BH209 illegal in New Mexico 2011

hntbambi · Dec 18, 2010

The new proc is out for New Mexico and on page 6 it says:

[q]Muzzleloader
Includes rifles and shotguns in which the charge and projectile
are loaded through the muzzle. Only black powder, Pyrodex
or an equivalent substitute may be used. Smokeless
powder, including ?Blackhorn 209? powder is illegal. Legal
muzzleloading shotguns are those capable of being fi red from
the shoulder only. Muzzleloaders may use in-line ignition,
pelleted powder, sabots, belted bullets and scopes. See
Restricted Muzzleloader, next column.[/q]

This is F'd up!

txhunter58 · Dec 18, 2010

So inlines, sabots, pellets, and scopes are OK, but BH 209 is not. Western powder must have really pissed someone off there!

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

ElmerFudd · Dec 19, 2010

WTF???? Who would consider BH209 a edge in the field in comparison to the others?

Muzzleloader restrictions are so all over the map and constantly changing everywhere...A quick change setup for iron sights, 1X scopes, higher power scopes, primers, caps, different loads and bullets...I would be all for some sort of interstate argeement just so you can work up a good setup/load and keep it consistent and not feel handicapped in comparison to the other hunters there...

stinky · Dec 19, 2010

The rules are pretty constant in this area, around the W-US,,,no smokeless powder. NM is just catching up w/the rest of the world.

John 14:6

crazyelk · Dec 19, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-10 AT 11:55PM (MST)[p]Blackhorn 209 is not a smokeless powder. It's just another blackpowder substitutes available out in the market designed for modern muzzleloaders. The same modern muzzleloaders legal for many muzzleloader hunting seasons in most states in the U.S.

My extensive experience with Blackhorn 209 (BH 209) and other blackpowder substitutes shows that there are no major advantages in velocity, convenience, or accuracy by using BH 209 that can't be replicated by using other blackpowder substitutes such Triple 7, Pyrodex, Jim Shockey's Gold etc... The reason why I prefer BH 209 is you can keep shooting without cleaning in between shots and maintain decent muzzleloading accuracy and breech plugs are easy to remove making the cleaning part easier. None of these offer advantages to warrant restriction. When using this blackpowder substitute, you still have to load the muzzleloader from the muzzle. When you shoot this stuff, it still creates a good puff a smoke like all the other BP substitutes. It's definately not smokeless.

BPHUNTER · Dec 20, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Dec-20-10 AT 05:57PM (MST)[p]Gee... That's a pretty accurate description of smokeless powder. BH209 is a variant or at least contains nitro. Anyone with a nose can tell that much. You gotta draw the line somewhere. If it was me, I would say iron sights, loose powder, bore size projectiles and call it good. Primitive weapon seasons were intended to be just that. 100 yards or closer and I think your in the spirit of the game. You can do that with round balls and Goex. Look at it from the DOW perspective...Once you start allowing ANY technology, you have surpassed primitive weapon status and should be lumped in with all the other modern weapons. If you really want scopes, pellets, sabots, electronic ignition, and smokeless powder, and 200/300 yard accuracy and ballistics then fine! Just hunt the regular rifle season like everyone else with that type of capability. If you want a primitive weapon kind of experience, then why not stick to the basics, like our ancestors did?

txhunter58 · Dec 20, 2010

I agree, but New Mexico is NOT holding a primative weapon season. Pellets, sabots, and scopes are way more advantageous than BH 209. So they aleady drew the line somewhere beyond the BH 209 area.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

crazyelk · Dec 20, 2010

If I want a primative experience I will hunt with a more primative muzzleloader. If I want a more modern muzzleloader hunting experience , I will choose to hunt with a modern muzzleloader. It's all about choices....to each his own. I have been fortunate to have had the choice and have hunted using both methods. I know our ancestors would have loved to had the choice to use the most modern means possible to put food on the table and protect themselves. I have a feeling our ancestors would have saving enough pelts to trade for a T/C Encore and a container of BH 209.

hntbambi · Dec 20, 2010

BPHunter,
New Mexico does have a restricted muzzleloader tag for those interested in shooting that type of weapon. Of course there is nothing saying a primitive style gun/ammo can not be used in the muzzleloading or general firearms season.

Why does the "traditional crowd" like to push "our way is the only way for a ML hunt?" Why allow percussion caps? Why not make it flint lock, hell why not make it match lock? Who are you to draw the line of what's legal to use? Something to think about. When they restrict archery to long bows, no sights, cedar shafts, I will go along with muzzleloader restrictions.

BPHUNTER · Dec 21, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Dec-21-10 AT 07:14PM (MST)[p]I guess things are a little different in Colorado. We can use sabots, scopes, pellets, and ant kind of powder we like in regular rifle seasons. Our ML season is a primitive weapon season and the Colorado DOW wants to keep it that way. I want to keep it that way because I want to keep ML season. There has been talk already that weapons have become too efficient and maybe there the ML season should be dropped. Just food for thought. As it happens, I shoot an inline with BH209 during ML season. I agree it's no major deal, but smokeless powder isn't allowed here either. I would not be surprised if Colorado decided to ban it as well for the ML season. Once it comes out that BH209 is really a thinly disguised smokeless powder, I'm sure CDOW will have something to say about it. Then I'll just switch back to the cheap reliable stuff