Heavy BH209?

[LarryBud]

Trying to dial in a couple of guns for longer ranges than I usually hunt ( out to 300 yards ). I thought wieghing my loads of all powders might be wise. An added benefit is that I don't lose a grain as I sit in my basement under controlled conditions loading tubes.

Anyway, my current 10 oz Jug of BH 209 wieghed in 77.64 / 100 grains by Volume over an average of 5 pours ( TC U View ). Then I went to 120 by volume and they wieghed an 5 pour average of 93.28 grains. The math works out really close 77.64 x 1.2 = 93.168.

I don't like exceeding recommended loads ( If I shoot 120 Vol ) but I guess if I didn't have a scale, I'd never know I was over. Have others seen this move off the published wieghts?

I'm using a digital powder scale, verified by my RCBS balance beam.

 

[ronlaughlin]

.........Have others seen this move off the published wieghts?............

Yes indeed. Every lot of Blackhorn checked has a different density. What lot # are you using currently?

 

[LarryBud]

Yes indeed. Every lot of Blackhorn checked has a different density. What lot # are you using currently?

I don't see a lot number on the bottle, where is it found?

 

[MrTom]

I don't see a lot number on the bottle, where is it found"

Larry, there's a product ID number stamped on each bottle on the back side label or on a side. The lot # number is the last 2 digits in that number.

I just bought a few extra bottles and all are of the #35 lot. I have some open #31. I'm going to pop open a bottle from lot 35 and do a weight comparison between the two today. Just to scratch the itch that comes from these conversations.

 

[LarryBud]

I don't see a lot number on the bottle, where is it found"

Larry, there's a product ID number stamped on each bottle on the back side label or on a side. The lot # number is the last 2 digits in that number.

I just bought a few extra bottles and all are of the #35 lot. I have some open #31. I'm going to pop open a bottle from lot 35 and do a weight comparison between the two today. Just to scratch the itch that comes from these conversations.

 

[LarryBud]

Lot # 27 here based on the last two of the serial. Must be an older version. Think I bought it at a Gander Mountain In St. Louis a year or so ago.

 

[MrTom]

Larry, I just weighed the two powders using three methods: the volume tube, a beam scale and a digital scale. The powders were measured in the tube at 100 grains and each was carefully leveled using the back of a pocket knife. Then the contents weighed on the beam, then finally on the digital. Both powders weighed on the digital essentially what the beam weighed. 100 grains of lot 31 powder had an actual weight of 69.7 grains. 100 grains of lot 35 powder had an actual weight of 71.4 grains.

Now I'm curious about the smell between the two different lots of identical powder. The ether smell from the open jug of lot 31 powder was not near as strong as that of the open lot 35 powder. I have an old, partial jug of lot 27 powder and when I opened it and took a sniff the ether smell was hardly there. I wonder if the weights vary due to ether, or whatever ether smelling solvent, concentrations in the fresher powders. Dumb me I didn't think to get a sample from the lot 27 jug but I didn't think there's a 100 grain charge in the jug so I tossed it. Still that lot27 jug was closed tight so any odors should still be fairly obvious. Assuming that all of the lot 35 powders would be identical, I opened and weighed only one.

 

[LarryBud]

My Lot Number 27 seems to boom just fine. I just it strange that it was so heavy.

 

[ronlaughlin]

My Lot Number 27 seems to boom just fine. I just it strange that it was so heavy.

Lots of shooters (forum members) have reported that lot 27 was 'heavy'. All the high twenty lots are more dense than earlier lots, and the later thirties lots. Several shooters agree with your result of 77g weight = 100g volume.

Hey Tom, the way i measure volume has lot 35 be 73g weight = 100g volume.




Hope this is correct........it is my understanding Bestill measures all lots of Blackhorn powder using a RCBS Uniflow powder measure, thus doesn't care the densities of powder lots change. It is my understanding he is shooting out 500 yard.

 

[MrTom]

That's interesting Ron. I used a RCBS balance and a Hornady electronic, not the el japo cheapo Hornady. Both measured the 71.4. More to this mystery, eh?

