Loose or Pellet

[dbc5150]

I am using 777 pellets right now and have never tried the loose powder i was wondering the advantages to using it versus the pellets. If I do try it how hard do you seat the projectile against the powder? I have always been concerned using the pellets I sometimes wonder how hard you have to push down to crush one and then what would happen if you did. Also is 100 grains of loose the same charge as 100 grains of pellets?

[cayugad]

Advantages of the loose without question is cost. To those of us that shoot a lot, this can be a very big factor. I only shoot off about ten pounds a year of the substitute powders, but the cost of savings for just that is alot. I wait for the end of season sales and then stock pile. I shoot black powder most of the time,which again, I purchase in bulk.

As for seating pressures, this is something that you need to experiment with. With Triple Se7en, I seat firm but not hard. With Pyrodex I seat hard. With Black Powder I seat hard. With APP I seat firm only. It is all experimentation. When I shoot pellets, I never seat hard enough to crush the pellets. Just set the projectile down onto the pellets in a single stroke if possible.

[Triple Se7en]

Around 85 to 90 grains of loose 777 equals the velocity of two 50 gr. pellets. The curve is smaller using Pyrodex loose... 0-5 grains.

[lemoyne]

I am using 777 pellets right now and have never tried the loose powder i was wondering the advantages to using it versus the pellets. If I do try it how hard do you seat the projectile against the powder? I have always been concerned using the pellets I sometimes wonder how hard you have to push down to crush one and then what would happen if you did. Also is 100 grains of loose the same charge as 100 grains of pellets?

To answer the last question first,NO,the pellets are designed to give the same results in velocity as pyrodex pellets; loose is 20 percent faster it is a fast burning powder compared to other black powder subs which means its good for short barrels it also means that it generates higher pressure faster. I will not load more than 110 gr in my mag rifles because of the strain gage readings.
As each gun is an individual in certain things like load and bullet preferance,loading pressure ties right into those varibles the most important things are:
# 1 know how much pressure you are using ;and be consistant.
# 2 Be consistant with your cleaning procedures
# 3 number your shots in the order they were fired and keep a record so that you can recognize patterns
# 4 learn to remember exactly where you were holding when the gun went off so that you know when to remove shots from the record.
# 5 Understand that you must find what your gun likes and give it what it needs to get best results
#6 most modern inlines are capable of 1 inch or less groups, each one requires different loads and componants to get those groups because of the way the barrel whips can be changed by small differances in the metal and where the movement starts its cicular motion due to the rifling.
Hope this helps your understanding , Lee

[sabotloader]

dbc5150

I am universally cheap - therefore I know longer use pellets - the cost factor is way out of proportion especially if you shoot recreationally also.

I think lee and cayu have covered the topic extremly well. T7's comparison isclose as it might get.

[dbc5150]

Thanks guys for all the info i have yet to try loose powder because the pellets are so convienant. I think i might just give it a try after hunting season here since i already have my gun tuned in for this season thanks again for the info. Oh yeah what is your prferance in loose powders?

[lemoyne]

Again, the guns preferance is what counts,Black and pyrodex will work well in all most all BM is up and coming but difficult to find in some areas APP and Gold if your gun likes them [I have shot 1 hole groups with APP at 100 yds] are extremly clean and slightly faster than pyrodex in fps but not in pressure; if you like light loads say under 110 try FFF if you have a mag and load up to 150 then try FF. try and find the load that will group in 1 inch or less.
you are already using T7 so you know if it gives you crudrings or is so dirty you need to swab every shot, becareful of over loading T7 if you switch to loose listen to Triple Se7enon how much to risk in your particular gun, you can not assume the same maximum as all the others.

[outdoorslover]

I just use it because it's cheaper and it's easier to get a certain amount or grains. Most pellets come in 50 grain capsules, so they're not as versatile in my opinion.