Last week I was asked to join the “Slam Fire Radio” podcast and livestream to talk muzzleloading. One of the hosts, Adriel, had reached out and wanted to chat about hunting with his Traditions Kentucky Percussion rifle and I was happy to join.

Muzzleloaders! We have Ethan from iLoveMuzzleloading.com to talk pyrodex vs black powder vs triple 7, patched round ball vs mini, and going traditional.

The muzzleloading segment starts at 41:00

From what I hear, it’s hard to get true or ‘real’ blackpowder up in Canada, where the Slam Fire team calls home. Much of our conversation is discussing blackpowder substitutes and their uses for contemporary enthusiasts, primarily for hunting.

There is nothing wrong with using these substitutes, if it’s all you can use, I hope you do use them and enjoy your muzzleloaders! As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to use the manufacturer loading data when using these blackpowder substitutes. With any propellant, it is best to do some ‘load development’ with your muzzleloader to find the most accurate amount of propellant.

You can find links to the Pyrodex RS (Rifle/Shotgun) safety information here and the Triple 7 safety information here.

Blackpowder Substitute Pellets were also discussed. Developed after the powdered versions of Pyrodex and Triple 7, pelletized powder is used by many hunters during muzzleloader hunting seasons because no measuring is needed. Adriel and I discuss the practical uses of pelletized powder as well as the pros and cons of them depending on what your target is.

There’s nothing wrong with using pelletized powder. Again, if it’s what you can get and you can enjoy your muzzleloaders, by all means, burn em!

Conversations go back and forth with pellets, some love them some hate them. You may find you can get a more accurate load with the powder version of blackpowder substitutes, but if you are hunting and shoot good groups with the pellets there might not be a need to change it up. It all comes down to your needs with your muzzleloader and your supplies.

Forums and conversations around how to use a muzzleloader can get heated, but as long as you are doing it safely, I don’t mind how you do it. Just be safe and have fun!

This was a great conversation with Adriel and the Slam Fire Radio team, I hope it provides some insight for anyone out there that had similar questions. Thanks to the Slam Fire Radio team for having me!

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