Utah Muzzy tag for next fall?

txhunter58

Long Time Member
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Thinking seriously about putting in for a muzzleloading tag in Utah for next fall. About a 50/50 chance of drawing. I have hunted for almost 35 years but never used a scope or sabots.

I have a 1MOA Vortex 1X That I am thinking about using vs purchasing a magnifying scope. Doubt I will shoot over 200 yards regardless of what scope I have, so not sure it makes much difference. Opinions?

Also, I prob have enough BH 209 to practice and get me thru the hunt, but I would still have to buy bullets. Have plenty of conicals and lots of 350 gr Hornady FPB (the discontinued ones) but will prob try some type of Barnes sabots in the 290 gr range. How easy is it to get those bullets/sabots currently?

Thx
 
Everyone has there favorite load but for me I like the Barnes 290 TMZ and throw the sabots that come with it in the garbage. Order the Harvester yellow crushed rib sabots and us them. 77 gr by weight of Blackhorn 209 powder and a CCI 209 mag primer. It is magic out of my CVA accura V2, it shoot better then most of my center fire rifles. As for your 1x scope question the crosshairs will cover most of a deer at 200 yards but I liked my 1x scope set up before they changed the rule allowing magnified scopes. I killed plenty of deer with that set up. The Barnes bullets have performed perfectly for me. Good luck.
 
My current scope is a red dot 1MOA, so should only cover 2” at 200 yards.

That is the bullet I want to use. But my question is: where can I find some?? All places so far are backordered.

I can find the T-EZ in stock but they are 250 gr. I really like the bigger bullet for elk.
 
Thx! That had the 15 count in stock at Natchez so I ordered 2 of them! Now just have to decide which gun to set up for them!
 
Good deal. They shoot pretty well out of my Savage and my Omega z5 with 110 grV BH209 and MMP HPH12s.
 
Thinking either my original Omega or my knight LRH. I hope to go no more than 100-105 on BH. Will start at 90 and see how they do, then 95, 100, 105…
 
If it is a true 1x scope with a 1 MOA dot you may be surprised when it covers up more then a two inch dot at 200 yards. I played with several 1x scopes with cross hairs and dots and I had to build special target for each scope to have consistent aiming points while sighting in and load development. My favorite scope ended up be a Aimpoint 9000 L 2 MOA. Good luck.
 
The only reason I am considering it is because I already have the 1X and it’s not being used at the moment. Vortex spitfire. It actually has the DRT reticle. A 1MOA dot surrounded by 2 circles.can’t find any info on how many MOAs the circles are.

7F2D3D30-E284-4B99-963C-AC0745DB8234.png
 
Everyone has there favorite load but for me I like the Barnes 290 TMZ and throw the sabots that come with it in the garbage. Order the Harvester yellow crushed rib sabots and us them. 77 gr by weight of Blackhorn 209 powder and a CCI 209 mag primer. It is magic out of my CVA accura V2, it shoot better then most of my center fire rifles. As for your 1x scope question the crosshairs will cover most of a deer at 200 yards but I liked my 1x scope set up before they changed the rule allowing magnified scopes. I killed plenty of deer with that set up. The Barnes bullets have performed perfectly for me. Good luck.
This is the combo that works for me except I use 105 gr volumetric. Not sure how that compares on a scale. This is out of my TC Omega.
 
You can get close to 200 yards with a decent 3x9 scope and most modern muzzleloaders with a decent sabot and pellets. But a 300grn shockwave with BH209 and a 4x16 scope could get you out to 300 in most bone stock muzzleloaders.
 
For those that want to and can, power to you shooting beyond 200 yards. But with the shortages of primers, powder and bullets, I really doubt I could practice enough to feel proficient beyond 200 yards. Also, hunting during the rut, if I can’t get less than 200 yards from a bull, I am just not a good enough hunter. So I don’t feel any need to stretch that distance.
 
