BH209 and Fouling/Corrosion

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UTGrad

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I’ve been a long time user of BH209. I shot a coyote today and reloaded to wait for a deer. In an abundance of caution when I got home I pushed the load out the breech, ran a few Hoppes soaked patches through bore followed by some dry patches. Dry patches weren’t squeaky clean but I certainly got the bulk of the fouling out of the bore.

A buddy of mine said cleaning after a single shot wasn’t necessary for a few days. I disagree even with BH209. What say you folks?
 
Oh I put in a fresh load and will give the bore a thorough cleaning as soon as season ends next week.
 
I say, your buddy is playing with fire.

I have a saying, "Some will get away with it some of the time, but none will get away with it all of the time!"

It's just a matter of time before it bites you. Temperature, humidity, conditions, all play a part. You pays yer money, and you takes yer chances. If you shoot 'em, clean 'em!

Your buddy will find out the hard way, sooner or later.
 
Well..….. I'm of the mind that waiting a couple days isn't going to hurt any SS barrel, that is if it was taken care of in the first place.
I've shot multiple different rifles prior to a season's opening to foul them and not cleaned ANY of the barrels until after the season (2 weeks). Not a single rifle, not one, had any issues with the SS barrels and BH209.
Now if you fall in a creek with it, or get caught in the pouring rain, then that's different.
If in doubt, shoot it and reload it. Or...… go clean it.
 
Your number just hasn't come up yet. Yet!
Been shoot'n it just about as long as you have and through multiple rifles.
I'm in no way saying that its totally non-corrosive, but I haven't had a problem to date. I don't quite think I'm the only one either.
Do what you think is best for you and your rifle.
 
I've seen a stainless rifle go three weeks without any ill effects. I've also seen a stainless barrel get etched in only 3 days, and stainless breech plugs actually get pits in only 3 days.

It's your rifle, don't say nobody warned you.
 
I use a Boresnake every 2-3 rounds at he range and run a few soaked patches through before going home.
If I'm hunting and reload after a shot I will pull the bullet and push out the load if I can't get to shoot it by the next day.
 
I load mine opening day unless it rains I Dont,t mess with it,the misfire I had came out of a cleaned rifle dont know what happened.Been shooting my for 8 years accurate and works,I hvae to agree with Encore50A never had an issue.
 
If i fire mine and the weather is bad it at least gets a dry patch. If im hunting just a 2 day weekend i dont really worry about it in a stainless barrel. Its gunna get a quick swab with a solvent within 48 hours before the ride home.
 
I have two stainless MLs, a TC Omega and a Knight Extreme both of which have only seen bh209. If I took a shot in the field, I would re-load and leave it till the next opportunity, as we have a 6 deer limit in VA. I used to only clean at the end of a 4 month season. This would mean sometimes a 2 - 3 month (or more!) duration between cleanings, so I was really pushing the envelope. Beginning of this season I noticed some slight corrosion in the bore near the muzzle of my Knight that, after running JBs Bore paste, will not go away. So now I know, stainless can corrode, even with BH209. A couple of weeks, likely no problem, but now I at least run a dry patch down the barrel after a shot in the field, and a light coat of CLP when I get home.
 
Yesterday I took a doe with my CVA Optima V2 although it is modern gun season I used my ML. It hasn't been clean since I started using Black Horn 209 about 3 weeks ago. I probably shot it near 30 times target practicing trying different loads.
The doe was about 40 yards away to my right. I couldn't turn to shoot with right handed so I shot her left handed. She when down and stayed.

Everyone needs to clean when they think is the right time for them. Stainless steel and nitride finishes are superior to resist corrosion. So why get up tight about it? The 209 BH fouling in the bore seems to lubricate the next loading of the bullet/sabot.
 
Yesterday I took a doe with my CVA Optima V2 although it is modern gun season I used my ML. It hasn't been clean since I started using Black Horn 209 about 3 weeks ago. I probably shot it near 30 times target practicing trying different loads.
The doe was about 40 yards away to my right. I couldn't turn to shoot with right handed so I shot her left handed. She when down and stayed.

Everyone needs to clean when they think is the right time for them. Stainless steel and nitride finishes are superior to resist corrosion. So why get up tight about it? The 209 BH fouling in the bore seems to lubricate the next loading of the bullet/sabot.

You have got to love CVA rifles and their ambidextrous design. Good on you for being proficient enough to take that shot left handed; I think everyone should practice doing so for those times it happens, which it inevitably does.
 
You have got to love CVA rifles and their ambidextrous design. Good on you for being proficient enough to take that shot left handed; I think everyone should practice doing so for those times it happens, which it inevitably does.
Thanks a lot! You might be surprise but it is something I never practice. It just comes natural. Maybe I should change to leftly because I have never missed. I have shot several deer left handed with crossbows. You know when you are pinned down and can't make a turn why not got off hand.
 
I learned the hard way that a stainless steel barrel fouled with BH 209 can most definitely cause corrosion. A few years back I fouled my bore and loaded for the ML season. At the end of the 2 week season when cleaning I found serious corrosion at the last 3 inches of the bore. That 28'' barrel is now a 24'' barrel. I now hunt with a clean bore when using BH 209. No more fouling shots.
 
I have ZERO experience with BH209 and Corrosion (Didn’t test that) But i do remember it left More fouling than i had anticipated it would. The 1 and only outing i had with it, I Swabbed Between Shots the same as i do with Real Blackpowder, I didn’t see anything Ultra Clean about it that’s for Sure. I shot 10-11 Shots that Day, I do remember the Breech Plug coming out Easy. I seen enough that i would NEVER Trust Foul Shooting it, then hunting for Days with it Dirty. If i were to use BH209, i would learn my Cold “CLEAN” Bore and hunt that way :lewis:
 
I’ve been a long time user of BH209. I shot a coyote today and reloaded to wait for a deer. In an abundance of caution when I got home I pushed the load out the breech, ran a few Hoppes soaked patches through bore followed by some dry patches. Dry patches weren’t squeaky clean but I certainly got the bulk of the fouling out of the bore.

A buddy of mine said cleaning after a single shot wasn’t necessary for a few days. I disagree even with BH209. What say you folks?
I say also you should clean , i hunt and shoot with clean first shot knowing where it is going
 
Thanks a lot! You might be surprise but it is something I never practice. It just comes natural. Maybe I should change to leftly because I have never missed. I have shot several deer left handed with crossbows. You know when you are pinned down and can't make a turn why not got off hand.

Wow, I wish I had that skill innate to my tool box. The first time I shot left handed with a long gun (more years ago than I care to count) while learning to shoot off barrier from my weak side, I was on a covered range and shot one of the down range overhead beams. That earned me the nickname "Michelangelo" for that training iteration for painting the ceiling. I was all boogered up.
 
Wow, I wish I had that skill innate to my tool box. The first time I shot left handed with a long gun (more years ago than I care to count) while learning to shoot off barrier from my weak side, I was on a covered range and shot one of the down range overhead beams. That earned me the nickname "Michelangelo" for that training iteration for painting the ceiling. I was all boogered up.
Wow! Thanks for sharing your experience with off hand attempt!
I have a few ambidextrous skills in my tool box that I am blessed.
That reminds me once I had a jury on my left wrist which took it my left hand out of use for a few weeks. That makes tough on wiping in the bathroom duties. LOL!~
 
I will let a B209 fouled bore go a few days during a hunt, 3 or so. I’ve never had an issue doing so.

Any other propellant, I clean well the day of shooting.
 

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