Breech plug for Blackhorn 209 powder

N

Niantician

New member
So I have this style breech plug in my Encore. (top picture) But do I need one of these types of plugs (bottom picture) to use Blackhorn 209 powder in? If so, why?
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New model CVA's need the blackhorn209 breech plug if you intend to shoot BH209. The factory installed plug is a little to restrictive for BH209 and can cause misfires/hangfires.

TC plugs will work fine in factory form.
 
You should be able to use your existing breech plug just fine. Follow the recommendations from the BH website in regard to primers. It needs to be HOT to burn the powder. I use European shotgun primers as they are .001 bigger in diameter than US made 209's. Tight fit, hot and less gas blow back, but ONLY when using BH powder.

TC breech plugs have an 1/8th inch flash channel. An 1/8th drill but works great to clean them out USED IN THE FINGERS ONLY! Some of the big shooters I know that use BH 209, drill the flash channel out to 3/16" on their TC's. Obviously, they have decided to use BH exclusively.

If you go with BH, your shot to shot cleaning procedure will change. Use a smokeless powder solvent barrel cleaner. I still like to swab between shots but when using BH, it's mainly to remove the plastic residue left behind by the sabot.

Hope this helps, and all the best,

Birch
 
BirchOrr said:
Some of the big shooters I know that use BH 209, drill the flash channel out to 3/16" on their TC's. Obviously, they have decided to use BH exclusively.
Click to expand...

Real black powder seems to work quite well in metallic cartridges and modern shotgun shells where the hole on the end of a 209 primer IS the flash hole. I don't see how a 3/16 inch flash channel would make a TC unusable with black powder or its substitutes. You might have to plug the hole with a dummy primer during loading to prevent powder from running out of the chamber through the flash channel.
 
So took the rifle to the range today. No detonation of the powder on multiple attemps. Unfortunately I didn't have any other types of powder or pellets to confirm it was the breech plug that's the problem. But the primers were firing. Guess I DO need a new breech plug for Blackhorn 209.
 
Initial post says Encore. But if you need me to be more specific. Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter Weathersheild. With a Bergara fluted .50cal muzzleloader barrel.
 
ah thats why, the bergara barrel. You will need the BH209 plug for that one, along with winchester w209, cci 209 magnum or federal 209A primers.
 
Before you buy a new breech plug, try taking an 1/8th inch drill bit and running it into the breech plug behind where the 209 primer would go, but only with your fingers. You will be amazed at how much crud you might bring out of there. Next, make sure the flash hole is clean. If you have both the flash channel, and the flash hole clean it should fire just fine especially with a hot primer as suggested above.
 
wont work, that plug is fitted with a 32mm flash hole and in order to get a 1/8" drill bit down, that will remove a good deal of material that can only be removed with a drill press.

The replacement BH209 comes with a 1/8" drill bit, so that will not be a problem to care for once replaced.
 
32 mm is 1.26 inches! Did you perhaps mean 3.2 mm which is just a hair bigger than 0.125 inches (1/8 inch)?

Or did you mean the flash channel is 32 mm LONG?
 
A little late in the conversation but...

... if the Bergara plug has a flash hole of 3mm (.1181) then you could have drilled it out to 1/8"( .1250). You would only be removing .0069 or .2mm of material.

I suppose it's possible for this small amount of difference in size (.2mm) between the two could cause a problem, but with a good, hot 209 shotgun primer, seems at least you should get the first couple rds. to fire with a clean hole.

What primers are you using...ML or shotgun primers?
 
theres more to it than just the flash channel size. The taper from the flash channel to the flash hole is a big deal in how smooth the hot gasses/particles flow and stick to the powder to ignite it.
 
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