Which Powder?

[Matthew Temkin]

I usually use Pyrodex P for revolvers but can I use standard 777 instead?
Is there a rifle and pistol 777 sold or just one for both?

 

[hawg]

You can use it but it's 15% stronger than black. If you want an equivalent charge to black reduce it by 15%. AFAIK there's only one granulation. I've never used it because it's about twice the price of Pyrodex here.

 

[woodnbow]

I usually use Pyrodex P for revolvers but can I use standard 777 instead?
Is there a rifle and pistol 777 sold or just one for both?

777 comes in 3 or 2f varieties. 3f works very well in revolvers. 35 grains under a 230 grain bullet is a great load for the Ruger Old Army,

 

[Eyrie G. Dogg]

T7 is hot, for sure. Many experienced users follow the 15% reduction rule religiously while others, equally experienced, scoff at the reduction.. I'm not sure what to think. I really like it though. That and Swiss is the first go to at my place.

I've used more Pyro P than both of the others combined, for availability reasons. I like it fine.

Do others here follow the 15% rule or just skip it? Asking for a friend. ...

 

[hawg]

I think most people don't do the reduction, which is fine. It's not going to hurt anything.

 

[Lyle]

In my area 777 is about $10 more than Pyrodex P. I shoot mostly Pyrodex. It is easier to find in my area.

 

[dickydalton]

I shoot Goex, Old E and Swiss. I do have a couple old containers of Pyrodex somewhere.

 

[44 Dave]

I had some old Pyrodex but I finely used it as lawn fertilizer.
Fortunately I have more than 20 lb. of Goex and Graff's to last a while, especially shooting .36s and .32s.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I've never seen a 2f version of T7, the 3 f stuff seems to be finer granulated then 3f black powder. I have had it clog the gate on my Hawksley powder flasks by getting under it and making it stick open. Real PITA to clean out. I don't reduce my loads with it.

 

[Seedy Character]

I have 777, Pyrodex and Goex. Shoot all 3 equally, the 777 is hotter. I have gotten a second powder measure. I may reduce the 777 load to closer match the Pyrodex and Goex, or fine tune accuracy, but I might not.

Haven't seen much difference between the powder used and results. The 777 does cost a bit more, but what I have, I picked up on CLEARANCE, at the end of muzzleload season, for 40% off. Picked up 1 box of their pellets. Easy to use the field, set charge weight, no variation. I don't know that I will ever buy anymore. Unless really cheap, or desperate need and nothing else available.

I can't say I prefer any one over the others.

 

[1KPerDay]

the subs all stink so bad I can't stand them. I shoot Goex or swiss. I doubt I'll ever finish my pound of Pyrodex. Can't abide it.

 

[hawg]

I use either Pyrodex or Swiss. They shoot pretty close to the same.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

I shoot old Eyensford or Goex. One day far into the future I may run out.... Until then I'm still a GOEX man

 

[woodnbow]

777 comes in 3 or 2f varieties. 3f works very well in revolvers. 35 grains under a 230 grain bullet is a great load for the Ruger Old Army,

I,don’t shoot the subs very often. They work just fine but as others have noted they stink to high heaven. I shoot primarily Swiss 2 and 3f, some Olde Einsford

 

[Matthew Temkin]

Thanks guys.
Goex is hard to find in NYC

 

[Seedy Character]

See other thread

GOEX to be shutdown.

 

[misskitty2]

don"t know if this is the place for this question but here goes im reloading 38 cal hbwc in a pieta 1860 with conversion how many grains of pirodex can I use for light load also do I have to lube the bullets

 

[hawg]

don"t know if this is the place for this question but here goes im reloading 38 cal hbwc in a pieta 1860 with conversion how many grains of pirodex can I use for light load also do I have to lube the bullets

15 grains should give you the load you want. That's by volume not weight. Yes you need to lube the bullets with a vegetable based lube. BTW a .36/.38 1860 is really an 1861.

 

[misskitty2]

how do I make a vegetable lube, I have alox

 

[hawg]

Some say Alox works, some say it doesn't. I never tried it. A good bp cartridge lube is 50% beeswax and 50% Crisco.

 

[gtrgy888]

T7 is hot, for sure. Many experienced users follow the 15% reduction rule religiously while others, equally experienced, scoff at the reduction.. I'm not sure what to think. I really like it though. That and Swiss is the first go to at my place.

I've used more Pyro P than both of the others combined, for availability reasons. I like it fine.

Do others here follow the 15% rule or just skip it? Asking for a friend. ...

I find it obligatory to cut down 777 loadings or my loading lever loses its latch and pin, cap frags enter the internals, and I can actually see the frame/barrel flex on slow mo camera. It seems to have questionable pressures for an open top. I can shoot a full cylinder of Old Eynsford with full chambers and no cap jams or dropping loading lever. Even one shot of just 21 grains 777 immediately drops the loading lever down hard with sufficient recoil to hammer the latch pin out. I’m generally a proponent of loading chambers as fully as possible. Just make sure to use powder the gun was designed and intended to use! That 777 rocket candy stuff has a very different pressure curve than even hot BP. I’ll be cutting my target loading by an additional 2 grains next range visit until I can find a loading that merely lets me keep my loading lever installed on the gun during firing! I also find that paper cartridges exacerbate the problem. Maybe the added nitrate speeds up the ignition a little too much, since the recoil impulse can be very different than flask loaded shots.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

That open top will handle T7 just fine, when it's set up properly. Such as having the arbor corrected, an action shield installed, barrel to cylinder gap set... Should be flexing at all if the frame and barrel are locked together. The loading lever dropping is either a weak spring or mismatched angles on the latch and post.I shoot T7 in mine, no lever drop and no cap frags in the innards.