Mazur1

Just picked up an Encore 50 cal - stainless/syn. Put a Leupold 2.5 - 7 on it. I am new to the ml thing so just wondering if anyone has a set-up similar to this that can suggest a good load combination for me. I bought a box of triple 7 and pyrodex pellets for sighting it in. Used some Horniday 245gr bullets with the pyro to get it on paper. Tried some Powerbelts and the poi was WAY different. Are these things really that finicky? I am looking to hunt deer with it primarily - maybe antelope if it will hold a good group out to 200 yds. I was cleaning it about every 3 shots... seemed to work OK. Did not check theplug till after about 20 shots - that was almost a problem.Howoften should I check/clean that?

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

Underclocked

The only thing I know for sure about antelope is that one of 'em ate my paycheck once (literally).

But, you might try two (or maybe even three) 50 grain (by label) Pyrodex pellets under a 250 grain SST. Should shoot pretty flat and has been touted to be an excellent load by several people. I shoot mostly 275 grain Powerbelts in my .45 Encore (so I don't shoot it much) as they perform about as well as any load I've tried in that rifle... I don't shoot pellets though as they are simply TOO expensive compared to loose.

About that plug, make sure to use a good anti-seize of some sort on the threads (and some use a single layer of Teflon tape wrapped on the threads with a touch of grease over the tape toward the forward threads). The grease I've settled on as about the best overall for the money is Slick50 ONE grease which you can find in auto sections at Wallyworld. I screw the plug in until snug, no more, and leave it there. Others recommend loosening your plug after 6 or 8 shots by only a tweak of a turn, thenretightening to snug. Hard to say what will work best for you, but I definitely recommend the ONE grease.

Don't forget to occasionally remove and clean the firing pin assembly (use care and go slow in removing, take note of spring position - should be cone end to cone end, you'll see). Failure to clean that area on an Encore muzzleloader shooting subs WILL lead to problems. You might ought to clean that area perhaps every 2nd or 3rd time you clean the rifle.

You would surely find Mike Bellm's download useful at some point- it's free http://www.bellmtcs.com/Prod_and_Serv/free_cd.htmand every Encore and G2 owner should have it for reference.

Finally, yes they are (can be)that erratic with different loads - you didn't mention possible differences in bullet weight, how often you were swabbing the bore.....but yes, they surely can be.

cayugad

If I had your rifle... and I don't. But I would like to have it... If I had your rifle, I would get me some 200 & 250 grain T/C Shockwaves. I would start my first loads with 100 grains of powder 2f grade. Pellets or loose. I would swab the barrel between every shots. One wet patch and followed by two dry patches. If I got acceptable groups then (which you should) I would push the load to 120 grains of powder and do the same thing all over again. There is no reason why that rifle should not handle 150 grains and not give excellent accuracy with pellets. With loose powder I would stay around the 120 grain area. I base these guesstimations on different loads I have ran through my T/C Black Diamond XR. Although we have different actions, we have similar steel in the barrels and the same twists.

As for the strange groups you're talking about with different projectiles, that does not surprise me at all. I have seen similar weights of projectiles shoot as much as 6" different in groups. Decide what you want to hunt and what projectile you want to use and then sight the rifle in for that. That rifle is a 200 yard rifle WITH PRACTICE and I am sure you are going to practice before attempting such a thing. The Shockwaves are a good projectile. The one thing I have read in different posts on the Encore that surprise me is some claim the Shockwaves will not load and then they shoot Powerbelts. I would think with what you're paying for that rifle, it should shoot anything out there. If the Triple Se7en powder does not work for you, try some Pyrodex pellets.

Mazur1

Thanks guys!! I'll be back out this weekend to give them a try!!!

Thanks again.

Underclocked

Now we are going to expect feedback as payment for the advice.

Omega50 cal

They can be. I was shooting new 50 cal Encore in a couple of weeks ago and I had things wired down pretty good @ 100 yards. Figured I was good to go. Just for kicks i plopped a comparable load of T7 down the tube and shot a 3 shot group. The group was dead on for elevation and size pretty much from what I'd shot with Pyro the only difference was it was 4" to the left of the Pyro groups. Go figure.