Pyrodex pellets

[PeteSlinn]

I appreciate this might be considered heresy, but here goes

I'm considering trying the Pyrodex cap & ball revolver pellets in a Euro Arms Rogers & Spencer - I'm thinking this should help reduce loading time and make shot-to-shot consistency perfect.

Has anyone tried the pellets?

And (a longer shot on a US-based forum) does anyone know a UK source for them?

 

[TFoley]

Dear Mr Slinn - I too live in the UK, and HAVE tried Pyrodex pellets as an experiment, and since I live outside the USA, I can speak my mind without fear of litigation.

To sum up, I can tell you that as far as I am concerned, loading up with Kn*rr stock cubes, or even O*O cubes would provide much the same effect. Some went phutz, some went ....ka............thud, and a couple even went boom in a slow and deliberate fashion.

Just read the blurb from Hodgson's own site to see what they are meant to be used in...

Quote - Pyrodex Pellets are a compacted propellant 3/4" in length with a hole through the middle. One or two pellets can be loaded behind saboted bullets to give the casual shooter or the hunter reliable and consistent performance. On inspection you will notice a black pad on one end of the pellet. This is an ignition pad and should be loaded into the muzzle first. The Pyrodex Pellet is recommended for use in all in-line muzzleloading rifles. Hodgdon has also tested the pellets in some side hammer guns and found them to work beautifully in most. [end quote].

In-line rifles is what they were made for, NOT revolvers.

I have never seen them on sale here in UK, but then, I have never seen an in-line weapon either. Perhaps one follows the other, and there simply aren't any? I DID take a few minutes out to make a few phone calls, but got met with blankness at the other end when I mentioned them...

best wishes

tac
tac

 

[RedFeather]

He's got a good point. I don't know as you can find any small enough to fit. Besides, they will cost you more than shooting loose powder. Just get a good adjustable measure and work up your best loads. Then make a measure that will hold that amount. Or try nitrated paper cartridges if speed is your aim. Don't know how accurate those are, though.

 

[TFoley]

Nitrated paper works well, I find, as that is exactly how I reload by ROA and Walker. Here in UK RIZLA cigarette paper is the stuff...25gr of FFg in each.

One in the ROA and two in the Walker - does good.

tac

 

[PeteSlinn]

Thanks for that.

It seems Hodgdon do make pellets especially for .44 revolvers, however:

"44 Caliber - 30 Grain Pellets Pyrodex Pistol Pellets are designed to work in 44/45 caliber cap and ball revolvers. Shooters love the convenience."

 

[Poor Boy]

Everybody is right on track..... also it takes about an 800 degree spark to ignite pyrodex, about a 300 degree spark to ignite black powder.Pyrodex (loose) works well in an inline and using a 209 shotgun primer for ignition. Hope this helps........Olson

 

[Charley Hart]

I tried them years ago. The loading was faster, fouling was the same, they shot good. I had no problems, except for the 2-3 crushed ones per box that I paid full price for! Ok so that aside they worked fine.

Try them. I found them too expensive and I guess I don't mind taking my time and loading slow.

Be safe and have fun!

 

[RedFeather]

Well, I see they do make little dougnuts for revolvers. Only thing is, if you're aiming to shoot targets, it will be hit or miss (no pun intended) if those one size fits all loads are accurate in your gun. That's why the loose stuff is still superior.

 

[PeteSlinn]

Ah, that's very true - I hadn't really considered the fact that I wouldn't be able to tweak the load to suit the individual pistol.

 

[Slake]

I've used pellets in an in line and they worked very well. I've not used them in anything else. One hunting partner used them in his percussion rifle and had some problems with touchin them off. They need more ignition I think goin from his[url] troubles.In[/url] lines use a shotgun primer. I think you should stick to powder

 

[bigbore442001]

It has been my limited experience that pelletized powder works best in a longer barreled in-line rifle.

I have shot them in a handgun and they seem to have a delayed firing effect. Although I haven't chronographed it, I know that they were just lobbing out the gun due to the lack of report and recoil.

It seems that plain ole granular powder works best in handguns, revolvers and side hammer long arms.