Powder question

[HoofsandWings]

So I have my trusty inline muzzleloader. How do I pick my powder? Do I go with Pyrodex or 777 or powder disks/pellets?
Thanks

[OneHorn]

well if you libe in the ol washington state you CANT shoot inline muzzle loaders here

[Bookworm]

That's not entirely true. Some of the inline muzzleloaders are not legal in this state. The cap has to be exposed to the elements is all. The powder is another question. The pellets are the easiest to use. Triple seven is very popular but the best thing to do is figure out which powder shoots best in your gun.

[tmike]

The answer to your question is go with all of them. Then when you find the one that shoots best hunt with it! Try Shockey's Gold too.

[luvtohnt]

I use an approved black powder substitute in my knight it seemed to burned the best with the least amount of powder.

Brandon

[Curly]

I've never tried the pellets.  They don't seem like they would be much more convenient to me anyway.  And the loose powder is supposed to be a little more efficient; i.e. you can use less loose powder could achieve the same velocity as pellets.  Also, w/ loose you aren't limitted to whatever increment of pellet you have.  Just a little more options with loose, IMO.

When I started ML hunting we used real Black Powder.  Then switched to Pyro when it came out or became legal (I don't remember which).  Now we use 777.

Triple 7 cleans up easier than pyrodex and works great.  So, I guess I'm saying go w/ T7 loose powder to start and see if you can find a load that works.

[HoofsandWings]

The Knight Bighorn and CVA Elkhorn are two ML's that meet the requirements.
BTW. I have heard that some hunters put finger rubbers over the muzzle to keep water from running down the barrel.
Have any of you tried this?
Also, I am thinking of a monopole to mount on the ML. Do you use this, a bipod or shoot off hand?
Thanks

[Curly]

I tried the rubbers over the muzzle last year.  There were some packages of them at one of the stores that carries ML supplies and I tried them and will continue to use them.  Previously I had used saran wrap and electrical tape, but the rubbers were easier.

There usually is a tree or something nearby to use as a rest.  The cow I shot a couple years ago at 120 yds, I used a little alder tree for a rest.

[CP]

777 beats Pyrodex heads down – loose, no need for pellets, they are harder to light and more expensive.
A condom works great on the muzzle
Shooting off-hand or finding a natural rest beats hauling around sticks.

My    anyway

[Moose Eyes]

I have had my best results with 777.

[rasbo]

I use loose my friend uses the pellets and twice he had no fires.He wont use the loose 

[HoofsandWings]

I have a few pounds of triple 7 to start. Should I try 125 grains and work up or possibly 100 grains?
I will have my powder scale next to me when I start working up a load. Hopefully it will be closer to 150 grains, but I understand I may have to go lower for the sabots. I am using the Barnes sabots to start with. I have the 250 and 290 grain versions.
How much force should I exert in tamping the bullet down the barrel? Should I use a block of wood (2x4) to pound the bullet in place? I heard that compressed loads work best in getting good accuracy.
I want to maximize my my muzzle velocity.
It looks like I need to carry a rifle cleaning kit, since the ram rod on the rifle is only for seating the bullet.
Do I use dry patches or soaked in solvent? How about a bore brush? Gun oil? So many questions.

[dawhunt]

 
bob

[ThePascoKid]

I've used both loose and pellets, imo the pellets are the way to go they are a hell of a lot easier to deal with and I have never had one misfire with them, just make sure to keep everything very clean, that's the most important thing.  I always season my barrel before I load each morning also.  You guys on the westside must really have to hunt in some very wet conditions to be putting condoms on your barrel, when it rains here I have always just carried my rifle pointed forward and down and carry the rifle with my hand over the breech.  I suppose with the rain and the thick vegetation it can turn into a wet mess in a hurry. Maybe that's why I've never hunted over there.

[HoofsandWings]

bob

Bob, I presume you have not read some my past posts and witnessed my unusual sense of humor.
In the very old days when math chips were separate from the processor chips in the early computers, I called Intel tech support and asked how to seat the math chip. They said firmly and I told them I was firmly seating the chip with a hammer. I heard later that my response was among the top 10 among all of Intel and the transcript had been even been read by the ceo.

[blacktail luv]

I have been muzzy hunting for 15 years now and before the pellets i shot loose pyrodex.  When the pellets came out i started using them  I use to spill a lot of powder while reloading after a shot.  I would get so excitied and spill some.  When the pellets came out i switched to them.  i did have some trouble getting them to fire sometimes, so i decided to put a pinch or so of loose powder then my pellets, fires every time.  the pellets are less mess.

[HoofsandWings]

Well I learned something today. Unlike modern firearm reloads, black powder is by volume not weight.
I called the manufacturer and was informed. I also found out the difference between 209 and #11 at 200 yards is about 5 inches.

[bobcat]

That is true. I wondered why you said in a previous post that you would be bringing your powder scale to the range and weighing your powder charges! Didn't you receive a manual with your muzzleloader that explains the basics of muzzleloading?

[HoofsandWings]

That is true. I wondered why you said in a previous post that you would be bringing your powder scale to the range and weighing your powder charges! Didn't you receive a manual with your muzzleloader that explains the basics of muzzleloading?

There was confusion that both volume and weight used the same term. If it said milliters, I would have understood we were talking volume. If the sentence had said something like "150 grains by volume", I may have caught on sooner.
The rifle is still in its box. I won't have time to take it to the range until mid-March. My priority still is a fairly long honey-do list that built up during last hunting season. The list goes on for 2 single-spaced pages. I am only a quarter of the way through the first page and I am doing the easy stuff.
BTW If the unit of measure was minims instead of grains, I may have understood. (1 minim=1 grain, 15 minims=15 grains=1 cc.
10 cubic centimeters = 150 grains.

[stumprat]

I have the best groupings in my Bighorn using 90 grains of ffg 777 behind a 310 grain knight bullet.