T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
#1
T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
Well, I saw Lorcux's post so I thought I would post my results with my Encore. It is a stainless 209x50 with composite stock and a limb saver recoil pad. I definately recommend the pad. It makes a world of difference after a day at the range. I also wanted to test out some new powder charges. I have had a difference of opinion on how much powder to use with some members and I wanted to find out what works best. I was getting 1" groups at 100 yards using 150 grains of Pyrodex pellets and the T/C Shockwave 200 grains sabots. Yes, there was a lot of smoke but my accuracy was great. So I decided to try 100 grains and 130 grains of pellets respectively. Well, I wasn't too impressed with the 100 grain loads. I was getting 2" groups at 100 yards. Not too impressed you say?!!!!! 2" groups are great!! Yes they are, but you'll see why I said that when you look at the pics. I then moved on to the 130 grain load. That consisted of two 50 grain pellets and one 30 grain pellet. This load propelled the Shockwave 200 grain bullet to it's destination. It also had a lot less smoke coming out of the barrel and a little less recoil. I think it was also more accurate than my previous 150 grain load. Oh, I also use Winchester shotgun primers. Call me anal or superstitious but if I find something that works great, I don't change any of the ingredients.
My bench setup consists of a shooting rest with bag on the front and a bag in the rear. This is on a sturdy table at my range. There is a cover over the shooting area so the sun was not a factor. I clean between each shot using 2 wet patches and 2 dry patches. I send each patch down the barrel and out. Flip it over and repeat. This takes a few minutes which lets the barrel cool down a bit. Then load it for another shot. I shoot groups of 3 shots. I do not believe that shooting more rounds with a big game hunting rifle is necesary. I will shoot up to 100 rounds with my target rifle to test its grouping but how many times do you get to shoot more than twice at the same animal? I'm just giving you all the info I can think of so, enough of me blabbering and onto the pics. hehe
I shot my first test at 50 yards. After my second shot I was wondering what happened. I didn't even hit the paper. Had to look really hard through the spotting scope and I could just make out a larger hole than the first shot. Hmm, could it be that it went through the same hole? Let me make another shot. Yep, that's three shots through one hole! Dang this thing is accurate!
My bench setup consists of a shooting rest with bag on the front and a bag in the rear. This is on a sturdy table at my range. There is a cover over the shooting area so the sun was not a factor. I clean between each shot using 2 wet patches and 2 dry patches. I send each patch down the barrel and out. Flip it over and repeat. This takes a few minutes which lets the barrel cool down a bit. Then load it for another shot. I shoot groups of 3 shots. I do not believe that shooting more rounds with a big game hunting rifle is necesary. I will shoot up to 100 rounds with my target rifle to test its grouping but how many times do you get to shoot more than twice at the same animal? I'm just giving you all the info I can think of so, enough of me blabbering and onto the pics. hehe
I shot my first test at 50 yards. After my second shot I was wondering what happened. I didn't even hit the paper. Had to look really hard through the spotting scope and I could just make out a larger hole than the first shot. Hmm, could it be that it went through the same hole? Let me make another shot. Yep, that's three shots through one hole! Dang this thing is accurate!
#2
RE: T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
Okay, time to move out to 100 yards. The first group is near the center target. That's a 1" group. Now I'm really impressed. Let me make a scope adjustment and shoot another 3 shot group. That one is by the lower left target. Time to pull out the spotting scope again. This is incredible!! Smaller than 1/2" I'm looking like a Chesire cat right now grinning ear to ear.
#5
RE: T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
One more group and I gotta get home. The wife is calling accusing me of having too much fun while she takes care of the baby. [&:]
So I make my first shot and it's pretty close to being vertically centered and 2" high but I'm not adjusting my scope again. I take my second shot and ARGH! What the heck happened?! I must have jerked it thinking about the speech I was going to get when I got home. Let me try another shot. TEE HEE HEE. OK, I'll break my 3 shot rule and make 4 shots this time just to see what happens. I'm glad I did that! Three shots at 100 yards with a .50 caliber muzzzleloader and they are all touching. Another 1/2" group!! Two weeks till early muzzleloader season here in Md. The does better take cover when dawn comes around.
