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Old April 20, 2012, 07:19 AM   #1
Doc Hoy
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Pellets...So as not to highjack another thread

What is the advantage to Pellets over loose powder?
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Old April 20, 2012, 08:13 AM   #2
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In my oberservation just easier to load, no measuring, but when seating the ball in the ROA I cant keep from crushing them. Its hard for me to feel when the ball is just touching the pellet after getting over that slight rough spot when the ball shaves the ring of lead. So loose powder it is for me.
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Old April 20, 2012, 08:36 AM   #3
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I don't see the point really of using pellets. Part of the fun with BP is pouring in the powder into each chamber 'as they had to do back then'. Not looking for reload speed here. Each to their own though. . Got to admit though... I do 'cheat' a little bit at the bench. I use dippers to slightly speed up the process instead of flask to measure, then measure to chamber. Just dip and pour. I don't have to set the gun down in the process.
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Old April 20, 2012, 08:46 AM   #4
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Quote:
Part of the fun with BP is pouring in the powder into each chamber 'as they had to do back then'. Not looking for reload speed here. Each to their own though.
Well Said Sir, well said. Well I speed it up by loading from my 30 grain spout ON my flask opps I said it again
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Old April 20, 2012, 08:53 AM   #5
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Here is a contraption I came up with some time ago.

I call it my "highly irregular, profoundly dangerous (but I don't care) Rube Goldberg, telescoping powder measure.

Made it from a cut-off treso spout, a hunk of lucite rod, some aluminum stock, a tiny ring of felt for the seal and a CVA1400 flask. (Also fits a Treso)

Can't see it from the photo but the plunger is graduated for different charges.









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Old April 20, 2012, 09:15 AM   #6
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Some but not much !!!

Quote:
What is the advantage to Pellets over loose powder?
Fairly general question but the only advantage I have seen, is as deerslayer has listed about ease of loading. ...

However, personally, I see more disadvantaqes than loose powder, although slight. I like the feel of loading loose as I can better access what is going on. ..

Be Safe !!!
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Old April 20, 2012, 09:19 AM   #7
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30gr every time isn't for me.

I like the control I have when loading powder. I don't really have a pet load. I am another who uses the Lee scoops and I'll use half of the set during a good session at the loading table, just playing with the charges and various fillers.
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Old April 20, 2012, 03:05 PM   #8
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What is the advantage to Pellets over loose powder?

ain't none. period.
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Old April 20, 2012, 03:13 PM   #9
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From the videos I've seen on you tube pellets aren't very consistent, plus they're expensive. IMHO they're not worth the trouble.
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Old April 20, 2012, 04:51 PM   #10
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Every product has its pluses and minuses.

Whether most folks want to use them or not, Pyrodex pellets are capable of functioning perfectly well.
That can mean more convenient loading in the field without as much potential for spillage as with loose powder.
Since they're formed and compressed by machine, they have some degree of consistent density and overall length which can in turn contribute to more consistent loading by helping to eliminate those variables.

Pyrodex pellets worked just fine in the 2 Remingtons in this video, and they produced a lot of smoke too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGkxQ...layer_embedded

