Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders ? Does Pyrodex go bad just sittng on the shelf?

Just had a misfire on a nice one this morning w my Hawken. That never misfires. Honestly the pyrodex is about twelve to fifteen years old but has always been good. Now I have had some misfires sighting in this week and now this....never knew pyrodex to just "go bad". Thanks for any input.

In my not too humble opinion, Pyrodex is bad before it leaves the factory...

On a lighter note, it really shouldn't be used in caplocks or flintlocks...does not ignite as easily as BP.

Are your caps just as old?..

I have some very old (5 years or more). It is in quick loaders with a home lubed bullet on top to boot. I'll let you know.

No, the caps are oh, about 5 years old. I only use so much Pyrodex and so many caps each year, so my supply has aged some. My misfires this week were sighting in my T/C Seneca (#11 caps), not the Hawken. However, I was using the same container of Pyrodex. The caps were fine in my opinion, both for the #11's and the musket...

I think the Pyrodex must have gone south on me...

Another point: after the misfires with the Seneca, I took a handful and put it on the ground and lit it...burned just fine.

I'm perplexed to say the least.

Pyrodex starts to lose power in a few months once it's opened.

If I was going to use it for hunting. I'd buy a fresh bottle every year. It's cheaper than most boxes of CF ammo.

Sorry, but 15 years is ridiculous. You need to shoot more.

Put a peice of wax paper or platic over the hole when opean .Then try a mag spark to use a 209 primmer or if u can find one a accra shot that use a rifle primmer . But what the makers All goes bad with the seasons the store life in the sun ,in the cold, in damp weather so .Its all chit

We get a one week ML season here...that's all.

It's all we get here too.

One week of hunting per year ought to justify new propellent and caps at least one a year too!

I have some loose 777 to work up a load for a December hunt in WA state. I'll use up or discard some 777-pellets I hadn't decided what to do with, before reading this thread!

Well alright...I must be cheap then. Opening a new can this afternoon....will see what we see!

Thanks for the help.

let us know what you find out , but i have always been told pyrodex needs to be discarded after every season , if opened . i find that loose triple 7 stored properly seems ok for a couple of seasons but i don't trust any of it past that . tried some triple 7 pellets the other day that had been in speed loaders for a couple years and they were noticably weak when fired . with pyrodex a few years ago i found that recoil seemed ok but the gun wouldn't shoot a group , loaded up fresh powder and it went back to shooting as good as it usually did .

It all depends on how you store it.I have some that's five years old and still goes bang EVERY time.
The muzzle loader season might only be a week or so but you can hunt with a muzzle loader during regular season.I do a LOT.

Stan in SC

Well folks....it seems a new canister was a difference maker this afternoon. Glad to know it was not the rifles fault. Blame excessive operator headspace for my troubles.

There you go.

The only two powders that I know that won't go stale are real black powder. Providing you keep it in a sealed container. Even if it's been opened every year.

The other one is BH 209, but it won't work in your Hawken.

I have found Pyrodex and777 deteriorates vfter opening.It goes bang but at a different rate and you end up chasing ghost.We buy an new batch vey year.Throw the old stuff out. This year I went back to black powder.So far I have killed a cow elk and a doe deer with it.

I shoot real BP most of the time (meaning when I can find any) but use Pyrodex when I cannot. I have three bottles of Pyrodex RS and one of them is open. It is fifteen or more years old, is stored in the barn, and shoots just like the day I opened it. Never had a missfire and it seems to shoot okay as far as grouping goes. I cannot say about power as its not been used on game but it does shoot to the same POI as holy black in my rifle. Mauser Hunter is right, I don't shoot BP guns enough but its because of the other things I shoot. Anyway now I have to go find some more Pyrodex since you have all scared me about this old powder substitute.

Well, thank you guys! I had no clue - and no bad experience either with old 777, but the can from the last year must go!

How do you dispose of old powder? The kid in me usually takes it to the range, leave half a cup in the can and use the rest to make a line to it. SHHHHHHH - BANG!!