150 grains of powder?
 

how many of you guys use 150 grain mag loads or feel that they are unnecessary? I will soon have an encore endeavor arriving and was wondering if its worth using 150 (3 50 gr. 777 pellets)...or if any of you have a load combo that you like in the encore could you please share what they are thanks!

I only used it once in my life. A buddy of mine said MLs didn't kick :s4: For most people's purpose, 150g is not needed. Very few MLs are the most accurate at that high of a charge anyway.

never had a rifle that shot W-A-S with max loads.

I have NEVER gotten a rifle to maintain max accuracy with bullets under 300 grains. The reduced velocity attained with 300+grn bullets seems to help, I shoot the 325gr FTX in my Omega at max charge (135gr 777) and it is max accuracy (1" or a bit under) for that gun.

The same gun can only shoot the 200SW with 110gr powder, groups blow up even with 115gr.

FWIW I have a buddy who can't get over 85gr and keep groups under 1.5" with an Encore.

I have heard of people claim they get great groups with 240-250gr bullets at full charge, but never seen it with my own eyes.

I am always curious if some barrels just like a particular velocity range or something, irrespective of powder charge. The 200grSW velocity for the above load is 2050 fps while the 325grFTX load is 1950fps. All other bullets I have shot in this gun and gotten to good groups were between 1900 and 2050 fps.

I just got a tc encore magnum, and used three 50 grain pryonex "cubes" and a 200 grain bullet, sited it in a 100 yards, hitting bullseyes with it after 4 shots. im new to muzzleloading so I went by the manuals instructions, some recoil, but a nice shooter, cant wait to see how it does in the woods.

sorry for my lack ML knowledge...but what is W-A-S?

worth a crap

lol ok so not really ML terms then...:bash:

You will be hard pressed to burn all that powder in a short tube using lighter projectiles. The heavier the slug the more inertia is needed to move it up the tube, therefore enableing the powder a longer time to consume in a shorter barrel. If your looking for speed and less drop, opt for a 45cal with a 400 gr slug. The 45's tend to be inherantly more accurate then 50's, and will fair much better at longer ranges in respect to trajectory and shooter error in judging distance. One consideration that is paramont is to match the slug to the tubes rate of twist, and not to exceed veloscities that will cause the bullet to strip the rifling causing fliers and leading of your barrel.

The examples given so far have been sabots, so leading won't be an issue. As a corollary I also found that non-jacketed bullet have a ceiling around 1800-2000fps above which they deform enough not to shoot well regardless of other factors.

IMHO the "inherent accuracy" of .45s vs .50s is urban legend. I read that a lot on centerfire forums too, like non-belted cases or short mags are more inherently accurate but then nobody can explain why the 300WM holds its own agains all ballistically equivalent chamberings of so-called more inherently accurate cartridges.

Every .50 I've owned has shot 1" or so with proper load development.

I will buy that it is easier to develop accurate loads with .357 or .40 bullets in a .45 as there is less plastic between the bullet and barrel to introduce variances. Of course I've had phenominal accuracy with .40 bullets in the .50 and never seen anybody post significantly smaller groups...maybe I don't know enough people shooting .45s...

Regarding trajectory, I'll bet on a 200SW vs a 400gr conical out of a .45 in terms of drop. IMHO at longer ranges guesswork should not be part of the equation, you either have a range finder and know the range or should not be shooting. I was stupid enough to ignore this rule of mine one time last year when I knew better and of course I missed. But I could have made a bad shot instead so I should not have taken it.