As you may know, Blackhorn™ 209 and CVA™ have teamed up to provide you with a breech plug that is designed to allow CVA muzzleloaders to use Blackhorn 209 powder more efficiently.
We get a lot of questions about this breech plug, so we wanted to answer some of the most common questions for you here:
Q. “Do I need this breech plug for my rifle?”
A. If you plan to use Blackhorn 209 powder I would highly recommend it. The Blackhorn 209 Breech Plug is specifically designed for CVA rifle owners that want to shoot any loose powder, not only Blackhron 209™. The plug has a hollowed out flash-hole that enables the loose powder granules to settle closer to the 209 ignition source. Whereas the CVA QRBP plug that comes standard with the rifle has a inch long pin-wide, flash-hole, making it tough to ignite loose powder evenly. Also, the QRBP’s flash hole will sometime get plugged by loose powder more easily than the Blackhorn plug, and you will find yourself constantly cleaning the flash-hole before each and every shot.
Q. “Can I use Blackhorn 209 powder in my CVA without buying this plug?”
A. Yes, you can use the standard QRBP™ plug that comes with all 2010 and newer CVA models. This plug will handle Blackhorn 209, Triple 7 and all Pyrodex loose powders. The only drawback is that the accuracy might be slightly lower and the flash-hole will need to be checked and cleaned if necessary. I know several people who shoot Triple 7 and Blackhorn powder with great success with just the regular QRBP plug.
Q. “What are the advantages of loose powder, specifically Blackhorn 209 compared to pellets?”
A. I have shot both, while pellets are easier to load, measure and use, sometimes the accuracy is a little hit and miss, due to the way in which the pellets ignite. Loose powder ignites and burns more efficiently, making the explosion behind your bullet much more controlled. This translates into better groupings and greater distances. I will tell you straight up that the Blackhorn 209 powder is the cleanest most efficient powder I have ever used, although 777 loose powder is not far behind.
Q. “Why doesn’t CVA offer this plug standard on their rifles?”
A. Good question. My guess would be that the majority of muzzleloader hunters/shooters use pelletized powder because it is easier to measure and load. CVA usually does a good job of giving the customer what they want, so this could change in the upcoming years.
Q. “How do install the Blackhorn plug?”
A. Each breech plug comes with a set of detailed installation instructions. If you have lost yours, here they are:
Blackhorn QRBP Breech Plug Instructions
1. Remove the original QRBP and look through the barrel. Be sure the barrel is unloaded and unobstructed.
2. Clean the breech plug threads in the barrel with a good quality muzzleloading solvent such as CVA’s Barrel Blaster Solvent (AC1686)
3. Apply breech plug grease or anti-seize compound to the new breech plug threads and hand tighten into the barrel.
4. Insert the supplied tool into the oblong recess in the face of the breech plug and tighten until snug. This action forms the seal on the new breech plug and ensures a correct fit.
5. Use the tool to loosen the QRBP then, hand tighten as usual.
6. Close the gun’s breech and test the hammer trigger functions. If the hammer does not cock, repeat steps 4 & 5.
7. If you have any questions or concerns, contact CVA Customer Service at 770-449-4687, or info.bpiguns.com.
In conclusion, if you are thinking about using any loose powder in your CVA muzzleloader, I would highly recommend purchasing the CVA Blackhorn 209 Breech Plug. It is a small price to pay for accuracy and dependability.
