Hi all,
I am considering switching to Buckhorn 209 this season (from 3 .50/50 pellets). What is the best way to measure powder both at the range and in the field?
Thanks for the tips,
kstockfo
I weigh mine with my rcbs charge master and it works very well. Pre measure your loads and take them with you. Bh209 is awesome and I encourage you to try it.
I will take a stab at this. I was always told and also read that black powder needs to be measured by volume instead of weight. I us a brass measure that slides in and out by 10's. I believe the base is 50, and I know that it will go to 100, which is what I use. After I decided on 100, Imade some paper packages that I carry with me while hunting. I take a paper penny wrapper and fold it twice and then glue it. I then put powder in and fold twice and glue the other end. A wooden clothes pin holds things while the glue dries. Simple to use and takes up little room. Tear open the package and pour in the barrel. If it is rainy I keep them in a ziploc bag in my possibles bag. There are other ways but I find this the simplest. miles
Be sure and measure it BY VOLUME to start. When people say "I used 100 gr of BH 209", 99% of the time they are talking about a volume of 100 gr, not a weighed charge. Different powders weigh different weights for a given volume, so we use volume to compare different powders.
As stated in the video, you will need a flask, a powder measuring device, and some type of containers to take a premeasured amount of powder into the field. I personally like this type of powder measure, because it comes with its own top leveling device which doubles as a small funnel to make it easier to pour down your barrel and not spill any.:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pedersoli-Revolver-Powder-Measure/733537.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dpowder%2Bmeasure%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D0%26y%3D0&Ntt=powder+measure&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products
I use the brass powder flask like in the video. And the "lanes powder tubes" are great or you can get ones like this:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Black-Powder/Loading-Accessories%7C/pc/104792580/c/104701680/sc/104436180/ThompsonCenter-4-in-1-Magnum-Quickshot-Speed-Loader-Per-2/735141.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Floading-accessories%2F_%2FN-1100209%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104436180%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104792580%253Bcat104701680&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat104701680%3Bcat104436180
They are pricey, but keeps your powder, bullet, and primer all in one package.
Make sure your gun is BH209 compatible.
The easy thing to do is find some graduated 10 or 15 cc medical sample tubes.
7cc is 66 grains by weight or about 100 grains volume of BH-209.
A few extra bullets and primers in one, three with powder, a load in the gun and you're good to go.
I use this, by volume. Yes, make sure your gun & primer are compatable with B209.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/71...grain-increments-clear-polymer-and-brass
No flame intended, but doesn't it say a lot when a question on blackpowder guns so to speak, is HOW to measure loose powder.
Hell I'm so old by now I still am on a large lot of 1964 DuPont REAL BLACK.....
Guess most have no clue on powder, think pellets and powerbelts are the way it was meant to be.
I pour my 209 measured aliquots into ZIP FIZZ containers (A Energy drink concentrate powder). I guess they sell them at costco (my buddy gave the empties to me). They fill my 50 cal T/C oh so well.
+1 on both accounts. The youview is a great measurer. Only closed breech guns are approved for BH209. I favor this powder when shooting the appropriate gun.
FYI.. 3 50 grain T7 pellets is probably overkill anyway. You gun will most likely be more accurate with plenty power at a reduced load.
weigh it
then store it in something that works for you
i put my weighed charges in little 1 oz hand cleaner bottles i went to the mall in picked up at claires boutiques of all places
cleaned em out at home real good
bent q tipped the inside of them
let em dry
the mouth of the little bottle fits right inside of the muzzle
and their is no static clinging grains of powder
works for me
i shoot 70 weighed grains from digital scale
picked it up from midsouthshootersupply for 30 dollars
use a taped up paper funnel to pour the charge into the bottle
I use a brass cyllindrical powder measure that adjusts in 10 gr. increments and make up all my charges at home. It's just much easier to do all this work in the house than out in the field. I have a little rubber strip I got somewhere with 6 little knobs, or tits on it. A 7MM Mag casing fits perrfectly, and tight over the tits. I measure out my 80 gr. charges, funnel them into the 7 mm mag casings, and attach them to the little tits on the strip. I've got 6 powder charges ready to go. I don't carry the flask, just the measure and a little extra powder just in case I'd ever need more than 6 rounds. I took bandaids and wrapped around the bases of the shell casings to keep them from klinking together and making any noise. There's any number of quick loaders out there that work real good too. I just like measuring the charges at home 'cuz it's easier for me.
Perhaps if I were going up against something that could bite back I would pre-measure powder charges and the like. 30+ years of ML hunting and I still just carry my powder in a horn, with a measure in my shooting bag. My philosophy is don't take the shot unless I can make it count, and if that's the case there is no need for a quick follow-up shot. Manipulating a greased patch and round ball takes enough time as it is- what's a few more seconds to measure out a powder charge? Even still, I can reload for a second shot in about 30-40 seconds (a tad longer if I have to put a cap on the nipple rather than prime a pan from my horn) and I know inline guys with pre-loaded chargers who can't reload as fast. The trick is to store everything in the exact same spot each time and practice shooting and reloading without having to look at what you're doing (except to glance down to see when the measure is full). Just a system that works for me.
I weigh them out in advance on day hunts, Blackhorn gives a formula of volume load x 0.7 = weighed load. On backpack trips I have a scintillation vial that I cut to hold the equivalent of 55 gr, so 2 "scoops" is my load. It ways very little and pours easily down my barrel. I've got a couple of the adjustable brass volume gadgets but I don't change my load so an adjustable measure seems a waste.
you view is the cats asssss! just load it to the top an blast away- it hel[ps if you pretest this method!
then I load 3 clear powder /bullet holders in advance and carry those
+1 on both accounts. The youview is a great measurer. Only closed breech guns are approved for BH209. I favor this powder when shooting the appropriate gun.
FYI.. 3 50 grain T7 pellets is probably overkill anyway. You gun will most likely be more accurate with plenty power at a reduced load.
I use these:
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/Item/001650488And I have a TC three shot cheek boot.
http://www.a2zoutdoors.com/tcpic7889.jpg I have two charges and one that has 2 conicals. 209's are right there with it. That way I have 2 full follow up shots if needed all right there and quick. No sound!