pyrodex

[tedmo]

Any one shooting pyrodex in a Ruger Old Army. I usually stick to Swiss but got FFG and FFFG pyrodex recently with a box of bits i bought. I know you use it equivelent by volume to b/p but have read somewhere that Ruger recomend 20grns for target shooting which seems quite a lot to me. Also is it the same load as 777.?
Tim

If we go on the principle that the ball must sit on the powder (BP or Pyrodex) and slightly compress it to leave no air gaps then the load recommended by Ruger seems sensible if you assume no wad or filler. However if you use a thick wad under the ball then you can use less powder and still compress it. Take the argument further and use an inert filler like semolina or soap-powder, then you could use 10 grains of Pyrodex and top up with enough filler so that the seated ball was a couple of mm below the chamber mouth compressing the powders beneath it. You are only trying to get the ball through a piece of card at 20-25 yds, and you can fine tune the load so you get the tightest group that you and the gun are capable of producing. Reproducibility of load shot after shot is a key factor. A plus factor in reducing the Pyrodex/BP quantity is the reduction in recoil which may help some people to tighten their groups. On a cost basis semolina is a lot cheaper volume for volume than Pyrodex or 777 or Swiss so you can save a bit on your shooting cost too!

777 and Pyrodex do not have the same reduction factors.

[tim56]

Many Thanks for the responces. Will load up some viles with various weights around the 10-14 grn mark and see how we go. I have a mold for the conical bullet but found them fiddley to load, never thought about using them backwards so will give that a go also.
I generally shoot 17 grns of Swiss so allowing a 20 per cent reduction 13.5 should be somewhere near. Tim

[john paul]

Pyrodex: I use 20grns (volume) in my .44 Remington s/s Euroarms. Experimented up to 24 grns, however 20grns pretty good.
Trex and beeswax mixture over ball. Tried wads - shop bought and made my own and various fillers, but settled on aforementioned.
Tried various types of caps, but find Remington number 11's the best.

When using Pyrodex get the gun cleaned well as quick as possible. VERY IMPORTANT IT IS MORE CORROSIVE THAN REAL BLACK POWDER. You may be better going down the 777 avenue, its not as corrosive.

I know someone who has a La Page and forgot to clean it after using 777 - left it for a week NO adverse effects whatsoever. 777 more ooomph though, I think 20% more than B/P and Pyrodex.