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Take Charge of your accuracy

Engineered to consistently shoot at higher velocities and with greater accuracy than any other muzzleloader powder available today.

Fraud Alert

Multiple sites are now impersonating the Hodgdon Powder Company or our brands like Hodgdon, IMR, Winchester Smokeless Propellants, Accurate Powder or Ramshot.

Featured Products

Blackhorn_209_Hat
Blackhorn 209 Ball Cap
A premium, casual ball cap to show your passion for reloading.
Blackhorn_209_High_Volume_Charge_Tubes
Blackhorn 209 High Volume Charge Tubes
Designed to accommodate volumetric charges of up to 150 grains.
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Blackhorn 209 Charge Tubes
Available in 6 pack and the new 20 pack with carrying case.
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Blackhorn 209
High performance muzzleloading propellant.
Blackhorn_209_Hat
Blackhorn 209 Ball Cap
A premium, casual ball cap to show your passion for reloading.
Blackhorn_209_High_Volume_Charge_Tubes
Blackhorn 209 High Volume Charge Tubes
Designed to accommodate volumetric charges of up to 150 grains.
Blackhorn_209_Charge_Tubes5
Blackhorn 209 Charge Tubes
Available in 6 pack and the new 20 pack with carrying case.
Blackhorn_209_5
Blackhorn 209
High performance muzzleloading propellant.

THE ADVANTAGE

Blackhorn 209 is a low residue, high performance propellant made for muzzleloaders and black powder cartridges. It is engineered to consistently shoot at higher velocities and with greater accuracy than any other muzzleloader powder available today. In fact, if you compare the advantages of Blackhorn 209, you will quickly see there are nine areas where Blackhorn 209 simply smokes the competition:

1. Superior Ballistics and Unbeatable Accuracy

At volume equivalents, Blackhorn 209 is ballistically superior to other muzzleloading propellants. It consistently delivers higher velocities and remarkable accuracy – something every shooter expects but has rarely experienced with other propellants. When using Blackhorn 209, your muzzleloader will consistently perform at peak levels of accuracy. With the industry’s lowest standard deviations, you can count on Blackhorn 209 for precise performance and repeatable results.
2. Extremely Low Residue

Blackhorn 209 is the first and only muzzleloading propellant that is specifically designed to be free of solid and sticky residues. This revolutionary feature assures that Blackhorn 209 will not leave a crud ring in your barrel that can damage sabots and affect accuracy.
3. No Swabbing Between Shots

Tight-fitting sabot/bullet combinations are recommended to achieve the highest levels of performance. Many shooters avoid these projectiles due to the difficulty in loading a second or third round because of residue in the barrel. With Blackhorn 209, multiple shots can be easily loaded without the inconvenience of swabbing the barrel.
4. Easy Breech Plug Removal

Blackhorn 209’s low residue composition allows breech plugs to be easily removed. While it is not necessary to remove and clean the breech plug immediately after use, it is a good practice to frequently remove all primer fouling from the breech plug to maintain consistent ignition.
5. No Special Primers Required

STANDARD 209 shotshell primers are recommended for Blackhorn 209. Best results can be expected from CCI 209M and Federal 209A primers. Special muzzleloading primers such as Winchester Triple 7 and Remington Clean Bore ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
6. Not Affected by Temperature or Humidity

Blackhorn 209 is virtually non-hygroscopic. Changes in temperature or humidity do not affect performance. Blackhorn 209 will not setup or degrade like some other propellants. Shelf life is essentially unlimited.
7. Uniform Size – “Good to the last shot”

Uniform granular size ensures consistent performance from the first shot to the last shot in every bottle of Blackhorn 209. Blackhorn 209 does not contain fines and will not separate like other muzzleloading propellants.
8. Cleans with Regular Solvents

Blackhorn 209 is virtually free of solid residue. Only a thin film of soot remains in the barrel. After using Blackhorn 209, your barrel can easily be cleaned with a standard oil-based solvent. We recommend either Montana X-Treme’s Blackhorn 209 Cleaning Solvent, which is specifically formulated for Blackhorn 209, or Montana X-Treme’s Cowboy Blend Solvent. Using water or other muzzleloading solvents to clean your barrel is not recommended.
9. Extended Shelf Life

In contrast to other muzzleloading propellants, Blackhorn 209 will remain consistent and reliable for an extended period of time when properly stored.

LOAD & Safety data

This information is intended to be used as a reference. Each individual must determine what is the best and safest load for their equipment. The loads described on this site were generated at the ballistics test facilities of Western Powders, Inc. in accordance with SAAMI (Shooting Arms and Ammunition Institute) guidelines. All loads were fired through test barrels and individual results fired through different firearms may vary. Shooters are cautioned to read and follow safe loading practices as indicated by your firearm manufacturer.