Last edited by arcticap; April 20, 2012 at 05:02 PM.
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Old April 20, 2012, 07:57 PM   #11
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there is no advantage. They cost more, you get less, you cant fine tune your loads and they suck up moisture like crazy because they are "sealed" so poorly.
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Old April 20, 2012, 09:18 PM   #12
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They really ought to just go ahead and glue a bullet to the top of each pellet so you don't have to mess with separate bullets and pellets. And while they are at it, might as well just enclose the powder charge in some sort of a metal case that happens to hold the percussion cap and can be inserted and removed from the rear of a through bored cylinder.
Nah, that idea will never catch on!
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Old April 20, 2012, 09:32 PM   #13
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Jeez B.L.E., what have you been smoking to come up with all these far fetched ideas?
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Old April 20, 2012, 10:16 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawg Haggen
Jeez B.L.E., what have you been smoking to come up with all these far fetched ideas?
Black powder smoke, lots of black powder smoke. Last week I attended the 16th annual Red River Renegades all muzzleloading shotgun trap, skeet, and sporting clays event. Burned at least two pounds of powder and the 25 pound bag of shot I took now only has 7 pounds of shot left.
I got the prize for most birds broken in trap. My shoulder is still tender.
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Old April 21, 2012, 12:33 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FrontierGander
they suck up moisture like crazy because they are "sealed" so poorly.
That may be true, but an old powder container can be used to seal them better until they're needed.
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Old April 21, 2012, 12:39 AM   #16
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and let them roll around and chip chunks of powder off? Nooo way! blackhorn209, cant get any better.
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Old April 21, 2012, 02:59 AM   #17
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Blackhorn takes a 209 primer to set it off and it's the most expensive stuff you can get.
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Old April 21, 2012, 06:13 AM   #18
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I have only used BH209 in my heretical heathern breechloading guns. It don't even smoke properly and the smoke smells all wrong.

I'm holding out for Blackhorn 209 pellets with a bullet already glued the the front.
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Old April 21, 2012, 06:59 AM   #19
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Ok BLE so now you got me thinking. The pellets may be an easy way to make paper cartridges, since they are not as big as the cylinder. Things that make you go hmmmm
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Old April 21, 2012, 08:45 AM   #20
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Pellets are easy to store, carry and load, and the accuracy is normally good enough for hunting purposes. And that's where the $$$ is.

I have shot some great groups out of my Remington Model 700 MLS .50 with Pyrodex pellets. Such as a 0.625" 3-shot group at 100 yards with two 50-grain Pyrodex pellets and a 295-grain Powerbelt Aerotip.

But...they tend to be good for a year and then performance drops off, as they are moisture-suckers.
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Old April 21, 2012, 09:53 AM   #21
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Well for one thing

Pellets eliminate the need for "highly irregular, profoundly dangerous (but I don't care) Rube Goldberg, telescoping powder measure! If you let them go stale, who's fault is that? The only powder I know of that lasts is real holy black. Whatever they use to morph black to pyrodex pulls moisture, or so I've heard. I'm from NM, so what's a moisture? Also, it's easier to find Jesus, than a can of real black. Pellets grow on trees it seems. What full blooded mountain man doesn't appreciate ease and convenience?
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Old April 21, 2012, 11:35 AM   #22
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I have only used BH209 in .45 Colt cartridges. Works great there. Cleanup is non-existent compared to 777. On the otherhand, 777 us much cheaper ... so guess what I use .
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Old April 21, 2012, 01:15 PM   #23
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Quote:
777 us much cheaper ... so guess what I use .
Pyrodex is almost half the cost of 777 so guess what I use.
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Old April 22, 2012, 02:53 PM   #24
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I got into this hobby/sport to slow down the waste of ammo and to get to handle my guns more!
By loading loose powder I get 5 or 6 chances more to handle my revolvers every cylinderfull. I also get to weigh each chamber to exactlly the charge I have found works best. I load the measure and tap it a little to set the powder to a leveled spout full. This is the closest to actually weighing each charge I can get and considering the accuracy of the revolvers I shoot, gives me a VERY consistant load.
Using loose powder and a felt wad I can be assured of no airgaps or voids around the powder charge as I seat the ball home. I fear incomplete crushing of the pills and fear getting an airgap by a partilly crushed pill. I load for consistancy and depend on it for accuracy.
I'm in no hurry to get my cylinders reloaded and can afford the extremes I deploy since I am not under fire as were our forefathers. I can understand their necessarilly hurried reloading tactics.
For our purposes, just what are we in a hurry to reload for anyhow? One can reload with loose powder within a reasonable time for CAS Shooting and especally for plinking or small game hunting.
JMHO,
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Old April 29, 2012, 09:01 PM   #25
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Problem I'm seeing is all of the local gun shops near me have stopped carrying loose powder of any kind. All they have now is pellets. When I asked why, I was told by a sales person that admitted to not even liking muzzleloaders: "because they'er better"
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