Triple Seven FFG or FFFG?

[Westside88]

Just wondering what fans of triple seven loose powder prefer 2F or 3F? I understand it relates to the granule size. I bought 2F when I bought my new muzzleloader and I liked the way it shoots. I'm planning to get some more powder, so thought I'd see what people like, now that I know there's a difference. Thanks

[wadu1]

I use 2F in my rifles and 3F in my .44 revolver, and in a pinch I've used 3F in the rifles without issues. I shoot a TC Hawkins .54 or a .50 and #11 caps. 

[SkookumHntr]

The ballistics table on the Barnes bullets is based off 2f. If that helps

[Goldeneye]

My Knight UL has better patterns with 2F.  Both do the job though. 

[scottcrb]

i use fffg in my knight .50 and works great.

[CoyoteChuck52]

I Only buy two flavors anymore
3F

and

BH209

[Sabotloader]

Just wondering what fans of triple seven loose powder prefer 2F or 3F? I understand it relates to the granule size. I bought 2F when I bought my new muzzleloader and I liked the way it shoots. I'm planning to get some more powder, so thought I'd see what people like, now that I know there's a difference. Thanks

In a percussion rifle I use 3f - burns cleaner and ignites easier especially in cold weather.  110 grains per shot.  In a 209 rifle I use 2f - 120 grains...

[usmc74]

50 cal Knight

FFFg got 150 FPS more than FFG.  I hunt with FFFG

[Westside88]

Thanks everyone for all your input. It sure is nice to be able to accelerate the learning curve with everyone who's willing to share their experience

[Poppa_C_00]

In a percussion rifle I use 3f - burns cleaner and ignites easier especially in cold weather.  110 grains per shot.  In a 209 rifle I use 2f - 120 grains...

Had a heck of a time with 2F last year during late elk went it was in the teens. Working with the 3F this year.

[Sabotloader]

In a percussion rifle I use 3f - burns cleaner and ignites easier especially in cold weather.  110 grains per shot.  In a 209 rifle I use 2f - 120 grains...

Had a heck of a time with 2F last year during late elk went it was in the teens. Working with the 3F this year.

When the temps are down there a lot of heat is lost from cap ignition just warming up the metal of the BP to get the gas through the nipple.

Which rifle and which cap are you shooting?  I would ask does a portion of the powder drop right to the nose of the percussion nipple?

And 3f should ignite easier than 2f.

[Poppa_C_00]

When the temps are down there a lot of heat is lost from cap ignition just warming up the metal of the BP to get the gas through the nipple.

Which rifle and which cap are you shooting?  I would ask does a portion of the powder drop right to the nose of the percussion nipple?

And 3f should ignite easier than 2f.

Optima V2 with musket cap. The only way I was able to assist ignition was to add a few grains into the nipple. The 2F would not get there when packing in the load so had to do it manually.

[Sabotloader]

When the temps are down there a lot of heat is lost from cap ignition just warming up the metal of the BP to get the gas through the nipple.

Which rifle and which cap are you shooting?  I would ask does a portion of the powder drop right to the nose of the percussion nipple?

And 3f should ignite easier than 2f.

Optima V2 with musket cap. The only way I was able to assist ignition was to add a few grains into the nipple. The 2F would not get there when packing in the load so had to do it manually.

I have never seen a CVA BP/Nipple setup so I am not sure of it's design..

This is not going to really help you a bunch because as I understand it the nipple on the CVA BP is not removable.  If you look at these two pictures of Knight BP you can see the difference.  Both plugs have the nipple removed.  The plug on the left has a very narrow cavity drill through it and the one on the right has the larger channel.  Both plugs will allow powder to drop right down onto the nipple if the powder is not to course and poured very slowly.  T7-2F can often plug the narrow channel before the powder reaches the nose of the nipple.  The one on the right works much batter allowing powder to reach the nipple.  In really cold weather this is a big deal...



To fix the problem in the plug on the left - I drilled the channel out to almost double in size from the original.

[luvmystang67]

FFFG provides much quicker and more reliable ignition in my cabelas hawken.  Very happy with it so far.  10 grains less than I would use for FFG.  No word on pattern yet, but I'll trade pattern for reliability.

I use musket caps.

[Poppa_C_00]

Yeah, can't do it with this breech plug quite the same but I like the idea of opening that hole a bit more. I guess I may have to put the mill to work.
You can see how tiny that hole is compared to the pics of the other style.


