BH209 and CVA Optima V2 Stainless

[EastTNHunter]

I just purchased this combo and was planning to treat the BH209 like my smokeless ML, shooting it fouled and leaving it loaded all season and cleaning it after ml season was over. But I read on the bottle of powder that the mfg does not recommend leaving it loaded or fouled due to possible corrosion. What is the consensus from the BH experts on here about this?

 

[Jcalder]

My barrel has a few discolored spots from leaving it fouled for less than a week. I have a stainless optima v2 as well


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[mike243]

I always cleaned if not hunting for a week but shot a few primers off to foul it before hunting and that seemed to work well for me,discoloring will happen no matter what method you use.

 

[iowavf]

I'll leave my stainless Encore loaded for the 3 weeks during late ML season we have, but it's cold and I leave it in my truck or in the garage. If it's warm I think I would clean it after a week just in case. I've noticed with BH my other shots aren't any different than the 1st shot from a clean barrel. 777 was always different so I hunted with a fouled barrel when using it so i wouldn't have to clean between shots in the field. As mike suggested I always fire off a couple primers to make sure everything is dry before loading, but I don't fire a load using BH like i needed to do with 777.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

I just purchased this combo and was planning to treat the BH209 like my smokeless ML, shooting it fouled and leaving it loaded all season and cleaning it after ml season was over. But I read on the bottle of powder that the mfg does not recommend leaving it loaded or fouled due to possible corrosion. What is the consensus from the BH experts on here about this?

Unless yours shoots way off on a clean barrel just clean it and hunt with it.

Firing a primer will give you a fouled type of bore without the corrosion. But I would test it to see if your cold shot equals your fouled shot.

I would not own a MZ that REQUIRES a fouled shot to hunt with. I would sell it and get one that will.

 

[iowavf]

My encore would shoot perfect with a clean barrel using 777. I chose to zero it in with a fouled barrel which I had to shoot a load not a couple caps because I didn't like the idea of running a wet patch, then a couple dry patches down the barrel while hunting if a follow up shot or another deer was near. It's cold here in iowa during late December and January during out late season that's why if I had it zerod in with a fouled barrel I could shoot 5 or 6 times without cleaning the barrel and be very accurate. My 1st shot with a clean barrel using 777 was 12" high and about 5" to the right versus a follow up shot with a fouled barrel. With blackthorn my 1st, 2nd, 3rd,15th shot are all the same with no cleaning.

 

[mike243]

My savage shoots the same no matter how many shots I make with smokeless :tu:

 

[GMB54]

Unfired, BH209 is basically non corrosive. Ive left mine loaded all season before with zero corrosion. Once you fire it though the fouling is hygroscopic and corrosive. Blackhorn209 is mostly a nitrate ester base but it does contain some organic compounds. Their MSDS confirms this.

Under ideal conditions you could probably go quite some time after shooting without any ill effects. When i fire mine it gets cleaned within 2-3 days. I use a few primers to foul the bore and run a dry patch once the night before hunting. I do this after making sure there is no oil left in the bore. 209 primer fouling is pretty much non corrosive. A quick patching with a little BrakeClean works great but 91% isopropyl alcohol or ISO-HEAT is safer as a degreaser.

BTW, scrub the snot out of that bore before ever shooting it. The packing lube/grease can get really gummy and hard to remove. If any remains in the bore and you shoot it you will have a harder time removing it.

 

[Fulldraw61]

I just purchased this combo and was planning to treat the BH209 like my smokeless ML, shooting it fouled and leaving it loaded all season and cleaning it after ml season was over. But I read on the bottle of powder that the mfg does not recommend leaving it loaded or fouled due to possible corrosion. What is the consensus from the BH experts on here about this?

Congrats on you new ML. I have tried every combo of powders,pellets and projectiles. I absolutely love BH 209. I have never left BH in all season but i don't see it hurting anything. Hopefully you won't have to and have successful hunts and re load everytime you go out. BH cleans up great with Hoppe's solvent on a couple of patches swabbed through the barrel then 3 or 4 dry patches and done. No more soaking the barrel in the bathtub or making a mess with barrel blaster. If you haven't bought the BH breech plug i highly recommend it. The standard breech plug is good but your groups will tighten up with the BH breech plug. You will love the Optima with this combo. I have the V2 Accura and shoot 100 grains BH with Hornady SST 250 grain.and CCI magnum primers. 3 shots touch at 100 yds. I am by no means a marksman just shooting off sand bags. I hope this helps a little bit and i know every rifle likes different loads and ammo so enjoy trying what works best for you and your rifle. Good luck this season and hope to see pics soon. CVA is just a better gun. Shoot straight.

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