Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

Hey guys,

I'm fairly new to muzzleloading but I have been an avid rifle and pistol shooter sinceI was a kid. I finally bought an in-line and started shooting it to get familiar with the whole process.I am an accuracy nut, so I am very meticulous inthe loading, firing and cleaning process. The thing is, I haven't been able to shoot better than a 3.25" group at 100 yds.I am going fricken nuts!

pyrodex pellets 100gr. with Hornady 240 xtp... 4" groups
triple 7 pellets 100 gr. with Hornady 240 xtp...4-5" groups
triple 7 pellets 100 gr. with Precision Rifle Qt polymer tip240gr...6-8"
triple 7 pellets 100 gr. with Precision Rifle Dead Center 220 gr...7-9"
triple 7 pellets 100 gr. with Precision Rifle Dead Center 200 gr...8"
Jim shockey's gold 100gr. with hornady 240 xtp...4.5"
American pioneer powder 100 gr. fffgwith T/C mag 300gr...3.25"
American pioneer powder 90 gr. fffg with T/C mag 300gr...4-7"

My process is to load the powder make sure its settled. Seat the sabot to a marked spot on the ram rod. Load primer. Settle gun on shooting bags. A few deep breathes. Pull back hammer. Controlled breathing...relax.Hold crosshairs on target and slowly squeeze the trigger finger until sear is engaged and gun surprises me when it fires. Absolutely no flinching! I then lick 1patch and swab the barrel. Flip it over and repeat.Then 1 dry patch down the barrel flip and repeat. I let the barrel cool6-8 min,load, fire, repeat.

I made sure my leupold scope is sound by swapping iton my .308 Remington, .5" groups.Scope base was tight. My breech pin felt loose, I can easily push it through to the other side with finger. Used a small piece of aluminum pipe tape wrapped around the frame to hold breech pin.I bought a.25 acp conversion breech. I read that the 209 primer has too much power andalot of guys were having accuracyproblems because of it. Factory trigger was set at 3.5lbs.

IfI am doing something wrong please tell me. I am about to use my 209x50 barrel as a trap stake! I would like any advice you can offer to get at least a consistent 2" group at 100yds. I won't be shooting past 200 yds. Thanks guys, DREW

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

where you mention one dry patch and then repeat the process.. try a lightly damp patch first. Work it in short strokes and swab the barrel. Then two dry patches after that and load.

Also some Encores are powder junkies, try 120 grains of loose or 150 grains of pellets. Also try some 250 grain & 300 grain Shockwaves with the powder charges. If it does not shoot better then that, call T/C on the phone and discuss it with them.

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

I agree with Cayugad, that the Encores love high power, so up your charge to 3 pellets, that is what my brother shoots and shoot a 300g SW. Also buy some mmp12 mmp24 and some Harvester Crushed rib sabots, shoot the supplied sabot first, then shoot other TIGHT fitting sabots with the SW. Depending on tightness of your barrel, my guess is you not getting good sabot fit to your bullet, it need to be tight but not drive it down with a hammer tight.
Chap Gleason

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

Encores can be very sensistive to forearm pressure so you might want to try adding two thin washers inside the forearm - thick enough to relieve any pressure on the barrel from all points other than at the two mounting columns. If your forearm is rubbing the action, relieve some of the material until it no longer rubs.Be sure to position/hold your rifle the same from one shot to the next (as best you can).

Try some FFg T7 loose powder and carefully measure your loads. 100 grains by volume should be plenty. Swab to a fairly clean state after each shot. Do everystep, so far as the loading process,identically from one load to the next.

An extra step after each shot that might help would be to wipe out the QLA section with a rag.

I'm going to take a wild guess that your barrel is stainless...?Does the rifling feel smooth and even as you push a tight patch down through the bore (when clean)? If not, it's either a bad barrelor you are not getting all the deposits out of the bore. Scrub that bore good with something that will dissolve plastic and try again.

If none of that helps, you have probably encountered a misaligned QLA. Get it replaced.

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

"Seat the sabot to a marked spot on the ram rod."

Thismay be your problem. APP and JSG like to be compressed. The same is true of granular 777 and Pyrodex to a lesser extent.

When using the 777 and Pyrodex pelletsyou can feel when the sabot contacts the pellets-stop.

For granular powder: Get yourself a 2" furniture knob and drill a hole in it for the ramrod. Put it on the end of the ramrod and lean on it when seating the bullet. Try 120 grains of JSG granular and give the 250 grain SST a try as well. My Encore shoots very small groups with this combination.

Good luck with your Encore.

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

Yes Underclocked it is a stainless barrel. Misaligned QLA? wouldn't the barrel self align the sabot? I have read where some guys are completely cutting off the QLA and re-crowning the muzzle.

When you say add two thin washers, do you mean to place a washer betweenthe barrelmounting bracket and forearm with the screw holding it all in place? Also what type of solvent would you reccomend to clean up the plastic fouling?

Hey Falcon,whenI seat the sabot on the powder, I do end up leaning over and firmly compressing the the sabot until it doesn't move. On my encore ram rod it marks between the 4-5 ring on the bottom underneath the handle, that is my reference point. Great idea with the furniture knob!

Thanks again guys

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

Also what type of powder do you guys reccomend ffg or fffg?

Is the Jim Shockey Gold that much different than the regular American Powder Company in granular form?

Thanks, DREW

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

I don't shoot enough sabots to be a real good reference about solvents to use but the other day, after firing some Shockwaves, I noticed some plastic deposits left in my bore after using Butch's Bore Shine. Wal-Mart sells a product called Super Clean and I happen to have a gallon jug of that nearby. Put a couple of patches on a brush, dipped it into the Super Clean and then gave the bore one stroke. Bore was totally clean afterwards. Be carefulwith that stuff though (if you have any), it will eat skin. Others here can probably advise something much less hazardous.

I'm one of those guys that ridded myself of an Encore QLA. The problem with an off-center QLA is not alignment of the bullet in the bore - it is the uneven pressures exerted on the projectile as it exitsthrough theQLA causing destabilization.

Washers should be thick enough to relieve forearm to barrel contact and no thicker. You might have to shape them a bit to get them just right - then a bit of super glue gel will hold them in place.

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

Thanks underclocked, the diagram shows exactly whatI presumed. DREW

RE: Need help with Encore Accuracy!!!!
 

Im selling a winchester x-150 .50 magnum that will solve your problems and that shoots under 1" groups with a 385 and 410 grain great plains conical. Add your scope and yu'll get'em all in one hole.