Pyrodox Rifle Powder in the 303 British ?

[brstevns]

Was given a lb of Pyrodox Rifle powder and was thinking of using it in my Martini 303 British. any suggestions for a load?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

If you can find a black powder loading for the .303 that uses a dipper, then you should be able to use the dipper volume but not the weight, as Pyrodex weighs less than BP. So, for example, it would be o.k. to use the dipper full of Pyrodex but not to weigh the volume of the dipper full of BP and then match that weight with Pyrodex.

[brstevns]

searching the web last night, Did find 40gr by weight of Pyrodex was about right

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'm kind of surprised that you haven't gotten more response on this thread, what with .303 being a fairly popular cartridge here, and more so in Canada---I'm sure someone has tried out your idea and would have some input. My use of Pyrodex has been limited to cap and ball revolvers and Hawken-type rifles, but not cartridges. Frankly, I've been sold on the product for a long time. I used to teach Hunter Ed and made familiarization with black powder-type arms part of the course. I let the kids each fire my Hawkens and could go through the entire class without having to swab them out. Of course, I am a zealous cleaner, so I've never encountered some of the corrosion problems stated by some shooters. I do have a number of .303s, and would be very interested to hear how your experience turns out, especially as relates to fouling of the rifling. It is much different (the rifling) than that of a rifle designed for black powder.

I do have one peculiar thing to share with you and the forum brotherhood about the long term storage of Pyrodex, as seen in the photos below. I do not have an explanation for what happened here, but the story is that for a while I carried merchandise in my gunsmithing shop as well as doing repairs. It ultimately proved unprofitable, so I discontinued the merchandise and had a lot of Pyrodex left. A functioning small refrigerator was a necessity in my business in which to keep Brownell's metal polish between uses (it's organic based and starts to smell if not kept cold), and the refrigerators only seemed to last a few years before they quit running. They seemed like an ideal storage cabinet for powder, being made of metal, insulated, and almost air tight. I ended up with two that had quit working, so filled one of them with smokeless powder and the other with the Pyrodex left over from the business. After about 8 years of such storage, and not having opened the Pyrodex locker for a couple of years, this is what I found. These containers have never been opened. I recently opened a couple and found the contents to still be black in color. I'm kind of at a loss.......
187645187646
Click to enlarge.

[Soundguy]

no airspace...

[Der Gebirgsjager]

No, there wasn't any air space except what was in the refrigerator box. The refrigerator was not plugged in, of course, since it didn't work anyway--
and was located in a heated building, maybe 50 degrees at night and 68-70 degrees in the daytime. I looked into it periodically during the first maybe 6 year period, but then not for two years because I moved and it went into my new shop. Since the jars were that dense black plastic, new and unopened with the seal beneath the lids intact, I don't see how what happened could have happened. I'm mystified as to how any of the chemicals could have gotten out of the jars, but the rusty-looking stuff looks like a precipitate of some sort. It shouldn't have been humid inside the cabinet/fridge, so I don't think it was ferric rust. Care to elaborate on the air space theory......? I think I'll test some of it on my next trip to the range, as like I said, it looks o.k.

[Soundguy]

Any chance it was an older ammonia based refridgerant?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Possibly. It was the first one I owned, bought used from a lady who's mom had died and she was getting rid of her stuff. That was in 1990, but I don't know how long the mom had owned it. When it quit I bought one from Sears in about 1992, it died around 2000 and I've got my smokeless powder stored in it without a hint of a problem. HOWEVER--when I periodically open the one with the smokeless powder stored in it, none of which is open, I get that kind of an ether smell. The last one I bought, also Sears, in 2000 is still working.

[JimB..]

The canisters are not really sealed, gases will pass through them, albeit slowly.

If you decide to dispose of the metal canister I'd love to add it to the powder canister display I'm working on.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

You may have it. PM your mailing address to me. I'll pour the contents into something else.

[JimB..]

Thanks! Pm sent.

[swheeler]

The canisters are not really sealed, gases will pass through them, albeit slowly.

If you decide to dispose of the metal canister I'd love to add it to the powder canister display I'm working on.

I must be blind as I do not see a metal canister? I see the older cardboard canister with metal ends

[JimB..]

I must be blind as I do not see a metal canister? I see the older cardboard canister with metal ends

I should have said non-plastic, your eyes are fine :-)

[brstevns]

Back to the subject, anyone using it and with what weight bullet?

[Mytmousemalibu]

I want to try black powder in 7.62x54R but haven't had the time. I did load some .45 long colt with 30gr by volume of Pyrodex P which shot nice, quite potent too!

[bruce drake]

http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/topic/5247/777-in-a-303quot#.WK8SSjvyu70

Some folks on this forum have experimented with Triple 777 and may know more about Pyrodex loads as well.

[swheeler]

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg234/kmw3291/0223170917-00_zpsarcu0fhw.jpg (http://s249.photobucket.com/user/kmw3291/media/0223170917-00_zpsarcu0fhw.jpg.html)

[brstevns]

Thanks , Will take a look at the site.