 

[ronlaughlin]

To me it isn't the scales that bring the difference; it is the way we individually measure volume. Betting our scales measure within a 0.1g, or 0.2g of each other, but our volume measuring may vary by as much as 1, or 2, or 3 grain.

 

[MrTom]

When I measure by volume I don't tap the powder down nor do I try t pack it. When the measure has a small heap on the top I use a knife blade to gently slide it across the top of the cylinder to level it. Unless someone is really dwelling on long distance accuracy I don't think the difference between your weight and mine matters much Ron. Personally I weigh all my charges, but that's more habits from the cf past than need.

 

[Matthew323]

When I measure by volume I don't tap the powder down nor do I try t pack it. When the measure has a small heap on the top I use a knife blade to gently slide it across the top of the cylinder to level it. Unless someone is really dwelling on long distance accuracy I don't think the difference between your weight and mine matters much Ron. Personally I weigh all my charges, but that's more habits from the cf past than need.

Are most people here at MM that weigh their charges, using the plastic tubes from Lanes, or lab-grade borosilicate glass vials with plastic screw-top lids?

Will the Lanes tubes fit in a plastic 25-round, shotshell box?

Thanks

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I use Lanes tubes and bh209 tubes. Just for short term storage and transport. Whether or not ive weighed them. Ive gone back to volume measure with occasional spot checking weight. I dont shoot LR tho. They dont fit in my shotshell plastic containers tho you could cut them down to that size.

 

[LarryBud]

Are most people here at MM that weigh their charges, using the plastic tubes from Lanes, or lab-grade borosilicate glass vials with plastic screw-top lids?

Will the Lanes tubes fit in a plastic 25-round, shotshell box?

Thanks

Lanes Tubes are pretty nice. I put them in this:

https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Tubes-Cube-Tray/dp/B002DCCZA6
Les than $10 at WalMart.

 

[MrTom]

Will the Lanes tubes fit in a plastic 25-round, shotshell box?

I bought a few of these boxes at Cabelas. They're for 12 and 20 gauge shells, the 20's with the insert that comes with each box. They are MTM-Case-Gard cases. Model # S-25-12-D. Check Cabelas or www.mtmcase-gard.com . I use the short Lanes tubes and can get a 110 grain by volume load in them with room to actually do 120 grains by volume in them.

 

[MSalyards]

My neighbor shops at Costco and gets an energy drink additive called zipfizz in a plastic vile. https://www.costco.com/Zipfizz-Healthy-Energy-Drink-Mix,-30-Tubes.product.100018793.html They are perfect and I got about 40 from him.

 

[Matthew323]

I bought a few of these boxes at Cabelas. They're for 12 and 20 gauge shells, the 20's with the insert that comes with each box. They are MTM-Case-Gard cases. Model # S-25-12-D. Check Cabelas or www.mtmcase-gard.com . I use the short Lanes tubes and can get a 110 grain by volume load in them with room to actually do 120 grains by volume in them.

Since I will be loading for the Optima V2 pistol with its 100 grains by volume max BH209 load, I will purchase the short Lanes tubes, and the MTM shotshell boxes.

100 tubes, and 4 boxes should hold me in good stead for a while.

Thanks, Mr. Tom.

 

[brucebuilds]

So, I didn't know what Lane Tubes were, or where to get them. When I Googled Lane Tubes I got pages and pages of porn sites. After I added "for black powder" I got an eBay site with what I assume are the tubes you guys were talking about. Y'all need to be a little more specific!

 

[Matthew323]

So, I didn't know what Lane Tubes were, or where to get them. When I Googled Lane Tubes I got pages and pages of porn sites. After I added "for black powder" I got an eBay site with what I assume are the tubes you guys were talking about. Y'all need to be a little more specific!

Mr. Lane is also on the second page of the FOR SALE section of this forum. If you touch one of the red For Sale icons on the first page so that the only thing you are looking at is For Sale adds, then his add is near the bottom of the second page.