Tumbling Powerbelts?
- Thread starter Ky Bob
- Start date
Tumbling is caused by the projectile losing stability, which is imparted by the rifling in the bore. Loss of stability can be due to many different things: shallow rifling and a loose fitting projectile, a loose sabot/bullet connection, low muzzle velocity/energy, etc.
Your numbers are good (275 gr bullet, 100 gr powder, 1:28 twist). I'm going to suggest your Pyrodex pellets are being crushed and not fully burning, resulting in low muzzle velocity/energy. Or perhaps they are degraded by humidity (Hodgdon says Pyrodex is adversely affected by humidity) during storage. They can also be easily contaminated by the oils in your fingers or residues from swabbing/cleaning the bore.
Honestly, I have little respect for Pyrodex or 777 pellets. I believe they are inconsistent at the very best, and next to worthless at the worst.
Switch to new Pyrodex RS loose powder, or better yet, loose real black powder and see if that helps. And I'd back down to 80 grains for your 50 yard shots, although that has nothing to do with stability, just accuracy.
Your numbers are good (275 gr bullet, 100 gr powder, 1:28 twist). I'm going to suggest your Pyrodex pellets are being crushed and not fully burning, resulting in low muzzle velocity/energy. Or perhaps they are degraded by humidity (Hodgdon says Pyrodex is adversely affected by humidity) during storage. They can also be easily contaminated by the oils in your fingers or residues from swabbing/cleaning the bore.
Honestly, I have little respect for Pyrodex or 777 pellets. I believe they are inconsistent at the very best, and next to worthless at the worst.
Switch to new Pyrodex RS loose powder, or better yet, loose real black powder and see if that helps. And I'd back down to 80 grains for your 50 yard shots, although that has nothing to do with stability, just accuracy.
I would also suggest that before loading a powerbelt - slip the cup off and on the post a few times and put a little lube of some sort on the post before putting the cup on the last time.........................if that cup doesn't come off quickly, it will really mess up the flight of the bullet.
You can also drop your powder charge down some too - powerbelts are like women.................they do NOT like to be pushed too hard.
You can also drop your powder charge down some too - powerbelts are like women.................they do NOT like to be pushed too hard.
W. C. Quantrill
New member
Try Black Powder, like Goex FFg. That is why they call them Black Powder rifles.
power belts
A great way to improve accuracy with powerbelts is to throw them inn the garbage and use a better bullet. Try something like dead center or shockwave. Higher velocity usually gives less accuracy. I cant stand powerbelts. I have alsway been suspect of a designs that suggests firing a squib load to help the bullet grip the rifling better.... what??? carbon and fouling will somehow resist the hardness of the jacket and cause the rifling to spin the bullet...not likely. I see something a little more akin to a Brown bess try to hit the broad side of a barn. Avoid the power belts and find something that takes some effort to load. You will see accuracy go way up. CW
A great way to improve accuracy with powerbelts is to throw them inn the garbage and use a better bullet. Try something like dead center or shockwave. Higher velocity usually gives less accuracy. I cant stand powerbelts. I have alsway been suspect of a designs that suggests firing a squib load to help the bullet grip the rifling better.... what??? carbon and fouling will somehow resist the hardness of the jacket and cause the rifling to spin the bullet...not likely. I see something a little more akin to a Brown bess try to hit the broad side of a barn. Avoid the power belts and find something that takes some effort to load. You will see accuracy go way up. CW
FrontierGander
New member
Powerbelts are fine. You just need to start playing around with some loose powder and primers. I'd suggest either some Pyrodex RS or 2f Triple 7 with winchester 777 primers or Winchester W209 primers. Start at 80grs and work your way up until accuracy falls off.
I'd suggest the Platinums too, they load a lot easier than the regular copper coated powerbelts.
And whatever you do, do Not use a bore button!! I tried it once and the bullets shot horrible. The plastic gas seal is what does the job at holding the bullet in the bore and sealing off gasses.
I'd suggest the Platinums too, they load a lot easier than the regular copper coated powerbelts.
And whatever you do, do Not use a bore button!! I tried it once and the bullets shot horrible. The plastic gas seal is what does the job at holding the bullet in the bore and sealing off gasses.