In need of some BH209 advice

[10acres]

I am in need of some advice concerning the use of BH209 and sabots vs powerbelts. I have a Traditions Pursuit that shoots amazingly well with two 50g 777 pellets and a saboted Hornady 250g SST. I have a CVA Optima due to arrive next week and I was dead set on using Powerbelts with BH209. After doing a lot of reading I am wondering if I should use a saboted bullet.

What it boils down to is I have to swab the barrel of my Traditions after 2 shots. I was wondering if the same will apply to using BH209 with a saboted bullet?

 

[deermanok]

Blackhorn is a much cleaner burning powder. You most likely won't have to swab the barrel at all.

 

[Ninering62]

I am in need of some advice concerning the use of BH209 and sabots vs powerbelts. I have a Traditions Pursuit that shoots amazingly well with two 50g 777 pellets and a saboted Hornady 250g SST. I have a CVA Optima due to arrive next week and I was dead set on using Powerbelts with BH209. After doing a lot of reading I am wondering if I should use a saboted bullet.

What it boils down to is I have to swab the barrel of my Traditions after 2 shots. I was wondering if the same will apply to using BH209 with a saboted bullet?

With BH 209 you'll be able to load/shoot repeatedly until the cows come home without the need to swab your barrel. I have an Accura & I only shoot BH 209 & .40/.45 bullet/sabots in it.

 

[ingramjets]

with my experience with bh209 you can shoot all day and not swab. very clean burning as long as you have the proper bp

 

[10acres]

That’s good news. Not wanting to shoot all day, but was hoping to make a range session without cleaning. Looks like I’ll try the 250g SST out with the Optima as well as the Powerbelts.

 

[10acres]

The SST performed very well on the doe my son shot this year. A small entry hole and large exit hole.

 

[MrTom]

I'd pass on the powerbelts. You SST should perform ok unless you drive it super hard, then maybe not. Powerbelts have a bad reputation of gernading on the hits. PBs might not be bad if they are kept at a slow speed. They are quite accurate though and do well on paper.

 

[10acres]

I have to admit I am a huge fan of just about anything Hornady, the shelves above my reloading area have a lot of their products. I may use up the PB’s I’ve purchased just to punch paper.

 

[ingramjets]

Check out harvester pt golds or the new white lightning bullets they are very accurate and hit hard

 

[Slingingslugs]

Ive never seen a Optima that didn't shoot powerbelts well with a proper load of any powder( except shockey sticks...). But horrible things are known to happen when you combine them with deer. Like MrTom said it is all about velocity. To fast explosion. To slow nothing. They are more of a specific range and planned velocity bullet. SST should work well for you. Get a blackhorn plug. My Optima likes a weighed 69 grns of 209 with 250 grain bullets. Ive shot at least half a dozen different brands in that weight and doesn't matter what im sighted in for it will put any other bullet within any 1" of the bullseye.

 

[10acres]

The Optima I have coming has a BH plug with it. I planned on starting with 70g weighed and go from there.

 

[JIMYJAC]

Good starting point.

 

[10acres]

Good starting point.

There‘s one coming with the gun.

 

[10acres]

That‘s weird it didn’t include the whole quote.

 

[Slingingslugs]

I shoot bh209 out of several different cva guns. A lot of guys dont swab at all but I have found my accuracy in all of them to stay up if i pull the plug and clean the fire channel after 4-6 shots and before I put it back in I run a .50 bore snake from rear to front twice.( tip if interested...drop the supplied weight on the bore snake through and and get tge cleaning end up flush to the breech and cut the string up about 6" from the muzzle then drill through a round ball or egg sinker of the appropriate size big enough for the string and then again with a bigger bit to recess the knot. Makes it alot easier to pull with one swipe not dealing with that extra 15-18" of string...) replace your clean plug and roll on. IMHO the gi custom length ramrods with the spinjag loader is the way to go. No need for the original version if you carry a bore snake. As far as consistent seating your bullets (important with bh209) i have a palmsaver drilled to the exact depth so that all I have to do is push it down until it stops flush at the barrel. Good luck with the new toy. I hope some of your reading puts you in the right direction

 

[minelabbob]

cant go wrong with BH 73-75 grain charge more than enough for DEER i would switch to XTP 250GR.
SST were not working out for me. but you be the judge !

 

[rangerod]

I hammer em with a .503 Thor out of my Optima. Great accuracy.

 

[deerlessbob]

240 grain XTP’s in a Harvester green Crush Rib sabots or the 300 grain XTP in the black Crush Ribs are great shooters for me and can be purchased in bulk. If you search this site you’ll find lots of folks, including me, are not big fans of the Power Belts.

 

[minelabbob]

range accuracy is ok. but the real test is how it knocks down them deer. sure you may have a tack driver load @
the range but, poor knock down power on the deer. that's the key quick clean kills. the SST for me @ the range
were good but when it came to knock down power they failed bad. the xtp puts the hurt on them quick!
again all depends on your gun and load every gun has its sweet spot! what works for me may not work for U

 

[Chundoo]

Switched to BH209 a few years ago and couldn't be happier. No stabbing needed unless you shoot a LOT of times. My son and grandsons have since made the switch as well. We have Accuras, Optimus, and one Wolf. They all shoot extremely well.