Confused... Black powder?

[Deep C]

Last season I finally knuckled under and decided at a very beginner level to dip into the world of black powder. This gives me a couple extra weeks of pig hunting down here and worth the pain in the ass of loading cleaning etc.

I was originally worried about the open bolt thing getting me off balance or out of rythm. I overcame that better than I thought.

I just got back from the range. I only took a few shots as I havn't yet graduated to power belts and I had to tear down and clean between shots. I guess the first question would be why power belts run so much cleaner than regular sabot to where I wouldn't have to tear down after each shot and clean the beast ???

The next question... I was told by several that runninmg two pellets of pyrodex is better than three. I tried this and indeed it sends the round down range at what seems to me to be faster speed and far more accurate. I dug the slugs out of the back stop and the 2 pellet one was far more mushroomed. In fact almost to the point of flaking it expanded so much. The three pellet load was just kinda smushed? So how does this work?

That confuses me much in the same way as some other loads in the regular world do. How is it that a heavy 12 guage slug can develop nearly 2000fps at the muzzle with about three quarter inch load of powder pushing it. Then you take a light aerodynamic 30-06 with two and a half inches of powder running it and it only has 800 fps more?

[Finishing Touch]

What kind of smoke pole are you shooting? As well as powder and bullet type and grain?

I used to shoot clean bore powder but it was not in pellet form. I went to the pyrodex 50 grain pellets and found them to work ok with only a patch run through every 3 shots. As for shhoting 2 vs 3 pellets. If you get the bullet going to fast it will become unstable and begin to tumble. You can tell for sure if you are tumbling by shooting through paper as you would tune a bow.

The last question you asked about a 12 guage vs a .30-06 it mainly has to do with the type of powder used. Some powders burn hotter, creat more pressue and burn longer than others. My buddies reload alot of centerfire stuff and they have several different powders that they use. h1000 powder for my 7mm stw, imr4064 for .243, varget for .223, varget for .22-250. Try getting and reading a hornady reloading book.

[Dave Sikorski]

FT explained the 2 vs. 3 thing right on.

I shoot a TC omega w/ 777 pellets and 295 grain powerbelts.

I don't know that powerbelts are cleaner, but I know they're a great bullet. No pieces to lose, and they have a great variety of rounds to choose from.

Get rid of the pyrodex and go with 777....it's the shit....and much cleaner.

777 is a great powder that cleans up w/ soap and water. When I shoot I use T/C cleaning pads and a dry patch. It's shoot.... dry patch, and shoot.... dry patch, shoot.....repeat....Take care of that bore and it will take care of you. After I'm finished for the day I run a cleaning patch then a dry patch or three then one w/ bore butter down hatch to coat the bore and make it happy until it's time to shoot again. I also clean the nipple and breach plug w/ the t/c wet patches.

When I'm ready to go again it's dry patch, shoot a primer....then load and put some meat on the ground.

http://www.sportfishermen.com/files/...ct_24_2006.wmv

Nothing finer than seeing your kill on the ground as the smoke clears.

Welcome to the club.

-D

[Deep C]

I'm just begining with a cva... Bullet from 3 pellet load didn't appear to "key hole" as such but went well left. That's not to say its not tumbling or unstable on the way down range...
I'm sling 50 cal shockwave 250gr sabots...

On the 12 ga vs 06 question I was referring to say remington factory stuff. I know you can turn up the heat on the 06. I have a buddy that dressed me some hot ones in 150 and 165 nosler then dressed some down for 180 "brush" rounds...

as for the clean after each shot ... just following manufacturer directions to a tee... They say you dont need to with the power belts...

[skirt chaser]

I have been shooting one for years . I even use it during our general firearms season .

I use 245 grain copper jacketed sabots and 100 grains of 777 ffg powder . you want to tamp the powder down before loading your bullet it will help with grouping . at the range you just need to run a patch down the barrel a couple of times to clean it between each shot .

one thing I have noticed is to try to take at least 5 mins between shots , the barrel does get hot and it helps with your grouping to let the barrel cool some before each shot .

after the range time clean it well with soap and water . I will load my gun the day before hunting season , and leave it loaded until the season is out . just make sure not to leave primer on it when stored .

do you store your gun in a ac cooled area ? if so move it out to the garage or another area that is close to the outside temps . muzzleloaders will sweat going from hot to cold temps or vice a versa . I leave mine out in the barn until I stop using it to hunt with .

good luck using your smokepole , I love hunting with mine .
Kevin

[Finishing Touch]

do you store your gun in a ac cooled area ? if so move it out to the garage or another area that is close to the outside temps . muzzleloaders will sweat going from hot to cold temps or vice a versa . I leave mine out in the barn until I stop using it to hunt with.
Kevin

I do the same and leave mine outside until I am done hunting.

As for cleaning I use shooters choice #7 solvent to get all the fouling out. I shot 100 loads before I found 1 I like for my Remingtom 700ml. I am shooting 2, 50 grain pyrodex pellets with a 185 grain pistol bullet in a sabot. Deadly to 200.

[Deep C]

Last year I only got to poke around out in the field twice. Too late after season start. I'm gonna be on station early this season. We have had 10 inches of rain over the last few days so the place is gonna be wet and force the animals into some tighter dry areas. I got a strong feeling opening morn should produce a piggie for me in one of three different spots.

Two pellets is the same as 100 grains. Judging from that slug I would say that that thing packs some impressive stopping power. I would love nothing more than to pop a porker with it...

Living here I'm well aware of the a/c and ciondensation thing... I keep it in my office where its warmer than the rest of the house. Then move to the garage. I leave it loaded without primer too...

[Going Deep]

For all you black powder shooters, try this formula for easy clean up. One part peroxide, one part rubbing alcohol and one part murphy's oil. Couple of friends who shoot smokepoles year round turned me on to this and darn if it doesn't do a great job.


Has anyone tried any of the American Pioneer powder sticks? I went this route last year with my Encore with good groupings and a lot less clean up. I found I could shoot upwards of 10 or more rounds before running a patch. Was wondering how it compared to the 777

[Dave Sikorski]

I won't change from my 777 it's great stuff and cleans up very easy.

I'm not sure what's in the T/C cleaning patches, again no complaints, but i'd imagine it can easily be reproduced at home.

-D

[Deep C]

Like I said... I'm new. The two pyrodex pellet load seems to be the right one for this gun. No issues with groups though I havn't ran very many rounds out there. Better with two more mushroom and better accuracy.
I havn't had a cleaning issue. Use the solvent in the kit, use the lube, and get on with life. I have no idea why they say to clean after each sabot but can go several on the powerbelts... I'm tempted to try at least a second round before a clean but would hate like hell to have something go wrong...