More BH209 Questions

[EastTNHunter]

Do you shoot weighed or volume measured charges?

 

[Jcalder]

I shot some weighed charges today. 70gr


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[MickThompson]

It doesn't weigh up the same as BP. 150 gr by weight of BP/777/Pyro would be safe, but 150 gr by weight of BH209 would be a major overload, roughly the equivalent of pouring 215 gr of BP down the barrel. I've heard that 70 gr by weight is roughly 100 by volume.

They recommend measuring by volume and not exceeding 150 gr by volume (or whatever your muzzleloader is rated for), so that's what I do.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I plan to try 90,100, and 110 gr charges, but did not know how consistently it measured volumetrically vs by weight. I had read about the conversions, but I would prefer to be able to use a volumetric measure at the range rather than having to weigh a bunch of charges before going to the range.

 

[Tennessee Lead]

Measured 110 grains work well for me


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[smalljawbasser]

I always weigh. It's way more precise.

I start by weighing multiple measured max charges and taking the average, and doing the same for minimum charge. Everything from that point forward is weigh only. After I find my desired load, I pre weigh several charges and put in clearly marked vials.

 

[mike243]

smalljawbasser is correct on the best method imo ,at 100y you probably cant tell if weighed or volume but the farther you shoot the more consistent your shots will be with weighted loads vs volume, I found this out shooting pellets at 200y target. This was 777 pellets vs loose pellets were all over even though 100y looked great

 

[wsm]

I just put 100 grains in my measure tube ,load my gun and shoots moa,guess I,m lucky.

 

[smalljawbasser]

It's really all in what you want to accomplish.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

smalljawbasser is correct on the best method imo ,at 100y you probably cant tell if weighed or volume but the farther you shoot the more consistent your shots will be with weighted loads vs volume, I found this out shooting pellets at 200y target. This was 777 pellets vs loose pellets were all over even though 100y looked great

In theory that is the way it's suppose to work..

But in reality it does not .

The benchmark of weighted vs volume is settled in what bench rest shooters have found over the years and that is that volume based charges provide more consistent accuracy .

The reason . Powder absorbs moister . Moister makes it weigh more . There fore your perfectly weighed shots are not perfect by any means . U can test this yourself if you have a digital powder scale . Throw in a load and sit and watch it over a short period of time . It will gain weight before your eyes .

Volume is more consistent if you are consistent in your measuring practices .


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[GMB54]

With a muzzleloader you should always have a compressed load with loose powder so weight vs volume is not the same issue as it is with a center fire. BR shooters do it to achieve an identical case volume which is basically a full case.

I weigh BH209 simply because i can with a RCBS Chargemaster Combo. My extreme spreads are in the teens and sometimes less. I weigh everything at home and all charges go straight into sealed vials. A volume increase due to "possible" changes in humidity are the least of my concerns.

Seemed to work for the last 5+ winners at Friendship's Inline match so i will stick to what have been a proven winner time and time again.

 

[iowavf]

It doesn't weigh up the same as BP. 150 gr by weight of BP/777/Pyro would be safe, but 150 gr by weight of BH209 would be a major overload, roughly the equivalent of pouring 215 gr of BP down the barrel. I've heard that 70 gr by weight is roughly 100 by volume.

They recommend measuring by volume and not exceeding 150 gr by volume (or whatever your muzzleloader is rated for), so that's what I do.

Be careful because 150 gr of loose 777 is over a max load. 120 gr of loose 777 and BH are considered max loads, they are about 20% hotter versus pellets of loose pyrodex. I weigh my loads too, then use the speed loaders to take them with while hunting.

 

[GMB54]

According to the traces ive seen, a 3 pellet Tiple7 load creates more peak pressure and it spikes super fast too. Combine that with the strong possibility of crushing a pellet and you could see even far higher peak pressure. Hodgdon is very aware of this issue and that is why they dont recommend a 3 pellet load. Worst case scenario is around 40kpsi if you crush/crack a pellet/s while loading with just a 250gr bullet in a sabot.

Just for reference, a 140gr by volume load of BH209 didnt even break 30kpsi in a 45cal sabotless with a 300gr bullet. So you tell me which is more dangerous?

FOR REFERENCE ONLY. IM NOT SUGGESTING THIS LOAD IS SAFE IN A TYPICAL SMOKER ML.

 

[SKFOOTER]

I use a110 grain volume measure.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Thank you all for the advice in both of my posts. I ended up with 2 CVA Optimas, and both of them are shooters with 90gr volumetric charges, but one likes 325FTXs with BCRs, and the other likes 300gr PB Platinums. I also loaded one of them down for youth loads with 60gr and a 200gr shockwave , and this gives great accuracy and shoots to the same POI as the full house load. I'm impressed with the Optima and BH209 with the BH209 breechplug. Only complaint that I have is that the powder leaves a "greasy" residue in the high humidity of the past couple of mornings that is messy, but has not effected accuracy.

 

[Smokyrider]

Congrats on the new muzzleloaders!
I have a nitride Optima and shoot 80 grains of BH209 behind a Hornady 250 SST, shot it at 100 yards last weekend and it grouped well.

Still haven't gotten around to cleaning it but will tomorrow and then I'll be ready for season.

Sounds like you're ready, good luck.

Shane

 

[thomasmckinney12]

She got school tomorrow?

listen ..........God is talking he said use jackstands......