BH 209 and heavy bullets

[graveyard zombie]

A buddy of mine gave me about half a bottle of Blackhorn 209 because he is now using over 300 grain bullets and says it is only supposed to be used with "up to 300 grain bullets". Has anybody shot anything heavier with it? I ran across a great deal on several packs of the Hornady 350 bullets where you don't have to use sabots (similar to the powerbelts) and I'm curious if something bad may happen if I try to use them with BH 209.

Thanks,

GZ

[SWThomas]

Are you hunting elephant? Why would you need to shoot anything over 300 grains? The general consensus is that conical bullets (sabotless) aren't as accurate as bullets used with sabots.

[WV Mountaineer]

GZ he gave you the wrong information on BH The load data sheet from their web site lists the 350 grain FPB bullet using from 80 to 120 grains BH. The largest bullet listed is the 444 grain powerbelt using from 80 to 100 grains BH

[UncleNorby]

For muzzleloaders, 300 or even 350 is not a "heavy" bullet. Many older conicals and even BP cartridge gun(military and hunting) loadings were for bullets weighing 400-600 gr. The velocities were not high, but these guns killed game very efficiently. Why? Full penetration along with some expansion of the soft lead slugs.

These days, muzzleloading velocities are approaching the range where you can start talking about "hydrostatic shock" like is seen with high power rifles.

I'm still in the big bullet, moderate velocity, full penetration camp, and probably will be until there is a sabotless bullet that I can shootto 2000 fps terminal velocity (say 100 yds).

[Nimrodder]

Conical bullets are every bit as accurate as sabots. Every muzzleloading company that has won The Manufacture Shoot at the NMLRA has used lead conical bullets. Even Knight used 'em in 2006 when they won. I hunt deer with conicals weighing 460-496gr with just 70gr of powder.

Busta at Greybeards is shooting the 350gr Hornady with 80gr of Blackhorn 209 with great results.

[Nimrodder]

Here's Blackhorn 209 loding data for that bullet.

http://www.blackhorn209.com/files/pdf/b209muzzleloaderdata.pdf

Here is Busta's report.

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.p...,146732.0.html

[txhunter58]

ORIGINAL: SWThomas

Are you hunting elephant? Why would you need to shoot anything over 300 grains? The general consensus is that conical bullets (sabotless) aren't as accurate as bullets used with sabots.

I am getting 3 inch groups (open sights) at 100 yards with Hornady FPB's and 90 gr of BH 209.I don't think you could find many sabots that would shoot better with open sights.

Some of us just like shooting big conicals, and as stated, 350 is really not that big.

And some of us CAN'T legallyshootsabots(Colorado is conical only)

The only real reason to shoot sabots (if legal) are to shoot better constructed bullets flatter at longer distances. However, my FPB's fly pretty flatand are the start of better constructed bullets. More to follow I am sure.

[graveyard zombie]

Thanks for the links Nimrodder. They were really helpful. I plan on trying them in my Triumph this weekend. I hadn't actually planned on using bullets over 300 grains but when I ran up on seven 15 round packs of the new Hornady 350 fpb's for only five bucks a pack, I just couldn't turn them down.

Thanks to all who responded.

GZ