pellets

[Blammer]

I am not new to muzzleloaders and black powder but I am new to the BP pellets.

Looking to get an inline and use pellets.

The question I pose is, do the blackpowder pellets, lose their potency over time.

I know from my own experience that Pyrodex RS, the loose stuff, does lose potency after a year or so.

Just wondering if the pellets do to, or not?

[phonejack]

Short answer is no, if you keep it in a controlled environment. I get better accuracy with loose powder.

[smoked turkey]

I also use and like loose powder so I can load something less than either 100 or 150 grains. I will say that 100 grains of Pyrodex loose powder is very accurate in my TC Encore. I expect two 50 gr pellets would be too and might be a little less hassle. Still I prefer loose to pellets. Just my $0.02.

[altheating]

I stopped using Pyrodex when I found 777 powder. To my knowledge it does not lose potency. I'm still on a pound can that I have had for maybe 4 or 5 years. I have always found better accuracy with loose powder. It seems that all my guns always liked something other than 2 or 3 pellets. 100 grains of loose 777 and Pyrodex always shot better than 2 pellets in my Encore. Loose powder is cheaper too.

[dondiego]

I don't think that they make true black powder pellets.

[freebullet]

Humidity is the issue. Keep it dry and it will work fine. I have some 3+ years old now that hold the same poi they always had at 200 yards. Keep yer pellets dry lol.

[mooman76]

I have Pyrodex that at least 20 years old and still shoots fine.

[Screwbolts]

Depending on the inline your looking to get, if it uses a held in place 209 primer, I would be looking at BH209 for fuel. I use plastic vials to carry loose powder, premeasured.

With bh209, you will need a tight boolit and sabot fit. At minimum 40 lbs pressure to push down barrel (I prefer 60 to 80,two hands needed on ram rod) and then I like to seat on powder with 100+ pounds. Regular 209 or mag primers are needed, Wolf 209s and Winchester work great for family and friends.

Altheating just borrowed one of my smooth sided molds for Sabots.

Ken

[Omnivore]

To summarize what has been said; your gun may work well with the pellets. They are handy, but they don't give you the fine increments that loose powder gives you-- They come in 50 grain increments, which may or may not result in the ideal charge for your gun/projectile combination. Try them and see. They'll be stable over time if kept sealed and dry. They are more expensive.

Loose powder allows you to adjust your charge in any increment. It's cheaper, and it can be loaded almost as easily as pellets by using pre-measured containers, such as the QuikShot tubes.

Unless you shoot a whole lot, the cost difference may not be an issue, so if the pellets work really well for you they'd be a nice option.

In my side lock rifle they need a kicker charge of BP to eliminate hang fires, and so the convenience goes right out the door. For that reason I don't use them in my rifle, but in an in-line they should ignite reliably. I've experimented with pellet "cartridges" for a revolver, which is interesting. I glue the bullet to the pellet, dip the bullet in lube, and have a one-piece load. Hornady, IIRC, has a similar system, based on a plastic sabot with a tail that holds the pellets. Again though it isn't much different from loading a pre-measured charge of loose powder from a tube, or a paper cartridge designed hundreds of years ago.

[mooman76]

The pellets are designed more for inlines and I have heard of people having trouble getting them to fire reliably or at all. They work more reliable with a 209 primer. I've never tried them before though because you are stuck with whatever size they come in and more so because I am cheap and they are more expensive.

[tomme boy]

The regular and select versions of the pyrodex act just like the loose stuff. I will keep them for 2 years and then throw them in the fire. Had way to many hangfires and no fires. I just don't use them anymore.

[Blammer]

thanks guys, yes I do like the ability to meter less or more than 50 or 100 or 150gr of powder. It's an inline with 209 primers.

I'll have to see what charge it likes best and go from there.

[OverMax]

Do they loose their potency?
I don't use them. But a few fellows I know who do said they thought so. (lose of power) Most will either use up or discard theirs yearly. It may have to do with there ignition I'm thinking. One fellow was very stern about the way his pellets were handled. (he nor anyone else was never ever allowed to touch either end of the pellet itself.)

[Screwbolts]

[QUOTE=It's an inline with 209 primers. [/QUOTE]

WELL, that doesn't tell much about it. Could be a plunger fired, break action, or any one of the other styles out there.

What rifle are you looking to play with?

[koger]

The wolf you Pm'd me about, will shoot them good, but will shoot black powder much better. It will also shoot maxi slugs good, ragged hole at 50yds, open sights, with 90grs, 2ffg blk powder. It was made to shoot powerbelts, have a buddy who has one, with the 95gr 2ffg and a Nikon prostaff, 3x9, shoots tiny little groups, that make high end TC Encore ML's jealous at 100yds.I have never seen anything that will shoot as good as black powder, in any of my ML rifles, center fire or percussion. BH209 comes close, but is way more pricey.

[altheating]

Is there really a gun made to shoot over priced Powerbelt bullets?
Blammer, start with 100 grains and work a bit on rather side of that till you find the sweet spot that your gun and projectile likes best.

[Screwbolts]

Blammer,

I saw the thread on the Kodiak. My first inline was a BPI,Beartooth Magnum, for-runner of the Wolf. It was a whooping, $109 on sale, at Wal-Mart, well over a decade ago. The Kodiak and older Wolfs/Optimas all use the same breech plug. I like the older steel receiver versions over the newer lighter alloy ones. If you go this route they respond well to BH209, with tight fitting projectiles.

Ken