Nimrod
Well-Known Member
I have a breech plug for my Encore that uses small rifle primers in a cut down .25 ACP case. It works like a champ!
Well, I wish I had thought ahead. Starting a few years ago I invested every week for a year and got enough powder and primers to last the rest of my life. In addition to smokeless, that included FFg and FFFg black powder, as well as 777 and Pyrodex. When shopping once at Powder Valley I actually had 5 lbs of BH in my basket and removed it. As I recall it was about $15-$20 a pound! After all this stocking up I got the inline 209 rifles from a friend, and never thought about it again. I also didn't know until now that there was such a thing as a "muzzleloading" 209!? All my 209's are CCI or Fiocchi and a couple of other brands I also use in a MEC 600 Jr. for standard shotshells, so maybe I'm missing something there as well, but the regular shotgun 209's seem to ignite everything with no issues.$100/lb would be a steal. Just saw it last week for $80/8oz ($160/lb). A guy at work bought some and loves
Not dissing your choice, but if I ever get a tag to hunt with a ML it will be with my old TC Hawken .54 with cast Minie bullets. I have a slightly hotter #11 nipple on it, and use CCI Magnum percussion caps and it ignites everything I've fed it so far. Never more than 80 grains of FFg though, or equivalent BP substitute. I have a TC .50 Hawken flintlock from the late 1970's, but found this .54 cap lock in the back of a gun shop used gun section where it had been sitting for a couple years, covered in dust and looked like hell. Got it for $300, and once I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a new rifle, one of my few really good finds.I used Knights LR primer adapter in my Knight MK 85 .54 calibermany years age. It seems to be very reliable. I never had any misfires or hang fires with it. I used it to kill an elk with it in 2001. I haven't used it since, having never been drawn for a muzzle loader hunt since then. One thing I liked about it was that it seemed to seal the nipple better than percussion caps. I have not used it on more recently developed black powder substitutes, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Actually, I use shot gun primers in my Encore .50 caliber using belted or saboted bullets, but if I was restricted to cast bullets, I would use the "old" Knight MK 85 with the LR primer.
Just an FYI.................................... If you think about it, there's no reason for it to be so ridiculously high; it's not like the military is using it up.
You have to be ready to purchase, but they do come up.Right now Large Rifle primers are unobtainium , 209 primers you can get.... I'm just saying
Been seeing them pretty frequently online in the past month or so. But they go quick.Right now Large Rifle primers are unobtainium , 209 primers you can get.... I'm just saying
To each their own on the breech plug and modules. No comparison when I tested running BH209.Been seeing them pretty frequently online in the past month or so. But they go quick.
That said, yes, 209s are much easier to find and work just dandy out to any reasonable hunting range. No real reason to go to modules with LRPs.
What did you test and what were your results?No comparison when I tested running BH209.
I ran the normal breech plug it came with and was not able to come close to the velocity I'm getting with both the Arrowhead and Hankins designs. I ended up selecting the Arrowhead system over the Hankins just because it's easier to change the module and it's safer to load. It's not only the primer and the modules it also the design of the breech plug and the flash hole. Better burn rate and I was able to run more powder. I run 85-90 weighted grains of BH209 in my 26" CVA Acura and get 2300-2350 FPS running a 285 Powerbelt. I am able to easily shoot out to 350 yards accurately and with plenty of power for hunting deer size game, assuming conditions are good for that length of shot. For me and hunting out West it's a big help. I wasn't able to get close to that velocity prior to switching. Killed a nice Coues buck 2 years at 307 yards ago and it just crushed the buck with complete pass through.What did you test and what were your results?
Interesting. The breech plug design and primer/209 you're using shouldn't significantly affect the velocity you're seeing (assuming full ignition of the powder you're using). And I've never seen nor heard of anyone experiencing that.I ran the normal breech plug it came with and was not able to come close to the velocity I'm getting with both the Arrowhead and Hankins designs. I ended up selecting the Arrowhead system over the Hankins just because it's easier to change the module and it's safer to load. It's not only the primer and the modules it also the design of the breech plug and the flash hole. Better burn rate and I was able to run more powder. I run 85-90 weighted grains of BH209 in my 26" CVA Acura and get 2300-2350 FPS running a 285 Powerbelt. I am able to easily shoot out to 350 yards accurately and with plenty of power for hunting deer size game, assuming conditions are good for that length of shot. For me and hunting out West it's a big help. I wasn't able to get close to that velocity prior to switching. Killed a nice Coues buck 2 years at 307 yards ago and it just crushed the buck with complete pass through.
The entire system- breech plug design with a LRP primer and module is designed to effectively burn BH209 better. CVA even makes their own version but I don't believe it's as refined as the Arrowhead or the Hankins system.Interesting. The breech plug design and primer/209 you're using shouldn't significantly affect the velocity you're seeing (assuming full ignition of the powder you're using). And I've never seen nor heard of anyone experiencing that.