15" 209x50

[handgunhuntr]

I just acquired a new in the box factory 15" in 209X50.  Can anyone give me some good load data and ballistics on this?  What can I expect performance wise on Deer thru Moose out to about 100 yards?

[Darrell H]

handgunhuntr,

I would suggest 240 grain XTP's or Remington JSP's in the gun for deer and hogs.  I've come to really like Blackhorn 209 powder in my 209 X 50 pistols.  I've got a 13 3/8" Contender and a 17" Encore. 




Based on my chronograph results, your gun will be the ballistic twin of the .44 Mag or .45 Colt revolver depending on what bullets you use.  Good luck!

[rjr9603]

I have a TC custom shop 15" 209x50 that shoots pretty good. Right now my load is 240gr XTP over 2-50gr Pyrodex pellets. That load will do 1.5" at 100yds all day long. I have not tried the Black Horn yet, but would like to.

Cant comment on performace on animals yet.

[Jay HHI6818]

When I do my part. Factory 15 inch 209x50 Enocore.





I hate hearing the ramrod hitting the crown so I made this bore guide. You can buy the parts at Lowe's. I used super glue to glue them together.

[DEACONLLB]

Darrell h
Tell us something about the 13 3/8 g2 that you have pictured. Who made the barrel and I also notice there is no loading rod. I know you can carry one like a range rod. I am in the thinking process right now of having a G2 45-209 cut to 14 inches and installing a grip set like you have. I did make a forend that will except the rod and painted it black but after seeing your set up I may go with something like that and just carry the rod as my hunting is from a blind any way.

Thanks Deaconllb

[rickyp]

I have taken more deer then I can remember with my 209x50 barrels. I am using 90 grs of blackhorn 209 with 250 gr barnes bullets or 300 gr lightfield alpha gold
I have in the past used 90 grs of goex black powder
Most shots are in the 50-60 yard range.

I will tell you to stay away from Hornady XTP mag bullets they do not open well at the speed you get from a pistol barrel. I lost two deer with them. I heard the bullet hit and I watched the deer fall in the spot only to get up and run a way with very little to no bloot trail to follow. I was able to find one a few days after the shot and the bullet hole was the same going and coming out.

[Darrell H]

Tell us something about the 13 3/8 g2 that you have pictured. Who made the barrel and I also notice there is no loading rod.

Deaconllb, the 13 3/8" Contender barrel was made by Bullberry, the 17" is an Encore rifle barrel that I had cut down and drilled/tapped to accept standard pistol forends.  I carry the ramrods for each gun in my backpack.  

Like RickyP, I would suggest that you stay away from bullets designed for muzzleloader rifle velocities.  I have had the best luck with bullets designed for the .45 Colt and .44 Mag revolver.  I really like the .44, 240 grain XTP...good accuracy and it kills quickly.  A more accurate bullet has been the .45 caliber, 250 gr Hornady SST (T/C Shockwave) bullet.  However, I feel that this bullet is better designed for long-range shooting with rifles that generate much more velocity than my pistols can.  This bullet has not resulted in quick, clean kills for me in the pistols.    

[handgunhuntr]

Has anybody tried the powerbelts?  are these designed so that they will expand at pistol velocities?

[Darrell H]

handgunhtr, I love the Powerbelts out of my 209 X 50 rifle and I think that they would work well at pistol velocities.  However, I have had four 209 X 50 pistols and I just can't get them to shoot accurately in the pistols.  

After much trial and error, (and some frustrating kills) I settled on the 240 grain Hornady XTP and Remington JSP.  These have proven to be very effective for me.  Here are a couple of hogs that I took earlier this year with the Contender and the 240 gr bullet/Blackhorn load:




I was very pleased with bullet performance on these two kills.  

Prior to those kills, I shot this hog with a .45 caliber, 300 grain Sierra JSP at 1025 fps.   

While I consider these great bullets, they did not work well at this low velocity.  This was a very frustrating experience, requiring multiple shots and it resulted in a slow death for the hog.

[Darrell H]

Here are a couple of other kills with 209 X 50's and some thoughts if you are interested:


This boar was shot with a .45 caliber, 260 gr Speer HP and 80 grains of Triple 7.  I didn't get enough velocity to penetrate the shield/rib cage.  Very frustrating kill...multiple shots and slow death.

Same load as above (80 grains Triple 7/.45 caliber 260 gr Speer) Bang....flop!  The difference in performance was due to the fact that this was a sow (lacked the thick cartilage shield) and it was shot from the 17" Encore (more velocity). 


Same load as above (80 grains Triple 7/.45 caliber 260 gr Speer) One shot with the 17" Encore...hog ran 30-40 yards and was dead by the time that I found him. 
 

[Darrell H]

A couple of kills with a 14" Encore 209 X 50 made by Bullberry that i used to own:


This small hog was shot with the .45 caliber, 250 gr Hornady SST and 100 grains of GOEX FFG.  Bullet passed completely through the hog doing minimal damage and resulted in a slow death.


Same load as above (250 gr SST/100 grains GOEX FFG)  Complete passthrough, minimal damage to lungs, slow death.



Same load as above (250 gr SST/100 grains GOEX FFG)  Complete passthrough, minimal damage to lungs, slow death.

Hope this information is of some use to you.  Best of luck to you!