Most reliable Muzzle Loader Powder

Lester7009 said:

With all respect Deer hunting in all weather and competition shooting IMO are two different things and different conditions

Click to expand...

Indeed they are and yet the fact remains that true blackpowder is easier to ignite. There is a reason that black powder is classified as an explosive and must be stored in a magazine at the store and the others are right out there on the shelf.

IF you are concerned about the weather conditions there are things you can do about that. You can cover the muzzle with a small piece of tape to prevent water from running down the bore and you can cover the breech area to prevent water infiltration from that end. IF you are using one of those sabotted projectiles a bit of Bore Butter or Crisco on the sabot can prevent water from getting to the powder. My son and I got caught in some "rain" and when we came home we simply leaned our firearms against the wall and forgot about them. Nearly a year later they both fired without hesitation, and mine is a flintlock...

Might I suggest you get some canvas cloth and some felt. Sew yourself a gun cover by sewing up the end and down the side about a foot leaving plenty of room for the cover to slide off by just holding the stock and pointing the gun down towards the ground. Water proof the cover however you like. When the weather demands you simply cover the rifle and go on about your "hunting", when your prey steps out simply allow the cover to slide off quietly and you should be good to go.

I have hunted all day in the rain before and my flintlock loaded with Goex FFg still went off fine, while my buddy's inline loaded with some new substitute would not fire. Newer is not always better. The only one of the substitutes that I will use at all is Pyrodex, because it is the closest to black powder.

Been shooting ML's for 30+ years. IMO nothing beats Goex BP.

keepin a muzzleloader shootin in the rain has a lot to do with technique and not so much to do with what kind of powder is being used. I've been shooting and hunting with muzzleloaders for 40+ years and have shot nearly everything(powders) at one time or another, but plain old black powder is a lot more reliable and usable than any of the artificial powders. The fact that you cant buy it at WalMart is the only reason the subs exist.

I gotta agree with Nicodemus, Redleaf and a few others, in the 50+ years I have been shooting m/l real black powder is #1! Goex is the brand of choice. As far as wet/rainy weather, it's not the powder, it's the technique you use to keep powder dry! All Dan'l Boone and Davy Crockett had was BLACK powder.......

Me and Goex have been going steady since 1973.

The manufacturers of the subs must all be liberal democrats. They spin these tales of the evil unreliable black powder that leads the uninformed to think that you'll grow hair on your palms and your dog will die if you use black powder. It'll rot the barrel slam off your rifle in two days and then the rest of it will blow up in your house and kill half the town. But every year since Hodgons came out with Pyrodex in the 70's, (1970's) some new artificial powder comes along promising more power, cleaner burns, better accuracy etc. Most of them come and go in a few short years. Black powder was invented by a Chinaman about a million years ago and is still probably the biggest seller for muzzleloaders out there.

We need a TRADITIONAL PATCHED ROUND BALL FORUM!

Lots of difference betwixt Trad and Inline!

'Ol Daniel B. and Davy C. didn't go hungry either!

A point worth mentioning is if you try the BH209 1. make sure your breech plug,(if you use one), is correct for BH209. 2. Use a regular 209 shot shell primer and not a BP primer. Says so right on the bottle. I had a delay when I tried a 777 bp primer. It fired alright but acted like a flint lock "pop bang"(Hawken using .209 Conversion).

I use GOEX FFg in my .50Cal. TC Hawken. Killed two nice Bucks with it this year. 80 gr. and a .495 PRB. One was 190 Lbs 7 point got him DRT with a neck shot at 30 yds, 2nd was 170 Lbs 5 point got him with a chest shot from front @ 75yds. was only option He offered. He ran about 80 yds and expired. Blood trail lead me right to him.

So I am a definite believer in true black powder. I just purchased an inline TC .50 Cal and will be using the same Goex FFg. in it.

Just my 2 cents from the short time I have been using BP (2 yrs).

Muldoon said:

We need a TRADITIONAL PATCHED ROUND BALL FORUM!

Lots of difference betwixt Trad and Inline!

Click to expand...

While I agree wholeheartedly I don't think there would be enough traffic to justify it. Shame though, we are not all speaking the same language.
Nothing but real black powder for me. This is the 40th year I've been shooting ML'ers and I've only shot 1 can of the fake stuff.

I've got Goex, Pyrodex and BH209 downstairs. When the BH209 is gone, I won't buy another bottle. For what it does, it's too expensive. Yes you get higher velocity from your Inline ML, but you don't really need that unless maybe you are hunting corn fields and want/need to make a shot over 150 yards.

Between Goex and Pyrodex I shoot them both. When the Pyrodex is gone I won't buy another bottle. Between the two of them Goex is more reliable, they both need the same cleaning regimen. I've decided that I don't like shooting my inline and will be selling pretty cheaply soon.

For all the other substitutes, they exist I think for convenience of the shooter, not for "this powder is better than Goex".

snook24 said:

X2 on blackhorn...look it up on YouTube, the test they have done and you will be impressed. But make sure you have a gun that will be able to use it.

Click to expand...

X3 on BH209.......... IF... the rifle is a modern inline capable of shooting it. A CVA rifle will need a replacement breech plug designed for BH.

Its much less hydroscopic than any other BP substitute made, with easier cleanup. Its more consistent shot to shot, doesn't create a crud ring. But, it also takes the correct breech plug.

www.blackhorn209.com

The ironic thing to me is that I find real Goex black to be much easier to clean than Pyrodex or any of the subs I've tried.

I like Kik BP and Goex. I also find real BP a lot easier to clean than the substitutes or smokeless

NCHillbilly said:

The ironic thing to me is that I find real Goex black to be much easier to clean than Pyrodex or any of the subs I've tried.

Click to expand...

NC, you wont find Goex to be easier to clean than BH209. BH cleans exactly like a normal rifle. No crud ring, no rust buildup if you're like me and dont get around to cleaning for a year or moe (dont ask lol) no need for cleaning in the kitchen sink etc.

Nothing wrong with traditional cleaning methods and enjoying the traditional techniques, but BH209 is just so easy.

Jim Thompson said:

NC, you wont find Goex to be easier to clean than BH209. BH cleans exactly like a normal rifle. No crud ring, no rust buildup if you're like me and dont get around to cleaning for a year or moe (dont ask lol) no need for cleaning in the kitchen sink etc.

Nothing wrong with traditional cleaning methods and enjoying the traditional techniques, but BH209 is just so easy.

Click to expand...

I let that go......

Flintrock said:

Easier to ignite more consistant .
Go to a muzzleloading rifle match....If there was a better powder the competitors would be using it to improve their performance. Virtually no one uses the subs.
.

Click to expand...

If you're talking using percussion or flint rifles, then BP is the choice.

However, if you're including modern in-line rifles, then you couldn't be more wrong. BH209 is winning matches and the 2016 NMLRA Nationals.

Most of the 'youngsters' just use what the salesperson behind the counter throws at them!