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Blackhorn powder accuracy problem

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pastorpotluck

New Member
Well I received some of the famed no clean Blackhorn powder for Christmas. I tried it out as I got ready for muzzy season. I shot it out of a Knight Master Hunter with a cryogenic barrel, I used 100 grains powder and a 285 grain Barnes spitzer boattail bullet. Long story short I couldn't get accurate groups. I checked the scope and then loaded up with Triple 7 and the rifle grouped fine:confused: Ignition wasn't a problem. I did notice that my barrel was dirtier with Blackhorn than with Triple 7. Yes I swabbed between each shot. Used a little Breakfree since Blackhorn says don't use water. So why doesn't my rifle like Blackhorn? Anyone else have these type problems?
 
I had just the opposite happen when I used Blackhorn; I shot MUCH tighter groups with it.

Different guns like different loads. If your gun isn't shooting good groups with 100 grains, try 90 or 95 grains.

I'm also confused that your gun was dirtier with the Blackhorn than the 777....I thought the Blackhorn was literally 10X cleaner.

FWIW, out of my TC Omega, I was shooting 250 grain TC Shockwaves and 100 grains of Blackhorn and it shot about a 1 1/2" group at 100 yards.

Good luck!
 
Opposite results with me as well. Were you using the right primers? It recommends NOT using the primers for designed for muzzle loaders but rather the 209 primers for shotgun shells. You do need to primer to be "hotter" to ignite the Blackhorn if I remember right
 
The primer just might be the culprit. I figured that the ignition was good but maybe not good enough. So if I got a great boom but had a dirty barrel then maybe my Remington Cleanbore Primer, which isn't recommended wasn't igniting all the powder. Now I had some Winchester 209 primers but I think I gave 'em away when I switched to Triple 7.:p So I guess I'll buy new primers. I'm not changing anything at this point since I'll be too busy chasing Bambi. After muzzy season I'll go to the range and tell you how things go. Thanks for the info.
 
Use blackhorn and have great results too. Messed up and shot a muzzy primer in it last season and cost me the biggest buck of my life.CRAP. But dropped another buck a week later. haha.

Cleaner and tighter patterns for sure, and my in laws and I shoot these religiously for gun hunting and have tried most powders and bullets available. Try lowering the grains of powder like others say. Makes the diff because you are still getting a hot burn with more accuracy.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the advice. I'll try the Winchester 209 primers and back the powder down to 90. I have to laugh though as muzzy ended for me when I shot two deer in two days with my old load with Triple 7. My wife wonders why I should fix something that's not broke. But if the powder works as well as advertised she wants a new muzzy to go with it. She's shooting a Remington 700 now with the 209 conversion kit and it's not recommended for the new powder. She likes the new Bone Collector Omega. In any event I'll have fun at the range but if your advice works I know what she's getting for Christmas.:drink2:
 
Absolutely love my blackhorn 209!!!! My dad, bro-in-law, and myself have been testing and using different powders for years now. We went through pyrodex, triple seven, american pioneer, and now blackhorn 209. By far our patterns have been the most accurate and tightest with the blackhorn 209. I have supreme confidence in shooting my gun when i know this is down the barrel. We use 95 grain (maybe 90) by weight and 140 grains by volume. We use a barnes TEZ 250 grain bullet(sabot). We found our best grain by starting high and slowly decreasing the amount of powder until it was just right for our guns. Will be pulling out the supplies this weekend...CANT WAIT!!!!!
 
I don't know if I am sold on it yet. I shot it last year late muzzy and this year early muzzy. The stuff I do not believe is easier to clean. I actually think it takes a lot longer to clean the tough areas as opposed to hot water and soap with Triple Seven. My breach plug is now black from shooting the stuff and it was always Stainless looking.

I also am not sure if this is as moisture resistant as Triple Seven. Saturday morning I hunted in a down pour for four hours. No big deal typically. I make sure I wipe it dry before I take the primer out and then put it in the case. I have done this many times in the past with no issues. Sunday rolls around and the first shot at a doe hang fired. Luckfully she was dumb and stuck around for the second shot and got her.

That evening, rained every so lightly the gun didn't even get wet. I shot it the next day to ensure it would shoot and it hang fired again. My dad who also had his gun loaded with the stuff didn't hunt in the rain but did after wards all week and shot his gun on Sunday and it hang fired bad as well. I have never had this problem with Triple Seven. I can only think of one time where my gun hang fired and that is because I was going from hot / cold and it had been loaded for a couple weeks.

The only advantage I could see with Blackhorn is less smoke and you don't have to swab inbetween shots. As far as accuracy, I didn't see any change.

Needless to say, I am scared to death to try it again. Yes, I was hunting in the rain but I have never had this problem in the past hunting in the rain.

We were both shooting Winchester 209 primers.
 
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Just a side note guys. One thing we found is, there was a problem that generated with what type of primer used. If the primer isnt hot enough the powder wont all ignite. We use CCI regular shotgun primers. Creates a great burn. We also had good luck with Remington STS primers. The primers made for inline muzzleloaders are all a gimmick in my book. None produce a hot enough ignition and are very vulnerable to moisture.
 
pastorpotluck said:
So why doesn't my rifle like Blackhorn? Anyone else have these type problems?
Click to expand...

One thing I have noticed over the years is muzzleloaders are just like people. They all have their own personality and react to things different. Part of the fun of shooting the good ol' smokepoles is the sighting in process and finding out what combo of bullet/powder/primer makes her sing on tune.
 
The primers werent the issue for me and my hang fires on the blackhorn. I will say though that all these reduced primers are a joke. My dad bought the triple seven primers to use with triple seven and the gun hang fired all the time. Always shoot a regular shotgun primer.....
 
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