Loose VS. pellets
 

What are the pros and cons of loose powder vs. pellets?

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

i JUST got into this stuff but i believe a pellet is much faster and tends to come in a 50gr size so typically you could just drop two down the barrel then your projectile and you're good. seems as though you can get more accurate and precise loads using loose.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Well...With a muzzleloader you are handloading each round...LOOSE...

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Loose powder is much cheaper to shoot. You can custom the loads a little easier then with pellets. With the pellets, they can be easier to make your charge, but the cost is why I avoid them. Although I do like them. Pellets are also harder to ignite. Both have advantages and disadvantages.. if you shoot a lot, loose is the way to go, unless you have a special key to the bank.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

I like the loose. You can be more precise with the loose powder. Sometimes the pellets can be off by as much as 10 grains, Plus if you crush them at all your accuracy will suffer big time.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Seems to me speed is not a concern with muzzleloading, maybe carry a speedloader of pellets and sabot/bullet but when you have the time, pack loose.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

I like loose alot better. my flintlock does great with 110 grains loose powder. That 10 grain adjustment really helps me out. As for speedloaders, they are also ment to be used with loose powder. If you use 100 grains powder and buy a 1lb can of blackpowder, you'll get around 70 shots. Thats quite a bit more than you'd get with pellets and loose powder is a lot cheaper. Why spend $28 for a few pellets when you can buy loose powder and get 70+ shots and beable to fine tune your load? Once you start shooting, you'll see how nice it is to use loose powder and be able to, like i said, Fine tune your loads.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

I shoot flinters only so it's loose all the way. When looking for my best accuracy I'll measure out a load then dump it on my powder scale and each load after that will be measured to the same weight. Then each charge gets put into a 35mm film canisters.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

i prefer loose also, my reason is that on my 209X50 encore barrel with the shape of the breech plug (concave) i was very uncomfortable with my bullet seating procedure, once i loaded it and the ramrod went 1/8-1/4 past my mark, i took the breech plug out and there was a crushed pellet, my accuracy is better with loose also


i was also worried aboutpowder to bullet and air around the chrage increasing pressure, may or may not have been an issue, i just know my gun shoots much better with loose

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Ruddy duck,
That is a great idea! Now if only I had kept just some of those darn containers. Now with all of digital craze, those little containers might be hard to find. Can you buy just the containers at a photo shop possibly?

Mike

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Go to a hardware store and get some PVC pipe and ends. Cut the PVC 1/2 about 4-5 inches (depending on how much powder you like). Glue the cap on one end. Take the second cap and paint it RED. Then you store your powder in there, pull the red end off and you have a nice speed loader for pennies on the dollar. If your loose end is not tight enough, a simple layer of clear package tape willmake it tight for you.

Now my friend does not glue either end. He still paints one end RED but he pulls the RED end off and dumps the powder and then sets that end over the barrel. He then takes the other end off and with a short starter (he made out of metal)using the long nose, claims he can set his sabot. I tried it and can not do it... probably a dexterity thing. Plus, I am never sure until the last minute what rifle or load I am taking so loading tubes with projectiles does not work for me.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Man! Cayugad,

If you are ever up here in MN or passing through to visit your Sister.;) Let me know I owe you a case of beer or something for all of your great tips. That is a really great idea! I think that Subway's new commercial has nothing over this helpful web-site. My wallet is getting fatter every day that I browse this forum.

Anymore money saving tips would be greatly appreciated, I kind of have my heart set on that little .32 Green MNTN rifle. I think it will look pretty nice hanging below the Knight.

Happy Holidays,
Mike

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Loose powder for sure!
If I'm using #11's I use the butler creek speedloaders and w/ the 209 I like the TC magnum speed loaders. The compact one.
LOL, Hills

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Although I haven't compared the Triple 7 pellets to loose Triple 7, I have done some testing with loose Pyrodex RS against Pyrodex pellets. When you are dealing with magnum charges, the pellets seem to be a little more efficient in terms of burning all the powder. They give a little more speed than the same charge of loose Pyrodex, and also have a narrower SD of velocity. I'm talking primarily about 150 grain charges; although the trend seems to start with charges above 120 grains.

I have also noticed that T/C will often test a gun for accuracy with two 50 gr. Pyrodex pellets and 250 gr. Shockwave, if you send your gun to them complaining of accuracy problems. This is probably no coincidence.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

I use the 35mm film cannisters as well...they do a great job for that. Cayugad is walking encyclopedia when it comes to muzzleloading for sure.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

HD,
If you have a 1 hr photo lab close by,stop in and ask for 35mm canisters.I'm sure they'd be happy to pull a few outa the trash.
Still plenty of 35mm shooters around(Me).

BTW - A small pill bottle should also work just grind off the child proof tit.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Thanks AJ52,

I was sent a link for these small plastic medical vials with little plug type caps, they are see through. He said that they are very tough. The price is really great also, I can get a 1,000 of them for $50.00. I am going to ask my buddy if he wants to go in on them. Otherwise it will be a good ebay item. At the very worst my daughters will be able to inherit about 800 of the little vials!:eek:

Mike

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

What type of ML are you shooting? Sidelock do not like pellets.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Wowww - HD - I was kinda thinking of the small RX bottles we can get at local drug store. 1000 for $50 would last into 22nd century.
I'm thinking El - Cheapo - or - Freeee!

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

AJ52,

I was thinking that if I would go that route I could probably package some up in lots of 50 and sell them for a few bucks on ebay. 1,000 is the smallest order that they offer, but they are really nice looking vials. I have faith in ebay also. I once bet my wife that you can sell anything on ebay. She didn't believe me so I took one of my MN license plates and someone bought it for a $1.00. If they don't sell I will for sure have a lifetime supply and they might be handy for trips to the Doctors office.:eek:

Mike

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

1000 speed loaders for $50? If you got a pic of the speed loaders, post one. If they are what im looking for i'd be more than happy to go in on this deal with you.

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Here you go Frontier Gander,

They are 5 & 7 ML. The price is $46.50 per 1,000 + shipping. My wife is a nurse, so I am going to ask her if she has anything that size that I could check out for comparison.

Mike

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

Ive alwas used loose because you are abel to use what amount of powder you want not what the pellets make you use
plus ant that what you are black powder hunting for is so you can
do what the older people had to do

RE: Loose VS. pellets
 

For the old timers with the right equipment pellets are slower on the range , harder to ignite ,more expensive.
For the beginner they require less equipment and you dont have to measure loose accuratly.
The one thing I have noticed is that with Pyrodex I seem to consistantly get a little more velocity per grain.
Lee