Pyrodex RS use for SxS or not

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

Have a 1lb of Pyrodex RS that’s been on my shelf for years. I read is some old posts it rusts guns fast. I was thinking of just using it up for SxS shot shells at a local match where I can get home and clean within a few hours of being done. Does the corrosive crap get into a SXS SKB’s action? So let it sit on the shelf or use it up. 
Thanks, JB

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

Lots of folks will tell you to just use it as fertilizer.  I haven't had any Pyrodex in over 20  years but whenever I had any I used it in the shotgun, because those are so easy to clean and a lack of little crevices.  But still, you should go back to the gun and clean again after a few days and check again after another week or so to be sure.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Hey JB:
I once went into a Walmart immediately after hunting season, and they were closing it out for $5 a bottle, so I bought everyone they had.
Used it exclusively in my shotgun (TTN Double).
It worked fine, and as long as I cleaned it pretty soon afterwords, and went back a bit later and checked, like Abilene said, everything was good!

Every now and then, I come upon a bottle or two for cheap, and I pick it up.

As I always say....The Shotgun will digest anything!
--Dawg

[Beartrap SASS#57175]

JB, it's crap. Don't take a chance and ruin a good SKB. Dump it on the rose bed and water heavily. 

[Col. Cornelius Gilliam, SASS#5875TG]

I use it in the shotgun all the time.  I do use a good charge, combined with 1oz shot that seals the shells to the chamber, preventing a lot of blow back.

 

The most important thing is to clean the shotgun the same day, right after shooting.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Be sure to clean the extractor carefully.  That's where I've got rust when shooting Pyrodex.  I only shot Pyrodex in an old, rusty beater of a Stoeger I bought ago dirt cheap.  I cleaned immediately upon returning home from a local match - same cleaning I would use for real black powder.

 

BTW, unlike real black powder, Pyrodex is hydroscopic.  It will slowly absorb moisture from the air, and you will eventually get squibby ammo.  This happens even in the Desert Southwest where I shoot.  Use your shells soon after loading.

Edited June 10 by Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971

[Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655]

Nothing actually wrong with pyrodex it will go bang BUT it is more corrosive than actual Holy Black. Pretend you are in Chicago and clean early and clean often as it will cause rust.

[Sarival Slim]

All I use in the shotgun (Boogie’s worked SKB’s), buy it second hand cheap because of the reputation. Works great. 🤫😀

Edited June 11 by Sarival Slim

[Griff]

IMO, it's the worst product ever foisted off on the firearms community.    Read these and then draw your own conclusions:

https://www.chuckhawks.com/doc_white2.htm

https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,56362.0.html

 

In a discussion I had with Mike Venturino back around 1987 @ EOT he advised me to cease using Pyrodex in my 1874 Shiloh Sharps due to it forming hydrochloric acid in its residue.  Where he learned that from, I don't have a clue.  The more moisture avail in the atmosphere the more rapidly it'll rust your guns.  Both BP & Pyro residues are hydroscopic, but Pyro is more aggressive in its absorption and faster to convert that to rust.

[Cemetery]

JB, you better go check you SKB right now!! Just discussing using Pyrodex with any mentioned firearms will cause corrosion!

 

Before I dabble with BP Subs, I did alot of reading about Pyrodex, and nothing good.  I have seen photos of ruined Rugers that used Pyrodex. 

 

And how fouling finds it's way into the action of shotguns, or any firearm, I can only say to stay away.

 

You can ask Smilin' Pete how Pyrodex ruined the actions on his firearms, and how he had to get them rebuilt.

[Eyesa Horg]

Think '75 Chevy pickup with doors rotted up to the door handles. 

You can hear your guns rusting on the way home!

[Earl Brasse, SASS #3562]

And.... if all that wasn't bad enough...

 

Have you ever had a crown done to a tooth?

Pyrodex smells just like burning teeth!

That cloud of tooth dust billowing out of your mouth as they grind down your tooth into a post smells just like it.

I once gave away 8 pounds of the stuff that someone gave to me.

 

Mileage my vary but it's not for me.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

10 minutes ago, Earl Brasse, SASS #3562 said:

...Pyrodex smells just like burning teeth!...

Oh yeah, forgot about the smell.  And the smoke always seemed kind of brown to me.  

[J-BAR #18287]

I used lots of Pyrodex.

 

After the last stage I sprayed the barrels, extractor, breechface and water tables of the shotgun with aerosol Ballistol, then cleaned the gun thoroughly a few hours later when I got home.

 

No rust problems.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

My father uses only pyrodex in his front stuffers.  Because of that, I only used pyrodex in my front stuffers and my first 1851 Navy when I was a teen.  I have long since learned the joys of real Black Powder, but back then neither of us ever had rust issues.  As long as you clean it proper, you wont have issues.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I personally hate the stuff .

But it will work just fine .

 

[Seminole Sam]

60% of Pyrodex IS black powder.  The rest of it is corrosive additives only there to make it fit in the smokeless category for storage, transport & sale.  Once you have it, nothing about it is better.  Its only advantage is that its probably on the shelf at your gun store or range and you can actually get a bottle of it