Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders 777, Black Horn or Pellets

Plan to dust off the muzzleloader. I have not shot it since my muzzleloader hunt in CO in 2007. I had to by law shoot loose powder on that hunt.

What are most using today loose 777 or Black Horn or are you using the pellets? I noticed they have regular Pyrodex and 777 pellets now.

I will be hunting deer and hogs here in the Carolinas with it.

I shoot BP, round balls and sidelocks, but shootin is shootin. I would save some money and use whatever sub you desire in loose form. Just gives you the opportunity to use only as much powder as needed to do the job and not spew unburned powder out the muzzle. I think you'll find something less than 100 gr will be plenty for deer and hogs, regardless of what projectile you use.

CROY, if Your rifle is an inline, I have found no better than 777 loose powder.
If its a sidelock, I have found no better than FFFG Swiss real black.

Gunner

It is an inline, a Knight Bighorn I bought back in 2001.

10-4, 150 gns loose 777, a barnes 290 gn say-bo, and a 3-9 Nikon Omega scope, and a little practice/tweakin' and You will be GTG out to 200 yds.
My T/C Omega is extremely accurate and very powerful to this range, the only deer I have hit with this combo that went anywhere to speak of was a double lung hit small 5 point, at the shot he turned 90 degrees and headed downhill, I heard the crash in the leaves, walked down following a blood trail.."no chit" looked like You poured it out of two 20 ounce pop bottles in each hand.
That bullet is a wicked cutter, good luck with Your set-up.

Gunner

Anything but pellets...

I have a 21" barrel length so 150 grs may be too much. I was planning to try 80 grs; 90 & 100 grs w/the same bullet and adjust accordingly.

Thanks

Then try what ever you want but to me pellets are not as good as loose powder Ithink you will be right with your load can go as high as 120 grains but the 80 to 100 about right with what ever gun ar action I got them all

I am with most above pellets are easy but hurt in accuracy department but I have got to say that new blackhorn 209 is very nice stuff. No swabbing between 20-30 shots my encore will print 2 1/2 inch groups at 100 and if I swab, the group is a cloverleaf using 240 grain all lead bullet by pr bullet.

Has any one chronographed laods of Black Horn vs. 777 to see which offers more velocity?

I wold use loose 777. I think 120 is supposed to be max on the loose 777? Or did that change? It sounds like you are not interested in going that high anyway. I would not reccomend BH 209 in a plunger style knight. I love bh209 in my knight disc extreme with that conversion kit for the bolt and TC triumph. I have had bh209 throw more stuff back in my face with the plunger type knights not sure what it was that was hitting me but it hit me in the cheek below my eye. I was wearing saftey glasses but dont when hunting so I couldnt be comfortable letting my boys or me for that matter shoot it for hunting.

C Roy,
You do not need 150 grain loads or premium bullets for your NC deer (or any others). People who have shot many, many deer (read actual experience) will tell you that 90 to 110gr loads, combined with a basic 240-300gr (XTP, Gold Dot, etc.) bullet will do just fine.

Anyone else have issues with Black Horn in Knight's plunger style rifles?

I just made the switch to bh209 and 300gr.shockwave for my traditions pursuit. Started with 90gr which grouped about an 1 1/2" at 100yds then tried 100gr. and stopped there with a .829"group,will be trying it at 200yds soon.

C ROY,

BH lights like a champ in my USA Knight with the Disc Extreme conversion(red jackets). It's faster than 777 and much easier to clean. 777 is a PITA to clean.

Try the 250grn SW/SST or the 250TMZ. I'd start at 100, then try 110 and light it with CCI209M or Fed 209As.

Good Luck

loder

C Roy, Like I said I am not sure what it was that hit me but it happened 2-3 times with my sons MK 85 with 209 conversion and am pretty sure before the lehigh sp/ conversion had it happen with the knight disk extreme. Maybe it has someting to do with the stronger magnum 209's that are needed for BH 209. The stronger primers may be blowing back, kicking out stuff or something.

c roy, BH209 is not recommended in plunger style rifles. Some have tried it and ended up pulling primers out of their foreheads due to the pressure it makes. Don't try it, its not worth risking an eye over. There are plenty of affordable muzzle loaders on the market that will shoot BH209 and safely.

I have a couple cannisters of 777. I think I will shoot those up first before moving on to something else. If I can not find a load to shoot with 777, it is probably not the powder but the rifle.

Or "the nut behind the butt" .

I have found that 777 does not degrade as badly as Pyrodex,but it does degrade. I keep mine in the jug, in a Zip Lock bag and in 30 cal ammo sealed can.
Still,it seems to not shoot as well the next year. Now I throw out anything from last year and buy a fresh jug.Saves chasing ghosts.