Blackhorn 209??

Silentstalker

Handloader
Jun 2, 2011
635
30
So, I have a CVA Kodiak Magnum made in 04/05 time frame. I would like to try some blackhorn 209. Does anyone know if its safe in that vintage rifle, and if so, is there a newer style breech plug for the BH 209 in the CVA Kodiak?

Lastly, is the W209 primer hot enough to ignite the BH 209 powder consistently or do you need to shoot a magnum primer?

Any experience or advice would be very much appreciated.
 
Primer recommendations:

http://www.blackhorn209.com/specs/primers/

Google notes that someone on another forum called Western Powders and obtained a modified breech plug to use in a Kodiak. If nothing else they can probably tell you how one has to be modified to work.

I like BH209 enough that I bought 5 pounds of it this fall. Very accurate, more velocity, and you cannot beat the fact that it won't corrode like typical black powder. There is a good chance I will be using it for an elk hunt this fall.
 
Thanks! I just googled that same information. I have sent in an email request for more info on the modification. I am hearing all kinds of good reports about it. Where will you be hunting elk? I wish you luck on your hunt!
 
Dad turns 72 this year, and though in moderately good shape I continue to push him that if he wants a big elk he needs to "get it done" and check it off his list. I see patients his age having the unexpected occur and he sees his friends slowing down so it seems to finally be sinking in.

It appears our best odds at a decent elk are in the Gila of New Mexico, and we will likely buy a landowner tag if we don't draw. We already have an outfitter picked out but have another month to make a final decision.

Our other option is an outfitter in Wyoming and we are waiting for him to return from a trip.

The odds of a draw in NM are higher for muzzleloader, and the cost of a landowner tag is much less. As a result we are leaning that way even though we have a plethora of rifles I would much, much rather use. However, I think we will take what we can get. For the difference in price we could each buy a custom long range muzzleloader but I don't see that happening.

I anticipate Barnes TMZ or T-EX in 290gr with the Blackhorn 209. I just purchased a lot of the Nosler muzzleloader bullets but there is not much real world data on them so I'm hesitant to be the first.
 
Dr., sounds like a tremendous idea. My Dad is not quite 72 but getting on in age, last year he fulfilled a lifelong dream to kill a big mature bull and he did it with a muzzy also. Better draw odds. Dad and I with his Utah bull. He used Pyrodex and a 300 gr. SST. Shot was 30 yards and he folded upon impact. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1421530001.182761.jpg

I have hunted NM 16d with my bow. Beautiful country. Did not kill a bull but had a great hunt DIY. Guided or landowner tag would be awesome!

As for the Nosler BT MZ, i will be testing them in the next week I hope. Not sure if this is coshure or not but here is a test from another site. Looks to be a bit tougher than the similar SST??

That Barnes is a great bullet that will handle any bull elk you should get a shot at. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the link.

I'll have to see how the Noslers do compared to the Barnes 290s - assuming we decide to go for the muzzleloader tag. I talked to Mom a while today, and it seems like Dad is getting closer to saying yes.
 
Cool. The barnes is a much "tougher" bullet but they both should good shooters. Good luck!
 
That Nosler looks good. Should be a good one for the muzzleloaders. Any idea what sorta speed BH209 puts on them?
 
Not yet.

I took my MagnetoSpeed to the range today as I had my load still in the barrel from the end of season. Shooting a 250gr TC Shock Wave bullet with their SuperGlide sabot and 100gr volume / 70.0 weighed of Blackhorn 209 I got 1963fps, which beats Blackhorn's estimate by 58fps. My current rifle is a TC Impact.

I'm going to order some Barnes as well as some Harvester Scorpion PT Gold and crush rib sabots, then see what accuracy and speeds I get with all 3 (Nosler/Barnes/Harvester). I'll then decide which direction we go next.
 
Wow, great speed on that shockwave! I would expect you to get equally elevated speeds and great accuracy with your tests. Let us know how it goes!
 
You like the magnetospeed? I have been looking around for a chrony and don't want to have to setup a lot at the range.
 
You can find other threads and posts on the Magnetospeed. It works great for final velocity checking, but I still use my Shooting Chrony for load workup. The MagnetoSpeed definitely affects the POI of your loads - what I didn't say above is that with the MS attached to the barrel it appeared to hit about 6 inches high. Yikes!
 
I read that elsewhere too. That stinks... I don't like the idea of setting up a regular chrony at the range I shoot at. When the loonies show up its time for a hasty retreat.

Last year I had a guy let his kid sit on the rail that prevents you from walking past the bench into the hot firing line.... "Well you are on the first bench and I am on the forth" ugh
 
I went out and shot the 300 gr. BT today. I also shot the 300 gr. SST which I typically use. I had a lot of new things in motion today so I stuck with a charge of 90 gr. BH 209 by volume. Certainly not exact each time but close. In the future I will test 95 and 100 gr. and pre measure them on a scale.

The BT is much tougher to load in my CVA Kodiak. In fact, I could not load one in the orange sabot. I had to use a black Harvester crush rib sabot which loader much easier. Still about half again tighter than my SST with their low drag sabot.

Due to the tighter loading (I think) the BT average 21 fps faster on the chrony. Measured about 10' from the muzzle.
BT 1745 fps
SST 1724 fps

( i actually had a wide range of velocities but I think that was due to my volumetric loading in the field.)

Accuracy seemed pretty decent. Although my best group was with the SST's. I was shooting at 100 yards with a 1x scope which makes accuracy really tough. When I was aiming my crosshairs completely covered the orange bullseye and I had to try to place an equal amount of the black circle in each of the 4 sections of my scope if that makes sense. Here is my best three shot group. Measures 1.29"

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1422581810.981167.jpg

Here is a 5 shot group prior to adjusting my scope. This is 4 SST's and 1 BT. I did not measure this group but its well under 3".

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1422582125.600917.jpg

I also tried to catch two different BT in milk jugs and I was unsuccessful. In both cases the bullet punctured and destroyed 4 milk jugs and did not enter the 5th. I will keep trying.
 
I measured several brands of bullets and sabots the other night. The Nosler bullet/sabot combination is by far the "fattest" of any of them by 0.003 inches (.509 vs .501-.506 for the rest). I'm looking at getting some Harvester Crush Rib sabots in the green color (H15044GR) which are designed for larger .429-.430 bullets, and try those with the Noslers. I suspect that those might make a good combination, as with my tight bore TC there is no way the Noslers will fit as-is.
 
Thats a great idea. I may need to find some green ones as well. The black ones were still a tad tough to load.
 
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