Can I use pyrodex in an 1851 Navy replica?

[Caedo]

Hey all! So, I've been working a lot lately and I've decided that in the spirit of the holidays that I'm going to add a new member to my gun family.

I also decided that I want to make that new member a black powder firearm! Dixie Gun Works has an 1851 Navy .44 replica by Traditions for a very reasonable price with a bunch of accessories.

So, I get the feeling it might be a sacrilege of sorts, but I want to use primarily Pyrodex in my Navy because I can buy it at WalMart, which is way more convenient for me. It's also a bit cheaper to boot.

My question is, is Pyrodex compatible in this firearm? I've done my research and come up with nothing. I did learn that Pyrodex has a higher ignition temperature than traditional black powder, which gives me the feeling that it might produce higher pressures than traditional black powder.

So, supposing that Pyrodex is compatible in this gun, is it okay to use it often? I'd really hate for the Pyrodex to eventually trash the gun by higher pressures or something to that effect.

Thanks!

 

[bejay]

pyrodex is commonly used in cap and ball revolvers as long as you clean it after shooting it shouldnt damage the gun at all, if it has a brass frame you will probably have to use light loads to prevent damaging it regardless if you use black powder or pyrodex.

 

[arcticap]

The Pyrodex "P" pistol powder has a finer granulation which is more preferable than the Pyrodex "RS" rifle/shotgun powder.
RS can be also be used but it doesn't burn as clean or as fast.
The Traditions owner's manual for revolvers actually lists Pyrodex P in their recommended revolver loads chart:

http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/BPRevolver_manual.pdf

 

[303tom]

http://www.hodgdon.com/pyrodex-granular.html

 

[Pulp]

Just remember that the charge weights are for blackpowder. If a suggested charge is 20 grains of BP, don't weigh out 20 grains of Pyrodex or any other sub. Find a measure that is marked for 20 (or whatever charge you decide upon) grains of BP and use that measure for the Pyrodex.

 

[J-Bar]

You don't have to worry about excessively high pressures from Pyrodex. I have used a bunch of it in 1851s. The higher ignition temperature might sometimes give you a noticeable "pop-BANG" delay of a few milliseconds, which is not as likely with classic black powders like Goex or Schuetzen. I have used both Pyrodex P and RS in my 1851s, and they both go bang. Pyrodex gets a bad rap as being corrosive, but if you clean your gun like you should, it will not be problem.

 

[DoubleDeuce 1]

Many, many years ago, I used Pyrodex in my Colt revolvers. I bought it because it was cheap and the new thing to use. I had so many hang fires it gave me the jitters. I tried different caps, cleaned the nipples after shooting a cylinder etc. Nothing worked for me... especially the powder. I had the same problem in my rifle. It could have been the early formula wasn't quite right, I don't know. I didn't even use the rest of the substitute powder I had. I gave some away and burned the rest.

I have been shooting blackpowder ever since and won't even consider the substitutes. But that is just me.

 

[Caedo]

Thanks for the responses you guys! I knew going into all of this that traditional black powder is preferable to substitutes, but since powder is expensive to ship and impossible to find retail in my area, I'll have to deal with delays in powder ignition.

I also shopped around and decided on a Uberti 1860 Army with a steel frame. After my fruitless research I saw the massive bundle of stickies on black powder right here on THR. Figures. Haha.

 

[Foto Joe]

The iginition temperature doesn't have much to do with the pressures that will be generated. Pyrodex as engineered to be a "replacement" for Black Powder and works reasonably well in that regard. Where the "ignition temperature" comes into play is in trying to light the stuff. As mentioned above, hang fires are a VERY real possibility.

The reason that you can buy the stuff at China-Mart is because the ATF lists it as a "Propellent", whereas Black Powder is listed as an "Explosive". Propellents have a LOT less hoops to jump through that Explosives as far as reselling and storing them is concerned. Use the Pyrodex but keep in mind that if you drop the hammer and it only goes "pop" it doesn't mean it ain't gonna go BOOM sometime in the next thirty seconds or so. The longest hang-fire I had with the stuff was about three seconds in a rifle and it scared the snot out of me.

 

[DoubleDeuce 1]

I have to agree with Foto on the long hangfires. The longest ones for me seemed to be at least a second or two. Very unsettling.

 

[Captain*kirk]

I shoot Pyro P exclusively and have no problem with hangfires.
Clean guns, clear nipple channels and Remington caps seem to do the trick for me.

 

[rdstrain49]

listen to the Captain