Iuse a 20 grain bullet and 110 grain load of BH209 probably in the 2000 fps range out the barrel. I will shoot 1-2 inch 100 yards all day w/you. IAll the gents I read om here and these are pros as well as mm not one of the guys shoots 150 mag/max charge. If anything, they will tell you to shoot smaller or slowed up loads for accuracy.

Spaniel is the 325gr FTX a Hornady rifle bullet (.458 45 CAL 325 GR FTX)? What sabot do you use?

There are a few things that enter into how much powder you can burn. The kind and grade are at the top of the list. It is possible to tell by the velocity, when you quit gaining then you are blowing unburned powder out the barrel. The practical point of efficiency with most subs [which are a constant burning rate powder] is around 110 to 120 gr. You can get to the point if you push it far enough the the weight of the unburned powder adds to the pressure and recoil and reduces the velocity.
The only sub I know of that is progressive burning is Blackhorn and since the powder burns faster as the pressure increases you should stay with the advertised 120 gr limit unless you can do some pressure testing your self.

My elk load uses 90 gr of BH 209! Killed one this year and last year with that load.

NO, you don't need 150 gr of any powder. If I used that much, I would be doing two things: waisting money and developing a bigger flinch. I would wager 95% of all shooters will shoot more accurately with 100 gr than 150 grains IN THE FIELD.

Anyone who says you NEED more than 100 gr of black powder equivalent to kill ANY contiental US game has taken one too many anabolic steroids. Heard of the 45-70? 45 caliber with 70 gr of blackpowder. How many buffalo died to the caliber?

Certain long bullets may require higher charges (higher velocity) for better accuracy, but for the most part you should be able to find an accurate load in the 90-110 gr range.

Why would you subject your shoulder to the extra jar and your pocketbook to the extra cost?

I'll just reiterate what everyone else in here has already said. Its just not needed. I've a CVA Wolf that likes 90 gr. American pioneer with a 245 gr. TC Cheap Shot, a traditions buckmaster that likes 100 gr of pyrodex pellets with a 250 gr XTP and a White mountain carbine that likes 95 gr. pyrodex with a 385gr. buffalo bullet. The first and third load have both dropped big deer and I'm gonna be on the second to do the same. Although I am thinking of going heavier.

ok i see what you guys are saying...any of you guys use the 777 magnum loads and does anyone have an idea on how much 2 pellets of the mag loads are equivalent to in loose powder?

I have shot magnum loads. Accuracy was acceptable. But normally I got better accuracy cutting the load down to around 100 grains. If I were hunting dangerous game, I guess I would want a large bullet with good expansion and as much powder behind it as possible.

Still we have hunting reports coming in where people shot elk with 90 grains of powder and found the projectile on the other side of the entrance wound, just under the hide.

Before the entire concept of magnum loads came about, we were happy shooting 70-100 grains of powder and hunting the same animals they hunt today with magnum charges.

So if your rifle shoots magnum charges accurate, and you don't mind the cost or recoil, then by all means shoot that. Actually a lot of us come close to magnum charges when we shoot 110-120 grains of loose powder. But again, shoot what the rifle tells you to shoot. I'd rather place my bullet through the heart then pound by bullet through a non lethal area.

I have an inline that shoots 70 grains and a 460 grain conical bullet. To me this is about a perfect deer hunting load where I hunt. I am not under gunned, and I know this will do the job. But I have rifles that will shoot magnum loads and depending on what I was facing, they might be an excellent choice.

Loose powder is considered to be about 15% stronger than the regular pellets. Magnum pellets bring it up between 10-15%, so bottom line is compare loose 777 one to one with magnum pellets.

Yes, same as in the leverrevolution ammo. Rumor is the lead is harder than the SST/SW and they may not expand as well but I'm trying them for a year to test in real life. I use the orange MMP sabot ordered online. Groups well at 135gr777, have shot out to 500yds with good groups.

I'm not as worried about expansion as much with a .458" 325gr bullet as I am with a 200gr .40 bullet. That's a big, wide bullet making a hole. Informed opinion to come in a couple months.

I never use more than 100 grains of anything 777 , Pyro or BH . I don't care if my Muzzy is a magnum or not . After shooting 100 grains of pyrodex in the winter and seeing Black powder all over the snow with my encore ( 26''' barrel ) i dropped my load to 90 and had nothing on the snow and that was with a 300 grain bullet . I bet most of the powder over 90 grains is going out un- burned with 26'' barrels and anything over 110 grains with 28'' barrels . IMO.