Black Horn 209

[Mattroth54]

Any muzzleloader guys around? Now that hunting season is about wrapped up, it’s time to start converting an old Remington 700ml to a 209 system and start working up some new loads. My primary muzzleloader is a smokeless savage, so I’m kind of spoiled with the cleaning aspect of muzzle loading. I’d like to have a second gun for my dad and/or son to use during next season thats as low maintenance as possible. I’ve read quite a bit about blackhorn 209, especially how clean it’s supposed to be compared to pyrodex or 777. Has anyone actually used it and able to give some real feedback? Thanks!

 

[jamesb]

I use it in my T/C 50 cal. I load a 45 cal sabot over 80 grains. It is very accurate. Cleans up easy with hoppes. At the range after every shot I pull the breach plug and blow down the barrel. Every ten I run a wet patch down then a dry. I never get much if any fouling. It cleans up like a dirty smokeless round. It is not as corrosive as pyrodex or 777 but I always clean it if I shot it during the season so cannot tell you if it will rust up as fast as those 2.
Jim

 

[Mattroth54]

A good cleaning before long term storage is no problem. More wondering about need to clean after multiple shots, for both accuracy sake and corrosion after a day or two.

 

[DocIndy]

I use it in my Encore and won’t use anything else. It’s super clean compared to pyrodex or 777. I sighted in my new vortex, hunted with it last season and left it loaded all summer long. It went boom when I verified zero this season. I use standard 209 primers not the muzzleloader 209s. Hardly any smoke at all. Be aware, you have to measure the charge by weight like smokeless and not by volume like black powder. I use their tubes and weigh out 20 shots at a time.

 

[Mattroth54]

Sounds like exactly what I’d hoped. Thanks

 

[biggen]

I use it in my CVA and won't use anything else. It is expensive, but worth the price.

 

[Mgderf]

I like IMR White Hot pellets.
They are much cleaner than anything else I've ever used, but I've never tried Black Horn.

The White Hots clean up is a breeze, and Ive fired 3 or 4 shots before swabbing, and probably could have gone a couple more.
The White Hots are just slightly more expensive than 777 or Pyrodex, and harder to find at times, but I like them enough to go out of my way to locate them.

 

[sugarcreekbrass]

I like IMR White Hot pellets.
They are much cleaner than anything else I've ever used, but I've never tried Black Horn.

The White Hots clean up is a breeze, and Ive fired 3 or 4 shots before swabbing, and probably could have gone a couple more.
The White Hots are just slightly more expensive than 777 or Pyrodex, and harder to find at times, but I like them enough to go out of my way to locate them.

Same here. I tried BH after using 777. Clean up might have been a little better but not like White Hots. I can’t say I did enough testing though. I think, like any other reloading, finding the right component combination is key. I don’t remember what primers I tried with BH. I just lucked out trying White Hots and the Winchester 777 primers and loved that combo.

 

[Sgt7330]

I use Blackhorn in my CVA Optima. 90 gr and a 300 gr. Hornady XTP saboted. I clean it different than Pyrodex and blackpowder. The soap and water didn't work as well, so I did a little internet digging and found guys had good luck cleaning it just like their smokeless powder guns. I used Bore tech Eliminator and it cleaned it well.
Some guys had trouble getting it to fire on certain 209 primers. I use standard shotgun primers, not the ones for ML and updated the breech plug to the One designed for Blackhorn.

 

[Sgt7330]

This is good info, direct from maker.
FAQs « Blackhorn 209

 

[singlesix]

I use it in my Encore and won’t use anything else. It’s super clean compared to pyrodex or 777. I sighted in my new vortex, hunted with it last season and left it loaded all summer long. It went boom when I verified zero this season. I use standard 209 primers not the muzzleloader 209s. Hardly any smoke at all. Be aware, you have to measure the charge by weight like smokeless and not by volume like black powder. I use their tubes and weigh out 20 shots at a time.

If this is the case why does the load data show both volume and weight data?

 

[Mattroth54]

This is good info, direct from maker.
FAQs « Blackhorn 209

Well, that’s about as good as it gets there. Thanks for the link!

 

[dekeshooter]

I shoot 90gr of BH209 in my older .50 Knight rifle under a 240gr XTP. I was shooting 100gr of Pyrodex with the same bullet and tried that with the Black Horn, but found that backing down ten grains gave me better accuracy.

 

[Mattroth54]

I just ordered 2 dozen 240g 40cal Dead Center bullets from prbullets out of Canada. Once the temp climbs 20 degrees I’ll start working up a BH loaf for the Remington. I switched to the 260g version of this same bullet for my savage and couldn’t have been more impressed.

 

[Mattroth54]

Finding a bottle of this stuff is proving more difficult than imagined. Anyone know where a bottle is sitting on a shelf?

 

[DocIndy]

Might help to know your location to be able to point you in the right direction. I believe Cabelas in Noblesville had some not too long ago.

 

[Mattroth54]

Sorry, location would be helpful. I frequently travel Indy to the south, often in Columbus, Terre haute, Evansville, Bloomington areas.

 

[randy68]

Sorry, location would be helpful. I frequently travel Indy to the south, often in Columbus, Terre haute, Evansville, Bloomington areas.

You might try Dave's gun shop in Holland. He had it last time I was there . Also the Great Outdoors in Jasper had it this past fall.