Hodgdon triple seven

We attempt to be on the cutting edge of everything new that hits the muzzleloader market that may have some value for our customers. We were excited about this new blackpowder replacement as we have been long time users of Pyrodex, another powder made by Hodgdon, and have always enjoyed excellent results. Rather than do any testing with the prototype powder released to writers, buyers etc. last fall, we decided to leave our testing until the powder was actually available to the public. We felt by doing this, we would be testing with the same stuff that our customers would be buying off the shelf and therefore our testing would have more validity.

ODOR: The first thing that you notice while using 777 is the lack of odor. By removing the sulfur, Hodgdon have totally eliminated all odor. This makes shooting and clean up a dream.

VELOCITY: Hodgdon told me that with 777 their goal was to produce pellet velocities with loose powder. This would give the shooter the best of both worlds as they could easily "tweak" the powder charge and still maintain pellet velocities. Our table below shows that 777 has indeed accomplished their goal and some. In fact, some of the velocities recorded with 777 were the highest ever recorded by us with the barrel length in question.

 

Precision Rifle's PTS - Exterior Ballistics
.357 Dead Center - 175 grain - 100 gr. Triple Seven FFF - Kahnke 30" .45
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 2197 2066 1940 1820 1706 1599 1499
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 1875 1658 1463 1287 1131 994 873
Trajectory   2.0 3.8 3.2 0 -6.2 -15.8
.357 Dead Center - 175 grain - 120 gr. Triple Seven FFF - Kahnke 30" .45
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 2324 2187 2057 1931 1812 1698 1592
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 2098 1859 1644 1450 1275 1120 984
Trajectory   1.7 3.3 2.8 0 -5.4 -13.9
.40 Dead Center - 200 grain - 120 gr. Triple Seven FFF - CVA 26" .45
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 2144 1998 1858 1727 1604 1490 1384
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 2041 1772 1534 1324 1143 986 851
Trajectory   2.3 4.2 3.6 0 -6.9 -17.8
.40 Dead Center - 200 grain - 150 gr. Triple Seven FFF - T/C Encore 25" .50
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 2346 2190 2041 1900 1766 1641 1524
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 2444 2130 1851 1603 1385 1195 1031
Trajectory   1.7 3.3 2.9 0 -5.7

-14.6

.40 Dead Center - 220 grain - 120 gr. Triple Seven FFF - CVA 26" .45
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 2063 1932 1806 1688 1577 1474 1377
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 2079 1822 1594 1392 1215 1061 926
Trajectory   2.5 4.5 3.8 0 -7.3 -18.5
.40 Dead Center - 220 grain - 150 gr. Triple Seven FF - Encore 25" .50
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 2181 2044 1914 1789 1672 1562 1460
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 2323 2041 1789 1564 1365 1192 1041
Trajectory   2.1 3.9 3.3 0 -6.4 -16.2
.40 Dead Center - 240 grain - 120 gr. Triple Seven FFF - CVA 26" .45
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 1995 1880 1770 1666 1568 1476 1389
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 2120 1884 1670 1479 1310 1161 1028
Trajectory   2.7 4.7 3.9 0 -7.5 -18.9
.40 Dead Center - 240 grain - 150 gr. Triple Seven FF - Encore 25" .50
Distance (yards) Muzzle 50 100 150 200 250 300
Velocity (fps) 2159 2038 1921 1809 1703 1603 1509
Kinetic Energy (ft lb) 2484 2212 1966 1744 1545 1369 1213
Trajectory   2.1 3.7 3.3 0 -6.3 -15.9

ACCURACY:Outstanding. We achieved many sub minute of angle groups with several going under .5". Some "best ever" groups were shot with our CVA, KNIGHT and ENCORE test guns.

Encore .278" Encore .453"

Encore .912" CVA .391"


FIRST SHOT ON CLEAN BARREL: If you have read any of our website, you will know that I am an advocate of hunting on a fouled barrel. All my guns will not shoot the first shot into the group on a stone clean barrel. Well we may have an exception to that rule as all five of the test guns that we have used thus far have put the first shot on a clean barrel into the group. I discussed this at length with HODGDON and the reason was a mystery to them although they enjoyed similar results in their test guns.

SHOT TO SHOT VELOCITY CONSISTENCY: Shot to shot velocity was excellent in all guns tested except the Knight Disc .45 using 209 primers. The cross fire breach plug of our Super .45 resulted in velocity changes of over 250 fps in a five shot string. I suspected it was the cross fire design so I swapped breach plugs from my Knight Disc .50 without the cross fire and things settled down to less than 60 fps. Shot to shot differences in the CVA and Encore generally ran less than 20 fps difference so I can only assume that the different design of the breach plug is having some adverse effect on the 777 powder with the Knight.

SIX pounds of powder later and I am still very impressed. The first shot on a clean barrel continues to shoot into the group and this is HUGE for the hunter. Accuracy remains excellent with outstanding velocities. I have no idea of the retail price but considering what the powder is doing I'd call it a bargain.

Knight Update: June 30th Knight sent me a "Disc Extreme" conversion for my Knight Super Disc. The interior of the breach plug has been redesigned. The new design seems much more 777 compatible as velocities changes ran less than 30 fps with this new system. In our testing we were also able to reuse the "Extreme" discs up to 10 times which is a huge improvement over the old style "throwaway after one shot" discs.

 

Return to Precision Rifle