150 grains of powder...BAH!!!

[sheephunter]

Perhaps I should have stated it differently myself, since I don't really care about dirty snow. What I'm getting at is that 3 Pyrodex pellets chronographed faster for me than 150 of loose.

Yes, they do shoot faster in most in-lines. With the hole up the middle of them, the ignition is more even and the burn faster, creating the increase in velocity.

 

[Dogleg]

Yes, they do shoot faster in most in-lines. With the hole up the middle of them, the ignition is more even and the burn faster, creating the increase in velocity.

I wonder how much difference the stacking height of the powder columns makes? It's been awhile, but I seem to remember 150 grain loose charges leaving a whole lot of ramrod sticking out. Going with the pellets gives a lot of free barrel.

 

[sheephunter]

I wonder how much difference the stacking height of the powder columns makes? It's been awhile, but I seem to remember 150 grain loose charges leaving a whole lot of ramrod sticking out. Going with the pellets gives a lot of free barrel.

I know on my guns the difference is minimal....I mark my ram rods but it could play some factor I guess although what the pellets gain being packed tighter, they lose as a result of the hole, making columns pretty well equal in height.

 

[Dogleg]

Sheephunter,
Way off topic, but I think the hole in the middle of a pellet has more to do with burn rates than ignition. Many smokeless extruded powders have tiny holes through the individual grains to manipulate burn rates. If a granuale of powder burns from the outside in, the surface area is reduced and the burn rate potential is reduced.That's more or less opposite of what we want. Put a hole in it, or a dozen holes, and the pellet or granule burns from the inside out as well as the outside in. Since the holes in the middle are getting bigger even as the outside is getting smaller it can keep the pressure curve up a microsecond longer.

 

[sheephunter]

Ya, that's pretty much what I meant....I just said it less eloquently.......

 

[Big Game]

I always heard that 150 grains of loose Pyrodex (T7), was a loot heavier load than 150 grains in pellets, and therefore beyond the recommended tolerances for most in-lines. Am I wrong on this?

 

[sheephunter]

I always heard that 150 grains of loose Pyrodex (T7), was a loot heavier load than 150 grains in pellets, and therefore beyond the recommended tolerances for most in-lines. Am I wrong on this?

You are correct......kind of. T7 and Pyrodex are two seperate animals. Original T7 pellets were a true 50 grains by volume but they we quickly reduced to somewhere around 42 because guys were so used to three Pyrodex pellet loads. Pyrodex pellets on the other hand are a true 50 grains by volume and in guns rated for 150 grain loads, 150 grains of loose or pellet Pyrodex are fine. Loose T7 should kept around 120 grains.

 

[Dogleg]

You are correct......kind of. T7 and Pyrodex are two seperate animals. Original T7 pellets were a true 50 grains by volume but they we quickly reduced to somewhere around 42 because guys were so used to three Pyrodex pellet loads. Pyrodex pellets on the other hand are a true 50 grains by volume and in guns rated for 150 grain loads, 150 grains of loose or pellet Pyrodex are fine. Loose T7 should kept around 120 grains.

And then there are the Magnum T7 pellets, which are hotter than the "Pyrodex equivilent" T7 pellets. It could easily get confusing.
My idea of a blackpowder substitute is 73 grains of H4198. Best not to get that one in the wrong gun.

 

[sheephunter]

And then there are the Magnum T7 pellets, which are hotter than the "Pyrodex equivilent" T7 pellets. It could easily get confusing.
My idea of a blackpowder substitute is 73 grains of H4198. Best not to get that one in the wrong gun.

Muzzleloaders are meant to belch smoke!

 

[Big Game]

Muzzleloaders are meant to belch smoke!

x2. There's nothing like the coughing and gagging when the wind is in your face.

 

[Dogleg]

Muzzleloaders are meant to belch smoke!

I wonder if that was the original design criteria, or an unfortunate side effect? I suspect Daniel Boone would have thrown old Betsy in the bush, given the option of a Nitro burner.

Besides(and waaaay off topic), what part of a modern sidehammer is authentic? It's steel instead of iron, blued instead of browned, with drilled instead of welded barrels. Chances are that the proud owner is using a blackpowder substitute, and doesn't cast round balls over a campfire. The actual percussion era didn't last any longer than we have been shooting pyrodex. That's probably why a cap-lock looks like some impatient customer dragged his flint-lock in for the fastest conversion to percussion possible."Ya, just screw a snail on the side and change hammers, ain't got all day".