A question about pyrodex

[cynthialee]

a duplex load to assist ignition needs only be about 5 grains in a rifle, be sure to tap it a bit to settle the powder into the breach
in a single shot pistol it only takes about 2 grains and also be sure to give it a tap tap tap to settle powder down into the breach
revolvers do not need a duplex load

in a flintlock, you only need black powder in the pan if you have a good fire channel, keep it picked and the barrel swabbed and the black powder in the pan should ignite the pyrodex load every time

 

[SPQR70AD]

Pure unadulterated BS.

yes total BS and that kinda talk belongs in a laundromat

 

[Sam squanch]

Pure unadulterated BS.

I’ve know several people who cleaned their guns very well and still had rust. My main problem with pyrodex is it is not consistent in accuracy.

 

[kyron4]

Every time someone says Pyrodex works good for them and have no rusting issues after proper cleaning.

 

[Bucks Co]

Pure unadulterated BS.

Sorry Okie Hog but a number of independent tests back up my statement

 

[Sir Boniface Harrison]

yes total BS and that kinda talk belongs in a laundromat

What, calling someone's comments BS without giving a cogent counter argument you mean?

 

[Sir Boniface Harrison]

Someone on another forum topic said that if you squirt some WD 40 down the barrel of your gun immediately after shooting with BP, it negates its hygroscopic properties and prevents the residue absorbing water and causing rust - for as much time as you need to transport it home and clean it properly. Maybe this would work with pyrodex?

 

[Okie Hog]

but a number of independent tests back up my statement

Show me the tests.

 

[Okie Hog]

For about 25 years i repaired muzzleloaders.

i've fired a couple hundred pounds of Pyrodex. Clean your gun and you'll have no problem with Pyrodex. Many muzzleloader shooters don't know how to properly clean a muzzleloader.


For about 25 years i repaired muzzleloaders. Every year beginning about two weeks before deer season i would receive a couple dozen neglected and rusted muzzleloaders. The owners of those neglected rifles wanted them returned in pristine condition. A muzzle loader left uncleaned after firing Pyrodex resembles a neglected muzzleloader that fired unholy black powder.



Finally i tired of cleaning up and messing with other folks muzzleloaders,i just quit.

Recently i found 8 pounds of Grafs black powder in my magazine. It will be used to blast stumps.

This stuff ain't rocket science.

 

[Brent]

Pure unadulterated BS.

not really.

 

[TFoley]

Don't use it myself, but my Dad had some of the Pyrodex pellets that had a ring of BP in the middle of the pellet so it would go off with a standard percussion cap. So I think it would be OK to prime a load with a small amount of BP.

In fact, it was designed that way to reliably ignite using a #209 shotgun primer, as used in the type of firearm we don't discuss here.....

 

[TFoley]

I think the best solution for the OP is to just make his own black powder at home. It's not that difficult and ingredients readily available. Multiple YouTube videos detail how-to. One guy I met at the range a couple weeks ago was shooting his Pedersoli Frontier with homemade black powder. He let me load and shoot a round. I thought the powder was a bit more "sticky" than factory power, but it ignited and shot just fine.

Of course he can make BP at home in France, however, it is not advisable.

France that has a national police force - Police Nationale - and a higher level of enforcement, more likely to involve a certain degree of violence - the Gendarmerie Nationale. They inter-train with the French military - quite a lot.

They also have another level whose speciality is the security of the state - GIGN and their offshoot, RAID. THEY make the previous two organisations look like rank air-softers. They deliver violence as a given - part of their remit. If THEY get called out, then there will be much attendant pain as a result.

Any signs of making explosives will attract the last bunch of people, which is not something that will end well.

 

[Ditt44]

I have used Triple 7 in 3F grade quite successfully. BP was hard to get in late 2020 and 2021 and the local store had a bottle so I bought it. I had used T7 pellets in my Pro Hunter and they were great. You might want to experiment with that if you can get it.

I found that a 70 grain Goex 3F load and a 57.5 grain T7 3F load were about the same point of impact for me (weighed powder). Never shot Pyrodex. I used CCI magnum primers and both my .50 and .54 Renegades and had no issues. I always clean between shots (1 wet, 2 dry) and do a full cleaning immediately after returning to the house, regardless of BP or T7 use.

