I asmune that your buddie is using t-7,if so it leaves a crud ring in the barrel after fireing.If you take a patch lick one side run it up and down in short jabs till you get to the breech plug take it out and turn it over run it down and back out of the barrel,you will lesson the crud ring and it should load fairly easy.
I solved this problem by going back to pyro-select still using the patch after each shot.
I use 110 grs of pyro-select and the sst 200 gr bullet when using my encore for hunting.
If you have not set your mind to getting the encore I would take a look at the savage,it will shoot any of the black powder subs plus smokeless.
The encore is one heck of a shooter also.
Another thing some say that useing the new primers from remington that it solves the crud ring problem too but I haven't tried that.