How to measure powder

[joshua 35 whelen]

I just recently purchased a black synthetic stock stainless tc omega.  I also bought some granulated FFFG 777 powder.  Do you measure the loads of 100 grains with your reloading powder measure scale or one of those brass looking by volume scales?  I also got a nikon BDC 3x9x40 to put on it, I haven't  got ths bases and rings for it yet but did notice the one piece base with the rings attached whick looked good in low, medium, and high.  Which one of those is reccomended?  Any other tricks to making this thing shoot?  I have heard of bedding the stock, so how effective will that be to make it more rigid?  Should I just hunt with it like it is and start this bedding work later?  Is one of those grey laminate thumbholes a better deal?  For the 2 weeks I will use it an extra 200.00 doesn't seem reasonable.  I was going to start with a load of of 100grns to a 250grn knight red hot sabot with a barnes expander.  Any info will surely help me out.  Got the gun new for 349.99, the scope was 169, and the powder was 19.00 with the sabots and bullets at 6 dollars a pack.  I bought 5 of those.

[Redhawk1]

I just recently purchased a black synthetic stock stainless tc omega.  I also bought some granulated FFFG 777 powder.  Do you measure the loads of 100 grains with your reloading powder measure scale or one of those brass looking by volume scales?  I also got a nikon BDC 3x9x40 to put on it, I heaven't  got ths bases and rings for it yet but did notice the have that one piece base with the rings attached whick looked good in low, medium, and high.  Which one of those is reccomended?  Any other tricks to making this thing shoot?  I have heard of bedding the stock, so how effective will that be to make it more rigid?  Should I just hunt with it like it is and start this bedding work later?  Is one of those grey laminate thumbholes a better deal?  For the 2 weeks I will use it an extra 200.00 doesn't seem reasonable.  I was going to start with a load of of 100grns to a 250grn knight red hot sabot with a barnes expander.  Any info will surely help me out.  Got the gun new for 349.99, the scope was 169, and the powder was 19.00 with the sabots and bullets at 6 dollars a pack.  I bought 5 of those.

Use the brass volume measure, if you plan one using the Nikon BDC scope and 250 gr. bullets as recommended, use 120 gr. of loose triple 7. That is equal to 3 triple 7 pellets.
I have the Nikon BDC scope also and use 120 gr. of loose triple 7 and T/C's 250 gr. Bonded shock wave sabots. That is the recommend load that works with the BDC system. Your impact may be fin with 100 gr. of loose powder but the BDC will not work as well as with the recommended load of 120 gr. of loose triple 7 or 3 of the 50 gr. triple 7 pellets. I would get the Warne one piece steel scope base and rings.
As far as bedding the gun, wait tell you shot it and see how it works out, then make that determination.

[joshua 35 whelen]

Does the powder FFG and FFFG make a difference?  The bottle says 100grains is a max load and gets the 250 grain sabots about 1971fps.

[Biff Mayhem]

Very little energy difference between 777 FFF and FF using around 100 grains with a 250 gr. sabot. You may find almost the exact same FF vertical target holes using only five grains less of FFF.

You can weigh your powder after volume measuring it first. For instance - pour 100 grains in the volume measurer - then transfer it to the weight measurer. Then take a reading & use that reading number afterwards for all your individual powder allocations. Personally, I would take three different volume measurements to get an average weight number - then use the number that falls in-between all three readings.

I know... I like to take extra steps sometimes - that others may feel is unnecessary..

[Redhawk1]

Does the powder FFG and FFFG make a difference?  The bottle says 100grains is a max load and gets the 250 grain sabots about 1971fps.

Most of what I see is, FFG. The bottle has a 100 gr. max because some muzzleloader's are not designed for a 150 gr. load.
100 gr. of loose triple 7 is more than 2 of the 50 gr. triple 7 pellets.  85 gr. of loose triple 7 equals 2  of the 50 gr. pellets. That was why I said 120 gr. of loose triple 7 with the 250 gr. bullet. It would be the same as 3 triple 7 pellets. That is what the Encore and Omega muzzleloader's are rated for. Also that is what the Nikon Omega BDC scope is match to so the BDC works properly.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Just remember that most rifles shoot best with 100 grains of powder or less. Sometimes they love 110-120, some like 80-90 grains. Just gotta start off with a 85 grain load and go from there and find its sweet spot. When i try new bullets i start off with 70 grains and 25 yards and see where its at and up the charge as i work out farther.

[Redhawk1]

Just remember that most rifles shoot best with 100 grains of powder or less. Sometimes they love 110-120, some like 80-90 grains. Just gotta start off with a 85 grain load and go from there and find its sweet spot. When i try new bullets i start off with 70 grains and 25 yards and see where its at and up the charge as i work out farther.

You may be correct, but for the BDC on the new Omega scope, it needs to have a certain speed and a 250 gr. projectile to work properly.  That was my point to began with.
I have one Encore that I use 90 gr. of loose triple 7 powder and 195 gr. bullet and I get great results with it. But I also just have a Leupold scope on it, not the Nikon BDC scope.  But he can use the scope with the cross hairs and not worry about the BDC in the scope also.

[simonkenton]

Just use your brass powder measure. Most guys don't weigh powder for muzzleloaders. I am not saying you are wrong to weigh it, but most guys find it unnecessary.

[Redhawk1]

If you decide to weight it with a scale. Know the difference. 100 gr. by volume is not 100 gr. of actual weight.  There is a big difference and should new be confused. If you want to make it simple use the volume measure.

[Double 30]

Charging by volume is fine so long as you do so with consistency.Triple 7 has more power than black or pyrodex.For example , I shoot 70 gr 3f T7 in my Omega under a 250 gr T/C Cheap Shot.My velocity is the same as 85 gr of 2f black, so with this powder an extra grain or 2 can be significant in terms of accuracy.I have a shuttle valve that screws on a powder can and a measure that fits inside the neck of the valve.I insert the measure , push the valve and count 3.I then shake the can/measure slightly, 3 times.Doing this the same way 70 gr volume is 54 grn actual weight and checking 10 charges they never varied more than 1/2 grain.That is also one of the best things about T7.You use less powder than black or Pyro, I pay $17./lb for T7 and this volume/weight difference makes it extremely economical.