Doug454

I have lurked around this board for a little while. I just bought me my first muzzle loader. It is a new Encore 209x50. Would like some load ideas to get started without have to buy a lot of different stuff. Also some ideas on what I need to start out with. Cleaning, lubes, accessories as I only have the rifle right now. THANKS ALOT

OLDSNOW

Hornady 250gr. SST's, Pyrodex pellets 50gr. Remington 209-4 primers this is what I use in my Encore. To clean it rubbing alcohol and patches made from old T shirts. Permatex anti seize on the breach plug and only make it hand tight or it will stick.

rcd567

I use two pellets of 777 and the Hornady SST 250 grain sabots. I'd buy me a nice aluminum range rod, some breech plug grease, and patches. Just use water to clean it. I did buy some T/C muzzleloader solvent but I believe it's just soap. I just bought a 7mm Remington Mag barrel for my Encore too. Just love the gun.

BTW, you can use three pellets of either Pyrodex or 777 but it is a MAGNUM load. I shoot two 50 grain pellets for an accurate comfortable load. Oh, and I use Winchester 209 primers but any 209 would do.

dvdegeorge

Ditto great groups!

cayugad

First we will discuss the load. This is recommended straight from Thompson Center Service Center... and I quote,"The .50 caliber Omega, Black Diamond, Wildcat, Black Mountain Magnum, Fire Storm caplock and 209X50 Encore have the 1-28" rifling twist rate. We suggest the use of the T/C Shockwave sabots #8242 with two or three .50 caliber 50 grain Pyrodex Pellets for the best accuracy."

I have the T/C Black Diamond XR with a 1.5 X 4.5 32mm Bushnell Banner Dusk to Dawn Shotgun Scope and weaver mounts on it. Same barrel as you basically. I had written them for some technical advise on loads and that quote was what they replied with. They actually are right on the money. I can load 100 grains of loose Pyrodex RS and a 250 grain T/C Shockwave (which is nothing more then a Hornady 250 grain .452 diameter SST) and shoot fantastic groups. The other day I fired the first shot off shooting sticks mind you. Swabbed the barrel and fired the second shot and could not see the hit until I looked on the back of the cardboard and realized there were two holes in the bullseye. The third shot humped the first one/two. This load will hold true all the way up to 120 grains of loose Pyrodex RS but after that it does start to spread a little. Believe me there is nothing that will take a 120 grain load and not get real damaged.

The Black Diamond will also shoot LEE R.E.A.L. 320 grain conicals excellent, and T/C Cheapshots, T/C maxi balls, just about anything you want to stuff down it. So if you want to only get a few items for now here is what I would suggest....

T/C 250 grain Shockwaves with their own sabots. Comes in a 30 pack.
T/C 240 grain Cheapshots with their own sabots. Comes in a 30 pack.
1- .50 caliber brass cleaning brush
1- .50 caliber super jag
a short ball starter
209 primers (I shoot winchester. There are other brands out there)
1 pound of Pyrodex RS or 1 pound of Triple Se7en (remember T-7 is 15% stronger then Pyrodex so adjust your loads accordingly 85 VS 100)
1 powder measure (get the plastic see through kind with the funnel on the top they are the most accurate)
1 quart of denatured alcohol from the hardware store for swabbing the barrel between shots
2 packs of #100 count - 2.5 inch patches (be sure and save them, you can wash them in a bucket of water if you want and reuse them until they wear out)
a bottle of solvent that removes rust, copper, lead, and plastic. I use Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber. Hoppies Bench Rest is also very good.
a bottle or can of gun oil. Here I would recommend Rem Oil or I use Birchwood Casey Sheath. This is excellent stuff.
T/C breech plug grease
a T/C rugged rod - there is nothing more important then a good range rod and you will learn this real fast if you do not have one
ear protection- I use sonic plugs
eye protection- shooting glasses

That should about do it for you. After you have read the manual twice, then clean the rifle real good from top to bottom. Before you load it for the first time, shoot a primer or two through the gun to clear it all out. I then take a patch of denatured alcohol and swab the barrel both sides of the patch. Then two dry ones both sides...

Measure out 80 grains of Pyrodex or 70 or the 777 powder, seat your sabot, and set it with the short starter, set the whole thing with the range rod and get ready to become addicted to something for the rest of your life...

