BP or Pyrodex which is better?

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Macgille

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Guys, I need some tech help on Pyrodex (loose). I have heard that it is harder on guns than BP. I have an Italian made Hawken that seems to be a fine quality rifle. Well finished with adjustable rear sight and heavy barrel 28" with 1:60 rifling. There is no manufacturers name on it, just says "made in Italy" on the barrel. BP is getting hard to get and I don't want to buy 25 lb at a time. Even 5 lb would take me a long time to shoot. I bought a lb of Pyrodex RS which says it is comparable to ffg. Is there any difference in loading or cleaning with this? Is pyrodex more corrosive than BP? I have been shooting BP for 40 years but have never shot any substitute.:eek::confused::what:
 
opposite. Pyrodex is less corrosive. Some of the substitutes are a tad harder to ignite. this is mostly with 777 i believe. Clean up is actually easier on the subs. Though dont be confused with 777. Pyrodex still has sulfur in it. Though you will have to spend some range time as each of them are a little different than shooting straight goex. A load you used with goex might not be that great with pyrodex. so you will have to work up the load to you find what works best.
 
Got to disagree with those who claim that Pyrodex is less corrosive. Yes it leaves less fouling, but what it does leave will cause major barrel rusting unless cleaned very soon after shooting. Black powder fouling will do the same, but not as quickly. You need to clean your muzzle loader barrels with a water based cleaner to dissolve the salts that attract water out of the air.
 
My experience with Pyrodex agrees with Ron in PA and disagrees with scrat and pancho. However, it doesn't really matter if it's 'more' or 'less' corrosive than black powder - treat it the same and clean after every session and you'll be fine.

5 lbs. of Goex from Powder, Inc. with hazmat and shipping included is $101.35, which is $20.35 per pound, not too much more than Pyrodex bought locally. Graf and Sons will ship 5 lbs for $94.95, including shipping and hazmat fees, which is $18.99 per pound, a bit more competitive.
 
Got to disagree with those who claim that Pyrodex is less corrosive. Yes it leaves less fouling, but what it does leave will cause major barrel rusting unless cleaned very soon after shooting.
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Exactly. Pyrodex is a very good and consistent powder. IMO: It is better than blackpowder. Pyrodex is also some very corrosive stuff. Leave the gun uncleaned for a day or two and the bore will be rusted: Have seen many guns that were ruined by Pyrodex.
 
I always run a wet patch or two before leaving the range, then I dry the bore . Within 24 hours I clean the rifle with hot soapy water and oil copiously. I have never had a problem with rust. For some reason all the dealers in my area have stopped carrying black powder. I have never used a sub and I am not comfortable with the idea of changing powders. I have a book which gives detailed instructions on making black powder and I just may start to make my own.
 
Real Black Powder in recent years have gotten harder & harder to acquire in local areas so Pyrodex P, RS is a good alternative, it shoots with similar but slightly higher velocities than Black & has the same pressure wave like Black but like Ron in PA & mykeal has mentioned you still have to clean & protect your firearm after the shooting session is over.

I preferr shooting real Black Powder but when the local supplies get hard to come by I preferr Pyrodex over the other subs.
 
bp or pyrodex

Black is easier to ignite. Both are corrosive. In rifles, I use BP, especially for hunting . In my revolvers, I like pyro due to the "inline" ignition that the revolver offers. Cant really go wrong with either one, used in the correct application. good hunting!

mothernatureson
 
I though black powder itself isn't actually corrosive. Sure the residue will attract water but wasn't it the primers of the day that caused all the trouble?
 
I though black powder itself isn't actually corrosive
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That's correct. Unburned BP, made with potassium nitrate, is neither corrosive nor hygroscopic.

The post-combustion residue is both corrosive and hygroscopic, and even if you could seal the gun in an airtight container, it wouldn't matter since water vapor is one of the byproducts of combustion.
 
Have seen many guns that were ruined by Pyrodex.
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I submit that the guns weren't ruined by the powder, rather the lazy owner.

I've been using pyrodex for many years, more cost effective and I can actually buy it locally which is amazing. I don't know that black powder is available anywhere in Texas over the counter now that the Sportsman's Warehouse has gone belly up in San Antonio. I ain't drivin' 700 miles to Lubbock or something for BP. Pyrodex works just fine and it's cost effective.

