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| I personally prefer leupold 1 piece base and rings. As far as bullets, barnes all the way with bh209 powder. Use shotgun 209 primers, wither cci or fed mag primers. Check out some of the latest posts in this area for some advice. I use barnes 290 tmz with super glide sleeve, much easier to load. Why go with slug barrel? In MN and MI where i hunt, you can use a scoped muzzloader during shotgun season. However, MN makes you take off the scope during muzzy season. I guess I feel better using my muzzy freehand out to 200 yds versus my shotgun. Also, I was into the gunshop last week and the owner was talking about some taper hinge pin that tightens up the action for better accuracy. Not sure if your new one has that, or if that was just an upgrade for first generation encores. I am currently just using my zeiss 3x9x50 that I took off my 270wby. Also, bh209 powder does not absorb water and had no hangfires in solid rain and temps ranging from 5-60 deg F. |
| | | Posts: 36 | Location: Owatonna, mn | Registered: 07 February 2010 | 
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| Thanks for the info. We have some areas that require shotguns and do not lump muzzleloaders in with them unless true primitive flintlock guns. |
| | | Posts: 3073 | Location: Pittsburgh, PA | Registered: 11 November 2004 |
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| Just took another whitetail with my 209 x .50 Encore yesterday, #73 with the Encore since 1996. Great rifle. I use 240gr XTP in the black sabot with 3 pyrodex pellets(150gr). Accuracy is under 1.5" @100 with 5" drop at 200yds. Scope is a 1-4x Leupold Vari-XII, Burris rings, weaver base. I cannot remember the last time I had to rezero this rig. I hunt from tree stands so wide field of view is nice, most of my shots are under 200yds and needless to say it works for me.
Keep in mind that the encore is designed for sabots and pyrodex pellets and shoots best with them. Loose powder and lead slugs don't work well, round balls good luck. Always shoot with a clean bore, lube the bore with a light coat of bore butter followed with a clean patch before loading. This will allow the sabot to slide easily down the bore so you can feel the sabot seat on the pellets. Seating presure is the key to good accuracy. I clean between shots, I clean in the tree when reloading. I run a brush down then swab out with a patch soaked with bore butter. You won't get a second sabot down the bore of a fouled barrel.
I have shot this rig out to 300yds on the range, take some time and learn how to load it consistantly and its a great hunting tool. |
| | | Posts: 154 | Location: Sourland Mt. , NJ | Registered: 14 May 2008 |
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| first year i have shot off paper. outstanding results, 150 gr. triple seven (3 pellets) and 200 gr. precision rifle dead centers. 1.5" at 100 for sure. the all lead boattail fits very well in the sabot and easy to load.
i use leupold one piece mount and quick release rings on both my encores.
Larry |
| | | Posts: 204 | Location: south louisiana | Registered: 18 July 2010 |
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| quote: Originally posted by Bill C.:
Just took another whitetail with my 209 x .50 Encore yesterday, #73 with the Encore since 1996. Great rifle. I use 240gr XTP in the black sabot with 3 pyrodex pellets(150gr). Accuracy is under 1.5" @100 with 5" drop at 200yds. Scope is a 1-4x Leupold Vari-XII, Burris rings, weaver base. I cannot remember the last time I had to rezero this rig. I hunt from tree stands so wide field of view is nice, most of my shots are under 200yds and needless to say it works for me.
Keep in mind that the encore is designed for sabots and pyrodex pellets and shoots best with them. Loose powder and lead slugs don't work well, round balls good luck. Always shoot with a clean bore, lube the bore with a light coat of bore butter followed with a clean patch before loading. This will allow the sabot to slide easily down the bore so you can feel the sabot seat on the pellets. Seating presure is the key to good accuracy. I clean between shots, I clean in the tree when reloading. I run a brush down then swab out with a patch soaked with bore butter. You won't get a second sabot down the bore of a fouled barrel.
I have shot this rig out to 300yds on the range, take some time and learn how to load it consistantly and its a great hunting tool.
Obviously you did't follow the manufacturer's guidelines. Thompson specifically says "do not lube sabots". Get yourself some BH209, you don't need to swab between shots. I fire 3 primers first, then run a dry patch, then load it so the first shot has a little fouling. If you have problems with sabots, try tc shockwaves or barnes with the 'superglide' sabots. They are way easier to push in. How can you get consistant pressure when your powder is burning the bore budder? |
| | | Posts: 36 | Location: Owatonna, mn | Registered: 07 February 2010 |
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| My son's Encore has always shot very well with loose powder. We used T7 until BH209 came along and now that's all we use. His rifle loves 100gr by volume of BH209 behind a 300gr Hornady hollow point, stuffed inside a Harvestor black crush rib sabot. This load will shoot under an inch at 100yds with no swabbing between shots, just load and shoot. Many groups and several deer at 200yds have proven it to be a great load. One thing we have found with all of our MLs is that a bullet/sabot combo that requires very little ramming force typically will not group very well. |
| | | Posts: 1148 | Location: The Hunting Fields | Registered: 22 May 2002 |
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| Got deer #74 this morning, I ain't changing nothing yea I been shooting the same load since the 90's, but its been working.  |
| | | Posts: 154 | Location: Sourland Mt. , NJ | Registered: 14 May 2008 |
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