First Match with 777

[Doc Shapiro]

Yesterday I shot my first match with 777.  I've always shot either the real stuff or smokeyless.  Here're the load info, etc.

Shot 38's...
Federal Sm Pistol Primer.
9 gr (by weight, or set my powder measure to throw that).
125 gr TC.

Shotshells:
3.7cc's
Win Red wad
Ounce of shot
Need to add a little more shot to improve crimps.

Leading was comparable to smokeless, ie. very little.
Smoke was real noticable, and obscured a few targets.
Recoil was comparable to smokeless loads at the same velocity (about 740 out of pistols).

Shotgun targets reacted as expected.  Again, plenty of smoke.

Looks like this will be the load that I'll shoot at EOT.

No affect on my times.  Came in 2nd again (by total time) to Badlands Bud, or 3rd (by rank) to Bud and then Powder Bern (who shot a clean match).  58 shooters.

I'm still missing more than I ought.  Got more work to do before I'm ready for EOT.

Doc

[Paper Chaser]

Hey, Doc.  While at EOT do checkout the new Goex Cowboy BP if they'll allow it.  I'm real interested as I know MANY others are.
Shoot straight, shoot loud, and be SAFE

[Silver Creek Slim]

Thanks for the report, Doc.

Slim

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[Shiloh Sharpie]

Watch that front sight.  More hits!!!  Remeber - you can't miss fast enought to win.  Good luck getting ready for and shooting at EOT 

[john boy]

Doc:  How many rounds did you cycle through the revolvers and rifle?

About 5 months ago, I rushed out and bought 2 pounds of H777, loaded up a batch of 45 Colts, 250 grainers with the recipe straight out of the Hodgdon manual:
30gr using a card

Shot 25 rounds through 2 Uberti Colts, 2 RV's, 2 Pietta Remmies and a Win66.  No problems with the rifle but with the revolvers, all of the cylinders were 'sticking' after 25 rounds each.

Haven't used any more of the 777 because of this.

Regards

[Doc Shapiro]

I've since noticed some minor sticking of the cylinder (I just clean the face off every couple of stages), and some build up in the rifle chamber with new brass (again, had to clean during the match).

Ah well, the trials and tribulations of a BP sub shooter.

Doc

[john boy]

Thanks for the shout ... I thought I had loaded them incorrectly.  The sticking on my RV's was so tight, I had trouble spinning the the cylinders.

Out of curosity, I asked Hodgdon if the 777 was OK to use in a 30-30.  They tested it in the lab with an OK.  I fired about 20 rounds of them and have to say they printed nicely at 100 yds.   With the bottle cases, I found that they were hard to clean in the tumbler though even after a thorough liquid washing.

Shoot em straight and fast at EOT.  Also, thanks for the videos on your site.

[Doc Shapiro]

My 38 cases still look new after a wash.  The insides are bright and shiney and so is the outside.  I'll load 'em up again and see if there is less buildup in the rifle chamber the 2nd time around. 

Still got to get the loading done for EOT, and it's just around the corner now! 

Glad ya liked the vids!

Doc

[Manatee]

I've used the same load with good success.  I use instant grits as a filler...it seems to load and clean just a tad better than corn meal...but that could just be the Deep South influence talking.

In any event, it is by far and away the best substitute that I have found.  This summer, I'm going to try it with long range 45-70.  I've got high hopes for the stuff.

Good luck at EOT Doc.  There is no easy win at that match.  BP seems to be coming around down here as the perfect combination of Old West and Modern Shooting Matches.

[h c ramrod]

WELL MY WAY MAY NOT BE TO SANATERY , BUT IT WORKS GREAT DURING THE SHOOT.
WHEN MY UBERTY COLTS CYLINDERS START TO GUM UP FROM THE 777 AT THE UNLOADING TABLE
I JUST SPIT ON THE FRONT OF THE CYLINDER AND SPIN THEM AND THERE FINE FOR A COUPLE MORE LANES, MABY THATS THE WAY THEY DID IT IN THE OLD DAYS ?
TAKE CARE  -------- H C RAMROD

[sundance44`s]

I`ve always said that about my Remmies ..they are so well broke in , the only lube i need is to spit on the cylinder pin and they keep going , and going and going .. Always wondered if maybe they didn`t use that method back in the day ....works for me .

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Ram,

That wasn't tobacky juice, was it?

DD-DLoS

[h c ramrod]

TELL YAH A REAL HELPFULL HINT WITH THE WIN 66 AND 73'S WITH THE BLACK POWDER
I TOOK AND RELEIVED THE OUTSIDE OF THE BRASS LIFTER BLOCK ABOUT 40 THOUSANTS OF AN INCH
FOR APROX.  FROM THE FRONT ABOUT 1/4 INCH BACK THE COMPLETE HIGHT OF THE BLOCK.
GIVES A NICE AIR GAP BETWEEN THE FRAME AND LIFTER, THATS WERE IT WAS BUILDING UP FOULING
AND SLOWING THE LIFTER DOWN. THATS IN 45COLT AND 38 LOADS STRAIGHT WALL CASE
DONT GET ME WRONG NOW I DIDNOT TAKE OFF THE FRONT OF THE BLOCK BUT ON THE OUTSIDE'S OF IT.HOPE YAH UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM TRYIN TO EXPLAIN TO YAH..........RAM

[Col. Cornelius Gilliam]

Yesterday I shot my first match with 777.  I've always shot either the real stuff or smokeyless.  Here're the load info, etc.

Shot 38's...
Federal Sm Pistol Primer.
9 gr (by weight, or set my powder measure to throw that).
125 gr TC.

Howdy,

That load seems like it's a little light compared to the SASS smoke standard:  smoke equivalent to 15gr Goex Black powder.

Looking at Capt. Baylor's equivalent weight conversion chart, 9gr of 777 is equivalent to approximately 12gr of Goex FFg. 

http://www.curtrich.com/BPConversionSheet.htm

With a 125gr bullet, there would also be a bit of air space in the case which is not a good idea.  Have you compared it against a standard 15gr BP load to see how it compares?

Col. Cornelius Gilliam, TG

[Howdy Doody]

This is fun. Doc loaded that stuff up two years ago. He shot EOT with it and I believe he did pretty good in FC too. It was the last EOT at Norco. This is an old post resurrected.
He had a bunch of ammo left and wanted the brass. He gave me enough ammo to shoot a 6 stage match and I shot his stuff and gave him the brass to load again. I didn't have any issues with the rifle as I recall, but I kept shooting high with the pistols. I had a lot of misses. I don't know if it was the light bullets or maybe 777 is case sensitive as he used no filler. I didn't mind, since I shot for free.
Later, Doc mentioned that he wasn't sold on 777 and was going to try something else. I moved away and haven't shot with Doc since, but it goes to show you that what works for one, doesn't always work for the other guy.
I like 777 for my long range loads. I load it in 38-55 and 45-70 and it works just great. However, for CAS matches I went back to Goex.