I clean my guns soon as I get home (about a 10 minute drive from the range, 30 minutes from my hunting property) with soapy hot water, dry out, swab with bore butter, and put up. I don't have problems with rust. The gun has a chrome bore which probably helps a bit, too. My ROA isn't chrome bore, though, and it's held up well. Cleaning is the key. I mean, even if you're camping 50 miles from the nearest building, how hard is it to take along a jug of water for base camp? If you fire the gun while spike camping, it don't take THAT much water to clean the thing out and desolve the salts. There weren't many water wells available to the mountain men. I'm sure they had their share of rusty guns, but they got along.

I can keep my gun's accuracy by swabbing the bore about every 3 shots, though I do it every other shot. I can recall BP being VERY filthy compared to Pyrodex, tying up my old Navy replica in less than 50 rounds with goo. Pyrodex will tie it up, too, though, just a few more shots to do it. Not a lot of difference between the two in any way far as I can tell. Still have to clean the gun, still have to deal with fouling. Pyrodex gets it done and I can actually buy it, so it's what I use. I may be making my own black powder in the future, too, though, depending on politics. :rolleyes: I just don't see black powder offering anything over pyrodex that is worth the hassles. I mean, if you want clean, buy a Remington in .30-06. :rolleyes: After a little bout with "Jim Shockey's Gold" APP substitute, I'm back to Pyrodex. APP sux. It might be non-corrosive, but it's also inaccurate and worthless IMHO. Pyrodex actually works as well as BP IMHO.
 
Whether it's a little corrosive or very corrosive is like being a "little pregnant". Shoot what you like and can get and clean your guns.
I like both bp for my flinters and pryrodex for everything else.
The only thing I don't like about bp is having to mailorder large quantities and then having to safely store it in my house.
With pyrodex I keep a couple of lbs. on hand if I run low it's a 30 min. round trip to my local Walmart.
 
Ron in PA is correct according to a couple of friends of mine. Now, I have never shot Pyrodex in my life. Started with Black Mag, moved to Triple Seven and have been with it exclusively for ain't no telling how many years.
Anyway, these two friends had always shot black powder only. They both moved over to Pyrodex. (for just a little while) They could never track down the exact reason(s) but Pyrodex rusted up their firearms more quickly and a lot worse than regular black powder. Both of these people are very experienced. I realize I didn't answer your question but I know that what I just typed here is the truth....
 
Black Powder...this conclusion after having researched the pro's and con's. I'm guilty of using 777 though but doubtful I would ever use Pyrodex unless that is all I could find.
 
I've found Pyro to work very well in cartridge and shotshell loading for CAS. I don't care much for it in capnball revolvers and ML rifles. Seems I always get a delay 'twixt pop and boom. Not much of one, but it is noticeable.
I use Pryodex almost exclusively in shotshell reloading. After deer season here the WalMart puts the leftovers on clearance so I stock up then.
 
I have found that pyrodex is more corrosive, not less. I will cite a revolver I had. When shooting late in the evening, sometimes I would wait till morning to clean it (I know what a sin! :)) Anyways, when shooting BP I wouldn't have any rust on it in the AM. I ran out of BP and had to get some Pyrodex, did my normal ritual when I shoot in the evening, leave it till morning and bam, the gun had rust on it.

Now with that being said, I don't think you can call one better than the other. Pyrodex rusted my gun quicker, yes, BUT it had very good accuracy and consistency. You just have to clean it up quicker (based on my experience, yours may be different!)
 
I've found Pyrodex to be more corrosive, too.

I went back to straight Black Powder, and I have a stocking dealer within about an hour's drive from me.

I also have several willow trees at my disposal, so if it ever gets to the point that I have to either go back to Pyrodex or make my own BP, the willow trees will be losing some branches for charcoal production. :D
 
You will rarely ever see any accuracy matches being won by pyrodex loads. It is harder to ignite (PaBOOM instead of just BOOM). It does foul a little less. Pyro is pretty compressible (especially Pyro-P) which can cause variations in pressure. I use it in the shotgun for CAS any time I get it on clearance as it is equivalent in power per equal volume.
 
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