Powder Pellets

[Hoosier_Hunter1963]

Guys,

I am a relative newbie to ML hunting. I have only used Pyrodex Pellets so far.

What's the differences between different types/brands of pellets? Cleaner? Hotter?

So far....2 Pyro 50gr. pellets with a SW 250gr sabot seems to work AWESOME!

[saxman1]

Welcome.
I wont get into your question to much but you will get answers from those with much more know how than I
At this point being new and the season upon us,if pelletts are working well for you,use them.
They are easy to use.I find I get better accuracy with loose powder and I can taylor my charge to the bullett and primer I am using but I still use pelletts as well because I cleaned out the bargin bin at wally world.
There are so many variables that I will leave it at that.

What gun are you shooting will be one question you will get.
What type of game do you hunt and at what distance?
Will you be using your ML one week a year or will you be shooting allot?

[cayugad]

ORIGINAL: Hoosier_Hunter1963

Guys,

I am a relative newbie to ML hunting. I have only used Pyrodex Pellets so far.

What's the differences between different types/brands of pellets? Cleaner? Hotter?

So far....2 Pyro 50gr. pellets with a SW 250gr sabot seems to work AWESOME!

First off.. if you are getting AWESOME results with two Pyrodex 50 grain pellets and shockwaves.. STICK WITH THAT LOAD. That is an excellent hunting load. Or if you want to play with other powders, remember that load for your rifle and the results.

Triple Se7en pellets are about equal in strength to the Pyrodex Pellets, but I found for some reason they do not shoot to the exact same POI. They have the same energy, and should shoot the same but they do not always do that.

Triple Se7en is cleaner then Pyrodex RS. You can clean it with simply water. It might form a harder crud ring in the barrel of your rifle between shots, but that is not true in all rifles, in all areas of the country. You still have to clean your rifle at the end of the day, and clean up is about the same. You still have to swab between shots. And Triple Se7en pellets IN MY AREA are a little more expensive then the Pyrodex RS pellets.

Triple Se7en MAGNUM pellets are a little more powerful. They are trying to replicate the larger magnum loads without going to a 150 grain charge like in three pellets. Think of them as a 60 grain pellet. All they did is truly increase the weight of the amount of powder. In the Triple Se7en pellet (standard) they reduced the weight of the pellet to equal the power of the Pyrodex. In the magnum they just let them be the same weight.

APP and Shockey Gold STICKS have a lot of good reviews and bad reviews. While I shoot loose APP powder, I have never shot the sticks. Their advantage is said to be cleaner to shoot, easier to clean, but look for a reduction in power when shooting them. Also some people experience misfires with the Sticks. They report taking them from the container with chunks missing. So how can you get consistent when chunks of the pellets are missing? You can try them but if you're having good results with the Pyrodex RS, I personally would stick with them.

Have you tried loose powder? Shooting loose powder is more cost effective, you can custom load your rifle, and with shooting tubes is really not more of a problem then with pellets. That is the beauty of these rifles.. there are so many combinations to try.

[Hoosier_Hunter1963]

Guys,

I have a .50 CVA Optima Pro. I have hunted with it the last 3 years. I am only hunting white tails with it. I have tried Powerbelts (245AT and 295 HP). Had decent success with them. Tried Hornady 250gr. sabots and they loaded too darn hard but seemed accurate. Then I went to TC Shockwaves last season and fell in love with them. Loaded easy and was nice and accurate. I have only ever used 2 pellets of Pyrodex. Is there a need for 3?

Could I get accurate to 150 yards with 3 pellets?

I won't shoot much over 100 yards.

So far I have pulled the trigger 4 times on deer and harvested 4 deers! I do kill quite a few targets and boards this time of year though.

P.S. Cayugad, I would let the dog in! LOL

[lemoyne]

If it works good use it. If any thing had worked as well as BH209 does for me I would still be using it. I do still shoot pyrodex in certain guns all the time that happens to be what works best in them. Lee

[saxman1]

ORIGINAL: Hoosier_Hunter1963

Guys,

I have a .50 CVA Optima Pro. I have hunted with it the last 3 years. I am only hunting white tails with it. I have tried Powerbelts (245AT and 295 HP). Had decent success with them. Tried Hornady 250gr. sabots and they loaded too darn hard but seemed accurate. Then I went to TC Shockwaves last season and fell in love with them. Loaded easy and was nice and accurate. I have only ever used 2 pellets of Pyrodex. Is there a need for 3?

Could I get accurate to 150 yards with 3 pellets?

I won't shoot much over 100 yards.

So far I have pulled the trigger 4 times on deer and harvested 4 deers! I do kill quite a few targets and boards this time of year though.

P.S. Cayugad,Â* I would let the dog in! LOL

I see no need for three pelletts.
I use a Nikon Omega scope and it is calibrated for 250 grn bulletts and 150 grn charges.
I wanted to try it out but really I see no need for it.
However I did get good accuracy fron three pelletts

[rozman62]

Stay with 2 pellets at the rranges you suggested. It is unecessary to use 3-50gr pellets within 100-125 yards. I have shot deerout to140 yards with 2 pellets. Going beyond 150 yards and it's a good idea to drop that 3rd pellet in. You would most likelysee your groups open up going to 150 gr. The sweet spot for accuracy inmy Omega is 100-110 gr with the right bullet combo.I also use the 250gr shockwavebut with2-50 gr 777 pellets and now getting 1" groups at 100 yards.

[cayugad]

If your rifle is accurate with two pellets, AND YOU CAN PLACE YOUR SHOT, that is all the horse power you need for even 150 yards. Now I am not saying the extra pellet would not be an advantage, but your rifle might not be accurate with it, it will cost more to shoot, and you will beat yourself up with three pellets as compared to two.

For years, we hunted with 80 grains of loose powder and round ball and conicals. When the first Knight rifle came out and I read in a magazine that they could shoot 120 grains of powder, I was shocked. I remember to this day talking with friends as we loaded our Hawkins rifles, who in their right mind would need 120 grains of powder? Now we see the super rifles coming out, the better powders and projectiles... 100 grains and a Shockwave placed in the right spot at 150 yards I firmly believe is a dead deer. A complete pass through would not even surprise me.

[rozman62]

Good points made. For me I do not even consider using 3 pellets. My upper limitshots areout to 150 yards maxand confidentusing 2 pellets to that range. I have my Omega sighted 1.25" high/100 yardsso at 130 yards it's at zero. Shooting to 150 yards would be around 2" low which is compensated with slight holdover. At 200 yards I would be 8.9" low. Too much in my opinion to compensate and I have never practiced at that range. What numbers what I get using 3 pellets? I would get less bullet drop but I am not willing to sacrifice the accuracy, extra cost and recoil. All points you mention.
2 pellets do the job for me for my hunting needs.

If one feels the need for extended range capabilities with a ML then maybePrecision's 230 gr bullet with 2 or 3 pellets to 200 yards is in order. They claim there bullets are the flattest on the market. Per ballistic tables the drop would be 4.3" at 200 yards. I have box but have not shot them.

[nchawkeye]

I shoot 90grs of either Pyrodex R-S or Goex FFF and the T/C Shockwaves in my Knight Disc...I've killed deer out to 148 yards...

I tried 3 pellets with a 300gr Barnes MZ...ONCE!!!

After I picked my hat up, and my buddy, who fell on the ground laughing, decided once was enough for me...