Blackhorn muzzleloader powder conversion table

Blackhorn 209 powder, max load for guns having a 150 maximun load is 120 grain.

Weight to volume conversion for Blackhorn 209 powder:

grains by weight: 56 63 70 77 84

grains by volume 80 90 100 110 120

If you a use scale and weigh the powder, use the grains by weight for these common loads. Measuring by volume use the lower chart keeping in mind that all standard production guns that have a 150 max capability will top out at 120 grains by volume or 84 grains by weight. Exceeding this is not a good idea.

This is good info. Weighing charges is where it is at.

Tom,

A muzzle loader manual states to use 115 grains of WEIGHT not by volume of Blackhorn 209. If i’m doing the math correctly that converts to 164.285 of Blackhorn 209 powder by volume. Wouldn’t this exceed their recommendation?

What kind of cannonball needs 165 volumetric grains?

I’ve been shooting 100 grains by weight for 3 years now. No issues yet by I should back her down a little I guess.
DT

Brian Cade wrote:

Tom,

A muzzle loader manual states to use 115 grains of WEIGHT not by volume of Blackhorn 209. If i’m doing the math correctly that converts to 164.285 of Blackhorn 209 powder by volume. Wouldn’t this exceed their recommendation?

I have no idea what brand of gun and loading instructions you have or what muzzle-loader manual you’re getting your this data, from, but if you use that info I hope you shoot at a range where others are not around you.

Blackhorn’s website states that the MAXIMUM charge of Blackhorn powder in most all of the typical, modern, blackpowder IN-LINE weapons with a sealed breech is either 120 grain by volume or 84 grains by actual weight. Its a wonderful powder but it is entirely up to every individual wanting to use it that they contact their gun maker’s service center and inquire as to whether it is a compatible powder with their gun. There are several guns that do not have sealed breeches that this powder is a big no-no. There are a few custom guns or even factory guns [most always bolt action] that can use heavier charges of the powder but for the most part unless the literature accompanying any gun expressedly states a heavier maximum charge, no more than 84 grains by actual weight or 120 grains by volume in any situation.

I have an Accura V2, an Optima V2 pistol and a CVA Kodiak in .45 caliber, all of which are considered 150 grain magnum charge capable if using straight black powder. I do not use any other sub powder other than the Blackhorn. I throw slightly heavy volume measure of charges, then weigh each and every charge on a scale so I know exactly what I am loading. My Accura gets fed 77 grains by weight using a 300 grain bullet/sabot combo. My Optima pistol and Kodiac ,45 both get 63 grain by weight charges with 225 or 240 grain bullet/sabot combo and 200 grain bullet/sabot respectively.

Deertracker, I’d be peeling that charge down to at least 84 grains weighed. If I am not mistaken you shoot an Omega? most everyone sees their best accuracy at about 77 grains weighed. Little lighter on the shoulder and nothing lost inside of 150-200 yards regarding bullet performance and accuracy.

I shoot a T/C Pro Hunter FX. I’ll habe to hit the range.
DT

Try this link. It has some great information and is right off the Blackhorn site.

Home

Then click on FAQ’s from the menu

Backed her down to 80 grains by weight today. Also switched from 250 to 300 grain bullets. Got it dialed into about a 2 inch group that wrapped aroumdnthe bullseye at 100 yards. Going to give it a good cleaning and shoot a little more on Tuesday. Then move back to 200. Was a good range day. My 17 year old is dialed into 1 inch groups at 200 yards with his .270 and my 12 year old has about a 3 inch group at 100 with his .243. I’ve got my .270wsm on the bullseye touching holes at 200. We are ready.
DT

I’ll bet that this 80 weighed grains is a little tamer at the recoil end than 100 weighed grains, eh? lol

What 300 grain bullets are you shooting?