For those that have used the 290 Barnes bullets with aprox 100-105 (volume) of BH, have you chronographed and come up with a ballistics chart out to 200 yards? For an elk hunt, if I sight in for 3” high at 100 yards, I am thinking I should be able to hold dead on out to about 150 and not much holdover at 200.
 
For those that want to and can, power to you shooting beyond 200 yards. But with the shortages of primers, powder and bullets, I really doubt I could practice enough to feel proficient beyond 200 yards. Also, hunting during the rut, if I can’t get less than 200 yards from a bull, I am just not a good enough hunter. So I don’t feel any need to stretch that distance.
There is no shortage.
I've bought CCI209M, Federal 209A primers and BH209 powder recently and have seen it available several times.
 
For those that have used the 290 Barnes bullets with aprox 100-105 (volume) of BH, have you chronographed and come up with a ballistics chart out to 200 yards? For an elk hunt, if I sight in for 3” high at 100 yards, I am thinking I should be able to hold dead on out to about 150 and not much holdover at 200.

With my set up that I list in my first post with 84 gr by weight (120 buy volume) I have chronograph velocities of 2053 fps average. With that set up I sight in my zero at 175 yards. It basically gives me a point of impact in the kill zone from 0-200 yards with no adjustments to my normal aiming point on a big game animal. Simple for my mind for any hunting situation. Attached is my data for the 84 gr by weight load. It does have a kick to it. 77 gr by weight is comparable to 110 by volume but I do not have chronograph data for that load. Good luck on your elk hunt.

851605AB-4D9F-4D9E-9F13-394B3A688F6D.png


8DD7088B-AE8E-437D-96D8-1E2038B7B389.png
 
There is no shortage.
I've bought CCI209M, Federal 209A primers and BH209 powder recently and have seen it available several times.
I agree - you just have to look around. I’ve bough 5k primers (Fed, Win, Fiocchi) and 6 bottles of BH209 in recent months.
 
When I had my UT hunt several years ago, I tried a 1x scope and found that the sight pic with the scope was worst than the naked eye so I went with a peep or perhaps it was just a "V". Either way, a variable scope would have been MUCH better but at the time they were not allowed. If it were me, and knowing how long it takes to draw a UT muzzy tag, I'd get a variable scope and resell it if you have to after the hunts over or find a used one which I'm always kind of leary in buying used scopes. I have 3 or 4 maybe from ones off guns that I've bought but didn't want to try them mainly from a time conservation perspective and nowdays from an ammo conservation perspective!
 
All good info. Have been looking hard for BH 209 and it hasn’t popped up anywhere recently….

So it’s a stretch to say there is no shortage of BH. I am sure I can get some before I really need it but frustrating when you are ready to try out some new bullets and can’t get the powder ?
 
All good info. Have been looking hard for BH 209 and it hasn’t popped up anywhere recently….

So it’s a stretch to say there is no shortage of BH. I am sure I can get some before I really need it but frustrating when you are ready to try out some new bullets and can’t get the powder ?
It has been available recently here and there - it was available on:

12/24 Natchez
01/04 Powder Valley
01/05 Midsouth
01/06 Midway
01/09 Sportsman’s Warehouse
01/20 Midway
01/21 Sportsman’s Warehouse

And I just picked up a bottle at a local Sportsman’s Warehouse last week. It always goes quickly though.
 
Sportsman seems to have a good supply. But there are none within 500 miles of me

I am sure it will be back before too long. I have “notify me” at all the above places.
 
Sportsman seems to have a good supply. But there are none within 500 miles of me

I am sure it will be back before too long. I have “notify me” at all the above places.
txhunter58, did you end up drawing the UT Elk tag? I am in a similar boat, drew a UT muzzy antelope tag. Now I am figuring out the scope setup for my omega. I am thinking of taking the 3-9x 40mm leupold scope from my 30.06 and putting it on my omega. also adding a leupold quick release base with 1' medium height rings. This way I can still use the gun if I draw a NV muzzy tag. For loads I am planning on testing out 90-95-100 grains on BH209 w/ Hornady 250 grain SSTs and CCI mag 209 primers.
 
