Blackhorn 209 works awesome

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Whelen B

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Bought a new TC Encore last Christmas and got it out today for its first romp in the park - well range actually.
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I used 80, 90 and 100gr loads behind 300gr XTPs in crushed rib sabots. So much fun to shoot and seemed very accurate and predictable - no suprises at all. I didn't set up my chrony but next time I will. Notable recoil only began when I moved up to 100grs - 80gr and 90gr loads were pussycats. Max is 120gr according to the Blackhorn data but my TC is the little 20" barrel Katahdin model which is pretty light. Heavier charges will get my attention though should be manageable.

I really liked the zero blowback - no crud or crap in the action - and cleaning was just several patchs of smokeless bore solvent, a dry patch or two, then a damp patch with Break freeCLP. Seemed sooooo much like my Savage ML was for hassle free clean up. No need to pull the breech plug every time IMO.

I think that this TC is never going to see anything except Blackhorn209 as long as I own it. That's the plan now anyway. But I do need to remortgage the house just to buy the powder - it's sure spendy !!!!!!
 
I just picked up a new TC Pro-Hunter XT (Endeavor) and decieded to shoot the Blackhorn 209 as well. Deffinatly was alot different shooting than any other powerder my father and friends are using. Next to no smoke, and easy to clean. It deffinatly is a bit more $$$ but I figured out it was the same price as the 777 pellets.

I have noticed that going by using the volume powder measure it seems to vary quite a bit when I actually scale the powder in grains....I think I am going to weigh all my loads by weight after using the volume scale to put me on target..figured this should bring the group size in quite a bit.

one question though about cleaning....The blackhorn site recomends using their solvent or Hoppes #9 but I am just curious if I should be using bore butter for storage.....blackhorn says its totally different than all the other powders and its also a stainless barrel...opinions????

Thanks. Ryan
 
The blackhorn site recomends using their solvent or Hoppes #9 but I am just curious if I should be using bore butter for storage.....
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I don't trust the bore butter. I'd rather shoot a clean bore - don't want it "seasoned" myself. I'd put BreakfreeCLP swab thru the bore for storage.
 
I have only shot the TC a few times now and I am starting to have problems with the Blackhorn 209. When I first picked it up and fired the first couple of shots there was no issue once so ever. Now, sighting it in on Saturday the first 3 shots where normal...then I started to get a slight delay from the time the hamer dropped...not much at all but deffinatly noticable. I had 2 shots on target at 100 yards before it happened then fired 3 shots after...did the same thing each of the 3 times and each shot grouped 5-7" lower than the first two. Figured something wasn't clean and packed it in for the day and went back in the house for a good cleaning. Tried it again today and same issue...then I tried some IMR white hots and everything was back to normal...just like shooting a center fire.

Any ideas??? The breach plug was super clean before shooting today!
 
I'm pretty new to the Blackhorn 209 also.
But I use cci 209M primers for more ignition. No crud ring issues so hotter is better like with my old Savage and smokeless. Used cci 209M in that also with smokeless to get it going. Never a problem.
 
Yeah, Turns out the primers where my problem. I didn't realize that I wasn't supposed to use the Remington Muzzle loader primers with the Blackhorn 209...switched to Winchester shotgun 209 primers and its great...problem solved.

Sighted it yesterday...5 shot group at 100 yards...1.5" and 3 shots where touching...should be good enough for deer hunting in a few weeks!

Ryan
 
I bought a can to try in a cartridge rifle - tried about 4 rounds - didnt like it -
Paid $50 for the powder, will sell remainder for $30 - Shipping NOT included.
Am in Winnipeg - prefer pickup if interested.
 
oldstarfire said:
I bought a can to try in a cartridge rifle - tried about 4 rounds - didnt like it -
Paid $50 for the powder, will sell remainder for $30 - Shipping NOT included.
Am in Winnipeg - prefer pickup if interested.
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Not sure what the going price of it is in Manitoba but I picked up a can last week at the local gun shop here in Ontario and paid $40 for it...found out a day later my brother picked some up at Bass Pro for $36 for it.

Anyway, what cartridge's where you loading? 45-70 or something???

Ryan
 
Im deffinatly liking it....Found out though this week that you deffinatly need a hot shot gun 209 primer. A few weeks ago when I originally sighted my Encore in I was getting a bit of a hang fire untill I realized that I had to shoot a shot gun 209 primer and not a muzzle loader primer. I picked up some Winchesters and all seemed great untill the cold weather (-5) this week durring our muzzle loader hunt here in southern Ontario where I was experiancing "No Fires".... found out that the winchesters arn't hot enough and have now switched over to CCI's which are recomended by Blackhorn. Orginally I didn't see that recomendation on there site...just that they recomended an actual shot gun primer!
 
RyanBambach said:
Im deffinatly liking it....Found out though this week that you deffinatly need a hot shot gun 209 primer. A few weeks ago when I originally sighted my Encore in I was getting a bit of a hang fire untill I realized that I had to shoot a shot gun 209 primer and not a muzzle loader primer. I picked up some Winchesters and all seemed great untill the cold weather (-5) this week durring our muzzle loader hunt here in southern Ontario where I was experiancing "No Fires".... found out that the winchesters arn't hot enough and have now switched over to CCI's which are recomended by Blackhorn. Orginally I didn't see that recomendation on there site...just that they recomended an actual shot gun primer!
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The Blackhorn brochure recommends using Winchester, CCI, Federal, Cheddite and Remington.
 
Blackhorn just doesn't have the some oomph as 777 powder and it has caused a few hang fires and misfires for myself and a few others i have talked to. 777 is worth the extra work cleaning since it is more reliable.
 
i was using 3 30gr 777 pellets and last year switched to blackhorn and what a difference, you have to use cci 209m primers, the winchesters work but seem to ignite it too slow making shots variable in power. but with the cci's it works awesome my knight long range hunter is shooting half the group sizes now
 
BD1 said:
Blackhorn just doesn't have the some oomph as 777 powder and it has caused a few hang fires and misfires for myself and a few others i have talked to. 777 is worth the extra work cleaning since it is more reliable.
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As Ryan mentioned, you MUST use a shotgun primer, and Blackhorn also mentions that not all breechplugs will work with their powder. On their website they posted pic's of which ones work and which ones would not.
 
heavyBullet said:
As Ryan mentioned, you MUST use a shotgun primer, and Blackhorn also mentions that not all breechplugs will work with their powder. On their website they posted pic's of which ones work and which ones would not.
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ya, switched the the CCI's and its better than ever...for $hits and Giggles I loaded it up, left it out in the cold garage for 8 hours in -15 temps and loaded the cci primer and pulled the trigger...felt and shot just like it did in the warm weather with the Winchesters!

Very happy with it...just took a while to get the right combinetation, and I guess if I would have read thru the whole blackhorn site I would have done it right from the start!

Ryan
 
all of the guns that we used blackhorn in were set up for shotgun primers, i also tried a few different plugs, still just does not compare to 777. Blachorn seems to be much more succeptable to humidity as well. seems to be too inconsistant to rely on.
 
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