Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Blackhorn 209 Alternate

I’ve got enough for this season, but I’m not paying $160 a pound for it. I understand how it pencils out in the grand scheme. Has anyone else quit using it and moved to another powder for hunting? I use it so know that it’s good stuff, but dang. What did you go to and are you happy (enough)?

Thanks

Todangcheap

Yikes! I had no idea. The last 12oz bottle I bought was $37.

Ron

I bought the last four 10 ounce bottles that a nearby Walmart had on the shelf after the season was over. Paid $38 plus tax for each. I kept one and sold the other three at my cost to friends in need. Last time I saw BH209 on the shelf it was $99 for 8 ounces. If I don't do any scope changing or target practice, I should be set for several years. Maybe by the time I run out Tennessee will allow straight wall centerfire cartridges.

Most guys I know in the ML game have gone back to 777. Cleanup is a little more but for the price difference, it's worth it!

BH209 around here is $88-$90/ 8oz. bottle.

Elk Country

Original Black Powder still works, does not degrade like 777. Clean up is no worse than 777 or Pyrodex.

I’d agree with SS here. Plain old BP ain’t all that hard to take care of. A few smart fellers taught me about a spit patch while shooting, Windex with Vinegar, and some olive oil to keep the bore protected. It’s just danged easy.

My last rifle I had made was a Woodman Arms with a Brux barrel so I could use plain old smokeless powder. Even H4198 is much less money than BH209 is these days.

Frank, if you get in a pinch and need a container, let me know, I still have a decent stash of it.

I went the SML route to avoid buying BH209. I have done very little load development so far but a 40cal 200gr Hornady SST in a HLB sabot powered by 32gr of VV N110 is getting 2200fps and sub moa accuracy. I get less recoil, no smoke cloud and clean up is a cinch, when I finally decide to clean the barrel. The 209 breech plug gets thrown into a plastic cup of Evaporust. 20 minutes later I remove it and wipe it off with a rag. It comes clean that easily.

That’s simply too much trouble and expense for the limited time we get here. I have two SS MLs, a sidelock for our late primitive season and an inline for the week we get after the regular bow and rifle seasons, when just seeing a deer becomes a challenge. If I ever burn through my 5-pounder of BH209, I’ll go back to BP.

Arkansas legalize straight wall cartridge in ML season. I came across a deal. I bought 4 10 oz cans of blackhorn for 80.00. That was for all 4.

Haven't yet used it on game, but I'm pretty happy with WhiteHots. At the range, I take a minute to swab the bore after each shot with a 91% alcohol soaked patch followed by a dry patch. Cleans up easily after a day of shooting.

56-60 grains of n120 with a 300gr bullet or below for starters in .45 cal…

I’ve yet to figure out the advantage to Black Powder substitutes beyond the fact that it can sit out on the shelf at Wally World where small children can eat it.

Smokeless I can at least understand the gains in performance.

Buy a couple pounds of Goex or Swiss FF, mix up some Ballistol and water 50/50 for cleaning and don’t look back.

Never jumped on the BH209 band wagon, 777 for inlines has done a great job for me over the decades.

Black powder is $30 lb down the road from me. That is very reasonable, therefore , i never use anything else. I have some old 209 if anyone wants to buy it for cheap . I'm north of Milwaukee about 50 miles.

I went back to 777. I actually prefer Pyrodex Select over 777 for better accuracy but I can't stand the smell.

Black powder is not available anywhere near me. Government restrictions made it too much hassle to stock. The subs were OK under the storage guidelines, so shops quit stocking the real stuff. If the price of BH209 doesn't get back to a reasonable price, I will order a case of black powder and pay the hazmat fees.