With hunting season fast approaching, more and more of us will be hitting the ranges with our muzzleloaders working up that "special" load. Many of us are lucky and already know what the rifle likes and does not like. But I want to take this opportunity to remind all of us, especially people new to the sport with limited knowledge of powders, and projectile weights.. Know your rifle and its limitations. Be sure to read your manuals.

Be aware that not all rifles are "magnum capable" rifles. Also not all magnum rifles are the same. Read your manuals and know what the limits of your rifle are. For instance, I have a CVA Staghorn Magnum able to shoot 150 grains of powder. But if you read the manual you learn that means 150 grains of pellets not loose powder. When shooting loose powder they suggest 100 grain loads. Thompson Center and Knight rifles, are able to handle 150 grains of pellets, but again in loose form most of them suggest 120 grains as a max load. Even in brands, the limitations change.

Also we are facing an ever increasing selection in the powder markets. We have standard black powders like Goex, Swiss, Wano, Elephant, Graf's & Sons, and others. But here again.. not all black powders are made alike. Swiss for instance is 10-15% stronger then Goex they claim. Also the finer the granulation the increase in pressures your rifle barrel will experience. So keep that all in mind when you load up. Know your powders you are loading.

In the sub powders like Pyrodex RS, Triple Se7en, APP, Black Mag3, Pinnacle, Shockley Gold, all of them have different characteristics. In loose form, Triple Se7en and Black Mag 3 are 15% stronger then the other powders. Now throw into the fact they come in 3f grain size and you have added another consideration to the pot. Again, different grain sizes changes barrel pressures. Also in pellet form while all powders are "suppose" to be equal, well there is new pellets on the market called Triple Se7en "magnum" pellets. They are not recommending more then two of them be loading in your rifles. So again, know your powders and your rifles.

Also many manufacturers have limts on projectile sizes. I think it is 300 grains for a sabot in my Staghorn and 400 grains if a conical.

The point I am trying to make is, just be safe out there. Most of your magnum loads do not shoot as well and a moderate to strong load, and moderate to strong loads have been taking game for hundreds of years... [/align]

How does Graf and sons compare to Goex? I bought some 3f Graf recently but the loads that I have worked up were with Goex. I havent had a chance to light any off yet. Any experience with it?

I bought a case of Graf's & Sons black powder a month or so ago, half 2f and the other 3f. I have been shooting it in about everything I can load. So far I am kind of impressed with the powder. It seems to be as strong as Goex. It is made by Wano I was told. It is cheaper. Ignition is excellent. It does fowl a little more, so if a stronger powder charge is not needed, use the smaller charge. More powder is more fowling. It does clean up easy enough. But of you're shooting 100 grains of Goex, then load the same in Graf's and you should be the same down range. Of course check it yourself.

I use 3f in my shotgun, I just get better penetration and better patterns with smaller amounts of 3f instead of bigger loads of 2f. I will start out with 65gr. to 1oz of shot and work up to turkey loads from there. A whole herd of jakes are out in my pasture every morning and my 12 gauge is almost humming in anticipation.I really hadnt thought of power differences until you said something there. I know swiss is supposed to be stouter but really hadnt thought about that German Graf stuff I bought.

I know what you mean. I was just reading the "Warnings & Instructions" that come with Hodgdon Triple Seven regular 50/50 pellets. It says even though some rifle manufacturers say you can use 3 pellets(150gr), Hodgdon does not recommend it. The limit in their packaging broshure says only use 2 of the 50/50's (regular ones / black box). My manual for my Omega says I can use 3 pellets. But if it is loose 777 instead of Pyrodexthen you have to decrease your maximum 150 gr. load by 15% for the loose powder like you were saying. I will probably only be using 2 50gr. 777 pellets in my Omega. I've found my T/C White Mtn. Carbine and Traditions inline shoot better with about 80-90 grains of loose Pyrodex. Hopefully I can get a good sabot or conical combination with the 777 pellets, I bought 2 boxes of the 50/50's. That would give me 100 shots at 100 grains. What sabots or conicals would you try out first? I have some T/C Superglide Shockwaves (yellow sabot) and some 270 gr. Aero Platinum Powerbelts. Hopefully I will be able to just sight in at 100yrds.

chris

Am I the only one having problems with the server?

No, you are not.

its kind of a hit and miss with the server. I found that if you do not ask it to remember your name and log in every time you come to the site, you have a "better" chance of being able to post.

Actually Wabi I believe it was pointed this out to me and so far it has been working.

I'm new to the inline muzzleloaders & bought a Traditions Yukon "for the price it's actually a pretty good .50 rifle" but during my load tests with Hodgdon Tripple Seven Pellets "also a new adventure for me" I've found that my particular rifle likes the Saboted .44 240gr. XTP's infront of a .50-50gr. & a .50-30gr. pellets with Winchester 777 209 primers.

Ofcorse I'll probably play with some different loads & projectiles once the season is over....

Raider,

lots of people shoot the 240 XTPs with 80 grains of powder. My Wolverine is one rifle that shoots them with 80 grains real well. My Staghorn shoots them with 90 grains. So 100 grains is nothing set in stone. That is the one disadvantage of pellets. Good thing you have the two sizes. You might have never learned that little fact about your rifle.