pellets or loose 777?

[Axis II]

I am going to start experimenting with sabots and bullet combos and was wondering what powder you guys prefer such as loose, pellets, blackhorn?

last year I was able to get my new cva optima v2 too shoot one inch groups with tc shockwaves with 120gr magnum 777 pellets. should I just stick with that or try something else?

my plan is to get 450 bushmaster bullets and harvester sabots to try out. whats your favorite combo?

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

With loose powder you can fine tune a load for best accuracy just like reloading brass.
I have found that there is a fine line between optimum performance and loss of accuracy due to sabot failure.
It's also cheaper and, for me, more convenient to use.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Um..., 70 grains of 3Fg launching a 225 grain .530 patched round ball is my favorite (in several rifles), which I've used out to 110 yards with iron, open sights, from either a 1:65 twist barrel or a 1:48 twist barrel, and it drops deer in their tracks quite literally. PLUS I can raise my right arm 100% vertical after a day at the range because the recoil is quite pleasant. Now with the fast twist of an inline the PRB isn't going to work for you, yet unless you're worried that the modern, jacketed bullets won't perform at impact from a moderate BP (or BP substitute) load, you might be punishing yourself without advantage.

LD

 

[rodwha]

Those are fine groups. However I'd certainly try loose powder for the reason drunkenloacher stated as you may well improve it, but also because it's cheaper.

I'd actually begin by trying Olde Eynsford black powder by Goex as it's ridiculously cheap but designed to compete with Swiss powder. These two powders, in the few chronographed tests I've seen, give slightly higher velocities with smaller deviations than loose T7.

And I've been told by another fellow that if you want consistency at the extreme to use either a high grade BP as I suggested or BH 209. That stuff is expensive and requires a Mag Spark nipple. Though I'm curious about this powder it just isn't my cup of tea as I have several BP guns and some cannot be converted to a 209 primer ignition and I don't want to have to stock a bunch of powders or one day come across my flask I forgot to empty and not know what I have. I keep 3F T7 and Olde E and they work equally well for me so it's not a big deal. And these powders don't cost what BH209 does.