 

[TFoley]

Someone on another forum topic said that if you squirt some WD 40 down the barrel of your gun immediately after shooting with BP, it negates its hygroscopic properties and prevents the residue absorbing water and causing rust - for as much time as you need to transport it home and clean it properly. Maybe this would work with pyrodex?

Just use BP and can the Pyrodex. I do most of my cleanup of my BP rifles actually on the shooting bench at the range. And I live 20 minutes drive away.

 

[yellowhammer]

I have used Pyrodex and will again if I have to. I've never had issues with it. I suppose because I'm one of those obsessive "over-cleaner / over-oiler" types.

 

[Kicking&Screaming]

Pure unadulterated BS.

With corn kernels

 

[TFoley]

Due to an oversight ]some say] by the manufacturers, it now appears that Pyrodex and Triple 7 ARE actually explosive, after all.

So buying any of them here in UK now requires TWO official documents -

1. Your Firearms Certificate [FAC], and

2. An Explosives License endorsed for both products.

With some county police HQ's taking the best part of a YEAR to carry out alterations to any kind of documentation, I can see that this is going to be a real problem.

 

[Howard Pippin]

I used Pyrodex once. after 30 caps were used the charge finally went off. by the time I got home my barrel was rotted just from one shot

I'm not entirely new to muzzleloader shooting, but I'm surely not experienced as much as those that burn hundreds of pounds of powder. I've been at it since about 1990 and have shot pyrodex, and black when I could get it, but I like 777 the best for my percussions. I did buy a canister of American pioneer powder and they said it would work in a Flint lock, and it did, using 4F black for priming powder but there was a noticeable delay in what shooting I did. My country is pretty dry, when I use pyrodex, I wait till I get home and treat it just like black, wash it out with warm water, lightly oil the barrel, reclean the next day, and store the gun barrel down. I don't overload percussions, after all it's not hard to kill paper, and I bore out all my nipples to .0031. They probably don't last as long but they still last me quite a while. I have to soften them, run a drill bit through them and then re harden them. Factory nipples are about 0026 and that doesn't always fire 777. The larger hole works just fine with black, most of my charges in a 50 caliber are between 45 and 60 grains. I bought a second hand 45, some 3-4 years ago, one in 60 twist, and it would set the hammer back to safety cock with just a decent charge. Measured the nipple and it measured .0037. I knew the guy that owned it but I don't know what he used for powder is the gun. It hadn't been cleaned for 25 years, so it took some doing to get it shootable, but it works and not too bad. I hope to see him this fall again and I'm gonna ask him what he used.
squint

 

[SPQR70AD]

I'm not entirely new to muzzleloader shooting, but I'm surely not experienced as much as those that burn hundreds of pounds of powder. I've been at it since about 1990 and have shot pyrodex, and black when I could get it, but I like 777 the best for my percussions. I did buy a canister of American pioneer powder and they said it would work in a Flint lock, and it did, using 4F black for priming powder but there was a noticeable delay in what shooting I did. My country is pretty dry, when I use pyrodex, I wait till I get home and treat it just like black, wash it out with warm water, lightly oil the barrel, reclean the next day, and store the gun barrel down. I don't overload percussions, after all it's not hard to kill paper, and I bore out all my nipples to .0031. They probably don't last as long but they still last me quite a while. I have to soften them, run a drill bit through them and then re harden them. Factory nipples are about 0026 and that doesn't always fire 777. The larger hole works just fine with black, most of my charges in a 50 caliber are between 45 and 60 grains. I bought a second hand 45, some 3-4 years ago, one in 60 twist, and it would set the hammer back to safety cock with just a decent charge. Measured the nipple and it measured .0037. I knew the guy that owned it but I don't know what he used for powder is the gun. It hadn't been cleaned for 25 years, so it took some doing to get it shootable, but it works and not too bad. I hope to see him this fall again and I'm gonna ask him what he used.
squint

I was just joking

 

[longcruise]

like 3 x the heat of BP and it's corrosive residues are an order of magnitude greater than BP.

Don't know where that 3 times heat comes from????

I think the corrosion issues/reputation comes from new ml users and some long time users who just don't want to do the cleaning regimen that is needed. When shooters buy into non corrosive claims for the subs they tend to ignore the cleaning requirements. Results are corrosion.
a good source on BP in general is Bill Knight (the Mad Monk).
https://archive.org/details/mad_monk_bp_files/mad monk files complete/CTG/mode/2up