Skopia

I have been hunting deer with a shot gun/bow and arrow for about 38 years. Just started using a muzzleloader these past 2 years, now the Rem. 1100 has been retired for deer. We still use it for ducks though.I used to and still do use my bow during primative arms season here in Massachusetts if I have my meat for the year. Here in Mass. we cannot use a break open muzzy. So I purchased an Omegatwo years ago. I have harvested 5 deer in the last 2 years. My brother and I still pause in awe after we witness the lethal damage these muzzys do on deer. My current Omega is set up with a .430 240grxtp in a green crushed rib sabot over 90 gr 777 ff. All 5 deer were shot from 30yds to about 70yds. All complete pass throughs. All deer dead on the run, which was not far. Blood everywhere. Awesome!! Well, being bit by the bug, I just purchased, 3 weeks go, another Omega in Black/weathershield. I also picked up 2 bottles of B209 to use, or try, in Omega #2. I have not fired a shot from that gun yet because of time restraints.
Now I am one of those, if it's not broke, don't fix it kind of guys. I have to admit that aside from the crud ring, I do not have any issues with 777.
It is very accurate
I have never had a misfire or hang fire
Never had an issue with a frozen breech plug
I do swab between shots, never had to take 2 shots though
I never leave a load in for more than a couple of days
I am meticulous about cleaning

With all that being said, because of our human nature being of a somewhat curious nature, wanted to try B209 in Omega #2.
The lastmonth I have been reading all the post and trying to gather as much information on B209 as I can to make my experience an enjoyable one. The information that all you guys offer on this site is unbelievable. I will admit though that I do scratch my head at times and ask myself why I do what I do. For example:

B209 is expensive
requires a hotter primer
requires a tighter fitting sabot
carbon build up in the breech plug which requires special attention while cleaning or shooting at the range
hang fires?
Hasen't been time tested in sub freezing weather
now, we are not sure if it is completly corrosion free?

Now my Omega #2 and my 2 jugs of B209 are bought and paid for, with no regrets. I do ask myself what am I looking for and what am I going to or supposed to gain in this venture? I dotell myself though that I love this sport and I will continue to enjoy any and all aspects of what we do and why we do it!I will gaurantee all of you that when I start my experimentation with B209, I will have more questions for you all, and I'm sure I will get the right advice. Thank you.

cayugad

That's half the fun of these rifles.. to experiment with different loads and see what you can make them do. I am sure you will have some good information to pass on to us.

Many of the Black Horn shooters claim amazing accuracy, especially at long distance.

bronko22000

I have to agree with Cayugad. It seems no matter how good a rifle shoots with a given load, most of us in here have a tendency to 'experiment' with different bullets, charges, powders, etc. Why? Who knows? Probably like you said, its just our curious nature. We know we always have that pet load to go back to (if we don't blow our equipment or ourselves up!). And its fun.

Skopia

"if we don't blow our equipment or ourselves up"
guess that's good reason for more "back up" guns

Johnmorris

I really like the BH 209 I use it in my 26 inch encore My groups improved and clean up is much easier I will not go back to the other powders for my encore. I still use Goex Pinacle and T7 for my percussion and Black for my Flintlocks.

revpilot

Skopia,

BH209 will not cure world hunger....... I tried it for the simple fact of time.... My job gives me very little free time. So anytime i can save and make my range time more enjoyable, im all for it. I know everyone says it no quicker than 777 as far as cleanup, but it is to me. Ive shot it in my Knight Long range hunter, and the TC endeavor with no hangfires...I have had no problems with it! I can go to the range, shoot 30 times without swabbing.... when im done at the range, run a few patches through it with hoppes #9, wire brush the breech plug, and im done, 5 minutes max, its cleaned.When i used 777, swabbing between shots, so calculate that time saved shooting 30 times,plus i can shoot more. Then the clean up. It takesmorethan 5 minutes just to set the kitchen up so my wife wouldnt get PO about the mess.... To me it shoots more accurate.... so for me i can swallow the little extra cost to get a little more shooting at the range, and a little less nagging for cleaning my gun in the kitchen

Skopia

Here'smy one and only hands on experience with B209. The weekend before shotgun season opened me and my buddy headed to the range. Me, with my omega and 777. My buddy with his B209 and his omega. This was the first time either of us was going to experience this wonder drug. We only shot the 50 yd range, 100 yd range was full. I smiled as I placed shot after shot on top of each other with my pet load and 2x7 scope. Swabbing between shots. Now our attention turns to my friend. I will admitt, he did not have an assortment of bullets or sabots, he was using what bullet and sabotworked with his pet load and pyrodex. We were all smiles like two kids when he was stuffing 2,3,4 shots down the barrel w/out swabbing. Accuracy was OK, not great, but like I said, we did not have bullets or sabots to experiment with. Then, about the 6th or 7th shot........ka wak. Hang fire. We were both in shock. We looked at each other and said, "what the f... was that? Niether of us has ever experienced that before. Both of us in our 2nd year of shooting our muzzys. Next couple of shots go boom. Then ka wak. That's when I decided to keep my new omega snuggled up close to the 2 jugs of B209 in it's case and do my research before I give this a go. Like I said previously, this site is excellent and the information that can be obtained is priceless. I'll keep you all posted.

SWThomas

What primers was he using? Was the breech plug clean? Did he press the load down tight?

revpilot

I have yet to hear someone that shoots aTC with BH209 that didnt get excellent accuracy with shockwaves or hornady SSTwith the short black harvester sabot.....

Skopia

In know way am I blamming the message, (B209).I know the messengers were at fault, (that being us). We wereprobably doing a lot of things wrong inthat brief range session. I can gaunranteethat we were shooting much too fast between shots and that is because of the fascination with not having to swab. I do believe he was using regular W209 primers. And I"ll take an educated guess and say his breech plug was not spotless.
That is why I came looking for answers on this site.