RE: BH209 max charge
 

Lawyers -- can't live with them, can't use them as backstops...

Gotcha. Too bad.

RE: BH209 max charge
 

I use a 1x scope on mine. That is the law in ND. Which I think is great. I would rather use open sights, but my seventy year old eyes don't work that great anymore. I put a 6x Leupold on it for testing and off season shooting. Prairie dogs etc.

RE: BH209 max charge
 

I am not trying to say my way is the only way. I am just saying I don't like people posting way over recommended loads on here. If you want to endanger your life, that is up to you. Do as you like. It makes other people want to do it. I just want to keep our sport safe.

RE: BH209 max charge
 

spaniel

Andy, i am not sure that BH has set a limit of 120 grains or not. When I said 120 grains, I was referring to the conversion factor for T7 to 150 grains of the allowed BP/Pryro limits that TC sets....

It is know and has been tested that that BH produces less pressure at any one time with a given projectile than does T7-2f and certainly T7-3f, however if you could capture the total pressures create by both powders from ignition to projectile exit rom the barrel - BH WILL have a greater total but if all things are equal will not reach the peak pressure at any one time that T7 does.

Shooting a 325 grain projectile with BH and the same weight of T7-2f -> BH should create more velocity, again because of the progressive burning capabilities. Shooting the same projectile with BH and T7-3f will produce a much less velocity difference. I shoot 90 grains - 3f from my GM-LRH barrel with 460 grain Bull Shops and it works great. But there are alot of folks that are shooting 3f interchangeably with the same loads of 2f. Not that Toby does everthing right but you can see he does it quite often and as a standard.

If you have been shooting 130 gr 2F 777 and you are comfartable there (and I would be) then shooting 130 grains of BH is going to produce less peak pressure than the T7 and as the bullets go down in weight of course the peak pressures of either powder goes down + less pressure created in a 50 cak barrel than a 45 cal barrel

It was not a 200 xtp that I shot the other day it was a 250 Speer.... Pro-Chrono placed at 12 feet...

Shots -> 1 2 & 3 -> 110 grain of BH (Weighed 73 grains)
Shots -> 4 5 & 6 -> 110 grain T7-2f (Thrown on site)
1. 1902 4. 1960
2. 1915 5. 1957
3. 1912 6. 1951

Again all of this is my take on the subject and it is not written in stone anyplace that I know of.

mike

RE: BH209 max charge
 

lemoyne,

All I was saying was that people that start exceeding the manufacturer's recommended load are doing so at their own risk. BH209 is a significantly hotter/faster powder than Pyrodex - so 150 grains BH209 does NOT = 150 grains of Pyrodex in terms of pressure and velocity. If your rifle is rated for 150 grains Pyrodex, then by all means go ahead and use it. Western Powders recommends a max load of 120 grains BH209. Can more be used in modern, high-quality rifles safely? Probably yes- but you need to have a very good understanding of what pressures your rifle is rated for, and equipment to test the pressures you are producing (which most people don't have).

Personally, if I shot BH209, I wouldn't go over 120 grains, just because I don't see that the advantages (increased velocity) outweigh the disadvantages (saftey concerns, increased recoil, higher price-per-shot). I'm not a big powder junkie - I usually haven't used more than 100 grains T7 FFFG, because I haven't felt the need to. But I know a lot of people like the push the limits in terms of performance - that's fine, but just be careful if you're exceeding what the manufacturer recommends.

RE: BH209 max charge
 

oldsmellhound
You are right as far as you go there are at least 2 of us that have some equipment in that categorie. The problem I find here is that TC does not rate there guns for 777 much less the newer Blackhorn And the manufactures recommendation must take things like the old CVA barrels that were made before they were bought out and reorganized. I always stay below the 150gr of pyrodex level of pressure but I use that amount as my guide and with Blackhorn which is a progressive burning cellulose base powder the level of pressure drops with bullets lighter than 250 gr so by adding a bit more powder it can be brought up to the same level which is where it happens to be most accurate in my gun.
The whole problem as I see it is the manufacture not getting out some recommendations. This leaves a lot of people wandering where the limits are. Lee

RE: BH209 max charge
 

Lee

Aaa! well said

and as the projectile moves up the barrel there is more room for the gas in the bore and hence the pressure will be relieved and it does happen faster with a lighter bullet.

RE: BH209 max charge
 

That was the point of this thread -- what IS the recommended max load in an Omega? What you posted instead was that certain velocity and range limits should not be done with a ML. Two different things.

I agree with you totally in that people need to stay within safe loads -- as has already been mentioned, once you go beyond Goex or Pyrodex the manufacturers are POOR at providing us with adequate guidance, which leaves us wondering.

My days of manufacturing ML pistols from 2X6s, dryer springs, and structural 1/2" pipe and shooting them with Red Dot stolen from my grandfather's old 12-gauge shells are 20 years behind me. I like having 10 fingers and 2 functional eyes. I am also a scientist, however, and therefore prone to experimenting and probing the (safe) limits of my equipment. All I wanted to know is what is the max charge that is safe, and I've gotten some great info from some great and knowledgable guys....more that the lawyer-fearing manufacturers are willing to give me, which is what creates unsafe testing.

RE: BH209 max charge
 

I have a T/C Omega. I like the BH209. I use 110gr and a 250grain Barnes TMZ. At 100 yds I am very confident. Great groups. At 150 it opens up a bit but I can still hit a milk jug at that distance off hand. I dont think I would try a shot further than that. I use a Williams Peep. I went through a whole 10oz container. Just go to the website and read what it says. The only bad thing I found is that after 10 or so shots at the range and you have to clean the flashhole or the primer fouling will result in a hangfire.

RE: BH209 max charge
 

Spaniel,

You mentioned using the 25 ACP conversion. I could not reliably ignite BH209 using the 25 ACP conversion breech plug in my NEF Huntsman. You may need to switch back to the factory 209 breech plug and use shotshell 209 primers to get the most from BH209..