The Hornadys. So far they are shooting good. I’ll see how they do with deer this season. Also going to research other bullets over the winter. I’m interested in learning more about shooting regular non muzzy specific bullets to get the best bullet possible.
DT

I went from a 300 grain XTP to a Barnes X-pander 250 grain this year, but I shoot under 100 yards. I’m wanting to go lead-free in the field. A couple other bullets in the 300 grain size for you to think about are Deep Curls and Swift A-Frames. I’ve shot both of these in the Accura with the 77 grains weighed charge and they’ll plant five shot in or near in the same hole at 100 and are near identical to the XTPs in terminal performance. The Swifts are nice bullets that hold together well but are spendy.

When it warms up and you start playing with different bullets be sure to try .44 cal bullets as well as the .45 cal. My .50 cal long guns like the ,44 cal bullets slightly better for the accuracy end and they do a number on deer. All guns are different so I always recommend trying both caliber pistol bullets as one will certainly do better than the other.

Good luck in the woods Deertracker.

Today was a frustrating day at the range. Shot 20 times today trying to figure it out. I thought I was dialed in after the other day. I did a full cleaning before I shot today. My first shot was 5 inches high. Second as 3 inches high and the 3rd was an inch low. For like the next 5 bullets I tried to find that happy medium between a full cleaning and just running a patch. Ended up getting about a 2.5 inch group at 100. Went out to 200 and had about a 3 inch group. At this point it was pretty dirty so I ran a wet patch amd shot again. It was like 8 inches high. The next 2 were not even in the paper. Went back to 100 and found I get about a 2 inch group if I run a wet patch and then a dry patch between shots. Was pretty frustrated at the end of the day.
DT

Try backing down a bit on the charge. Lots of guys are finding a sweet spot at 100 to 110 grains by volume [70-77grains weighed respectively]. Did you try your 250’s against the 300’s when things started to go south? Did you allow the barrel to cool between shots? Some guns with blackhorn need to have really cool barrels for accuracy.

Also, that Blackhorn powder likes a fouled barrel. A flier for the first shot in a clean barrel is almost the rule with blackhorn. Some people pop off three or four primers in a clean barrel to foul it some before loading for hunting. I have one rifle that has to get dirtied with a dud load of about 10 grains of blackhorn followed by a wad of paper towel. I just step out the back door and let it go up in the air, but it does what I need to foul the barrel.

If you can get the gun back to 2″ or so groups at 100 yards I’d leave it fouled and simply load it dirty for hunting and clean it good after the season.

Double check the screws for the scope rings for tightness.

How Fouled are you talking? I went may be 6 shots before I ran a wet patch threw it. Last year I would load about 20 grains of powder and a patch to foul it. This year I would run a wet then dry patch through it but then shoot a primer. I only shot the 300s today. I finally ran out of bullets. I usually carry both my rifle and muzzy during the gun season so I’ll use my rifle out past 100 yards for now. If I need to hunt the muzzy season I’ll shoot more after the rifle season.
DT

I got my muzzleloader all dialed in last weekend as well. My final setup was 105 grains by volume of BH209 with a 300Gr. XTP bullet with black hornady sabots. I was going to give it a good cleaning and then foul it with a few primers – now I’m a little worried about giving it a good cleaning. Maybe I’m better off leaving it dirty and wait till after season and then doing a good cleaning. Any thoughts ?

If you were shooting consistent I would leave it. The only reason I was cleaning mine is I was trying to find the sweet spot on what it liked between clean and dirty and mine was not shooting consistent groups.
DT

I generally clean the gun and foul it with 3-4 primers just before loading for hunting. I leave mine fouled after shooting in the season and clean it when I know I am done hunting. Mine definitely likes a fouled bore. This close to the season it likely will not hurt the gun to leave it fouled from shooting though and is what I would opt to do.

During the season I treat my gun like any used in cold weather and keep it in a case but where its cold so sweating is less of an issue, not because the powder is affected but because non-stainless parts can rust. The 209 powder does not absorb an moisture from sweating and will fire fine if it really damp hunting conditions. If I’ve been in rain for a day I will push out the load and toss the sabot, primer and powder just to feel better but I do not run a patch thru the pipe and I do re-use the bullet when I load again the next morning.

