Well I've been walking in the Gun area of Walmart each time I go there because they have all their ML supplies on clearance. In fact I've bought a few things myself. Anyway I knew they would clearance out their ML's but I just had to wait and keep checking back. Well today was that day!

I've been watching the Elkhunter Pro 50 Cal in Black Synthetic stock (PR4610) as it is a nice Blued gun that has a nice fluted barrel and decent feel, bolt action as well, but they wanted $229 for it, and being blued I was interested but not because it had to be the right price. I have decided the last couple of years to only buy Stainless from here on out so that mainly was the turning point for me, and unless there is an ungodly deal!

Well as I made my way over there I could see the new red tag, thought [bleep] because I knew I might be spending more money on guns. Well they knocked it down to $124.99 and I had to jump on it! They also had 2 CVA Wolf in 50 cal for $99, but I passed on those, even though I wanted a brake action.

Came with a parts kit with a second breech plug for Musket, and 11 caps, as well as the breech plug for the 209!

My wife wanted to string me up because I already spent $1k on my latest KP1 and I still haven't gotten the barrel yet!

So now I got to take it out to the range so I'm hoping I can do that this week as today the weather didn't cooperate. Do you think a 100-110 grain BH209, with a harvester green rib sabot, and 44 cal Hornady XTP be a great starter load?

Is there something else I should try?

By the way, cleaning the grease out of the barrel was tough! I used Break Free then CLR. Then ran a dry patch through so I think I'm ready to go?

Lastly, do I need to use anti-seize on the breech plug or is there a better cleaner solution like regular gun oil?

BH209 will not work in that one due to the blow by, the breech plug wasn't designed for it. Email this guy and tell him you'd like to have your plug drilled out for a powder pocket and install a vent liner, It should work fine after this mod. [email protected] He doesn't charge much for this.

YES! For the love of God, use anti seize on the breech plug threads! Even white plumbers tape does a good job.

Ok I emailed him and he stated he didn't know if the gun could handle BH209? But that he would fit it if I wanted to. With that said I did some in depth research tonight on it and I think I might be ok because the other plugs are different and even require a different tool that the gun came with?

Anyway, from the looks of it and the way the bolt comes into contact with the primer it is very tight. Also the plug is beveled so I think by removing any portion of the breach plug will shorten the distance between the breech plug and the bolt creating blow back! See the pictures I took because they look very close to what Blackhorn 209 states it needs for adequate combustion. I also plan on calling CVA tomorrow if I get a chance.

Here is the BH209 breech they claim it needs: http://www.blackhorn209.com/specs/ignition-guidelines/

Here is mine.I'll post up some pic's of my action in a little while.

Ron will know what to do, he just has to mod the face of the breech plug that goes into the barrel and touches the powder. Once thats done it should do great with BH209.

Heres a pic of what he will do,

Your plug in the middle, and the new look of yours after he is done is on the left side with the removable vent liner.

I don't think that will work because for him to ream it out he would take off space from the outer cone therefore making it shorter in total length. If it is shorter then the only way for it to work would to bring the vent up further to make correct contact with it. But I already think the contact may be tight enough? Check this out:

Now if it is only the face that actually touches the powder, not the receiver side) then that should be fine, but if he hollows out the core then I don't think it will work. And why would you need it bored out like that with a liner anyway?

Here:

you're worrying about the primer end, that has nothing to do with the modification. Its only the powder end that gets drilled and tapped for the vent liner.

Brings the powder closer to the primer therefore eliminating the hang fires you will get if you don't mod it.

You nailed it! That is exactly the problem as I just talked to a CVA gunsmith today.

They stated that because the Elkhorn Pro Magnum is a bolt action the breach plug is to long and therefore the Blackhorn 209 powder does not like to ignite properly. They stated the Blued Bergara barrel could handle it as well as the action, just the breech plug is the issue.

So I emailed [email protected] in which he stated he wasn't sure if the gun could handle BH 209, so now I got all the misconceptions cleared up and the information is on the web now for others to Google, I will follow up with [email protected] and get the breech plug modified to run the BH209.

Question, where do you get replacement vents and when should you replace them. I've seen people state 50 - 100 shots, but I find that hard to believe?

Also CVA stated that they are soon to start testing Alliant MZ Black Powder Substitute in their rifles. They said that it had just came in and they would get testing soon. He stated to follow the manufacture instructions to a "T" if one is to try it until the results are in. Just thought I would put this out there for others to Google.

Thanks for clearing up the breech plug nipple issue in my head, in that they do not modify that end, only the end that touches the powder!!!!

it can handle it, ive converted a couple bolt action cva's to shoot blackhorn209. Having ron modify the plug with the hollow dish will bring the powder closer to the primer, therefore making it reliable with bh209.

Savage, lehigh, or even Rod makes them and they are very inexpensive.

Black MZ is just repackaged american pioneer powder.

Great!

How long are they good for, meaning what type life span can I expect?

Also, I called Knight on my new style KP1 and they stated I need to use their Dish breech plug because it comes vented for BH209, but I don't want one of those because then I have to use those POS disks. Do I have to mod the regular style 209 breech plug as well? I haven't recieved the barrel yet so I can't try it without the mod, then again I've seen all over the net that they will fire just fine? Any thoughts????

Shoot... I've put 3000 shots through many original CVA breech plugs with no accuracy issues. Maybe change it out one every 2 years or so.

Ron should be able to do your Knight plug as well, just shoot him an email and ask about the knight plug, he will know more about it.

I'll try the KP1 breech plug first, If I ever get the thing!, and if I have issues I will send them together. Supposed to have it in soon.

That's interesting, you have never even used Knights primer holders but you already feel they are a "POS".
How may I ask have you come to that conclusion? I have used them for years in a couple of my Knight rifles without one single problem so it makes me wonder "What am I missing or doing wrong?".

well he is right LOL. those primer holders are nothing but a pain in the butt and expensive once you add shipping into the mix.

Yea it's a real bitch that you have to insert the primer into those holders, I will agree with you that they are a little on the pricey side.

Your 100% right, I don't have experience, however I have messed with them. Besides the reviews on them are completely horrible and everyone basically stated the same issues. One of the things that was the final straw for me was the fact you can't load just regular 209 primers into the breech, with the disk breech.

Now had they made a vented breech that you could just add the disk and have a choice to either use them or not then I would be completely sold. But if you have one you have to use the disk or you can't cap. So you have to switch breech plugs and thus you would have inconsistencies. I just wish they would have done it different, and maybe that would have helped them, just my 2 cents from a newbee.

Going to the gun show Sunday, might find someone there that can Mod mine or buy something, have to wait and see.