White Hot Pellets safe in ANY black powder rifle?

[That one dude]

There doesn't seem to be a 'black powder' topic for me to post this in, but I figured hunters would know better than anyone.

I'm borrowing my grandpa's Hawken Investarms black powder muzzle loader to see if I can 'Davie Crockett' a deer this year. It's one of the build kit type rifles with wood furniture that are made to look like something from the 1800's, so I'm wondering if it's still safe to use White Hots in it. I know White Hots are SUPPOSED to be safe in black powder rifles, but I wonder if this gun would be different or not.

There's nothing wrong with it, it still looks brand new. No rust or anything.

[Roundballer]

If you have not had this rifle out on several occasions and are familiar with its operation as if it was a second nature, stop your current plans and do it next year after you are well acquainted with the rifle, and its quirks. You will also need to work up a load for it. If you are just now questioning which propellant, you have not put in the necessary range time yet.

[lindsey]

Looking at IMR's webpage for their White Hot pellets, the packaging says "for 50 caliber in-line muzzleloading rifles with 209 primer".
A Hawken style rifle is a sidelock and typically uses a percussion cap and not a 209 primer.
https://imrpowder.com/white-hots/
White Hot pellets aren't intended by their manufacturer to be used in a sidelock muzzleloader with percussion cap ignition.
I wouldn't use it in your grandpa's Hawkens.

Does your grandpa have a load worked up for his rifle? If he does, then use that exact load with no changes.
Even then, Roundballer is right, you should spend some range time getting familiar with the rifle and muzzleloading in general before hunting with it.

Your posting shows your location to be Port Huron. Take the rifle to Kenockee Trading Post in Avoca and ask the good people about what to load it with and how to load, shoot, and clean the rifle safely.

[Roundballer]

Your posting shows your location to be Port Huron. Take the rifle to Kenockee Trading Post in Avoca and ask the good people about what to load it with and how to load, shoot, and clean the rifle safely.

I'll second that! Anson is the guy that you want to talk to. The whole data set is: 7530 Beard Road Avoca, Michigan 48006 (810) 324-2577 ktpmuzzleloading@gmail.com

Website: http://www.kenockeetradinpost.com/. And please, please, please, call first! Just to make sure nothing came up and they are not there. Their normal hours are listed on their home page.

I usually have a half dozen of their cards in my wallet, I am out just now. They didn't have any with them at the last club meeting.

P.S. They usually stock real black powder.

[That one dude]

So no White Hots - got it. Thanks guys ��

[Fuel Fire Desire]

So no White Hots - got it. Thanks guys ��

Nope.


Side locks need real BP or if unavailable Pyrodex. Percussion caps just don’t have the energy to reliably ignite pellets. The manual for my Hawken (a 1970’s T/C) actually says not to use anything other than real BP or Pyrodex.


I know yours isn’t a T/C, but here’s the manual I use for mine with suggested loads.

https://www.scribd.com/document/334480330/Hawken-Manual


Personally, I only use Goex in mine, and save the Tripple 7 and what Pyrodex I have left (I don’t like Pyrodex’s residue) in my revolvers. My personal load that works best is a moose milk lubed .490 PRB with 90 grains of Goex. Target rifle accuracy at 50 yards, and more than enough accuracy at 100 yards to confidently hunt with.......though personally I’m not sure I’d trust a PRB to retain enough energy at 100 yards or beyond for a humane deer shot. PRB energy TANKS at distance. Mine throws a 175gr PRB at around 1950 fps at the muzzle, which is decently powerful, but at 100 yards it’s only moving around 1000 fps. At 175 grains that’s about the energy of a 9mm.

[luckless]

I bought a used muzzle loader, nipple in the breech like an in-line, and figured it should take pyrodex pellets. I looked up the name of the rifle and called the company. It was a good thing because I learned it needed loose powder and round balls.

[Moleman-]

Main thing is to learn how to properly clean it along with properly loading it. Many ML (including SS ones) are ruined by improper or no cleaning. Shoot it today, clean it today. Don't wait till next week when it's already rusty which likely turns into oops I forgot to clean it last year. Loose pyrodex or 777 is much cheaper than the pellets, and buying a bag of sabots and a box of bullets is cheaper than buying the same number of bubble pack bullet/sabot combos. 80-90 gr Pyrodex RS or 777 will push a 240gr bullet length wise through a deer at 120 yards and break the shoulder on the way out.

[That one dude]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I'll have to see what load my grandpa has cooked up for that gun, if he's got one. I do realize muzzle loaders are a pain to clean because of the general dirtiness of black powder, and its' corrosiveness, meaning it needs to be cleaned right after shooting, no exception.

[Fuel Fire Desire]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I'll have to see what load my grandpa has cooked up for that gun, if he's got one. I do realize muzzle loaders are a pain to clean because of the general dirtiness of black powder, and its' corrosiveness, meaning it needs to be cleaned right after shooting, no exception.

You can remove the barrel from the Hawken. I do that, pull the nipple, and run scalding water down the bore until it comes out clear. Then do a full wipe down of moose milk, and run patched jags with moose milk until they come you clean. Running a moose milked patch between each shot really helps.

My moose milk recipie is 70/30 ballistol and water. Works great.

For revolvers I soak everything in scalding soapy water for about 10 minutes, then spray with moose milk and wipe down. My Hawken is over 40 years old, and not a spec of rust anywhere. Bore is still like a mirror.