on one side of the pellet. This darker area faces the primer.

Follow loading data and method of loading that comes with the owners manual.

Flintlocks don't use pellets, only real black powder, as far as i know. I use 3F in my T/C Hawken flintlock.


One day at the range- guy shooting an inline , 50 cal. Trying different brands of sabot bullets. 100 grs of pellets. On firing , the bullet rolled out the barrel and fell on the ground about 5 feet from the muzzle.

Thinking he loaded something wrong, tried it again with the same results.
Problem was the saboted bullet was undersize and not building pressure to burn the powder correctly. The primer on the pellet was enought to push eveything out the barrel.

Made my day.

 

[PapaG]

The dark end on pellets is black powder to aid in ignition.

 

[big-ugly]

The dark end on pellets is black powder to aid in ignition.

The exact reason I've never had a single issue with the pellets... It's only worth what my experience can teach you, as with everything, YMMV....