Last year I took a button horn buck in the last fading light of a very rainy, foggy day in Steuben County NY with the Encore 209/50. The load I was using was the most consistently accurate load I had ever shot out of a muzzle loader. It was sighted in with (2) 50 grain Pyrodex Pellets behind a TC yellow tipped 250 grain Shock wave bullet. Prior to this hunt, that load had produced 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards out of a clean gun with a cold barrel.
After season last year, I disassembled the bbl and action, pulled the E-Z Tip extractor (Cabelas $21.99 fall 2009 catalog) and thoroughly cleaned the gun inside and out. I ran a patch wet with Clenzoil down the bbl a couple of times wiped the outside of all metal parts with clenzoil and stored the gun in my safe.
I went to the range this week with the Encore and three loads, consisting of the 250 grain TC Shock wave, Lighfield's Alpha Gold 300 grain saboted load and also Barnes Spitfire Expander saboted load in 285 grain boat tail hollow point.
I decided to try all three with my standard 100 grain load consisting of 2/50 grain Pyrodex pellets. Having put hundreds of rounds down range through the Encore has taught me that if a particular saboted bullet combination will not shoot well with two pyrodex pellets, it probably will not shoot well with anything else. At one time or another, I have tried Pyrodex loose powder, Pyrodex pellets, Triple 777, Pioneer's powder and a couple of others. I pretty much use Pyrodex loose powder in charges of from 100-120 grains in the Omega and normally use 2/50 grain pellets in the Encore. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", is my philosophy.
I have also tried Remington Kleen bore primers, Triple 777 primers and Winchester 209 primers. I find Winchester's the most consistent, however have had pretty good luck with the other two also.
In any event, my first three shots out of the Encore on my first range outing were the TC Shock wave bullets and they landed neatly into a 3/4 inch (center to center group / subtracting the bullet hole) and approx 1.5 inches high and dead center on the target. I have center fire rifles that are NOT that consistent. When you consider that I disassembled the Encore and it is a break open action rifle, I consider that a testimony to the Artisans at the TC factory who build and assemble these guns. They go bang every time you pull the trigger and they shoot straight and hold their zero from one season to the next.
Other loads that have worked well in my Encore are:
100 grains loose Pyrodex powder behind a Precision 300 grain QT saboted load and Winchester primers gave me a 1.5 inch 100 yard group /www.prbullet.com
100 grains of loose Pyrodex powder behind a 295 grain Power Belt and Win 209 primers gave me a 1.5 inch 100 yard group
100 grains of Triple 777 using a 250 grain Shock Wave and Remington Kleen Bore primers gave me a two shot 1/2 inch group / thunder storm drove me off the range that day
Other loads in the 1.5 inch range at 100 yards include the Barnes 245 grain spitfire, Hornady 250 and 300 grain XTP's and Buffalo Bore 375 grain saboted loads.
I also liked the Precision Dead Center loads in both 260 grain and 300 grain version.
The trick to all of this is to experiment. Most muzzle loaders will do sub one inch groups with possibly only 1 or 2 specific loads.
Notice the photos attached. The 250 grain Shock wave load as mentioned went into 3/4 of an inch at 100 yards. The Lightfield Alpha Gold 300 grainers were FIVE inches center to center and the Barnes 285 Grain Spitfire MZ HPBT loads had two in the same hole and a flyer opening the group to 2 inches.
I tried the Lightfield Alpha Gold 300 load as I am a BIG fan of Roger Raglin and he is a big fan of Lightfield's products. I am NOT knocking the Lightfield load, I think they are a well made quality bullet and perhaps with a different sabot, they might shoot well in my gun. I KNEW when I loaded the first one down the barrel, it was NOT a good fit as it was too loose and probably would NOT shoot well.Good hunting this year and I hope you shoot a big one.
FOR MORE INSIGHT, see my 8/14/2008 post on Encore Accuracy Tips.
COMMENTS ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED, DAN
4 comments:
ihave been shooting 2 triple 7 pellets and a 200 grain tc shockwave and it groups very nicely --- your thoughts?
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is my motto. I personally favor bullets in the 240-250 grain weight and above. i actually like the 300 grain loads if they shoot well. I guess you could say I am a bigger bullet sort of guy. I have more confidence in the heavier slugs out of a ML, and have never been a guy seeking to make 200 yard shots since I don't get many of those where I hunt in the N/E mixed hardwood/farm field scenario.
On the other hand for deer hunting only I am sure the 200 grain shock waves will work just fine. Each gun is a law unto itslef (even two identical TC Encores). I have found several loads in mine that will ground around the 1.5 inch mark at 100 yards consistently. The 250 Shockwaves just happen to group at 3/4 inch consistently. I am more concerned about threading the needle through some mixed branches at 50 yards than I am trying to dope a 200 yard shot with a lighter bullet. Bottom line is, if it shoots well in your gun and the game you are seeking goes down fast with a properly placed load, then it is hard to argue with success. If you were going black bear hunting, I would try and steer you towards trying some 300 grain loads till you find one that shoots well in your gun. See my post on TC Encore accuracy tips. Thanks for reading the BLOG and I appreciate your comments. Dan
recently bought TC encore prohunter in 50cal-went to range and spent first hour trying to get breech to close and lockup using winchester 209 primers-after much dis assembly/inspection got the brainsorm to try remington 209 primers-tadah! No problems after that -anyone else had this experience? Ruger2020
Once at the rifle range last fall, I helped someone who was sighting in a NEW TC pro Hunter and had the same problem with the action not closing shut. I do NOT recall the brand of primers he was using, however the action was quite stiff and they were being too gentle in trying to snap the action shut. I showed them how to give it just a little more force the first few times and it seemed okay after that. Your finding on the type of primers is interesting though and thanks for posting a comment. Dan Wafer
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