BH 209 and Precision Rifle 25ACP Conversion

[Nick559]

I haven't seen this posted yet but I've seen lots of info about what 209 primer to use on the BH 209 powder.

For almost two years and over 200 rounds fired in a 45 cal Encore and a 45 cal Omega with zero misfires, incredible accuracy and ABSOLUTELY NO BLOWBACK or breech cleaning, I have been using the 25ACP conversion from Precision Rifle. The secret is to use CCI Small Rifle Magnum primers. The result is a totally sealed breech, low primer pressure, very high primer heat, no pushing the charge and bullet down the bore prior to full ignition and fantastic accuracy and incredible velocity with their 195 grain polymer tipped .357 bullets. The only difference I can see at 300 yards between that and my 35 Whelen is faster reloading with my Whelen.

 

[GM54-120]

BH209 is a bit hard to ignite and the 25ACP conversion isnt recommended. There is a 6mm case conversion using Large Rifle magnum primers that appears to work.

A 209 primer though is still hard to beat for BH209. A small mod to the breach plug by adding a Savage type vent liner helps blowby a lot. Their are also mods to head space the 209 primer but that takes a bit of trial and error.

One of mine has both mods and has almost no blowby at all using a 209 primer. Primers come out nearly spotless.

 

[sabotloader]

Nick559

Yep! I have been using that combination for quite some time now in my Omega, only I made my own plug by drilling out a standard Omega plug to accept the 25 acp. To help insure eve nbetter ignition I am now looking at installing a Lehigh vent liner in the nose of the other end.

no pushing the charge and bullet down the bore prior to full ignition and fantastic accuracy and incredible velocity

Never really got caught up in that theory... I experimented a bunch with different 209 primers and could not prove a thing. If the powder is dry and good it will go off just fine and it will push the bullet off prior to the gas of a 209 making it all the way through the powder stack.

 

[fisher1]

Ignition

About a month or so ago I went to the range w/my Omega,PR VariFlame adaptors with Fed SR std. primers and pre weighed charges of Blackhorn(105 to 115gr).Under ea charge I dumped 5gr of T7.I got instant ignition and excellent accurcy.It is said that SR primers are unreliable with BH and I firmly believe that but w/the small amount T7 as a ignighter it "appears" to work. I have since gotten the Rem. 700 BP from PR which uses a shortened 6mm,270 etc. case and LR mag. primers.I have 30 cases ready to go but havn't been to the range as yet,maybe this week.

 

[Nick559]

25 ACP Plug

I spoke at length with Epps about it and he didn't recommend it either. However, he admitted he didn't try the magnum primers. They are the only one I used. I also checked with CCI and they told me the difference between the small and large rifle magnum primers was size only. Same amount of priming material. The small size actually handles high pressure much better. That's why they work so well and are recommended in the 454 Casull.

I never had a misfire or hangfire. Ignition was instantaneous. I just checked my bullet inventory and record. It's been 236 shots without a problem (except for six [one shot each] deer).

 

[Nick559]

Instant Ignition

I had another rifle loaded with a 25 ACP conversion (a 45 CVA Kodiak) and BH 209 from hunting season that ended in December that was a friend's. He forgot to fire a clearing shot at the end of the season or to clean his rifle. He too uses the CCI Small Rifle Mag Primers conversion breech plug with BH 209. We went to the range this morning and put one of my cases with the mag primer in it and the ignition was instantaneous as always! That's three months loaded and sitting in his basement.

The mag primers work great and in my opinion are no different that the conversion with the shortened 30'06 family cases.

 

[fisher1]

Conversion

Is there a vent liner in the 25ACP BP?

 

[Nick559]

No there is not. The small rifle primer is taller than the small pistol primer or the large pistol and large rifle primer too. It has the same volume as the large rifle primer. The hotter mix of the SM mag primer is the same as that of a LR mag primer. The only difference that I know of is the special primer that Federal makes for the big Weatherby's and those cases based of a full size Jeffery's case. It was developed specifically for that and has an ever hotter mix. Not more priming material.

 

[fisher1]

BP

I just got my new PR LR BP.It has a vent liner and I talked to Cecil yesterday about it as I wanted to get some extras. He told me its a Savage ventliner only they put a taper or step down on the inbound side.He also told me that w/BH it should last a loooooong time.They only charge 3.95 for them but due to Canadien postal proceedures they can't just put them in an envelope & mail them.Sounds weird to me,but I would have to order some bullets I guess and include them.There is plenty of Savage VL's around anyway. He also told me the opening is .033 #67 drill size.Nice to know.

 

[Lee 9]

fisher1
Check out the Lehigh vent liners they are what sabotloader myself and many others are using when we mod our old breach plugs, we believe they are much improved . Lee