209 vs 209A primers

[ghh3rd]

I've been doing Ok using 209A primers in my CVA .50 Muzzleloader, but I don't have many left. No one around here seems to have anything but 209. According to CVA, the rifle calls for a 209 - I don't even remember why I have been using 209A. Is there much difference between them?

Thanks...

[johnson1942]

the 209A are hotter

[ghh3rd]

Has anyone moved from a 209A to a 209 or the other way around and noticed much difference?

[rsrocket1]

I thought that Federal 209A's or CCI 209M's were required for Blackhorn 209, but I have been able to use Winchester 209's with 100% ignition reliability in my CVA Optima Pro (first version with the old hex breech plug). I think the important thing with BH209 is a good tight seal between the primer and firing pin face. I do this with a small metal washer the same size as the primer hole which acts as a gasket. It makes for a very snug fit when closing the breech and forces all of the flame into the flash hole with no blowback.

If you are using Triple 7, you want the opposite. That is a very cool flame reaching the powder to prevent the "crud ring" from forming due to too hot of a primer.

For Alliant Black MZ, I've found that any primer works just as good. The trick there is to run a patch to clean the barrel each shot, lightly pour the powder "pebbles" into the measure and pack the powder down real hard with the ram rod.