Igniteability

[Colt Fanning]

Howdy,
Does anyone have any experience concerning the relative ease of ignition between black powder
and the various substitutes. eg pyrodex and 777.  I have a pepperbox pistol that is ignition challenged
because the cap well is connected to the chamber by a vent hole.  Would I get more reliable ignition
with black or a substitute.  Also would fff be more reliable than ff.  On another note, I have had at least
one instance and possibly two when a ten grain charge of 777 fff in a 38 case with the bullet touching the
powder apparently ignited with no report and expelled the bullet from the barrel.

Regards
Colt

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Not directly on point, but I am currently reading THE AMERICAN SHOTGUN, David F. Butler, 1973.  On page 182 he discusses the changeover from BP to smokeless.  The difficulty in igniting smokeless powders in shotshells was so difficult that it inspired the development of the Battery Cup primer that we know today which contains TWICE the priming compound compared to large rifle primers.

[hellgate]

3F might work better if the smaller grains can get down closer to the vent hole. I've never shot 777 in a C&B but Pyro-P is harder to ignite than BP. Maybe CCI magnum caps would help if they fit the nipples.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Would a very small ignition charge of ffffg say 5 to 10% of base load, much like the priming pan load of a flintlock, facilitate ignition of the more difficult to ignite propellent?  Obviously the main charge would need to be decreased

[Grapeshot]

Would a very small ignition charge of ffffg say 5 to 10% of base load, much like the priming pan load of a flintlock, facilitate ignition of the more difficult to ignite propellent?  Obviously the main charge would need to be decreased

I second that.  I used to do that when I owned a Percussion Sharps Carbine.  I was using Pyrodex at the time and had problems igniting the charge.  So, before I dumped the main charge into my paper tube, I dropped a .5cc dipper of 4Fg into the paper tube and then poured in the main charge of Pyrodex.  After that, it would shoot first time, every time.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Would a very small ignition charge of ffffg say 5 to 10% of base load, much like the priming pan load of a flintlock, facilitate ignition of the more difficult to ignite propellent?  Obviously the main charge would need to be decreased

That was done historically during the changeover period.

[Deadeye Dick]

Pyrodex is notable for delayed ignition. I would use black powder.