Pyro-p in 54 hawken

[jpaulghetto]

I bought an lb of pyrodex P for my old army 4 yrs. ago.  I have 3/4 lb left. My pistol doesn't like it. (Now theres an understatement]. Anyway, to burn it up I thought maybe my 54 hawken. Will be shootin an R.E.A.L. Lee cast bullet, about 368 gr. as cast. Any thoughts? This will be targets only. TIA, Jeff

[johnt]

well the stuff is supposed to be like fff bp powder,so the pressures are different. Some folks do use 3f in largebores but I've always felt it's not nessesary.
Just my humble opinion,but 4yr old pyrodrek behind REAL seems an awfull waste of good lead, I think you'll find your rifle doesn't like it either.
I'd toss the stuff and mark it up too the learning curve. Or give it to some other feller so he can learn also.
p.s.,,,,
I have NEVER used up old powder by rolling a little up in newspaper with cannon fuse and making firecrackers,it would be far too dangerous :wink:

[jpaulghetto]

Thanks for the advice johnt. If I can't find a load for itI'll give it away. Something in my genes wont allow me to through it away. As for firecrackers, theres probablly some silly-a** federal law regarding "the manufacture of explosive devices".  They take the fun outa everything!

[johnt]

Well ok,
I have a .54 cabelas Hawkin and it's book says:
DO NOT EXEED
80grs by volume of fffg using .535 round ball
70grs of fffg using a 405gr Maxi-ball.
With all their disclaimer stuff.

With ffg I can go to 100 for ball and 90 with a maxi,I've found my best accuracy to be just over 80gr of 2f 777 using PRB.(just an example of not needing MAX loads) The darn thing won't shoot a maxiball fer hoot,besides I'm not partial to the kick with them heavy loads.

 Good luck,be safe :-)

[LOG EYE]

Howdy jpaul: I' recommend  getting rid of the Pyro-P down the drain with lots of running water!!  That powder will  degrade this long after opening the container.  Hey,johnt!!!  I know I'm a few days short ,but I'd sure like to know what patch you are using with that 80gr 2F 777 load. I tried just 45 gr 2F 777 in my .54 using a .220 patch and it shredded the patch!! It never does that even with 80gr 2F goex. I use hot soaked bore butter in the patch as lube.  I hope this isn't too late for a responce, I've got 5 lbs of the 777 :eek:

[johnt]

Hey Log Eye,
        I use  Dutch Schultz' Method 'dry lube',aka: the secret papers.
 Now that Cabelas gun has a chrome lined bore, and it did shred patches till I shot it a bunch. I use a tightly woven cotton denim (like bluejeans) that measures .024 and crushes to .0115, lubed 1-7,one tween shot swap using a cotton .22 cleaning square wet with spit. I found 80gr to be the most accurate, beyond that the groups spread. The outside of the patch ends up a bit tattered,yet the center is intact with just that proper redish burn circle and tiny cuts from the rifling lands. If I don't swab,then the patch shreds to pieces. This is cut at the muzzle,strip patching.
       It's a darn snug fit,this patch and a .535 ball.
777 is hotter and performs way different than Goex, don't mixm',start with a clean bore,if you had a good load at 80 with Goex,I'd drop back to around 70 to find the same results.
       I've been messing with Swiss of late and find it a real pleasure to use.
I did have to add just a bit more lube for the Swiss,1-6
I hope this helps sum

[LOG EYE]

Thanks for the reply, johnt!!!  I'll be at the range for leagues this Wed so I'll give this receipe a try.  

[Charlie Detroit]

You guys that are having trouble with shredded or cut patches are using bores that are too "fresh"; they're still kinda "raw" inside. When a machinist makes a corner, he always "breaks the edge", usually with a little hand tool that hardly takes any metal off at all. Newly-cut rifling is the same way, and the old-timers (not all of 'em, some were EXTREMELY careful machinists, and made their cutters do the job) would usually make up a plug and use a fine-grain abrasive on it to break the sharp edges of the rifling. If you don't like that idea, a piece of fine-cut (000) steel wool run in and out a few times will do the job. Remember, you're not trying to wear OUT the bore; you're trying to wear it IN!