rafsob

Never liked the 777 powder. It leaves a scum ring that is hard to get by for multiple shots. I like Pyrex first and Geox 2f second. A .530 ball and .015 patch works great for me.

Omega218er

Thank you all for your insight and expertise. I will start with a .530 roundball with .018 pillow ticking patch. I am leaning toward Goex black powder or Pyrodex. The comment I heard about using 777 and having items stick or freeze due to it reminded me about a time when one of my Omega's breech plug was so stuck it seemed like it would never come out again.

Thanks again!

Mark

Triple Se7en

I'm not trying to steer anyone off one powder and onto another. In regards to 777, if you purchase a small tube of shotgun choke tube lube, the small nozzle works great for applying lube on nipples and cleanout screw threads. That little tube will last many years, if that's all you use it for.

I just got tired of the necessary rituals associated with 777, when using either a sidehammer or an inline.

bronko22000

Omega, If you have the option to get .010", .015" and the .018" patching I would start at with the thinnest and work your way up. IMO you don't want to use the thickest patch and end up being in the same situation Cayugad was in and have to hammer the ball down the bore to get it over the charge.
You want to be able to push the ball/patch down the bore with a fair amount of resistance (after using your short starter) and not have to bust a gut doing it.
In my patch and ball shooters I want a combo that I have to start with a smart smack of the short starter and a good then a good firm push with the 4" end of the starter. After that, if I had to guess, I would estimate that I was using about 15 - 20 lbs of pressure to smoothly push it the rest of the way down to the charge.

Johnmorris

I use a felt wad over the powder than load the PRB. I think it gives a better gas seal.