Measuring Hodgdon's Triple Seven Powder Question?

[TRR]

Hi guys, I'm from Illinois. Going elk hunting next yr in Colo, I hope! I always use 777 pellets in Illinois. Colo law is LOOSE only. So I started yesterday trying to work up some loads.
I've been a muzzloader shooter since the 80's. Back then we measured grs of Blackpowder in a powder measure, and dumped it into the barrel.
Well I was going to start at 90grs for starters to get a group. When I measured 90grs in my OLD blackpowder measure, I got 28grs approx on my Digital scale.
My digital scale is Grams/Grains. It is on GRAINS.
So I measured a 777 pellet. It weighs 30.5 grs on my digital scale.
So 2 pellets weigh 61 grs.
The pellets are supposed to be (1) pellet 50grs, (2) pellets 100grs, (3) pellets 150grs.
Digital scale for (3) pellets is 91.5 grs.
777 says on the box 50gr.vol equivalent.
Question is How do I measure 100grs and 150grs loose to practice with.
Or, if I have found 130grs shoots superior, how do I measure it?
Thanks for your help!
Feel really DUMB here!
TRR

 

[ENCORE]

Hi guys, I'm from Illinois. Going elk hunting next yr in Colo, I hope! I always use 777 pellets in Illinois. Colo law is LOOSE only. So I started yesterday trying to work up some loads.
I've been a muzzloader shooter since the 80's. Back then we measured grs of Blackpowder in a powder measure, and dumped it into the barrel.
Well I was going to start at 90grs for starters to get a group. When I measured 90grs in my OLD blackpowder measure, I got 28grs approx on my Digital scale.
My digital scale is Grams/Grains. It is on GRAINS.
So I measured a 777 pellet. It weighs 30.5 grs on my digital scale.
So 2 pellets weigh 61 grs.
The pellets are supposed to be (1) pellet 50grs, (2) pellets 100grs, (3) pellets 150grs.
Digital scale for (3) pellets is 91.5 grs.
777 says on the box 50gr.vol equivalent.
Question is How do I measure 100grs and 150grs loose to practice with.
Or, if I have found 130grs shoots superior, how do I measure it?
Thanks for your help!
Feel really DUMB here!
TRR

Do NOT compare the weights of a pellet vs loose propellant, which would be very dangerous. I'm not certain what the conversion number is but, some guys have used a conversion number for using loose T7 and converting it to GRAINS. Problem is, nothing about T7 is uniform. T7 can have extreme pressure spikes.

I would highly recommend you just use VOLUME as a reference and NOT weight, when using T7 loose propellant. Most have started using the T/C clear volume measure, as it seems to be the most accurate.

 

[TRR]

Do NOT compare the weights of a pellet vs loose propellant, which would be very dangerous. I'm not certain what the conversion number is but, some guys have used a conversion number for using loose T7 and converting it to GRAINS. Problem is, nothing about T7 is uniform. T7 can have extreme pressure spikes.

I would highly recommend you just use VOLUME as a reference and NOT weight, when using T7 loose propellant. Most have started using the T/C clear volume measure, as it seems to be the most accurate.

Thanks for the reply! I looked up the T/C measure. Its the same as (3) of my brass blackpowder measures from the old days except clear.
Sooooooo, as long as I put 90grs of 777 in the powder measure, per the 90 gr increment, and dump in the barrel just as I do with Blackpowder I'm good to go!
Thanks very much!
I think I confused myself as I started to use American pioneer, awhile back. It says on the container, match gr for gr as you would with Blackpowder. So I started to weigh my loads to make them consistant as possible. That was for Blackpowder cartridge bullets.
Thanks again Terry

 

[BountyHunter]

do yourself a great big favor and get some Blackhorn 209 and forget 777. BH 209 was replaced 777 several years ago.

You will avoid the 777 crud ring and get more uniform MV. You can load and shoot 15-20 times in most guns without cleaning also. Plus it does not deteriorate from one year to the other like 777.

It will max out around 120 grains (volume) and equals 150 gr 777

 

[ENCORE]

CO may not allow BH during some seasons???

 

[TRR]

do yourself a great big favor and get some Blackhorn 209 and forget 777. BH 209 was replaced 777 several years ago.

You will avoid the 777 crud ring and get more uniform MV. You can load and shoot 15-20 times in most guns without cleaning also. Plus it does not deteriorate from one year to the other like 777.

It will max out around 120 grains (volume) and equals 150 gr 777

Got some Blackhorn already! Tried in my Austin Halleck. Acted like a Flintlock! Found out I need a different B/Plug.
So, I tried in my CVA Wolf, same thing, new breechplug is ordered and on the way. Even though they shot funny, YES, much, much cleaner! Very impressed!
Can't wait to get my breechplug and try out some Thor bullets w/BH.
Thanks for the input!
Terry

 

[FrontierGander]

Its perfectly legal in colorado.

 

[WildRose]

CO may not allow BH during some seasons???

Why wouldn't they it's a loose powder?

 

[ENCORE]

Why wouldn't they it's a loose powder?

Some of the western states have much different laws than the mid-west or east

 

[trebark]

Got some Blackhorn already! Tried in my Austin Halleck. Acted like a Flintlock! Found out I need a different B/Plug.
So, I tried in my CVA Wolf, same thing, new breechplug is ordered and on the way. Even though they shot funny, YES, much, much cleaner! Very impressed!
Can't wait to get my breechplug and try out some Thor bullets w/BH.
Thanks for the input!
Terry

Why do you need another breech plug?

Also, remember that all pellets are measured as 50grain EQUIVALENTS. This means that the amount of powder in the pellet will match the performance of 50grains of blackpowder. So the weight of the pellet is irrelevant.

 

[TRR]

Why do you need another breech plug?

Also, remember that all pellets are measured as 50grain EQUIVALENTS. This means that the amount of powder in the pellet will match the performance of 50grains of blackpowder. So the weight of the pellet is irrelevant.

Got it on the 50 grain match, same as Black powder. Thanks!
Blackhorn advertises that a different breech is needed.
The standard plug has a real small needle size hole.
The Blackhorn Breechplug has a huge 1/2"-3/4" hole for primer flash.
Why??? I don't know.
Tried it with standard plug and it goes..... LIL Baby POW (like you just hear the primer flash),
then a BIG Kaboom!
Just like a flintlock rifle.
Not very good for groups!
Terry

 

[ENCORE]

Got it on the 50 grain match, same as Black powder. Thanks!
Blackhorn advertises that a different breech is needed.
The standard plug has a real small needle size hole.
The Blackhorn Breechplug has a huge 1/2"-3/4" hole for primer flash.
Why??? I don't know.
Tried it with standard plug and it goes..... LIL Baby POW (like you just hear the primer flash),
then a BIG Kaboom!
Just like a flintlock rifle.
Not very good for groups!
Terry

Sir, that's not correct at all. I have no clue who may have told you that, but that is NOT correct.

 

[TRR]

Sir, that's not correct at all. I have no clue who may have told you that, but that is NOT correct.

WOW! Thanks for the headsup! Just got took for a Blackhorn breechplug.

 

[ENCORE]

WOW! Thanks for the headsup! Just got took for a Blackhorn breechplug.

I'm more familiar with T/C breech plugs, so I give that example.

The flash channel, the large opening under where the primer goes, is 1/8". The flash hole, the small hole, is about .029" some are slightly larger and they will vary.

Someone with a CVA provide that data for him.

I had and have no clue what the 1/2" to 3/4" information you provided. I'm still stumped.