Completely new to the muzzleloader game. Got a CVA Apex on the way and I'm planning on shooting blackhorn 209 powder with 290gr Barnes TMZs. I've been reading up and seeing what loads guys are going with with this combo and my question is this. When someone says they're shooting say 100grs of loose powder, are they weighing it out on a loading scale or just measuring it with one of the loader tubes with graduation marks? I really don't want to mess something up and end up with a pipe bomb in my face.

Folks generally measure by volume, but you can achieve greater consistency measuring by weight.

Any particular reason you want to use loose powder? Pellets are easy, consistent and you can get the easy clean variety.

I had just done some searching on the web last week and saw a lot of guys were using Blackhorn and said it shot well and was easier to clean/less fouling. May not be the case but that is what I gathered in researching good loads. I do think the pellets would be much easier to deal with though. Like I said, I'm new to this stuff so I'm just going on info that I come across here and there.

10-4. I'm certainly not an expert. Only use it for the week of Muzzleloader season each year. I'm sure the loose shoots great. I just like the ease of the pellets.

Blackpowder and substitutes are generally measured by volume, not weight. They can be weighed, but there is not a 1grain=1grain conversion. The top of this chart shows the weight conversion for 209. https://www.blackhorn209.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/b209muzzleloaderdata.pdf

Black powder equivalents are always measured by volume, if you want to weigh out your loads, you first have to use a volumetric measure to find what the approximate weight is of the equivalent load is and then measure by weight to that amount for more consistent shot to shot charges.

for example, a 100 grain equivalent load (measured by volume) of pyrodex may only weigh 72 grains. once you know that you can use a scale to measure out loads at 72 grains.

Always measure by volume for simple hunting loads. And, loose powder has always given me lots better accuracy than any pellets that I've tried and I've tried dang near all of them.

Grainular powder and pellets work good.
However. Some breechplugs are meant for pellets only.
I bought a CVA rifle a few years ago. Shot pellets for a year. Because of loading being harder after a couple shots, Switched to Blackhorn 209. It's good powder.
But I had a missfire on a big buck. I reloaded and after a couple days hunting I went to the bench to shoot it out before cleaning the rifle. It to missfired.
SO. I called CVA. The first thing they ask me was what type powder I was shooting."pellets or grainular"
I told them grainular.
They told me the instructions said that my breechplug was for pellets ONLY. And if I wanted to shoot grainular powder I could order a breechplug designed for it.
So I researched further and found out plugs for grainular were dished out. And the ones for pellets are flat faced.
I'm not the authority on this, but I did pay a price of a good 8 point for my lesson.

Yeah I ordered the Blackhorn breech plug with the gun.

Good advice above about black powder equivalent loads!! Read it and understand it before you switch from volumetric to weighed charges!!

I use blackhorn 209, work up a load by volume first then load my volume then scale weight that load, then test again, 209 is hard to beat if you need a follow up shot.less fouling .get some loading tubes and your ready to go.

Measure by volume. I have a powder measuring flask that I use. You are doing right with the Blackhorn 209. Don't let anybody talk you into shooting those nasty pellets. 110 is gonna be your best load probably.

110 is a HOT load with Blackhorn. It's roughly 10% hotter than pellets or loose Pyrodex. Read the instructions on the jug and be careful.

Actually, Wiley, it is not a hot load for modern muzzleloaders.

Keep in mind that we are talking volumetric units and not grains.

See attached chart.

120 is the hottest load on their chart and it can be used with MOST bullets/sabots.

That's the first time I've ever seen that chart and thank you for posting it. I shoot 300gr Barnes MZ Expanders and I know that I couldn't handle 120gr of Blackhorn under them. I shot 150gr of Pyrodex Select in my old Remington when the magnum loads were the rage.......3 shots. Screw that damn mess! I went back to 100gr

120 give you a thump? lol That’s another thing I was wondering. What’s recoil like with a ML? I’ve never even shot one.

He is the link to the chart straight from Blackhorn's website.

http://www.blackhorn209.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/b209muzzleloaderdata.pdf

I switched to BH209 after using 777 pellets for years. Bought a jug to play with and experiment out of my 50 Cal Prohunter. Weighed each individually starting with 5 shots at 100 gr Volume/70 gr weighed, another 5 at 110 gr Volume/77 gr weighed. Bullet was a 200 gr TC Shockwave, which shoots 1 MOA w/ 100 gr of 777 matched pellets. First grouping was 1 MOA @ 100 yards. Second was under .75" @ 100 yards. Been shooting 110 gr Volume/77 gr weighed ever since and haven't looked back. Pellets are more convenient, but I'll stick with the consistent sub MOA accuracy. No crud ring like 777 and much cleaner. Only have to remember the BH209 requires a standard shotgun shell primer, not a ML primer.

Measuring is quick and easy with loose powder. With loose powder, just fill your barrel up almost to the top and seat the bullet with the tip of the bullet sitting just below the crown. JOKE, do not attempt.

Now on a serious note. I've shot both loose and pellet over the years but for the sheer ease of loading as well as clean-up, I switched to 777. IMO the 777 Pellets are not as clean burning as the loose but substantially cleaner than the pyrodex pellets and I've gotten good accuracy. I've always wanted to shoot the loose versus the 777 pellets through a chrono to see if there is a significant velocity difference between the two.

Blackhorn is good stuff, I shoot 100grns by volume with a barnes 290 tmz out of a T/C encore 1moa or less. Recoil is about like a heavy load out of 20 ga to me.

Exactly
Loose powder allows you to better tune a load than pellets ever will

I always felt like measuring with volume (eye-balling a line in a volume container) was inconsistent. I weight every charge within 1/10 of a grain, just like handloading rifle rounds. This method has been consistent for me, and I make 5-10 powder charges at once when I'm measuring powder.

Surely measuring weight is better than getting it "close to a line" in a volume tube.

Side note--BH is easy to clean, and accuracy is better out to 200 with my ML compared with other ML powder. Pellets (like 777) would be easier to use, but it's harder to clean the barrel&plug.

From memory, I think I shoot 68.3 grains by weight BH under 250gr ShockWave. Its the most accurate combination I could find. Not the fastest, but very consistent in my ML.

With BH, make sure you use shotgun primers, not ordinary ML primers.

I very seriously doubt you'll see any difference in accuracy and very little in velocity in 1 full grain increments until you get to around 5 full grains with any black powder substitute. Some loose powders might at 3 grains but it will be minimal. 1/10 grain in black powder substitutes just don't make sense. Unless you're shooting precision LONG barreled muzzleloaders, like 40 to 60 inch barrels in competition, you're wasting time as far as practicality goes. But, it can be fun. Enjoy

The Apex i just sold would shoot ragged one hole groups with 110 grains volume BH209 and 250 grain FTX in a crush rib sabot. I used the correct breech plug and CCI 209M primers, never had a mis fire.