BH209 100gr vs 120gr

[Charlie-NY]

I've mostly been working with the same 120gr charge of BH209 that I used many years ago. I have noticed that most BH209 users seem to use charges of 100gr-110gr rather than anything heavier.

Is the slightly lighter charge inherently more accurate?

 

[MSalyards]

Depends on your gun. I had been shooting 110 gr (77 gr weighed) and bumped it up to 120gr (84) gr weighed and my groups tightened up. I also switched from Win 209 primers to CCI Magnums .

 

[WV Hunter]

I think its all gun/load specific. 100gr BH is certainly a heavy enough load with most bullets to do the job very very well.
Personally, I don't have any rifles that I've found the heavier loads to be more accurate, and I'm not shooting long distances. That said, I've got certain pet loads that seem to do well and I don't do near the shooting/testing as many of the folks do.

 

[MrTom]

The two rifles that see the hunting woods use blackhorn exclusively. The Accura V2 50 call performs its best at 77 weighed grains [110 by volume]. The .45 cal rifle is super accurate with 63 grains by weight [90 grains by volume]. The Optima V2 pistol uses the same 63 grain by weight powder charge. None of these loads are maxxed out.

I've shot 84 grains by weight [120 max by volume] of 209 under both 250 grain and 300 grain bullets and the group opens way up with fliers and the recoil sucks. The pistol maxxes out with a 100 grain by volume charge. Its scoped and with the max charge and a 250 grain bullet at my 15" of eye relief the scope can make contact with my forehead.

There are usually plenty of reasons to dial back from the max load, safety and accuracy are two of those reasons.

 

[GM54-120]

I normally dont shoot far enough for a max load to be needed but i do have some loads that shoot better at max. If 100gr shoots as well as 120gr and the extra power is not needed there is no reason to punish yourself.

 

[Lee 9]

I have two encores they both group best at 250 yds. with a max load, with a 250 grain bullet in the 50 and a 200 grain in the 45, with a 300 grain bullet the 50 groups best with 110 gr. BH

 

[muzzlestuffer]

I've mostly been working with the same 120gr charge of BH209 that I used many years ago. I have noticed that most BH209 users seem to use charges of 100gr-110gr rather than anything heavier.

Is the slightly lighter charge inherently more accurate?

I use 90 in my cva and 82.7 in my knight 500

 

[Neumonic]

90 grains of BH measured seems to do well out of my Traditions and CVA shooting Barnes 250 T-EZ and has dropped every deer either DRT or I have watched them go a very short distance and drop. After my first couple years of shooting I stopped using 100 grains measured as the benchmark and dropped down to 80 and worked my way up to achieve the accuracy desired, both guns do well at 90 so that is what I have been shooting these days.
Don’t forget it is fun to try different bullet/sabot combos and weighted grains, I have probably shot 10 different ones just to have fun and to see if the guns like something more than the others.

let us know where you end up!

 

[mnoland30]

I started out taking full advantage of the "magnum" rifle and shot 150 gr. of 777 and 400 gr. pure lead bullets for elk. It was brutal to shoot, and the bullets expanded to over an inch, and didn't exit. I believe that cost me a few elk. A pointed bullet that doesn't expand has a great b.c., but doesn't leave a blood trail. I often shoot at over 200 yards, so I wanted a good trajectory and energy. I've since switched to a flat nosed 405 gr, .45-70 bullets and 115 gr. 777. That usually drops the elk in their tracks. For deer, I still like heavier bullets arouund 300 gr. and go with about 100 gr. 777. I have found that the Precision Rifle Dead Centers work very well. The reason most people recommend loose powder is because you can change the amount and see what shoots best in your rifle. Changing bullets and powder changes group sizes, and there are so many possible combinations, I won't try them all in my lifetime.

 

[Far Sighted]

I tried loads up to 110gr until I saw my best results were 90gr BH in Optima V2 LR with 250gr SST Hornady bullet.

 

[Far Sighted]

I tried loads up to 110gr until I saw my best results were 90gr BH in Optima V2 LR with 250gr SST Hornady bullet.

This is what I talking about.

 

[01Foreman400]

I shoot max. My Omega loves it and so do I.