Tried the Blackhorn 209 in my CVA Apex

[randy_68]

and it is some great stuff. I shot 14 shots without cleaning and the last bullet loaded as easy as the first. I never had a problem with ignition at all and never touched the breech plug. When I got done I screwed the plug out and could still see thru it.
I shot the 295 gr powerbelts, Hornady 240 gr XTP's, and TC Shockwaves all over 90 gr. BH209.  The powerbelts were the most accurate basically putting all in 1 hole at 50 and 100 yards. The XTP's were good also but I only shot 3 at 50,  but the shockwaves not so much. The PB's were also the easiest to load. XTP's and SWaves were slightly harder to load but not bad at all.
I am now a convert to Blackhorn 209 and will be doing some more testing with other bullets and maybe going to 100 gr.

[uno676]

Before you switch I tried it at the range worked great was clean no miss fires. Then when I went out hunting this week end we had damp weather and i pulled up on a deer pulled the trigger snap no boom. I put another cci 209 primer in snap nothing so I went back to my vehicle dumped the powder didn't look wet no clumping. I loaded it up agian and hunted till noon. I decided to test fire it since i had the miss fire in the morning. This time it fired but it was delayed. I reloaded this time with Triple 7 carried it the rest of the day was even down poured on and at the end of the day it shot no problem. Just thought i would share my struggle. By the way I was using a CVA kodiak.

[randy_68]

Thanks for sharing your info on that. I never gave that a second thought as the last time I had a misfire in damp weather was back in the early nineties with a Renegade and ff powder. Never had a misfire since I went to an inline and have always used triple seven pellets, but I wanted to try this new Blackhorn out. BTW my shots at 50 were the same poi as when I last shot it with triple seven, but a little higher at 100.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Before you switch I tried it at the range worked great was clean no miss fires. Then when I went out hunting this week end we had damp weather and i pulled up on a deer pulled the trigger snap no boom. I put another cci 209 primer in snap nothing so I went back to my vehicle dumped the powder didn't look wet no clumping. I loaded it up agian and hunted till noon. I decided to test fire it since i had the miss fire in the morning. This time it fired but it was delayed. I reloaded this time with Triple 7 carried it the rest of the day was even down poured on and at the end of the day it shot no problem. Just thought i would share my struggle. By the way I was using a CVA kodiak.

Did you use the 3mm or #32 drill bit to clean out the carbon in the breech plugs flash channel?

[randy_68]

Nope, I never had to clean it once. When I got done I looked thru it and it was still open. I am using the federal 209m primers and I only had one issue which was my gun didn't want to open after firing. The pin left a mark on the primer like it was sticking out too far and put a gouge in it. Only happened once, on the fourth shot I think. I'm going to look it over tonight and see if anything is amiss.

[uno676]

Not sure what you mean by the drill bit??? but my breech plug was clean, cleaned out with a pick and some cleaner. I have a little brush that gets in there nice. Not knocking the powder but it seems like you have to do alot of little things to get it to work just right. I do like how clean burning it is though. but T7 has always went off when i needed it with out buying special primers and it also works in my traditional to.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Not sure what you mean by the drill bit? ?? but my breech plug was clean, cleaned out with a pick and some cleaner. I have a little brush that gets in there nice. Not knocking the powder but it seems like you have to do alot of little things to get it to work just right. I do like how clean burning it is though. but T7 has always went off when i needed it with out buying special primers and it also works in my traditional to.

Yep this is what i figured. A lot of the new guys that switch over to BH209 are not familiar with cleaning the breech plug. BH209 creates a lot of carbon in the plugs flash channel, no cleaner will get it out. You have to use a 3mm or #32 "CVA/Traditions size" drill bit and spin it with your fingers and cut the carbon out of it. Not doing so will cause your flash channel to build up with carbon, restricting the primers gas flow which as you experienced, could result in a hang fire or misfire.
 

[LanceR]

BH209 is far less sensitive to humidity than black powder, Pyrodex or 777.  Hodgdon markets P-dex, 777 and BH 209.  They recommend that you discard any left over P-dex and 777 before the next hunting season and use only fresh powder since they absorb so much moisture.  They state that BH 209 will last indefinitely in a tightly closed container.  Hodgdon also recommends discharging or otherwise unloading P-dex and 777 on a daily basis and does not make that recommendation for BH 209.

BH 209 also is intended to use full power 209 shot shell primers, not the reduced power 777 ones.  CCI 209M primers are the hottest and most consistent followed by Federal 209A primers.

The 777 and other "muzzleloading" primers were all developed to reduce the blowback from Pyrodex and 777.  P-dex and 777 are easier to ignite than BH 209 but switching to full power primers and cleaning the breech plug (necessary with any powder) are small prices to pay for the convenience and extra velocity of BH 209.  Besides, 777 and other muzzleloading primers cost 2-3 times what standard one do.

Randy, now that you've joined the 209 family and discovered what the hype is about you might want to try either crushed rib sabots or take a look at Magnum Muzzleloading Products website at:

http://www.mmpsabots.com/

There are no hard loading bullets, only hard loading sabots.  There are no industry standards for muzzleloading rifle or slug gun dimensions like there are for metallic cartridge firearms so it is up to each of us to find out what works best in our rifles.

MMP makes a wide range of sabots for different bore sizes.  you can save a lot of dough by buying bullets in boxes of 50-100 and buying the sabot you and your rifle like the most separately.  FWIW, MMP make most of the sabots in the marketplace regardless of who's name is on the package.

The crushed rib sabots are designed to accommodate a wide range of bore sizes and bullets and have quickly gain a loyal following.  They can be found at:

http://www.harvesterbullets.com/

Good luck and keep us posted....

Lance

[Busta]

LanceR,
 
Hodgdon does not market Blackhorn 209, that would be Western Powders, Inc.
 
http://www.blackhorn209.com/

[uno676]

LanceR,
 
Hodgdon does not market Blackhorn 209, that would be Western Powders, Inc.
 
http://www.blackhorn209.com/

Ditto and I was just conveying my experience and my breech plug was clean. I was also using regular 209 primers not bp 209 primers. Wasn't trying to step on toes. According to the numbers off of the 2 powders sites there is only 3FPS difference in a 100 grain load.

[LanceR]

LanceR,
 
Hodgdon does not market Blackhorn 209, that would be Western Powders, Inc.
 
http://www.blackhorn209.com/

You are correct.  My mistake.

Thanks

Lance