Tumbling Bullets??????

[Blsum]

Okay so MasonCtyHitman and I decided we where going to go and test a few new bullets in our gun's. He had purchased some Hornady SST 300grn bullets. Since he wanted to shoot some 777, and didn't have any, I let him shoot some of the loose powder I had. He just put a peep site on his Bighorn and it was shooting awesome groups.  I was testing some other loads out of my Black Diamond, and my Bighorn. None of my loads where shooting anywhere near as tight as his where    so he lets me shoot some of his new bullets. I load up 100 grns of 777 PELLETS one of his SST bullets and let her rip. When I shot this first bullet the gun had a dramatic, and very noticable lack in power. Compared to the bullets I was shooting.  So I fired another round. My bullets where all over the board.  Upon closer inspection we noticed that the holes left in the board where of the bullet tumbling down range and hitting the target sideway's.  We then pulled the stump apart and found one of the two shot's I took, and sure enought the bullet was facing the wrond direction. With the loose powder we never had this problem but with the pellets everyshot would keyhole. I even shot a round with loose and didn't have any problem. He even shot a round with the pellets and his gun and it keyholed as well. I don't know if any of you have had this happen. What in the world would cause this to happen.

So Bighorn + 100 grn 777 PELLETS + 300 grn SST bullets = 

[Pat/Rick]

Sounds like the pellets are not being entirely "consumed" in the barrel,resulting in to low of a velocity to stabilize your bullet.

[whacker1]

Thanks for the information.  I seem to have similar problems with certain bullets with my .54, but haven't been able to find out why just yet. 

[batch]

it might have something to do with the length of the bullet and the rate of twist in your barrel not stabelizing it

[Dirty Mike]

maybe but it only happened when 777 pellets were used shot great when using loose 777 Or pyrodex

[stumprat]

Were you touching the pellets with your fingers  I tried 1 box of pellets with no problems but didn't see any benefit. I went back to loose ffg and shoot 90 grains of powder. With this load I saw no accuracy difference but less smoke and fouling.

[Dirty Mike]

nope didnt touch it are you shooting loose 777?

[stumprat]

nope didnt touch it are you shooting loose 777?

I personally shoot with loose. I tried 1 box of pellets. I know if you touch the pellets with your fingers instead of using the pipe cleaner in the box the oils on your hands can affect the way the pellets burn. If you get a poor burn it can cause the problems your having. Also if you seat the bullet too hard you can crack the pellets and have a poor burn. Loose powder has never let me down. And I find it just as easy as pellets, using premeasured speedloader tubes.

Were you using no.11 caps or musket caps? Maybe you need more spark for pellets
I use musket caps personally

[Dirty Mike]

German musket caps, the powder website says for triple 7 pellets only use 209 they cant guarantee it will go off if you use other primers, but you are fine if you use loose and muskets

[stumprat]

Well, unless you were shooting 209 primers then you have found your problem. 777 ffg loose powder works great for me with musket caps. The best thing about 777 is the clean up. I now only have to use 1 or 2 patches sprayed with Traditions natural solvent in a spray bottle then I run 2 dry patches and the barrel is spotless.
The natural solvent smells like oranges.

[Dirty Mike]

yeah the triple 7 loose shot great out of my big horn, 100 grn 777 and a 300 grn hornady sst

[h2ofowlr]

I would add more powder.  When you see bullet fragments on your paper you have used to much powder.