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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Sept 15, 2007 16:01:27 GMT -5
I just noticed today the new bottle of 777 I bought is FF. I had been using FFF. Will there be any difference in the shooting?
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Post by dbd870 on Sept 15, 2007 16:09:48 GMT -5
Yep, what caliber are you loading? The rule of thumb is 45 & under FFF; 50& up FF.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Sept 15, 2007 16:34:06 GMT -5
My ML is .50 Cal.
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Post by hornharvester on Sept 15, 2007 18:07:46 GMT -5
Ive had times when ff didn't shoot as good as fff. I do prefer fff in my gun. h.h.
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Post by omegahunter on Sept 15, 2007 20:00:48 GMT -5
Typically the FF is more consistent in the .50 and .54 caliber. My first bottle of 777 was FFF and my .50 shoots a lot better with FF. So there you go, different rifles perform differently. That is why there are so many different powders and bullets out there to pick from.
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Post by TagTeamHunter on Sept 16, 2007 21:29:58 GMT -5
This is based on using REAL Black Powder. Rule of thumb was to reduce by 15% FFF to get the same charge equiv in FF. That is the bigger difference I noticed between FF and FFF. I shot both in my traditional muzzle loader 50 Cal and you just have to work up a load that works for your powder.
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Post by omegahunter on Sept 16, 2007 22:16:39 GMT -5
Never heard of a 15% reduction rule in black powder grades, but you are supposed to reduce your 777 volume by 15% to duplicate a black powder load (85 grains of 777 = 100 grains of black powder). This is why Hodgdon states that you are not to load three 777 pellets as 127.5 grains should equate to 150 grains of black powder and three pellets would be 150 grains of 777 (even though I read in several outdoor magazines of the article authors using 3 pellets of 777 in test loads). That is why they now offer the "Magnum" pellets that should be the same as 150 grains of black powder. However, I think the reduced 777 load is still hotter than the full-volume black powder load. As I said before, different guns... different loads.
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Post by dearbornx on Sept 19, 2007 18:27:34 GMT -5
FFF in black powder is faster burning than FF. I use FFF in my Hawken.
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Post by omegahunter on Sept 19, 2007 20:27:09 GMT -5
FFF is really not "faster" burning that FF, but there is actually more grain-weight per same grain-volume measure. This is due to the larger granules of the FF powder causing larger air pockets between the granules. The FFF is finer and therefore there is less volume left between the granules for air. Try taking a glass and filling it with #5 shot and then take a similar glass and fill it with #7 1/2 shot. Weigh them and the glass with #7 1/2 shot will weigh more.
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Post by dearbornx on Sept 21, 2007 21:54:46 GMT -5
You are correct Omegahunter. FF and FFF do not shoot the same though.
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Post by kbacon on Sept 23, 2007 21:25:06 GMT -5
This is incorrect... the 50gr pellets of 777 are actually 40gr... so when you load 3 you are shooting 120gr of 777.. they are "equivalent" to 150gr of pyrodex pellets. Ever look at the 2 side by side.. the 50gr pyrodex pellet is noticably longer than a "50 gr" pellet of 777. But I shoot 120gr of loose 777 because it shoots more consistantly in my Omega than the pellets...
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Post by RoadKill on Sept 24, 2007 6:59:33 GMT -5
FFF is really not "faster" burning that FF, ... I believe the smaller sized particles have more surface area exposed to the flame and therefore they do burn quicker. Just like sawdust will burn much quicker than a log. As always, YMMV...
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Post by RoadKill on Sept 24, 2007 7:01:53 GMT -5
I just noticed today the new bottle of 777 I bought is FF. I had been using FFF. Will there be any difference in the shooting? Maybe, maybe not, only by shooting will you know. There are lots of variables involved. Things like; caliber, barrel length, ignition source, projectile style, projectile weight, etc...
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Post by omegahunter on Sept 25, 2007 19:20:13 GMT -5
Hodgdon reps keep repeating "do not load three 50 grain equivalent pellets in any muzzleloader as it will result in a over-maximum load". I worked in a muzzleloader shop when 777 came out and I called Hodgdon myself to check on maximum charges of powder and pellets.
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