Pennsylvania Game News - July 2021 - 59

Pyrodex soon was pelletized.
But compressed pellets required some
additional innovation to become the reliable
popular choices they are today.
Blackpowder ignites at 420 degrees;
loose Pyrodex at 740.
A standard No. 11 percussion cap
throws a 3,200-degree flame that's more
than adequate for igniting either.
But pelletized powder - even Pyrodex
pellets, which are coated at their bases
with blackpowder - typically is harder
to ignite.
The reason is simple. It's like lighting
a fire. Strike a match to a 4-inch diameter
log and all you get is a scorch mark. Split
that same log into smaller kindling and
you'll build a blazing fire that's soon burning
logs 4 inches in diameter and larger.
Likewise, bulk powder, with its smaller
grain size, also is easier to ignite.
So to help with ignition, inline muzzleloaders
began using primers other than
ordinary percussion rifle caps - from
magnum caps to musket caps to 209
shotgun primers.
209 shotgun primers speed up ignition
the most by throwing a massive amount
of burning gases into the powder charge.
But additional changes could be on
the horizon.
Some of the hyper-velocity inlines
being turned out by manufacturers use
modern rifle primers. But for now, 209
primer ignition systems are the most
popular among manufacturers.
As for pellets themselves, they come
in three colors: traditional black and the
newer white and blue.
There are differences between them
beyond appearance, and which you
choose largely is a matter of preference.
The White Hots from Hodgdon are
JULY 2021
pre-formed charges intended for newly
manufactured 50-caliber inline muzzleloading
rifles using a 209 primer ignition
system. They cannot be used in oldfashioned
flintlocks and percussions, as
the pressure generated is much higher per
square inch.
Pay attention to how many you use.
White Hots packaging has loading data
for three pellets, but warns not to exceed
two. Only a few, specific modern inline
barrels are deemed safe for three-pellet
loads.
When I shot White Hots through my
T/C Contender inline, they recorded
velocities nearly 200 feet per second faster
than Triple Se7en pellets. I also appreciated
White Hots for their ease of cleanup
with plain water.
BLUE MZ from Alliant Powder ignites
reliably with 209 primers and burns well
even in subfreezing temperatures. It gives
good accuracy and velocities higher than
equivalent loads of blackpowder, plus it
cleans up well with plain water.
Alliant Powder tested BLUE MZ with
heavy projectiles, including Federal Premium's
B.O.R. Lock MZ bullet. Velocities
were around 1,700 feet per second
with two pellets and 2,000 feet per second
with three.
Does it matter what color pellet you
load into your inline?
The answer is no, yes or maybe.
Hunting with a pelletized propellant is a
relatively new game, and definitely not for
your father's muzzleloader.
So read your rifle manufacturer's recommendations
for powder maximums
and be sure to practice with the pellet/
bullet load that best suits your muzzleloader.
Remember,
accuracy - not hypervelocity
and overwhelming foot pounds
of energy - brings home venison.
59
Pennsylvania Game News - July 2021

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