What pressures do Pyrodex pellets operate at?

[Brant Buster]

PLEASE DON'T MOVE THIS THREAD!

When loading a muzzleloader with two Pyrodex pellets or two Triple7 pellets, how much pressure is generated?

Reason I am asking is because I am going to try reloading some centerfire cartridges with Pyrodex pellets.

Hodgdon offers data for using Pyrodex in some Cowboy Action loads.

I know what pressures most rifle and shotgun cartridges safely function at.



Thanks in advance for your input.

[Brant Buster]

Does anyone know?



What pressures do black powder cartridges operate at?

[Ol` Joe]

The powder its self isn`t what controls the pressure you have, it varies. It is the combination of chamber & bore volume, bullet weight, core & jacket hardness, bearing surface, ect that determines the pressure. I doubt anyone can say for sure what you will get with out knowing at least all the above, then it is likely just a guess. I`d try talking to Hodgdon and see what they have to say about it. The manufacture should have some idea of pressures generated and if the powder is suitable for your intended purpose.

[Cossack]

Black powder CARTRIDGES operate at around 20,000 compared to 55 to 60,000 fps (and higher) for metalic cartridges. I'm (guessing) that Pyrodex or 3T7 operate at substantially less than that in a muzzleloader. But what happens when you seat a bullet over them in a case, add crimp and more direct spark is anyone's guess. I'd campare the Pyrodex load to a safe black powder load if you can find that data. E.g. 50 grs of BP would equal one 50 gr Pyro Pellet (which are actually shy of 50 grs) That said, I'd get a long string for the first firing.....just in case.

PS My muzzlelaoder pistol says "do not use pellets" but I have no idea why not.

[Catfish]

With the old black powder rounds you just filled the case and left enough room to seat the bullet, you left on air space per say. The pellets are stposed to be equal to the stated wieght of black powder, but if you mash the pellet when you seat the bullet you increase the burn rate of the pellets. If you do not seat the bullet snug to black powder bad things can happen. I`m old school and learned to bounce the ram rod to tell when the ball is seated, you can do that with pellets and get any kind of accuracy, that`s why I went back to powder.

[RugerNo3]

Loading Black Powder granules and the various substitutes in metallic cases requires that there be no dead air space. Pellets of the same propellents will have dead airspace. To get consistent results, it would be best to follow the manufacturers recipe and be consistent with sizing, seating and case capacity.
The cowboy crowd is shooting close range with those handguns.
Bullet grouping is not a requirement. Take those pellet loads to 50yds and check the grouping.
Any one I know has gone back to loose powder after trying pellets in their muzzle loaders do to inconsistent accuracy. There's no free ride for that.