Another Blackhorn question

[Bigterp]

As I finalize my shooting for my Colorado trip. I’m noticing a few things.
BH209 seems dirtier on cleanup than when I was shooting 777pellets. But easier to load for my entire range session. Can shoot 10-12 times with no cleanup or noticeable differences in point of impact. I’ve been shooting 110gr/vol with a 320gr fury bonded copper bullet out of a TC omega 50 cal. All seems to be going well. I’m curious about your recipes about how much should 110 gr BH209 by volume weigh & is a dozen patches of blackhorn solvent excessive to get a clean patch??

 

[Ninering62]

As I finalize my shooting for my Colorado trip. I’m noticing a few things.
BH209 seems dirtier on cleanup than when I was shooting 777pellets. But easier to load for my entire range session. Can shoot 10-12 times with no cleanup or noticeable differences in point of impact. I’ve been shooting 110gr/vol with a 320gr fury bonded copper bullet out of a TC omega 50 cal. All seems to be going well. I’m curious about your recipes about how much should 110 gr BH209 by volume weigh & is a dozen patches of blackhorn solvent excessive to get a clean patch??

You do not " need to " clean your bore between shots with BH209. When I'm using BH209 at my bench target shooting, I fire 1) 1/2 charge w/cheap bullet " fouling shot " then I load/shoot the rest of the day without touching my bore. There is no need to. There is no hard gritty fouling to make loading pressure higher which is what changes your POI. BH209 weighs .7gbw = 10gbv.

 

[Bigterp]

You do not " need to " clean your bore between shots with BH209. When I'm using BH209 at my bench target shooting, I fire 1) 1/2 charge w/cheap bullet " fouling shot " then I load/shoot the rest of the day without touching my bore. There is no need to. There is no hard gritty fouling to make loading pressure higher which is what changes your POI. BH209 weighs .7gbw = 10gbv.

Thanks for the info, I didn’t touch it at the range. Worked great. Might try that tip about fouling ( used to shoot 3/4 primers through but probably doesn’t foul quite the same)

 

[Ninering62]

Thanks for the info, I didn’t touch it at the range. Worked great. Might try that tip about fouling ( used to shoot 3/4 primers through but probably doesn’t foul quite the same)

Thats correct, its 3-4 primers that you do not need to use & no, it does not foul the same as a powder charge. The 1/2 charge does what it needs to do with half the ( now insanely expensive BH209 ) amount.

 

[MrTom]

And with BH you can go a couple days without cleaning the bore if the weather is dry.

 

[ElDiablo]

320gr fury bonded copper bullet

Copper jacketed not solid copper, correct?

 

[Ninering62]

Copper jacketed not solid copper, correct?

Does Fury even make a copper mono bullet? I don't think so, but, I could always be wrong.

 

[ElDiablo]

Does Fury even make a copper mono bullet? I don't think so, but, I could always be wrong.

No

 

[Bigterp]

Copper jacketed not solid copper, correct?

 

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

And with BH you can go a couple days without cleaning the bore if the weather is dry.

You can delay cleaning for several days. However, BH209 is not completely non-corrosive because both Guanidine Mononitrate and Potassium Perchlorate produce corrosive residues. Potassium Perchlorate is one of the main ingredients in Pyrodex (the Oxidizer) The SDS sheet below reveals the ingredients of BH209. If your barrel is not stainless, it is more likely to corrode.

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/wercs-sds-us-blackhorn-209-2021-rev1.pdf
.

 

[ENCORE50A]

As I finalize my shooting for my Colorado trip. I’m noticing a few things.
BH209 seems dirtier on cleanup than when I was shooting 777pellets. But easier to load for my entire range session. Can shoot 10-12 times with no cleanup or noticeable differences in point of impact. I’ve been shooting 110gr/vol with a 320gr fury bonded copper bullet out of a TC omega 50 cal. All seems to be going well..................... I’m curious about your recipes about how much should 110 gr BH209 by volume weigh & is a dozen patches of blackhorn solvent excessive to get a clean patch??

BH takes many more patches to clean up than T7, I agree.

Every lot# of BH will be different when you compare volume to weight. 110grs VOLUME with lot#27 will weigh totally different than 110grs VOLUME of lot#39.

IF.................... you use the .7 conversion number given originally by Western, 110grs VOLUME should equal 77grs WEIGHT. However, it will not.
Measure out 10 volume charges, then weigh each charge and take the average weight of the 10 volume charges.

