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I’ve used mostly saboted 300 gr bullets over the years. Currently shooting a number of different bullets including sized jacketed bullets.What bullet do you use in your system?
I’ve used mostly saboted 300 gr bullets over the years. Currently shooting a number of different bullets including sized jacketed bullets.What bullet do you use in your system?
Ok so what are the best primers avaliable?Well that could be part of your problem. Those are lower-powered “muzzy” primers. Made for 777 not Bh209. They may work under ideal conditions but not recommended for optimum performance.
Do you think it would be smart to move away from the ELD-X due to the loose fit?I’ve used mostly saboted 300 gr bullets over the years. Currently shooting a number of different bullets including sized jacketed bullets.
Sounds like everybody is in agreement - lots of opportunity for condensation, or just moisture from humid air, to get to your powder with that bullet. So there are three things I can recommend, and others may have more/better ideas:Breech is super easy to take out in this gun.... bullet goes in like butter super easy. I did what you said. Lots of light coming through. Looks like along the rifling of the barrel it is not sealed. So with that said... should I look at another bullet?
As far as accuracy out at 150-200 yards... is there a difference between tight sabot and full bore?Sounds like everybody is in agreement - lots of opportunity for condensation, or just moisture from humid air, to get to your powder with that bullet. So there are three things I can recommend, and others may have more/better ideas:
1. Never a good idea to move any rifle repeatedly from cold (40F or colder) to warm. Condensed moisture will get into everything and cause rust, firing mechanism malfunctions, powder malfunctions, etc. If you're hunting multiple days in cold weather, leave your rifle in a cold place between hunting sessions.
2. You can stick with the ELD-X bullets, but I'd recommend sealing the muzzle after loading for your hunt. Two ways to do that are a) putting a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle, taking care to press down on the electrical tape all the way around the crown of the the muzzle to seal it; and b) Traditions makes a "raingear" kit which has some small black rubber condoms that go over the muzzle. A party ballon will work well for this too.
3. You could change to a bullet that seals the bore tightly - either a tight sabot, or a tight full-bore bullet.
Ok so what are the best primers avaliable?
Very difficult to say, because every rifle - whether sidelock, modern ML, or modern centerfire - is different, and every rifle has bullet/powder combinations that it likes, and combinations that it doesn't like. For reasons that are hard to understand, often two identical rifles will have different preferences. Part of the fun is getting your particular rifle figured out.As far as accuracy out at 150-200 yards... is there a difference between tight sabot and full bore?
After posting the message to which you replied (above), I did some editing and added more thoughts. Please have a look at the edited message.As far as accuracy out at 150-200 yards... is there a difference between tight sabot and full bore?
I did buy and use that breech plug. I think I'm going to change my bullet. Any suggestions?Because BH209 is 83% smokeless powder (nitrocellulose), you need a tighter fitting sabot, based on my experience.
Some muzzleloaders use a different breech plug for BH209 to help with ignition. Is your breech plug designed for BH209?
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Yeah exactly why I got on here made an account and started listening to people who know more than me, because I'm about to do a lot of shooting. I can shoot out my back door so it makes it easy. I'm used to keeping a journal with my shot information. I'm always documenting cold barrel shots since that's the most important one. I'm going to look at buying a tighter fitting sabot bullet.... now I just need to decide what I want to try.Ivan....lots of areas will not have many places to find the Federal or CCI or Winchester full power shotshell primers, but the Cheddite primers that are coming in vogue are reliable. I used them during last fall's deer season and everything went boom from BH209 to smokeless powder.
As ElDiablo alluded to, bullets and sabots will likely seal up much better than the bullet with the skirting plastic/cup attached. As to whether a saboted bullet of full bore bullet is better out to 200, I'd say that depends on the gun. Typically I think the Optima V2's have more consistent barrels than the higher priced guns in the CVA lineup so if you can slug the barrel to get a decent reading with a mike you may be better off without the sabot, just understand that the bullets may require a wad between it and the powder which, in the field, may create an issue in getting second shots off in a timely fashion: more pieces and parts to deal with in less than favorable conditions. Inside of 200 yards I prefer a bullet/sabot. Accuracy-wise between the two at 200, about the same with a hunting load. As far as keeping the weather elements out of the powder, the sabot will reign supreme.
You gotten a lot of information here to consider. Being at the tail end of the seasons, now would be a great time to start hitting the range and trying the various ways to load and to try different powders and bullets/sabots as well as charge levels. Call it play time, but take notes so when you look at all the shooting you can go back to the load you're most happy with. I know you are using BH209, but I'd really suggest you pick up a jug each of T7 ffg and fffg to save you some jingle. I shoot T7 fffg at the range at the same identical charge weights as my BH209 instead of burning up my BH that gets used when hunting due to its more favorable tolerance to the elements.
I like the Orange sabots from MMP, which are made for .458 diameter bullets.I did buy and use that breech plug. I think I'm going to change my bullet. Any suggestions?
You're on the positive track. Just keep an open mind to the fact that guns are different as well as all of the components, so what shoots lights out in one person's gun may not do well in yours.Yeah exactly why I got on here made an account and started listening to people who know more than me, because I'm about to do a lot of shooting. I can shoot out my back door so it makes it easy. I'm used to keeping a journal with my shot information. I'm always documenting cold barrel shots since that's the most important one. I'm going to look at buying a tighter fitting sabot bullet.... now I just need to decide what I want to try.
It sounds like bullet wasn't tight on the powder them bullets don't hold tight the little skirt on the back is the only thing holding the rifling and if the temp was cold it will cause shrinkage. If you want to shoot full bore I would try Thor bullets, if you go that route order the sizing pack from them and then try them. I'm sure people will chime in and offer some suggestions for you to try this is a good place for help. Blackhorn needs the bullet seated very firm it needs compression tamped down with your hand.I am brand new to muzzleloading. The gun I bought is a CVA optima V2. With it I also bought federal 209 primers, blackhorn 209 powder, hornady ELD-X 350Grain bullets, blackhorn 209 breech plug, and I put a vortex scope on it.
I am measuring out my powder 100grains by volume.
First time out with the gun I sighted it in with no issues. The gun was very responsive to my scope adjustments.
Second time out... first shot was 3inches high. Second shot was perfect. It shot great groups after that.
First shot was off but I chalked it up to either me being a novice at muzzleloading or maybe cold barrel is going to act different than a pre shot barrel. Either way it was on enough to go hunt and sit my bow stands where max shot would be 30 40 yards.
I loaded my gun day 1 of muzzle season. I hunted 6 days. Never saw a shooter. After season was done I decided to shoot and see if it was high again on the first shot...
Well I shot and the gun was low by 3 feet. Hardly felt any recoil. Almost as if the powder didn't really have any energy.
This has me freaked out... what if that was the day prior and I had shot at a big buck. I have no clue what the issue is and why that would've happened. Possibly condensation from the gun going inside to outside multiple times? I am hoping someone on here can give me a lesson on how to never have this happen again.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hope someone can help me.
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