We’ve gotten about 3 inches of fluff here and its still falling so the woods will be lighter this opener unless we get the rain today that they say is possible.

Tom, is there a way for me to weigh this 209 powder on a gram scale? Thanks.

riverruns wrote:

Tom, is there a way for me to weigh this 209 powder on a gram scale? Thanks.

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/precision-measuring/scales-and-accessories/bench-scale-quick-trickle-electronic-scale

Click on the link then scroll down until you come to the G2-1500 Electronic scale. I use this one. About a 30 dollar bill and weighs in ounces, grains and grams. Easy to learn too.

Let me check on a conversion table and get back to you bud.

https://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/grains-to-grams.htm?val=10

OK. Try this link. I have this set up to convert 10 grains to grams. You can multiply and grain weight and put it in the box at the top of the page, and leave the gram box open and click on convert. This will give you a grain weight.

Thanks Tom. I’m shooting a CVA Optima 50 cal that calls for 150 grain powder max charge. Looks like that would equal 9.71 grams. Sound right? I have a scale that I way my spices on. It’s a digital scale. I would think that should work. Thanks again

Deleted

riverruns wrote:

Thanks Tom. I’m shooting a CVA Optima 50 cal that calls for 150 grain powder max charge. Looks like that would equal 9.71 grams. Sound right? I have a scale that I way my spices on. It’s a digital scale. I would think that should work. Thanks again

What powder are you shooting?
DT

The maximum charge of the 209 powder is 120 grains by volume or 84 grains by weight. You won’t want to load 150 of Blackhorn in the Optima. Even T7 granular has to be scaled back by 20%. Both T7 and the 209 are miles ahead of the other subs in pressure generated. 150 of blackhorn is in the danger zone bud.

What powder are you shooting?
DT

Blackhorn 209

Tom Sawvell wrote:

The maximum charge of the 209 powder is 120 grains by volume or 84 grains by weight. You won’t want to load 150 of Blackhorn in the Optima. Even T7 granular has to be scaled back by 20%. Both T7 and the 209 are miles ahead of the other subs in pressure generated. 150 of blackhorn is in the danger zone bud.

I guess my reference was to pellets. 3 pellets at 50 grain each. That must be different?

I could drop 3 of the 50 gr pellets down my barrel so that’s where my 150 came from. I used the Triple 7 and Pyrodex pellets. It sucks after 2 shots. Thanks.

Just to be clear, I’ve never used the 209 powder. I shot triple 7 seven the last 2 years with the Powerbelt bullets. 245 grain bullets.

Tonight I purchased blackhorn 209 powder and Hornady SST LOW DRAG SABBOT. 250 gr.

I’m shooting the standard Winchester 209 shotgun primers.

Does anyone have experience with the Federal Bor-Lock bullets?

I’ve shot the bor-locks with the 209 powder. I believe they were 270 grain. Its been a while since I did so but I do recall that they were quite accurate and not all that bad for second shot reloading. The primary difference between the Federal bullet and a power belt lies in the terminal performance….what it does when it hits a game animal. Powerbelts have a lot of controversy in that regard following them. Bor-locks are said to have an excellent expansion record on deer sized animals.

Those SST’s are another bullet that carry some controversy. Many find them just penciling thru an animal with little interior damage for blood trailing or they, like powerbelts seem to do, they grenade on the entry and either waste a ton of the animal or the animal gets away injured. Some people love them, some people hate them.

We’ll get down your way one day River and I’ll bring a sampler of what I use along for you.

Here is my 3 shot group at 100 yards after switching to 300 grain XTP’s and 77 grains of Blackhorn. The shot marked off was already there. The ones in the bullseye were my 1st and 3rd shots. Didn’t even need to adjust my scope.
DT

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