hodgdon triple 7

[Buck]

Gang - Getting back into shooting and BPCR. Have some 3# of Triple 7 which I've never used. I see the "cut load 15%" on the web page. Anyone with experience with this stuff? BTW using a 45-70 Handi-Rifle for BP and cast boolits.

[44man]

As far as I know 777 is not legal in BPCR. I tried some for fun and could not get enough in the case to equal the velocity of Swiss Black without compressing it. It does NOT like compression even in a muzzle loader.

[StarMetal]

44man,

Hodgdon makes 777 pellets....how much more compressed you want to make it???? You're wrong...777 is pretty good stuff and remember those magnum velocity loads I shot in my Ruger Old Army were with COMPRESSED 777 LOADS.

Joe
P.S. You're right tho about it's use not being allowed in certain sanctions.

[StarMetal]

44man

Have you tried 777 in your muzzleloading scissors yet? Got any loads?:kidding:

Joe

[John Boy]

H&R Buffalo Classic:
Pedersoli 1874 Sharps LR Vernier

45-70 DD/PRS 500gr Big Lube Bullet - 1:20 ratio
Home brew soywax lube
Starline Brass
CCI BR2 primer
60gr H777

600 yards: 7.1" group ... 5 shots
3 holes were 2.4" in diameter

Buck, this my best experience with H777. Shoots well also 100 - 500 yds

[jh45gun]

From what I have read on 777 is that in a cartridge your supposed to seat the bullet on the powder with NO compression and no air space. How you would do this with out some slight compression maybe is beyond me I use smokeless in all my brass and save the 777 and black for my muzzle loaders so far.

[44man]

The pellets are not the same as loose 777 or Pyrodex, They have a hole in them and an initiator to light them fast. I tried loose 777 in all three of my muzzle loaders and as soon as I added a tiny amount of compression, accuracy went out the window and the SD shot to the sky. The advantage in a muzzle loader is that more can be added to increase velocity and as long as the ball just touches it, it is great. What we have found is that if fouling builds a little, the ball contact can't be felt and a little compression can occur, this will be a flyer. The bore has to be wiped between shots. The pellets solve this problem because they are stable and a little seating pressure does no harm.
We used 5 cans each of 777 and Pyrodex in the 45-70 trying to increase velocity. As long as there was little or no compression they were very accurate (sometimes the best we ever got) but they were slow and not good for 1000 yd's. We gradually added more and had to compress each charge more. Pyrodex needs a little compression. It wasn't long before we were shooting plugs of 777 and Pyrodex out of the muzzle like flares. They would lay in the grass and burn for quite a while. Good way to start a forest fire. My friend shot compressed Pyrodex at a BPCR shoot and we had the whole line laughing at the fireworks. There were less flares with 777 because the dust made from compression made it burn faster then FFFFG but we had a lot of sparks.
Joe, if you can tell me that plugs of powder burning outside the barrel is good for accuracy, you know something I don't. I do, however like 777 in my cap and ball. It is just like every other powder in that it has good and bad applications.
The 777 is broken very quickly into dust. It is very fragile. If you compress some and remove it, the grains are ruined. Pellets are very stable. There is a very large difference between loose and pellets which have a more controlled burn. Pellets can tolerate some air space and can be loaded in cases without reaching the boolit.

[StarMetal]

44man,

Not at all the results I find with 777 in both my inline muzzleloader and my Ruger Old Army....very heavy compression in my Old Army equals outshooting most centerfire revolvers.

Joe

[Buck]

Thanks guys! Not worried about it's legal status for competition, got a ways to go before we get to that. BTW this is ffg powder and I'm just getting set to load some work-up loads.I'll keep the "don't compress" advice in mind. Let you know how it goes. Again, appreciate the help.