Has anyone had trouble with Blackhorn 209 from the previous year?

[Dthree1]

I have two TC Omegas that I am shooting, 250 Barnes T-EZ and 88gr(weight) of blackhorn 209.

I switched to blackhorn from 777 last year and loved it...........fast forward to last week and  I can not get my guns to group anything like last year when the powder was new/fresh. I have cleaned both guns and it didn't make any improvements. Shots are all over the place with several not even hitting a 24 x 24 target at 100 yards.

Has anyone else had trouble with this?

 

[GLenn]

I've been using BH209 for many years now and have never had that problem with the prior years powder. It sounds like a loose scope problem or similar but that is very hard to believe seeing as you have two different guns and both are acting the same. The powder should be unaffected.

I don't have a clue!!

Glenn

 

[exMember]

Never had a problem like that before.

Do you clean your breech plugs properly with the cleaning drill bit? How old is the breech plug? Over time the flash holes erode and can cause poor accuracy.

 

[hawgslayer1]

:scratch: 

Try cutting back to 78.0 grains, BY Weight. That's the equivalent to 110 grains by volume. 88 grains of powder by weight could be your problem. Check your screws on the mount and scope like already suggested.
 I never had any trouble shooting year old Black horn 209. As long as you keep it sealed there is no shelf life problems. Keep that breech plug clean and free from carbon build up.

Ray...............

 

[patocazador]

I only use BH209 in one gun therefore it takes a long time to go through a bottle of it. I am shooting powder that is 4+ years old. No problems.

Sounds like a scope problem to me.

 

[Dthree1]

Never had a problem like that before.

Do you clean your breech plugs properly with the cleaning drill bit? How old is the breech plug? Over time the flash holes erode and can cause poor accuracy.

No. I haven't cleaned them with a drill bit, I have been soaking them in bore cleaner and using a piece of wire to clean the hole.

I will have to try that. Any idea what size drill bit is needed? Hopefully that is the problem. How often do you clean it with the drill bit?


Thanks for the responses.

 

[exMember]

That's most likely your big issue with accuracy.

Run a 1/8" drill bit through that plugs flash channel and cut all that stuff out! It may be hard but it needs to come out. I haven't found a solvent yet that actually removes the carbon.

After 10 shots I like to run that drill bit and cut the carbon out.

 

[Newtire]

I use a drill bit in a pin vise everytime I clean them. I'm not sure of the size, something that fits snug but still allows you to spin the pin vise with your fingers.

 

[Dthree1]

Thanks for the help.
I cleaned both breech plugs with a 1/8" drill bit and a torch tip cleaner. There was a ton of carbon build up in them. One gun has had around 100-150 shots through it, mostly 777 and the other less than 75, most of which have been Blackhorn 209.

Haven't been able to shoot them yet because our local shooting range is flooded from all the rain from TS Hermine and now the remnants of Julia. Hopefully it dries out enough to shoot some this weekend. Both guns have Leupold scopes and have been taken care of, if it was just one I would have thought it was a scope problem but think it's unlikely that both scopes started having problems at the same time.


I have been using Winchester 209 primers. Is there any other primer that burns cleaner or that yall would recommend? I've read about folks using the CCI 209 magnum primers but have not been able to find them locally and hate to pay hazmat shipping on just primers unless it's going to make a huge difference. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Dthree1]

Also, with the CCI 209 magnum primers, do you have to modify the breech plug?

 

[Newtire]

I use the CCI magnum primers but not because they're cleaner. I use them because they're hotter and I've had issues lighting BH209 with Win209's when the temp was in single digits. You shouldn't have to modify your breech plug for them, just keep the flash channel clean.

 

[Dthree1]

Thanks again for the help. I was able to shoot some yesterday. The buildup in the breech plug was definitely the problem. After about five or so shots, they start to stray but clean the breech like suggested and it is right back.

 

[Anonymous]

88 weight is a really hot load. You need to be addressing copper buildup too.

You use more BH209 in weight, than I use in volume .....85-90gr. Makes my shots good out-to 125 yards, my max distance in the hardwoods & pines where I hunt.

I stick with a hot primer, for I have witnessed BH209 ignition hangfires in below 30 degrees cold, damp weather. I'm in the humid Midwest/Great Lakes region.

 

[Anonymous]

What I've noticed with Blackhorn is how moisture grabs-on to it's fouling like a magnet.
For instance:
Shoot my load as always after the evening hunt, then return the ML to the hard case and leave outdoors.
In the morning I swab the bore and reload powder and bullet. I must be pushing old residue to the breechplug, which in-turn creates a hangfire after the morning hunt.

My future practices will be a little different. I'll swab the bore - then put the ML in the hard case - then swab again in the morning, prior to loading.

The adage that no swabbing is needing with Blackhorn, only applies to continuous shooting instances. NEVER apply the no swabbing adage when hunting day-to-day with Blackhorn.

Lesson-learned by me.
BTW... I have never encountered this issue with leaving real black Goex fouling overnight. But in the same breath, I'll start using the same practice of swabbing the blackpowder residue, prior to packing the ML in my gun case overnight.

It's always better to get into the same practice, no matter what powder we are using that particular hunting season.