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[JJB11B]

I have a CVA Elkhorn and it has replaceable/removable nipples, Is it different with the optimas?

[Sabotloader]

Yeah, can't do it with this breech plug quite the same but I like the idea of opening that hole a bit more. I guess I may have to put the mill to work.
You can see how tiny that hole is compared to the pics of the other style.


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I think you would be far ahead if you could get the mill to get the job done.  I used a #21 drill bit for mine.

mike

[Poppa_C_00]

I have a CVA Elkhorn and it has replaceable/removable nipples, Is it different with the optimas?

Yeah with these northwest optima v2s they are one solid unit. If you wanna use different primer, they sell the whole different breech plug that screws in by hand.


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[Sabotloader]

I have a CVA Elkhorn and it has replaceable/removable nipples, Is it different with the optimas?

Completely different - Yours is the way they were done.  I call them an advantage for the hunter.  But then again it is not a tool-less breech plug.

[JJB11B]

I bet you could cut that nipple off with a dremel and a small disk, drill and tap that hole to accept replacement nipples, That would suck to bust a nipple and have to buy a whole new breach plug

[Poppa_C_00]

Wouldn't really make sense to. The new design doesn't require any tools to remove and the additional one for the 209 primer is only like $30 maybe a bit more. Also, the new design doesn't really allow enough material to do it.


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[JJB11B]

you could drill a little bigger hole in the nipple the holes in the nipples I bought were so tiny that I want to take the old nipple I have and drill it out to make it just a little bigger, or is that a bad Idea?

[Poppa_C_00]

you could drill a little bigger hole in the nipple the holes in the nipples I bought were so tiny that I want to take the old nipple I have and drill it out to make it just a little bigger, or is that a bad Idea?

No that's not a bad idea. That's exactly what I plan to do after seeing what Sabotloader did.


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[Sabotloader]

you could drill a little bigger hole in the nipple the holes in the nipples I bought were so tiny that I want to take the old nipple I have and drill it out to make it just a little bigger, or is that a bad Idea?

I am not so sure drilling the nipple flash hole out to a larger size is the 'good' answer.  They wear out fast enough as it is.

I would bet a pin gauge and measure the size of the existing 'flash' whole.  It should be 0.031 give or take a thou.  Making it to large could reduce accuracy and increase blowback pressure back through the nipple.

Just do not know what the specifications are for a CVA plug.

[JJB11B]

you could drill a little bigger hole in the nipple the holes in the nipples I bought were so tiny that I want to take the old nipple I have and drill it out to make it just a little bigger, or is that a bad Idea?

I am not so sure drilling the nipple flash hole out to a larger size is the 'good' answer.  They wear out fast enough as it is.

I would bet a pin gauge and measure the size of the existing 'flash' whole.  It should be 0.031 give or take a thou.  Making it to large could reduce accuracy and increase blowback pressure back through the nipple.

Just do not know what the specifications are for a CVA plug.

I hadn't thought of that.

[JJB11B]

so It turns out that I had FFG last year and have part of a pound left. I bought a bottle of FFFG today, how much difference do you think it would make if I used 110 grains of FFG vs. 110 grains of FFFG? I kind of want to shoot up the last of the FF before I open the FFF. I also have a bottle of the yellow label Pyrodex FFG equivalent. Dad is going to be sighting in a gun tomorrow too. should we buy another pound of FFFG?

[Sabotloader]

so It turns out that I had FFG last year and have part of a pound left. I bought a bottle of FFFG today, how much difference do you think it would make if I used 110 grains of FFG vs. 110 grains of FFFG? I kind of want to shoot up the last of the FF before I open the FFF. I also have a bottle of the yellow label Pyrodex FFG equivalent. Dad is going to be sighting in a gun tomorrow too. should we buy another pound of FFFG?

I shoot both 2f and 3f and really do not see much difference in like powder charges.  T7 3f as listed by Hornady should be about 10% hotter than 2f.  I really do not see that when I run it through a chrono.  3f is slightly faster than 2f.

[JJB11B]

Thank you sir, So I will plan on getting my gun sighted in with the remaining FFG then shooting a couple times with the FFFG to ensure its on...

[Sabotloader]

Thank you sir, So I will plan on getting my gun sighted in with the remaining FFG then shooting a couple times with the FFFG to ensure its on...

yup! that should work

[M_ray]

I use 3fG in my TC'Blackdiamond