Pyrodex Pellets

Bullwhip

Bullwhip

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Edmonton, Alberta
Hi,

I am new to black powder and was curious as I was reading about pyrodex pellets in the 2003 Hodgen Annual and their use in cartridges such as .45 colt and .45-70. Venturino weighed them and equated them to about a 30 grain charge, I believe.

Are pyrodex pellets available in Canada?

Has anyone used them in cartridges and what was your opinion?

Are they useful for cap and ball revolvers?
 
I have never used pellets for cartridge loading, but I probably will try it in the near future. A couple guys I shoot use them regularly in .44-40 (rifle and carbine) and in .45-70. They seem to be quite happy with the results. I don't think they are quite as accurate as a traditional black powder cartridge but are plenty accurate for the SASS shooting they are used for.

As far as cap and ball revolvers go the only time I have seen this was two weeks ago and it sure was entertaining if nothing else. The first cylinder full out of a Uberti Remington was fine but the results of the next loadings were rather comical. The pellets did not ignite properly and where propelled out of the pistol partially burnt and still burning. They fizzled, sparked and smoked as they spriralled their way down range! 2 of the balls fired bounced off the plywood backstop of our indoor range and returned to the shooters feet. I would think this poor ignition on the second and third cylinder loads was due to fouled flash holes in the nipples and may be able to be cured by simpling going over the nipples with a nipple pick between loadings.
 
Bullwhip said:
Hi,

I am new to black powder and was curious as I was reading about pyrodex pellets in the 2003 Hodgen Annual and their use in cartridges such as .45 colt and .45-70. Venturino weighed them and equated them to about a 30 grain charge, I believe.

Are pyrodex pellets available in Canada?

Has anyone used them in cartridges and what was your opinion?

Are they useful for cap and ball revolvers?
Click to expand...

Pyrodex is readily available in all forms. Just pop into Wholesale Sports. Black powder charges (rifle) are readily substituted with Pyrodex powder (RS or Select). Pellets will work, but you can't really fine tune a load. I can't help ya regarding handgun stuff though.
 
Bullwhip

Today in a CAS match I shot my 44-40 '66 carbine with 30 gr Pyro pellets and loved it!
I get 2''+ off hand groups at 25 yards with the load that prints 1" in my Henry (6 grs Red Dot/200 gr RNFP) but the Pyro load shoots into 1" from the '66.

I've also used Pyro pellets in 45-70 with complete success - mild and accurate.

Probably the best use I've found for them is making up paper rounds for my '63 Sharps Military. I roll .54 calibre 60 gr pellets with a sized/lubed bullet and get an authentic looking round that groups into 1" at 50 yards from a sitting position.
I shot them last year in a match out to 200 yards and did rather well.

In my Colt 3rd Model Dragoon, I had the same experience as Ckid - interesting pyrotechnics after the first cylinder load! I don't regard them as suitable for cap & ball guns.

No drop tubes, no compression, no wads and 100% uniform EVERY time. The word that describes them is "convenient" but they are pricey.
I get mine from Hillfolk Musket Supplies out of Senlac, Saskatchewan.

Todd
 
Ritchie said:
Pyrodex.... is a dirty word.
Click to expand...

Only to those with no experience using them.....

For people who want to simulate the BP experience without all the precedural steps (measuring, weighing, drop tubing, compressing, wads) they are a God send.
For use in .50 calibre percussion rifles like my Shiloh '63, they are as close as you can get to Civil War era compressed BP cartridges.

I have US friends who tell me they have difficulty getting and shipping BP but Pyrodex can be shipped through the mail.

Todd
 
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