loose or pellets?

[Kilimanjaro]

Which do you guys prefer in your frontstuffers.. I've been tinkering around with mine just about every week and have at least narrowed down the bullet weight I want to shoot out of my gun.. As of late, Ive also been messing with diff pellet loads... Ive been trying 90, 100, and 110. Thus far, Ive found that 110 shoots the best groups at 100 yards. Been shooting Pyrodex pellets.

I've heard that you can really tighten up your groups by shooting loose powder and have been wanting to try it out. Any ideas or comments?

 

These muzzleloaders are a finicky bunch!!

[Gr8 White Jr]

I can't really compare pellets to loose because I have only shot loose powder with my muzzleloader. I'm still shooting old school. I started in '96, right before pellets got big, when I was 14 and drew my 1st elk tag. I shoot 90 gr of loose pyrodex with a 385gr hornady conacle. Definitely not a long distance shooter(more like lobbing mortors ) especially since I shoot open sights, but within 100yds its deadly. Many people have told me I should change to more modern setups but after taking 3 elk, 2 javelina, and an antelope with my current setup I say "why fix it if aint broke"! Besides I like the added chalenge of having to get closer, I guess thats why I'm obsessed with archery! My dad on the other hand used to shoot loose powder and he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Then he changed to pyrodex pellet and loves it. He shoots 150 gr (3 50gr pellets) and a 220 gr sabot and with a scope mounted he shoots accurately out to 250 yds.

 

 

 

 

-Tracy

[Gr8 White Jr]

I can't really compare pellets to loose because I have only shot loose powder with my muzzleloader. I'm still shooting old school. I started in '96, right before pellets got big, when I was 14 and drew my 1st elk tag. I shoot 90 gr of loose pyrodex with a 385gr hornady conacle. Definitely not a long distance shooter(more like lobbing mortors ) especially since I shoot open sights, but within 100yds its deadly. Many people have told me I should change to more modern setups but after taking 3 elk, 2 javelina, and an antelope with my current setup I say "why fix it if aint broke"! Besides I like the added chalenge of having to get closer, I guess thats why I'm obsessed with archery! My dad on the other hand used to shoot loose powder and he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Then he changed to pyrodex pellet and loves it. He shoots 150 gr (3 50gr pellets) and a 220 gr sabot and with a scope mounted he shoots accurately out to 250 yds.

 

 

 

 

-Tracy

 

 

Sorry Scottyboy! I know that wasn't really much help!

[bustedknuckleinc]

I guess try shooting your loads at last light or dark if you have a place to do that. Make sure you dont have a huge ball of fire with the load you are shooting. If you do you will not be getting a consistant burn in your load which can make every load shoot a little different. This normally only happens if you are shooting with three pellets or 12o gr of powder which are the same amount. Unless you are shooting bad groups I would not worry about it. Just go with what you like best. By the way I have the same tag you do and september cant come soon enough Good Luck.

[bobbyo]

Scotty,

 

110 in pellets is equal to 88 grains of loose powder. I use loose powder because you have more variability. Some claim they get a better burn with pellets due to the hole in the center. I have never noticed a difference. You should experiment. A suggestion would be to start with 90 grain loose. It should group right where your 110 pellets are shooting. Besides you can buy cool looking gunpowder flask and brass measure thingy. Us loose guys look down on the pellet wieners. We are just cooler.

Bob

[Rio]

I prefer loose as well, lot easier to fine tune your loads, especially if messing with both powder and projectile. I've also converted from pyrodex to triple 7, it's much cleaner and I think it just performs better.

[Coach]

I like the pellets in my Knight LRH. I thought loose would shoot better for some reason, but in these modern smoke poles, I'm sold on 2 pellets of .50 grain .50 cal. Shoots like a centerfire for me. You can go 3, but I'm not convinced it buys you anything more than more powder burnt outside the barrel.

[Kilimanjaro]

Thanks guys for the info.. I think I'm gonna go buy all the loose powder gizmos and give it a go..

[TLH]

I have shot the Shocky Gold for about a year--i used to use the triple 7 and i can tell you that i get a better burn and a lot cleaner shot with the Shocky pellet. I shoot max load in my Knight KRB and i get some very good groups with consistency. I also use a .50 cal. 250 grain Shock wave T/C bullet.

 

I might have to try the Shocky Gold powder and see if it makes a difference.

 

I can never get a good pattern using much of anything else in my muzzy.

 

 

[singleshot]

3 pellets and a 350 grain 45 caliber saboted bullet by Precision Muzzleloading Bullets. Shoot a bullet twice as long as the caliber, at a minimum. Your groups will tighten dramatically.

[bustedknuckleinc]

Thanks guys for the info.. I think I'm gonna go buy all the loose powder gizmos and give it a go..

 

What type of front loader are you shooting.

[Kilimanjaro]

Thanks guys for the info.. I think I'm gonna go buy all the loose powder gizmos and give it a go..

 

What type of front loader are you shooting.

 

TC Triumph.. I like the gun so far.. easy to shoot and clean up, and it handles nicely. I'd just like to get it to group more consisantly than it is.. It seems that it will shoot 1 1/2 to 2" groups IF I clean after every shot.. If I shoot the 2nd and third shots with a dirty barrel, they will almost always be 2" low and an inch or so to the left. I'm going to try a cleaner burning loose powder and see if that will tighten things up a bit. I'd like to get a 2" consistant group at 200 with this gun.

 

[bustedknuckleinc]

Thanks guys for the info.. I think I'm gonna go buy all the loose powder gizmos and give it a go..

 

What type of front loader are you shooting.

 

TC Triumph.. I like the gun so far.. easy to shoot and clean up, and it handles nicely. I'd just like to get it to group more consisantly than it is.. It seems that it will shoot 1 1/2 to 2" groups IF I clean after every shot.. If I shoot the 2nd and third shots with a dirty barrel, they will almost always be 2" low and an inch or so to the left. I'm going to try a cleaner burning loose powder and see if that will tighten things up a bit. I'd like to get a 2" consistant group at 200 with this gun.

 

I am shooting a TC omega and have basically got the same groups you have. I am using 100grs of the 7seven7 loose powder. I have shot the 200gr 250gr and 300gr shockwave bullets and lube each one with TC bore butter. They have all grouped virtually the same. I have started to clean it after every shot and it does tighten them a bit. I have not shot it at 200 yds yet but a will do so soon just to see how it does. It is nice to know that you can shoot 200yds if you need to but I would get them as tight as you can at 100 yds. In the unit that we have I would expect to shoot 100 yrds or less with the type of hunt it is.

 

[Kilimanjaro]

Agreed, bustinknuckles.. I think that the shot isn't going to get out past 100 yards on the hunt, but I sure want the confidence in knowing that should the situation arise, I can pull off a 200 yard shot with ease.. Guess I'll keep messing around with diff powder loads. Probably gonna try and experiment with diff bullet brands as well. So far, Ive tried the TC shockwaves in 2 diff weights, as well as Barnes boattails.

 

I'll send ya a PM about the hunt.

 

Thanks for the info, guys!

[Schmitty]

I've got a MZ tag and will most likely shoot 3 777 pellets as this load prints 1.5" groups out of my TC, not to mention the fact that I've got 3 unopened boxes.

 

However, if I was just starting out I'd try this first: http://www.blackhorn209.com/

 

good luck,

 

Schmitty