so what gun are you shooting?

Black powder and a PRB is timeless, and still works.

I like using the 777 powder too and it has not let me down yet. As for a bullet I was using the powerbelt but thinking of using the Hornady FPB. I need to see if my guns like them or not and how they shoot before I switch. I have an in-line and a traditional Hawkings and with 90 grains of 777 and a 295 grain power belt both are very accurate. Have fired some round ball and patch but they do tend to drift a bit from shot to shot especially at 100 yards. Fun to shot but do not think I will ever hunt with them. The new in-lines are good and much easier to use and pretty much a sure shot. However, there is something about the old Hawkins while hunting that is hard to resist even if using a newer type bullet.  

We're on the same page, Rev.  As I posted elsewhere, the T/C Maxiballs have been my favorite for years.  Within sensible muzzle loader ranges I've never had any reason to switch as they have always been accurate , easy to load, effective on game and affordable.  I've only used them on antelope, mule deer and elk but wouldn't hesitate to use them on buffalo if I ever got a tag for one.

If you use your proven load in a side lock rifle, watch out for hang fires.  In two different side locks, I was getting repeated hang fires when using BP substitutes (pyrodex, Pyrodex Select, 777). One hang fire was my excuse for wiffing a shot on a taxidermy sized mule deer at less than 40 yards; my partner sitting next to me at the shot said it seemed like the delay between cap going off and ignition of the powder was almost a half a second.  I was about ready to toss that rifle off a cliff but contacted T/C (it was a T/C Renegade) and the guy I talked to suggested going back to black powder.  In that rifle at his suggestion my hunting load has since then been 105 grains of ffg and a 435 gr Maxiball (it's a .54 caliber); haven't had a hang fire since.

Don't waste any time or powder trying to use BH 209 with the Maxiballs.  The lube used on them turns the powder into soemthing resembling black butter.

One nice thing about using these bullets is watching the next guy at the range bending his ramrod about 40 degress trying to force a wonder bullet wrapped in a plastic sabot down the barrel while you almost effortlessly push your bullet down to the powder. 

A better option if you want to use a conical.

http://thorbullets.com/