When Pyrodex first came out, I tried it immediately and found that it permitted me to shoot for several hours without the need to swab the barrel at all until I got home and cleaned the gun. Now this was with Pyrodex RS, not pellets, and the guns I was using were sidelocks. I have never found it more difficult to clean a gun after using Pyrodex vs black powder, BUT I clean by pouring two quarts of BOILING WATER through the barrel first, and don't use ANY solvent other than water. After drying out my (now VERY CLEAN) bores, I swab them out eith Birchwood-Casey SHEATH after they cool down some. Never no rust no-how!!

I cannot fathom using any of the substitute powders IF one is going to swab between each shot-if you do THAT, you are better off with real BP. The only substitutes that are any good to me are those that permit multiple shots w/o swabbing!

I have not used Pyrdex for several years (or any other sub), because I am now concentrating on FLINTLOCKS!