Thinking seriously about putting in for a muzzleloading tag in Utah for next fall. About a 50/50 chance of drawing. I have hunted for almost 35 years but never used a scope or sabots.

I have a 1MOA Vortex 1X That I am thinking about using vs purchasing a magnifying scope. Doubt I will shoot over 200 yards regardless of what scope I have, so not sure it makes much difference. Opinions?

Also, I prob have enough BH 209 to practice and get me thru the hunt, but I would still have to buy bullets. Have plenty of conicals and lots of 350 gr Hornady FPB (the discontinued ones) but will prob try some type of Barnes sabots in the 290 gr range. How easy is it to get those bullets/sabots currently?

Thx
I bought tons on gun broker
 
txhunter58, did you end up drawing the UT Elk tag? I am in a similar boat, drew a UT muzzy antelope tag. Now I am figuring out the scope setup for my omega. I am thinking of taking the 3-9x 40mm leupold scope from my 30.06 and putting it on my omega. also adding a leupold quick release base with 1' medium height rings. This way I can still use the gun if I draw a NV muzzy tag. For loads I am planning on testing out 90-95-100 grains on BH209 w/ Hornady 250 grain SSTs and CCI mag 209 primers.
Nope ?

Right on the cusp on being drawn but again, not this year. May have to consider a lesser unit.
 
All good info. Have been looking hard for BH 209 and it hasn’t popped up anywhere recently….

So it’s a stretch to say there is no shortage of BH. I am sure I can get some before I really need it but frustrating when you are ready to try out some new bullets and can’t get the powder ?
A lot of retailers have gotten shipments of Blackhorn over the last couple of months and it became much easier to find, whether that has dried up or not I'll soon find out because four of my kids and I will be hunting deer with a muzzy this year. I was thinking the 2+ bottles I have would last but it doesn't appear that way now with five tags.

Rather than buy another half dozen bottles of Blackhorn I might just let them do a lot of range time with 777.
 
I drew a Pauns muzzy tag myself and I'm piecing together the items I'll need. I have 4 bottles of BH209 powder, 150 Barnes 290 gr TMZ, and 100 fresh federal primers. I also have another couple hundred older 209 primers that should work too. I'll probably use the old primers I have to get the load worked up and the gun sighted in and then use the newer primers for the long distance sighting-in and the hunt. I'm putting a 4.5-14x40 Leupold on my Omega with Talley one piece rings/bases. I think I'll be ok with what I have, but would like another 100 new primers to be safe.
 
From what I can tell - searching actively and passively all over the Internet and elsewhere - BH209 is very scarce. Primers are much easier to find and that ain’t saying much. I even emailed Hodgdon and asked about blackhorn - they said buy some Pyrodex or 777 because they have no control over blackhorn production and don’t have any estimates on upcoming batches. That said there are still currently a few places with some blackhorn but it won’t last long. ?

05155F85-070D-41B2-AEC1-948A047C2D96.jpeg
 
From what I can tell - searching actively and passively all over the Internet and elsewhere - BH209 is very scarce. Primers are much easier to find and that ain’t saying much. I even emailed Hodgdon and asked about blackhorn - they said buy some Pyrodex or 777 because they have no control over blackhorn production and don’t have any estimates on upcoming batches. That said there are still currently a few places with some blackhorn but it won’t last long. ?

View attachment 76754
Where the heck is that?
 
Hornady SST 250 grains for deer and 300 on elk or deer. 90 grains FFFG or 120 grains FFG.

Have not harvested a mule deer or elk with them, but have whitetails. Shoot excellent groups out of T/C Pro Hunter and Triumph. Bullet expansions were not great, but they're priced right and if you put it where it needs to be, it does the trick.
 

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