Author Topic: pyrodex (Read 698 times)

Flint · « **on:** July 26, 2004, 06:42:33 PM »

Tried my (Uberti) 1860's this weekend with 30 gr Pyrodex pellets, to see if and how well they work. It sure makes loading faster! I dropped in a pellet and a Wonder Wad in 5 then topped with a 454 ball. You can feel the pellet break when you run the rammer down. Remington #10's on Treso nipples lit them off without a problem. Fouling is not as heavy as BP, but the noise and smoke are equivalent. Ran several stages without the cylinders freezing up. The cylinder pins were coated with Bore Butter and the rest of the moving parts with Ballistol.

I had previously never been impressed with Pyrodex in a front loader, as it seemed like it didn't burn right. It works well in a cartridge, probably because the compression is better, Anyway, the pellet seems to burn better than loose powder.

Pogue · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2004, 05:31:04 AM »

I used to use Pyrodex all the time, but have since gone back to BP. Mainly because BP is a lot cheaper! I've never really noticed much difference in accuracy, but always thought BP lit easier (I'm sure you know never to use Pyrodex in a flintlock!).

Flint · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2004, 07:19:58 AM »

Agree, Pyrodex is harder to light, and should use "magnum: caps, which only CCI makes. Since CCI caps don't fit the same as Remington, I don't use them. I always saw Pyrodex as burning inconsistantly from chamber to chamber except in cartridges. The pellets, however, seem to perform better. Black Powder still performs better in a cap & ball.

Ramrod · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2004, 01:37:26 PM »

Flint, can tell us the price per pound on them pellets? You could probably hire someone to load your gun for you for the differance! :lol:

Flint · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2004, 07:14:29 PM »

It looks like about $.21 a shot at the price I paid, at a shop that doesn't discount. At the price of loose powder, should be about $.07 a shot. Black powder would be about $.05 a shot. So the presumption is the pellets are way too expensive to be practical. Even at a more reasonable price I've seen them at in another store, it would be about $.16 a shot.

I never recommended using the pellets, just reporting on how they shot. When this jar is empty, I will probably not buy more. Nor do I like Pyrodex in a cap & ball or muzzle loading rifle. I think it performs OK in a cartridge. Real black powder works best in cap & ball guns and muzzle loaders. 777 is too hot, and cleanshot is hard to measure because it clumps.

Dan Chamberlain · « **Reply #5 on:** August 01, 2004, 04:53:15 AM »

Since 777 came along, I have all but stopped using Pyro. Not because it's bad stuff, but because I spend so much time in the field I want a gun I can shoot all day without having to worry about cleaning until long after dark around the campfire. I might take a couple of squirrels in the early dawn, a few rabbits I chase out of their thickets at noon and more squirrels just before dark. 777 burns so clean and pure I don't worry about it. Maybe I'm being overly paranoid, but when I shot with black and pyro I would feel compelled to do a cleaning at lunch time and a nother at the end of the day. With 777, I don't. Plus, I really believe 777 gives me a few extra pounds of Oooommmphhh. I have a .36 caliber ball from a Navy go clean through the chest of a fox!

Dan C