If all you want to do is shoot a deer once a year and not play at the range like some of us, get a pound of loose Pyrodex RS. Its is inexpensive to shoot. Normally gives great results. And cleans up easy. If you want to shoot a lot, use black powder. It is the most cost effective powder out there.

I shoot on average five times a week. Each range session you can kiss 20-30 shots good bye. What do you think shooting BlackHorn 209 VS Black powder would cost me? Not to mention, only certain guns can shoot BlackHorn.

This idea of BlackHorn209 being a gift from the muzzleloader gods.. Sorry guys I don't agree. You can not clean the barrel with water and soap so you must use chemical cleaners. I don't find it more accurate then any other powder, BUT I do not shoot 200 yards either. 100 yards is about it for me. And any powder will do that, with all the power you need. And all the accuracy you need if you work up a load.

The most tempremental powder I have shot is BlackHorn 209. I had primers blow back in my face, primers blow out and stick in the breech plug, I had to purchase special primers much hotter then I normally shoot. Why?? Because Blackhorn 209 is tempermental. Got the right breech plug design for BlackHorn 209.. OH.. there is your problem By a new breech plug. Having hang fires.. OH... get a hotter primer the 209s your shooting are too cool.

Problems with BlackHorn 209 compared to any other powder.. its got to have its way or it don't play nice.

Clean up of BlackHorn 209 VS any other powder... while I can clean the barrel as fast with water as you can with chemicals, I win hands down in the breech plug department. It takes me twice as long to clean a breech plug to the condition I demand, shooting BlackHorn 209 then any other powder. There have been times I had to soak the plug and even scrape small spots with an ice pick to get this very hard.. I will call it carbon, off my plug. No other powder does that to me. Not even Triple Seven. The face of my breech plug in my Knight Disc was eaten off shooting BlackHorn. That same plug prior to Blackhorn probably had 500 rounds through it and was good as new. So.. you need a new breech plug.

If you want to keep it simple, and since your starting out, get a pound of Pyrodex RS or Triple Seven 2f, some bullets and go have fun. Later down the road, you can always experiment with the new stuff.