 

[ElDiablo]

Yeah that 320 gr .50 Universal should basically look like this on the inside. (This is the .452 325 gr bonded).

 

[Bob G.]

BH takes many more patches to clean up than T7, I agree.

Every lot# of BH will be different when you compare volume to weight. 110grs VOLUME with lot#27 will weigh totally different than 110grs VOLUME of lot#39.

IF.................... you use the .7 conversion number given originally by Western, 110grs VOLUME should equal 77grs WEIGHT. However, it will not.
Measure out 10 volume charges, then weigh each charge and take the average weight of the 10 volume charges.

I’ve never used T7 but I think it’s pretty easy to clean up BH209 on my CVA. One dry patch, a wet patch with Hoppe’s #9, a few brush strokes followed by a few wet patch/dry patches. Oil on a patch if storing.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I’ve never used T7 but I think it’s pretty easy to clean up BH209 on my CVA. One dry patch, a wet patch with Hoppe’s #9, a few brush strokes followed by a few wet patch/dry patches. Oil on a patch if storing.

T7 cleans up with less than 1/2 the patches and 1/2 the time, and having shot many CASES of T7 a year in the past, 5 patches total and done. That's also shooting 180grs of T7 in an Ultimate rifle, 20 rounds. Best to swab with and clean with............ Butch's Black Powder Bore Shine.

BH isn't hard to clean, but it just takes more patches and time, especially in a bolt rifle. Breech plug flash channels carbon up in 209 ignitions and barrel threads are filthy in all rifles. The appropriate size brass brush should be used to clean barrel breech plug threads every time the rifle is shot and cleaned.

Cleaning, regardless of what product used or the propellant, is just part of muzzleloading. However I sometimes miss the 5 patches and done cleaning.

 

[jd24.5.48]

It doesn't take 10 patches for me to clean my accura V2 lr using blackhorn. I break the muzzleloader down and use a brass brush before using hoppes and some dry patches. 6-8 patches and it's good to go! It takes longer to clean up the breech plug than the rest of the muzzleloader!

 

[Bigterp]

It doesn't take 10 patches for me to clean my accura V2 lr using blackhorn. I break the muzzleloader down and use a brass brush before using hoppes and some dry patches. 6-8 patches and it's good to go! It takes longer to clean up the breech plug than the rest of the muzzleloader!

After reading responses I need to revisit my cleaning regimen. I was previously shooting 2 777 pellets & a sabot so a few patches & clean the plug & was good. I think adding a brush & some dry patches to the mix would be helpful. Agree that the breech plug & threaded part of the barrel are the worst. Appreciate everyone’s input!

 

[white eagle]

I use regular cleaning solvents that I would use for any other rifle
My fouling is 2 primers and load and shoot
werks fer me

 

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

You may want to consider trying Ballistol. It has been around for a long time and contains chemicals that neutralize acids. It is also more of an emulsion, which means it will work to some degree with both Nitrocellulose and the Inorganic Oxidizers in BH209. Most Black Powder type solvents are water based and most Nitrocellulose solvents are oil based.

 

[sabotloader]

It doesn't take 10 patches for me to clean my accura V2 lr using blackhorn. I break the muzzleloader down and use a brass brush before using hoppes and some dry patches. 6-8 patches and it's good to go! It takes longer to clean up the breech plug than the rest of the muzzleloader!

Here is my routine and it works pretty much as Encore says. Easy and efficient.

 

[MrTom]

The absolute last thing I squeak about with my muzzies is cleaning them or how much it costs or time to do so. Its part of the love for them. Compared to a barrel or plug replacement patches are cheap and so are cleaning fluids or solutions.
The first thing I do when readying to clean them is turn on the radio in the shop, then I clear off one of my injection benches and roll out the pad. I lay the guns on it and disassemble as needed to clean. I've cleaned as many as 4 muzzies at one sitting and can't recall ever spending more than an hour at it but the time it takes to clean those guns is the most relaxing time, outside of sitting in a stand, that there is for me.

If I've been to the club and used T7 I generally will get right to the cleaning when I get home. BH lets me wait until evening to settle in with the toys and the smell of Hoppes. Damn I wish they made an air freshener that smelled like Hoppes #9. As guns get reassembled and there's some time left to play I may pour myself a finger of good bourbon and sit back and, sip, and just handle the guns before giving each its rub-down with WD-40's specialty Corrosion Preventer.