Primer Recommendations

Blackhorn 209 is designed to work with standard 209 shotshell primers. For the best results, we recommend the following brands:

• CCI 209M        • Federal 209A

We DO NOT recommend any of the 209 primers designated for muzzleloaders (Winchester Triple 7, CCI MZL, Federal Fusion, or Remington Kleanbore). These primers are all weaker than standard shotshell 209 primers and do not provide adequate ignition for Blackhorn 209 – especially when used in a poorly designed breech plug system. We also DO NOT recommend #11 percussion caps or musket caps.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIMER FIT

The looser the primer fit the more blow back you can expect and the less likely you are to transmit sufficient gas and flame to the powder. Observe the condition of your primers after firing. If they are largely black, you are getting excessive blow back. Below is an example of same brand primer fired in two different muzzleloaders.

If your primer looks like the one on the right, call your gun manufacturer.

Not only does this result in a large loss of energy in the wrong direction, the escaping gasses leave excessive fouling in the breech area. These gasses can also exit the gun, cause damage your scope and is not considered safe. Safety glasses should always be worn when shooting a firearm.

CLEANING & IGNITION GUIDELINES

Blackhorn 209 requires a properly functioning ignition chamber more so than black powder and lower quality substitutes. Regular cleaning and proper ignition are key to staying on target. 

Breach Plug Cleaning

Nothing effects the performance of your muzzleloader more than the breech plug. It is very important that it be as clean as possible.

General Cleaning

To maximize the performance of your firearm, we strongly recommend you clean it regularly using oil based solvents.

Ignition Guidelines

It is important to understand what can cause ignition problems and the appropriate steps that may be taken to resolve these issues.

FAQs

Blackhorn 209 was specifically designed for modern in-line muzzleloaders with sealed ignition systems using standard 209 shotshell primers. Check with your rifle’s manufacturer for compatibility.

NO. #11 percussion caps, or musket caps do not have sufficient strength to ignite Blackhorn 209.

The most common cause of hang-fires is a fouled breech plug. Breech plugs accumulate primer residue on the walls of the flash channel that continually reduces the size of the hole (this is not to be confused with the flash hole, which is the small hole at the end of the flash channel). As residue accumulates in the flash channel, the hole becomes smaller and does not allow sufficient flame to reach the powder. The residue buildup is very difficult to see with the naked eye, but this accumulation of residue will hinder ignition by effectively reducing the strength of the primer, which also affects consistency and accuracy. Regular cleaning of the flash channel is necessary to keep the channel clean and free of residue.

We have experienced the best performance, consistency and accuracy with CCI 209M and Federal 209A. NOTE: DO NOT use 209 muzzleloading primers such as Winchester Triple 7, Remington Kleenbore, Federal Fusion, or CCI In-Line MZL.

Yes. If you prefer to weigh charges, you can convert the volume load recommendations into weighed grains by multiplying the volume load by 0.7. Example: 100 units by volume x 0.7 = 70 grains by weight. 110 volume charge x 0.7 = 77 grains by weight.

Static can be present in plastics that cause the Blackhorn 209 granules to stick. This can be eliminated by coating the inside of the plastic loader with dry graphite or wiping the inside down with an anti-static dryer sheet commonly used when drying laundry.

Typically, guns are rated for 150 grains of black powder or Pyrodex. Blackhorn 209 is more energetic and will achieve or exceed the velocities of Pyrodex with less powder. See our load data page for maximum volumetric charges.

Yes you can use a powder measure for Blackhorn 209. This is unique to Blackhorn 209 and DO NOT use a powder measure with Black Powder or any other Black Powder substitutes.

We always recommend that you start with a fresh powder charge every day. Although Blackhorn 209 is far less hygroscopic than any other black powder substitutes, barrel “sweating” can put moisture directly in contact with the powder and may affect powder performance. Why take the chance of missing the next mornings great shot?

Volumetric Units are NOT the same as weight in grains. Blackhorn is used by volume and therefore the charge is a measurement by volume. A volume charge is measured with a standard black powder measure. It is not weighed and a setting of 100 does not mean that you have 100 grains by weight, not even black powder. The loading densities of all substitutes and grades of black powder are different. The same volume of any will yield different weights of powder.

No. There are currently no plans to offer Blackhorn 209 in pellet form. Charge tubes specifically designed for Blackhorn are available that can be pre-loaded by the user and are more convenient than using pellets. Using charge tubes allows you to fine tune your load to what performs best with your rifle, bullet/sabot combination.

Use ONLY oil-based solvents. DO NOT use black powder cleaners that are water-based. We recommend Blackhorn 209 Solvent by Montana X-Treme.

It is not necessary to use anti-seize grease on your breech plug threads when using Blackhorn 209. The breech plug is easily removed even after repeated firings of Blackhorn 209.

NO. #11 percussion caps, or musket caps do not have sufficient strength to ignite Blackhorn 209.