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Hi All:

I'm an avid reloader but relatively new to the blackpowder world. I got to thinking that I have a box full of 300 grain .458 Nosler Partitions that I load and was wondering what kind of Sabot might be bestfor usein a 209x.50 cal Encore??? Also, what type of powder (T7, Pyrodex,etc) and charge might you use? I'm looking for reasonable accuracy to 150 yds or so. What do you think?

cayugad

You need to match the diameter of the sabot to the bullet. Look on your box of bullets it should tell you the diameter. If they are .452 then you should get some Harvester, Harvester Crushed Rib, MMP Hp-12, MMP HP-24, and one of them will work. If they are .458 then you need to get some of the orange MMP sabots that handle the .457-.458 size bullets.

Powder I would get Triple Se7en 2f. I would start with 100 grains of powder and try that. If they shoot well, kick the powder up to 110 grains and see what happens. Those are excellent bullets. Sabotloader shoots them all the time and I am sure he has much better information about them then I could ever give. Good luck.

sabotloader

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I shoot the 458 Nosler from all of my inlines, except the White. They are very good shooters.

You will need to get some sabots from MMP, they are HPH-.457/.458 x 50 - Orange in color.

www.mmpsabots.com


This sabot works very well in my Omega which is somewhat simular to your 209-50. But there are some TC 50 cal barrels that apparently are tighter than others - so you will not really know until you try.

I shoot them with 100 - 110 grains of T7-2f, depending on which rifle I am shooting... Easy to clean powder and less corrosive than BP or the Pyro's.

Not a problem for em. This is my my elk hunting load and I know it will shoot to 150, actually 175 acurately.

Good luck....

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Thanks! You gave me the info I needed to get started. I actually handload these bullets for my .450 Marlin. I love the quality of the bullet so much I wanted to try them in the Encore. Sounds like it might be a good arrangement! I'll give it a try and let you know what I find out.

sabotloader

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If the sabot/bullet combination will go down your barrel - it will shoot for your. If you call MMP, you will probably get Connie on the other end tell her the gun that you are using she may have the information on hand.

I totally agree - but they are getting out of my price range - but I think I have enough to last several years...

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An Update:

I finally got out to shoot my T/C Encore .50 cal this weekend. I kept it simple, using 100 gr ffg T7 along with two bullets - a T/C Shock Wave 250 grain and my trusty 300 Nosler Partition with the orange MMC sabots. Once sighted in, the accuracy of both loads were amazing. I shot out to 100 yds and both were shooting well and consistent. The Shock Wave and NP were both shooting at 2" groups, just the 250 grain load was 1.5" higher. I did not realize that a muzzleloader could be that accurate.

The only thing I noticed were both were hard to get down the barrel that last inch or so. I need some kind of Soft extention on my ramrod to help me along.

Muzzleloader season is Oct 13th and I think I am ready. Thanks to all for the advice!

Pittsburghunter

"The only thing I noticed were both were hard to get down the barrel that last inch or so. I need some kind of Soft extention on my ramrod to help me along. "

When target shooting with my Encore and Triple7even I damp patch between shoots. In the woods if you need to reload that last inch goes in easy enough.

sabotloader

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I use one of these in the field...


http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&a mp;langId=-1&partNumber=64459&hvarTarget=search&c mCat=SearchResults


I make a windex patch that I run after each shot while at the range. In the field I will use a spit patch if necessary. T7 in some guns does build a "crud ring" that can be a problem... windex just desolves it onto the patch and out the barrel with the patch.

gleason.chapman

My experience is that the ML are a lot more accurate than CF rifles once you "work up a load".
As for the crud ring at the bottom of your barrel, you will need to either
1) switch to Jim Shock Gold or American Pioneer powder (if available in your area)or
2) swab the bore of your Encore with 1 wet patch of alchol and windshield washer fluid and then a dry patch
3) shoot Pyrodex or something that doesn't produce the crud ring
4) shoot a 25 cal ACP cap with a conversion breech plug from Precision Rifle

Chap Gleason

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Thanks for the 'crud' tips and the ramrod extension tip. I may make a drive to BassPro this weekend for one.

I'd like to try heavier powder charges with the NP but there's just not enough time B4 deer season, so I'm sticking withthis load this year. I get about 2100 fps from my 450 Marlin. Anyone got any idea what fps I might be getting with 100 grT7 from this 300 grain NP, 26" barrel T/C Encore?

Thanks!