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I do get a bit of a crud ring when using triple7 pellets. But it does not get worse after consecutive shots. I can get 8-10 shots before I need to swab the barrel. Bullets and sabots seat very consistently according to my ramrod tattle marks. Typically I don’t have to clean a rifle during a muzzleloader season.
Does the Black Horn leave smoke? Any crud ring? Not seen any around here. Easy to get? Last what does it cost per container? I might to try some if I can find some.

Don here is something I found. I guess it has been hard to get the last few years. I bought about 5 years ago, so haven't kept up on things. Cost was around 32 bucks per bottle. Not smokeless but much less then the others. Hardly any residue to clean. Photo via Mark Haney, FacebookBlackhorn 209 has been hard to find for many modern muzzleloaders for some time now, but it looks like Hodgdon is ready to re-release the product in early spring 2021.In an email shared in the “Modern Muzzleloading” Facebook group, Mark Haney shares an email he received from the Hodgdon Powders help line. The email states the following

Hello John, we plan to continue offering Blackhorn 209 Powder. When we took over Western Powders all Blackhorn 209 for 2020 had already been shipped. We have this powder currently being made and expect it to start showing up in retail around late February or Early March.Thank youLuke OtteTechnical Support

There you have it, Blackhorn 209 has not been discontinued, Hodgdon isn’t setting out to take away one of the best selling modern muzzleloading propellants, powder production in 2020 just didn’t meet demand.Hopefully Hodgdon is listening to Blackhorn 209 shooters and produces enough this year to keep up with demand and we can all get to the range and plan our hunts knowing we will have powder.That being said, with the current ammunition and cap/primer shortages out there, we can do our part to help Hodgdon keep up with demand by not over buying or panic buying our supplies this year. Join the NMLRA today to help support our original reporting on the muzzleloading industry.

I did do an internet search on the black horn powder and evidently it is still not widely available. I found 3 or four sites that had some, one of which was Midway USA. They were the cheapest at 49 bucks for a 10, yes 10, ounce bottle of the product. Pricey stuff when you add the 22 bucks for the hazmat fee delivery charge. There are 7000 grains in a pound. In a 10 ounce bottle that figured about 4375 grains of powder. A high powered load of 80 weighed grains which equals 120 grains volumetric. This would give  you about 55 shots. It would be better than the triple seven pellets if you could get it and could overlook the high price to get it. What research I have done does show it is an improvement over triple 7.

Hey Don let me look here locally to see if anyone might be sitting on some. A long shot but might be worth the effort. I bought local,, I call them today and see if they have any.

sorry Don they had no black powder of any type and do not know of when they may see a shipment.
 

  One last piece of info on the stuff I use deals with quick loaders or so called speed shells. I went through a bunch of them during my time muzzleloader hunting. All of them failed after a few seasons. Some of them were hard to use. Not to mention all were pricey for usually a pack of three.I came up with an idea of using specimen tubes for my quick loads after looking through a lab supply book. I found some on eBay and bought a bunch. They have worked great. They are lite weight and water and air tight. The screw top is silent, no pop like in the other shells. They hold a complete load. Use pellets or the powder forms of propellant. These work for .45 and .50 cal loads. 54 and 58 cal loads won’t work though. The volume of the tube is 12ml’s. Look at the empty tube you can see the graduations if you expand the pic.


 

Very cool idea Don. I still use the old style quick loads, but only load them when i am going to hunt. Since I shoot powder I use a ketchup style squirt bottle. I fill it with some powder and then fill my quick loads. But I like what you have done here. Great idea!

I went to the Bass Pro in Clarksville today. Disappointing trip in that they were lacking in a lot of merchandise. Basically not worth the 2 hour ride there. The biggest disappointment was that they had a butt load of Blackhorn 209 propellant. I walked away from it after I seen the price tag. I am too cheap to do that. Check the tag out. Am I wrong on this?

Wow Don that is getting pricey. I do think I paid around 50 for mine, it does seem to hold it's muscle. Same bottle now is around 5 years old and seems just as fresh as when bought new.

I use to use the green speed loaders for years and found them better than most. I haven't hunted in a few years now but still have all my gear. More stuff for the kids or grandkids
when the time comes lol.