[MarkM]

Well looks like I drew a DH tag and will be muzzleloader hunting for the first time in about 4 years. I shot Pyrodx years ago but switched to BH209 when it first came out. I don't have much left and looks like it is very hard to find right now.

Thinking of just using Pyrodex this year but wondering about 777. Is it a big improvement over Pyrodex? Have heard about 777, the crud ring, and the need for cooler primers. Looks like the ML primers are hard to find as well. O have a ton of regular 209s I used with BH209. Will they give me issues with 777?

Also heard about breach removal being an issue. What are you guys coating your threads with?

Really thinking of just going with Pyrodex Select and be done with it LOL.

 

[BPturkeys]

Both will work great but I think 777 burns a little cleaner. Which ever you choose, be sure and go out and test a few loads.

Bore butter on all BP gun parts. Probably some other good stuff but I use bore butter. The secret is to clean your rifle..remove the breach plug...often.
As too primers, BPs are extremely safe and can withstand a huge amount of over-charging, so really the only issues is point of impact change due to a hotter primer. No hotter primer will be unsafe. Test all loads when you make any change to the formula.

 

[Critter]

You need to try both and see which one you like better as far as Pyodex or 777. My muzzle loader likes Bh209 but I am planning on trying 777 this summer unless the 209 comes back on the market.

Primers, use what you can find. A friend gave me 1000 Winchester 209's so that is what I have been using for the last dozen or so years. I figure as long as they work and I have them I'll use them.

On the breach plug, put some anti seize on it, and clean out the threads in the breach along with the threads on the plug. It doesn't take very much and a small tube of it will last you a very long time Then follow the directions from the rifles manufacture on how tight to tighten the plug. On some rifles it is just a 1/4 or 1/2 turn to lock it in, others it screws in quite a ways before it is tight. Also if your rifle has a tool to take the plug out carry it with you when hunting or a substitute, if it doesn't take a special tool I would pack a pair of 6" chanalock pliers. You never know what you might come up against when you are away from the tool box.

You didn't mention it but for maintenance out in the field I have a old fishing tackle box that I carry my muzzle loader supplies in along with the cleaning kit for it. It comes in quite handy if you have a problem and get back to your vehicle where you can work on it to get the problem taken care of and the tackle box keeps everything organized.

 

[taxidermist]

777 hands down.

 

[DallanC]

777 fouled just as much as pyro when I was testing it, still had to swab between shot. Accuracy wasn't as good as Pyro. I gave away the remaining half bottle and went back to RS.

Tried BH209, it was nearly as filthy as Pyro, still had to swab the barrel between shots! What is worse is BH209 is incredibly hydroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture, so you MUST clean the gun after shooting, same as with Pyro.

BH209 powder is FILTHY

So I converted my Remington 700ML over to a sealed breech design. Along with fixing what I consider a design issue with the gun, the breech is now "supported" which means I can try BH209. I finally got out to shoot the other night, primarily to make sure the ignition is reliable and bolt works...

www.utahwildlife.net

BH209 accuracy was on par with Pyro... its almost 3x the cost of a bottle of pyrodex. I sold all the full bottles of BH209 that I had, I have partial bottle I will probable never use. Back to pyrodex for me.

As for the regular 209 primers, they are dirtier than the Muzzle Loader types designed for pyrodex. You may run into the "crud ring" issue that plagued smokepole shooters from years past. Mag 209s are even worse for being dirty. BH209 has a higher temperature when burning, so that mitigates things a bit. But regular 209s or mag 209s with pyrodex or 777 will foul alot worse than the cleaner primers.

YMMV.

-DallanC

 

[Fowlmouth]

777 fff powder for me. A spit patch every 3 shots works well. A lot of guys use windex glass cleaner on patches to clean. Your 209 primers will work fine. I use standard 209 primers and have never experienced the "crud ring" often talked about when using 777. Knight breech plug grease has been good to me.
I see a lot of guys like Blackhorn, but I don't see a big difference between 777 and Blackhorn.

 

[TomU]

I'm using Triple 7 pellets and 209 primers in a CVA Wolf. I have to swab the barrel after 2 to 3 shots if I want to get the next bullet down it. Have not had any problems with the breech plug with this combination.