100 gr vs 150 gr 777
- Thread starter NRATC
- Start date
1. According to the manufacturers, no one should load 150 grains of loose 777 powder into a muzzle loader that's rated for 150 grains because loose 777 needs to be reduced by 15% volume.
Only the 150 grain equivalent 777 pellets can be loaded into a gun rated for 150 grains of powder.
2. The maximum load is not necessarily the most accurate load. Some bullets are designed to be pushed fast and some aren't.
For example there are Hornady XTP's [pistol bullets] and Hornady XTP Mag's that have different expansion rates.
3. According to this generic Traditions chart, the difference between 100 grains of powder and 150 grains is about 250 feet per second with a trajectory difference of about +2 inches at 200 yards. There is a very noticiable difference in energy.
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/loadchart.pdf
Loading more powder depends on the accuracy, type of terrain and possible shooting distance, size of the game animals, whether good quality bullets are being loaded, whether a ballistic bridge sub-base is needed to hit the target or not and if the felt recoil is tolerable enough to not flinch at the shot.
The more powder that's loaded means more powder residue after each shot that may need to be swabbed before reloading. In the field, a 2nd follow up shot may require using a different projectile that loads easier like a Powerbelt bullet.
Ballistic bridge sub-bases are more often used in the Savage smokeless powder guns, but if accuracy suffers with maximum loads then maybe these will help. See what they're about near the bottom of this linked page.
http://www.mmpsabots.com/
Only the 150 grain equivalent 777 pellets can be loaded into a gun rated for 150 grains of powder.
2. The maximum load is not necessarily the most accurate load. Some bullets are designed to be pushed fast and some aren't.
For example there are Hornady XTP's [pistol bullets] and Hornady XTP Mag's that have different expansion rates.
3. According to this generic Traditions chart, the difference between 100 grains of powder and 150 grains is about 250 feet per second with a trajectory difference of about +2 inches at 200 yards. There is a very noticiable difference in energy.
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/loadchart.pdf
Loading more powder depends on the accuracy, type of terrain and possible shooting distance, size of the game animals, whether good quality bullets are being loaded, whether a ballistic bridge sub-base is needed to hit the target or not and if the felt recoil is tolerable enough to not flinch at the shot.
The more powder that's loaded means more powder residue after each shot that may need to be swabbed before reloading. In the field, a 2nd follow up shot may require using a different projectile that loads easier like a Powerbelt bullet.
Ballistic bridge sub-bases are more often used in the Savage smokeless powder guns, but if accuracy suffers with maximum loads then maybe these will help. See what they're about near the bottom of this linked page.
http://www.mmpsabots.com/
Last edited:
30-30remchester
New member
If you study the buffalo harvest of the 1880's most all buffalo were shot with cartridges that shot under 80 grains of powder. Considering the buffalo is the heaviest land animal on North America and 80 grain loads were sufficent for them, then about any load you use should be ok for whitetails and small bears.
As Articap stated, watch 777 loose powder as it is hotter than say Pyrodex. In loose powder,measured by volume, 120grns of 777 =`s 150 grns of Pyrodex. There are a few other powders on the market that are in the same boat as 777(hotter than the norm). Also all M/L`s are not designed to shoot the same max. load. A reminder to all us B/P shooters, CAUTION: ALWAYS READ THE MEASURING INSTRUCTIONS ON POWDER CONTAINER AS ALL BP POWDERS/SUBSTITUTE`S ARE NOT THE SAME. ALSO, ALL M/L`s ARE NOT DESIGNED TO SHOOT THE SAME MAX. POWDER CHARGE. READ MANUALS.
Last edited:
sourdough44
New member
120 grns of Blackhorn 209 gives 1950 fps with my Knight & a 250 grn SST. I would not go above 120 with any loose powder/substitute. I don't really need to use 120 & may drop it down some.