Triple Seven

[Rick]

My Elkhorn is a .50 cal.

Hodgdon says you can use either the FFG or the FFFG in a .50

What are you guys using?

[huntnnw]

I use ffg triple 7

[Dirty Mike]

I was using fffg but switched back to ffg

[Rick]

I was using fffg but switched back to ffg

What did you gain with the switch?

[CP]

FFF burns a little faster and gives a more complete burn but really there isn’t a whole lot of difference.  I’ve chrono-ed both and was not able to distinguish a velocity benefit to either.

[Sabotloader]

My Elkhorn is a .50 cal.

Hodgdon says you can use either the FFG or the FFFG in a .50

What are you guys using?

I use T7-3f in all of my percussion guns, even in the Knight DISC that have been converted to cap ignition.  It is easier to ignite and it burns a bit cleaner.  The main reason that i made the switch from 2f to 3f was temperature.... It becomes more difficult to start 2f in extreme cold - 3f on the other hands does start easier for myself.

[Heredoggydoggy]

The "F's" simply designate the size of the powder granules.  Has no bearing on burn rate or anything else.  3F might weigh a bit more than 2F per volume, but probably not noticeable in a black powder gun.

[Dirty Mike]

because everytime i fill my measuring tube with 3f, if you barely tap it 100grns goes to 85 to 90 grns, but with 2f it doesn't do that

[Sabotloader]

The "F's" simply designate the size of the powder granules.  Has no bearing on burn rate or anything else.  3F might weigh a bit more than 2F per volume, but probably not noticeable in a black powder gun.

Might want to be a bit careful with that one... because of the size of the granuales, T7-3f burns faster, reaches higher peak pressure sooner and creates about a 10% boost in power over T7-2f.  That relates to almost 25% more pressure that regular BP and/or the Pyros...

[Sabotloader]

because everytime i fill my measuring tube with 3f, if you barely tap it 100grns goes to 85 to 90 grns, but with 2f it doesn't do that

T7-2f and T7-3f will both compress down if you tap them down.  I am a tapper I tap them both down.  The KEY is do the process the same everytime that you do it.  That maintains consistency...

[Rick]

I called Hodgdon to get their take. The guy I talked to said to basically close my eyes and pick. He said the difference in speed was so slight (favoring the FFFG) that I'd never notice.

He said there was no difference in ignition or cold weather performance.

I liked the silver label on the FFFG better so thats what I went with.

[Sabotloader]

I called Hodgdon to get their take. The guy I talked to said to basically close my eyes and pick. He said the difference in speed was so slight (favoring the FFFG) that I'd never notice.

From the Hodgdon site....

Triple Seven is a high energy product designed to provide the muzzleloading hunter with higher velocities when used in the same VOLUME as blackpowder. To duplicate a blackpowder load velocity using Triple Seven, you must decrease the powder charge by 15%.

I believe they use the 10% greater with 3f because it peaks so much faster than 2f.  Since it peaks faster the pressure spike is greater as the bullet has not moved down the bore as far as it would with the slower burning 2f.

He said there was no difference in ignition or cold weather performance.

He is correct there is no difference in ignition temp to start either powder burning, but in cold weather, the difference comes in the cold steel of your nipple, BP and Bore.  A lot of the heat from the cap is expended and transferred to the nipple and BP, just warming them up to reach the powder and provide enough heat to ignite the powder.  With 3f powder and its finer granules it is normally easier to get powder closer to the nipple in some guns and again because the granules are smaller they can heat to ignition temperature quicker than the larger 2f granules.  Once you get a few granules going then ignition continues.

I liked the silver label on the FFFG better so thats what I went with.

There has been many big wagers laid on a reason like you have expressed… and there really has been some big winners.

Additionally I think you will find that with 3f you normally get a more complete and clean burn.

[funkster]

I have a 50. cal elkhorn and have been using 100 grains of triple seven FFG with a Barnes 290 tmz or t-ez. I had some problems with the rws #11 caps fitting the nipple properly, switched over to the rws muskets caps and have not had a problems since. Got the rifle sighted in shooting 2 inch groups at 100 yards.

[Sabotloader]

I have a 50. cal elkhorn and have been using 100 grains of triple seven FFG with a Barnes 290 tmz or t-ez. I had some problems with the rws #11 caps fitting the nipple properly, switched over to the rws muskets caps and have not had a problems since. Got the rifle sighted in shooting 2 inch groups at 100 yards.

Just a note for you... the RWS Dynamit Noble 1075... is really a sized 10.75 halfway between a #10 cap and a #11 cap.  It is tight fitting cap in a #11 nipple.  But if you can get them on your nipple correctly they are a very good cap and they make an excellent near water tight seal on the nipple.

One other thing that I forgot to mention... It is not uncommon for a plunger gun or actually any hammer gun to peen the head of a nipple to make fitting a #11 a difficult task, especially if you dry fire the gun.  Might try a new nipple when it becomes difficult to install #11's.

 

[funkster]

Yeah,  I played with the # 11 a few times and even tried to sand the nipple a little, still couldn't get them to ignite every time. I am sold on the rws muskets, shot 2 packs of t-ez and didn't have one cap missfire. It's a no brainer for me.