See what kind of group you have and just keep moving up every three shots in 5 grain amounts until you get the group you like that is nice and tight. Like I said, mine came around perfect at 85 grains of Triple Se7en and 100 grain of Pyrodex RS. I could move the charge higher if I wanted but there is no need to waste powder. A lot of people including myself swab between each shot with a denatured alcohol or some such cleaner, like (some use) windex, spit, water, T/C #13 bore cleaner, in the warmer weather I use 50/50 denatured alcohol and windshield washer fluid...

One other point, lube the breech plug threads and the threads in the rifle itself. There is no need to over tighten the breech plug. They will sieze on you if you set them too tight to begin with. After about five shots, take your breech plug wrench and loosen the nipple and the plug to make sure they are moving. That will keep them from seizing. When your done shooting for the day, loosen that breech plug right away, even if you are not going to clean right away.

Good luck with your rifle. You have an excellent rifle there....

dvdegeorge

They cost more,so why not use the Hornady SST 250s they are the same as the Shockwaves

cayugad

The reason I suggested the 250 grain Shockwave with their own sabots is because my understanding was he wanted to try some loads to get started, and keep costs down while seeing how his rifle reacts to them. I also have had some loading problems with Hornady bullets depending on which sabot you try to use, so if he sticks with Thompson Center products for now, he should have a more enjoyable shooting experience. The first time I tried to load Hornady bullets down my Black Diamond, I must have had the wrong sabots, and actually broke my short starter sabot starting attachment.

I could not see the reason he would want to purchase two packs of bulk .452 diameter harvester black high pressure sabots and a box #100 count of .45 caliber 250 grain Hornady XTP's, and I have never been able to find the Hornady SST's in bulk prices. Do you know where I can get them in bulk without the sabots?

When he shoots the Shockwaves and decides they are accurate (as I am sure they will be) or not, he could make a more informed decision as to what he might want to try next or what he might want to stick with as a bullet/sabot combination.

One load he might want to try later is the XTP bullets. If he feels a hollow point projectile would be the best choice for deer hunting or target shooting he can later pick up some of them in bulk. I believe it is better to try a small amount of them and see whether the rifle is going to be accurate with them instead of buying them right away in bulk only to find that you are now stuck with plinkers.....

dvdegeorge

Why go through all that to try them out?They are both the same, Hornady makes the shockwaves for TC.He could just purchase a package of 20 Hornady 250 SSTs they come with the sabots,for $7.17 at Midsouth shooters supplies.

cayugad

Yes I am aware that the Shockwaves and the SST's are one and the same. The only reason I suggested he get the T/C Shockwaves are the Hornady combination packs of XTP's and SST's I had a little problem getting them down the barrel of my Black Diamond when I was loading with out swabbing the barrel between shot. I even broke a short ball starter attachment trying. I have never had a problem with the Shockwaves. Perhaps they use a different sabot or I was just unfortunate with the other load, who knows.

Now today I was shooting some hand cast 300 grain flat nose solid lead .45 caliber .452 diameter out of harvester sabots and was getting excelllent groups with 100 grains of Pyrodex RS. The Black Diamond performed perfect as is usual. At 35 yards off shooting sticks I fired seven shots into the 9 & 10 circle off of the shooting sticks. Most all the hits were in the 10 ring and edge of the 9. I was very pleased actually with the homemade cast bullets.

I also wanted to see if the 300 grain SST's would load and I this time I did force them down the barrel after swabbing. They shot excellent. Again, at 35 yards, again with 100 grains of loose, off the sticks it was one large hole...

I also took some 230 grain hand cast pure lead round nose .45 caliber .452 diameter bullets out. I was shooting them at the same distance under the same circumstances. I was shocked at how well they also shot. I dropped the charge down to 90 grains of RS and could put them anywhere I liked on the target.

So there are a lot of projectiles out there to shoot. The question is whether you want to stick to one bullet or try numerous ones. If I were to stay with one bullet, it would be the T/C 250 grain Shockwave...

Doug454

THANKS Guys for all the help.
Now I have another question. Would you shoot it with the factory sights or put a scope on? If a scope, any suggestions, scope rings bases etc.. I shoot custom tactical set-ups, but muzzleloading is alot different.
THANKS AGAIN