Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Pyrodex - Corrosion

I would have to agree with many of you here . Myself I used Pyro for years , still do in my cartridge guns .
I don�t find any accuracy issues , as long as a load is worked up for Pyro .
Now if you are using BP and then try and use the same charge with Pyro . Then you may have a issue .

As to cleaning . As was said . Both powders . BP and Pyro are IMO corrosive .

Now to clarify that . BP is corrosive once fired and if moisture fouls the charge or fouling and its left in the bore .
Un fired and without moisture contaminating it � humidity �
You will not find corrosion in the barrel any more then you will in a 100 year old can of powder .

Same thing goes with Pyro . The powder and fouling are still hydroscopic and as such will leach in moister is added . The longer its aloud to set . The more the moisture will etch and corrode the barrel .

Many folks have done tests on this . I seem to recall even an article on it in Muzzle blast some years back , in that test both Pyro and T7 were compared to BP . All of which were placed on a polished steel plate . After a few days the plate was inspected .

Now as I recall � trying to remember � but as I recall the rust that had formed was greatest on the T7 and the least on the BP .. However all 3 showed clear signs of corrosion.
Now does that mean that�s what happens in your barrel . Well no . again it shows moisture � IE h humidity � and its effects on the powder .

Now what I can tell you that I find is that Pyro in Damascus barrels will leave un real fouling . Fouling that does pit the barrel if left un cleaned
Much ,Much greater then the same loads of BP .
I believe though this heavier fouling is do to the effects of the burning powder on the shot cups .
But do to pyro being alittle hotter . I still use it . I just clean the CR@# out of things a days shooting and thus have found no issues

I've shot a lot of Pyrodex. It's exactly like blackpowder as far as I can tell. I don't use it in flintlocks because it's supposed to be hard to light. I buy it dirt cheap at the end of the season when Walmart is closing it out.

Pyrodex is fine, just needs more cleaning as it is harder to remove. It does not want compressed too much and compression needs controlled to make it even. It does not work real good in BPCR.
My best accuracy in a cap lock has always been with Pyrodex.

It doesn't need more cleaning nor is it harder to remove.

I have used balck powder, Pyrodex and Triple seven. I have found that with Prodex, it does degrade if not sealed extremely well.
I don't hunt ML a lot , bit shhoot once ayear,and several times before season when I do draw a tag.

At least three times now,I have ended up chasing ghost, before I bought a new jug of Pyrodex and everything went back to noraml. I ended up screwing the lid on with plastic bag beteen the lid and the jug, then putting the jug in a baggie and then that in a sealed 30 cam ammo can.I live in CO,where it is not very hunid to boot.

I cannot tell if the same is true with 777, as I now take the same precautions.However, I used some 777 this year tha tI have had for at least 5 years and it was good.

I cannot tell nay difference in accuracy between Black Powder, Pyrodex and 777 as long as I work up a load for each.

I don't know about corrosion as I clean my rifle the day I shoot it

What I meant by that is it takes more patches before I stop getting black out of the bore. Not that big a problem but it is there.
BP cleans up quicker. Most likely why some say Pyrodex is more corrosive because some is left in the bore. You need a good product to halt corrosion after cleaning and most gun oils don't work.
About the best stuff I have found is LPS-3. You can store a gun for 3 years and it only takes one patch, fire a few caps and load the gun. Any left in the bore will not harm powder. It turns to a waxy coating and might work as a patch lube in itself. I have to try it but the stuff is hard to find.

Ultra Bore Coat is a good product to look into. I can clean my rifles out now with 3 windex patches when using blackhorn209.