Getting back to shooting muzzleloaders

[jaybo43]

It's been about fifteen years since I've shot my muzzleloaders but now I'm getting going again. I have several questions...

1) Are the caps still good (dry, stored in their containers)?
2) Is the Pyrodex still good (stored in a full can)?
3) I have some FFFg black powder (unopened). Is it still good?
4) I have a T/C CO2 ball discharger. Are the cartridges available anywhere?

Thanks in advance for your help. I'm new to the forum and plan to be active once I start shooting again, so hopefully I can answer somebody's question in the future.

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

Caps, black powder & Pyrodex (& other BP substitutes) will be fine for decades IF kept in a house, garage, basement, or outbuilding in a dry, cool temperature setting.

Black powder & the Subs are hydroscopic. Meaning they can absorb moisture in the air if moisture is present.

Some of my customers keep their powder & caps in a G.I. 30 cal or 50 cal ammo can, since it has a rubber gasket around the lid to keep out moisture.

The T/C Discharger uses the 8 gram Powerlet, I believe. I don't think the 12 gram powerlet will fit. I use the RMC Discharger from Rydon Corp in PA. At about $40, it uses the 16 gram powerlet.

 

[jaybo43]

Thanks for your help!

Will the standard 8g soda cartridges work?

How do you like the discharger that you use?

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

Someone can comment on the 8 gm soda cartridges, I used the Crossman CO2 Powerlets.

The T/C Discharger worked fine, but I think they discontinued it and the adapters. It was still hard to get use to the reverse thread on the unit.

The unit from RMC comes with two nozzles and three 16 gm cartridges for firearms and works as a small "canned-air" device for blowing dust off @ $ 34.95. They sell a full line of muzzle loading accessories & flint and percussion firearms.

Give them a call at 570-264-4171 or http://www.rmcoxyoke.com/inc/sdetail/b_i_d__kit/6543/426

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

If storage conditions were less than desirable the Pyrodex may either be weak or bad, the Black Powder should be fine if it's dry now. I'd just try them out and see.

 

[EljaySL]

Yeah, you hear conflicting things about the subs including Pyrodex depending on storage. Very few people really have chrono data but there's anecdotal stories of anemic performance. Basically if the real black works and the Pyrodex doesn't there's a bunch of things you can try but it might be easier just to buy fresh, especially if you have a local source or can afford to put in a 10 pound online order (about $200).

 

[Bigdog57]

I just got back to shooting my "Wally Mart El Cheapo" .50cal. inline. Haven't shot it in three years..... and it has sat loaded all that time (NOT capped!)
So I was a bit queazy about shooting out that old load. But it fired fine, with all the shoulder jarring I remembered.
Next umpteen loads fired fine. I am out of the god saboted bullets it prefers, so used some old .50cal "Buffalo Bullets" I have had for years/ I recalled they didn't prove very accurate. They still don't.....
But I got 'er sighted in, and have the good bullets on order - none available locally. :banghead: