Triple 7 powder???

[Elktrack]

I’m considering trying Triple 7 powder in my muzzleloader. Usually run FF black powder but I’m out and can’t find any. Have used pyrodex in the past and don’t particularly love it. I usually shoot 100 grain loads but have read that 777 is hotter and some guys reduce loads to adjust accordingly.

I’m required to shoot loose powder here otherwise I’d plop a couple pellets down the tube and call it good.

Any experienced feedback is appreciated.

 

[huntnpack]

Are you shooting an in-line? 209 ignition? Clean it well, with special attention to the first couple inches from the breech. 777 is known for a “crud” ring in certain conditions in certain muzzleloaders. Especially hotter 209 in lines. Shot it a lot. It worked.

 

[Elktrack]

In-line with #11 caps. 209’s aren’t legal here. Crud ring doesn’t sound too cool. I keep my muzzleloaders good and clean but I don’t want to intentionally shoot something that is prone to being nasty dirty.

Did you reduce the load at all compared to black powder or pyrodex loads?

 

[huntnpack]

You may have some ignition issues with #11s, you may not. I think I basically generated brand new loads based on accuracy with 777, but yes it’s hotter. It’s cleaner than bp and pyrodex, so I wouldn’t say nasty dirty, but the crud ring is definitely “a thing”.

 

[Elktrack]

Copy that.
Thank you!

 

[winmag]

777 produces more energy than black powder, and is more difficult to ignite. But it can be shot with #11s fine, unlike Blackhorn 209. You’ll likely need to work up new loads because it will be much faster.

Regarding fouling, 777 is similar to black powder in that both leave behind about 50% of their weight as non-combusted, solid residue within the barrel or blasted out of the barrel onto the ground. However for 777 that 50% unburned material is less fouling than black powder because a 100 grain volumetric charge of 777 is less by actual weight. In other words, you still have about 50% of the garbage left, but you start with less garbage to burn in the first place. 777 does seem to have particularly hard fouling though, leading to stuck breech plugs if not cleaned often.

 

[Bullshot]

777 is peppier than BP. I reduce BP load by 15% when using 777. For a trad gun I stick with FF granulation and lower the charge from what I’d use in an in-line.

In my inline, I use the finer FFF. Again a little more energetic than FF and easier to ignite reliably. My max is a 100 grain charge behind a 300 grain sabot. 150-yard load. My gun could take more, but I don’t need it.

Behind a big conical (460 grain), I reduce that load to 75 to 85 gr of FFF and am good to 100 yards.

 

[95tigerbill]

I have had excellent results with 777. Loaded around 90 grains. It does leave more residue than Blackhorn 209 but ignites well with caps and cleans up with water.

 

[elkduds]

Used 777 in my sidelock Hawken and inline CVA for patched ball and full bore bullets. Excellent results. At the range about every 3-4 shots I jagged a patch w ammonia (think Windex) from the muzzle.

 

[Sheltowee]

You might take a peek at Shooters World Multi-Purpose Black. I picked up a can to toy around with this fall but haven't had it out yet. My understanding is that it ignites with a No. 11 and less fouling than the aforementioned Triple 7 crud ring.

 

[Two7D]

Does leave some crud in the barrel but it wipes off 10x easier than pyrodex. I've been shooting it since it came out. It has always been available when I needed it. I've probably used it on 9 or so successful deer hunts and two successful elk hunts. Good accuracy and velocity.