Yesterday's Weapons Forums

I've been using WANO PP (German BP) for a couple of years now.



Over a year ago a fellow gun club member sold me a couple of cans Pyrodex P.
He had no use for it anymore.
Last week I reloaded a couple Beaumont cases using Pyrodex P.
I usually use 45 grains of WANO, but 38 grains of Pyrodex filled up the case to the same level as 45 grains of WANO.
I used some cous-cous and a cardboard wad to fill up the case and put a 340 grains cal .457 boolit on top of it all.

I took the Beaumont (can't thank you enough NebrHogger ) to the 50 meter range today and results were fantastic.
All hits were "in the black" of the target.
Cleaning went faster afterwards and there was less smoke, which is a good thing on an indoor range .
All in all............FANTASTIC.

Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

I have always liked Pyrodex - not as hot as 777 which is the way I it should be. I had my best accuracy in 10.4x47R with Pyrodex - nothing else comes close.

Wifey tells me it smells a bit. Actually she said that in stronger terms! So I carefully clean the cases in the downstairs sink & not the kitchen sink!

Now if they would just make it without sulfur! SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

I’ve got the possibility to clean my cases and barrel at the gun club.
When I get home I clean the cases and barrel again.
No problems with the wife this way.
I cleaned the cases and barrel once at home, so I know what you mean when you say that the wife said it “ in stronger terms”.

Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

Pyrodex and 777 are to be used by volume rather than weight.

When I bought my T/C Encore muzzle loader I got Pyrodex pellets for it. For cleanup I have the advantage of removing the breach plug. Need to take it to the range for a few shots before deer gun season starts.

Rad

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I have not used black in my Swiss Vetterlis yet. I use 22.0 grains of Accurate Arms 5744 and the dedicated bullet from the Lee mold.

I hope to try some though - from my "concealed carry" Swiss Vetterli, it should make quite a fire ball in low light!

I plan to fill to where the base of the bullet will be and put at least two "Walters Vegetable Wads" between powder & bullet.

I now have to buy a pound of actual black powder. I have Pattern 1853 and Pattern 1841 Brit muskets ( when it is restored) and doubt I should use anything else.

Pic of my short Vetterli attached. It had already been altered by shortening the fore end and magazine tube. I shortened the barrel myself and a friend silver soldered the sight on for me. It actually shoots well. No targets yet - work has been insane! SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

i really like that little rifle , every time you post it i think how much fun it looks to be

Thanks for your reply SW.
I think I'll just stick to what Hodgdon told me:
If food products are used for filler (cous-cous in my case) the ammunition should be fired within 7 days.
It worked well in my Dutch Beaumont, so I guess it will work in my Swiss Vetterli too.
I'll keep you posted.

Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin


BTW: I agree with Asquare10....great little rifle you got there.

Well........it took me a couple of months, but I finally had the time to load up a couple of 10.4x42R cases for my Vetterli.
No WANO PP this time, but Pyrodex P.
Here are the load data:

Reformed .348 Winchester cases.
Winchester LR primers.
38 gn(by volume) of Pyrodex P in stead of 45 gn WANO PP.
A cardboard wad and a bit of cous-cous as a filler.
A 320 gn bullet on top of it all.

I used Pyrodex P in my Dutch Beaumont before and I hope the results will be equally good with the Vetterli.
Got some range time coming up on Sunday.
I'll keep you all posted.


.........a cardboard wad and a bit of cous-cous......


Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

I'm surprised you need to use the ammo so quickly with the cous-cous. Isn't it a dry cereal sort of thing? It's not like weevils could get into it.

I use vegetable wads in my BPCR applications. Before plastic shotgun wads became available, they were made of dry organic stuff. We called them "alfalfa" wads. Worked fine. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

....well,bein' a total newbie at this....my first supposedly logical question is-why cous cous???....isnt their something else non-absorbant that would work as well-if not better??? ........maybe styrofome nuggets...???

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....Naj puška govori!....
.............deplorable typical "bitter clinger"....

They might melt during the oxidation process. I use cream of wheat. Smells like somebody burned breakfast

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It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete

damn now im hungry again , thanks a lot ET

As promised an update on the use of Pyrodex P in my Swiss Vetterli.
My answer can be short.
Results were fantastic.
I hit the target with the first shot and after resetting the rear sight all hits were " in the black" as we say over here..

Because most BP matches are held on a 50 meter range over here I put up the target at 50 meters.
Maybe I’ll add another grain or two (by volume) to the load, because the bullets “dropped dead” in front of the 100 meter target.
Just in case I want to shoot at 100 meters.

Cleaning went real fast compared to the original BP.
Another reason for me to use this powder.
I was a bit skeptic using it because the most important reason for me NOT to use this powder is the fact that BP weapons are only “free” over here when you use BP in them.
Here’s the reason that makes it legal for me to use this powder:

The main contents are: Charcoal, sulfur, nitrate.
Other ingredients are added to make is safer to transport, store and use.
Pyrodex is not a smokeless powder it contains no nitrocellulose and no nitroglycerin.

There were quite a few people (mostly original BP users) that advised against the use of Pyrodex P in breech loading weapons.
I decided to listen to the advice that Hodgdon gave me and will continue to use it.
It may take a while, but I’ll keep you all posted.

Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

I've been very pleased with Pyrodex in the 45:70. It should serve you well.

Thanks M14 man.
I think so too.
The only thing I have to do is adjust the load a bit, but I'm sure that I will continue to use Pyrodex.

Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

Took the Dutch Beaumont to the range today.
I have to say that I'm very pleased with the result.
First 2 shots came off a bit high, the rest is OK for me.
The load stayed exactly the same:
38 grains of Pyrodex P.
As a filler I used cous-cous and put a cardboard wad on top of that.
I used a 340 grains .457 bullet.
Instead of beeswax I lubed the bullet with LEE Alox.
Here's the result on our 50 meter range.



I think I'll stick to this load for the time being.

Met vriendelijke groet,

Martin

Looks like it is grouping good.

Rad

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Tri-State Gun Collectors Life Member