The Encore is a great rifle system and I think the Shockwaves are the best sabots I have tried to date. I think you can't go wrong with them. They also gave me 1-1/2" groups at 100 yards with my old CVA Magbolt 150.
So I make my first shot and it's pretty close to being vertically centered and 2" high but I'm not adjusting my scope again. I take my second shot and ARGH! What the heck happened?! I must have jerked it thinking about the speech I was going to get when I got home. Let me try another shot. TEE HEE HEE. OK, I'll break my 3 shot rule and make 4 shots this time just to see what happens. I'm glad I did that! Three shots at 100 yards with a .50 caliber muzzzleloader and they are all touching. Another 1/2" group!! Two weeks till early muzzleloader season here in Md. The does better take cover when dawn comes around.
The Encore is a great rifle system and I think the Shockwaves are the best sabots I have tried to date. I think you can't go wrong with them. They also gave me 1-1/2" groups at 100 yards with my old CVA Magbolt 150.
#6
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Central, KY
Posts: 9
RE: T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
That is some nice shooting. My brother has the walnut/blue Encore. He can ring a 200 yard 5X5in. steel square plate everytime. I thought about getting the Encore after that. I love the idea of changing barrels and all but I already have scoped deer rifles so the need was not there. I really don't think I went wrong either. I have owned CVA, Remington and now T/C and I am most pleased with the Thompson Center. I love my Omega. Accuracy is great and cleanup is a snap. Thompson Center makes some nice muzzleloaders. People can't go wrong buying Encore's or Omega's. You will spend more money but you will get a very nice long term firearm. It is evident our target pics show these rifles will shoot! I have seen many people at the range that couldn't shoot a centerfire that well. When I was lining my TCO up at the range, a few guys had a couple cheap $100 CVA's. They were saying, "Wow, nice shot" to each other so I had to glance at there 100 yard target through my scope. A 6 inch group at 100 yards was satisfactory to them. I was amazed. We are cutting bullet holes at 100 yards.
Read up on the TCO and TCE at http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm
Read up on the TCO and TCE at http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The Wild Turkey Capitol of the World......Missouri
Posts: 1,027
RE: T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
I had my Omega .50 out this morning doing a little testing. I wanted to try out the "first shot out of a clean barrel" thing again. Last time out, the Omega put the first 3 shots right where it was supposed to. I cleaned the Remoil out of the barrel before leaving home today and after setting up at the range, I dropped 110 grs. T7 ffg down the barrel followed by a 200 grain Shockwave in the blue sabot. I shot a 3 shot group, swabbing between shots, and ended up with a .525" group @ 100 yds.. I have it sighted to hit 3" high at 100 yds. which puts me dead on @ 170 yards. This is a very accurate gun and load. Can't say enough about the Shockwave/SST bullets. All I need now is for ML season to open. I am taking the entire season off (10 days). Can't hardly wait!
#9
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Central, KY
Posts: 9
RE: T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
MOTurkeyTamer
If 3" high at 100 yards, zero at 170 yards, what is your shot placement at 50 yards? Or closer???? Just curious, cause mine is about 1.5-2 inches high at 100 yards. I am wondering what my gun will shoot like at 30 or 50 yards?
If 3" high at 100 yards, zero at 170 yards, what is your shot placement at 50 yards? Or closer???? Just curious, cause mine is about 1.5-2 inches high at 100 yards. I am wondering what my gun will shoot like at 30 or 50 yards?
#10
RE: T/C Encore w/Shockwave Range Results With Pics!
Lorcux,
You can see from the responses on both of our posts that the Shockwaves are very accurate. I think it is great that people are shooting 1" groups or better at 100 yards. I think my slug gun and slug barrel for the Encore are going to get lonely in the safe this season.
Last week I set my scope to hit 2" high at 100 yards. I took a couple of shots at 50 yards and it looked like it was hitting 1-1/2" high at 50 yards. I am going to try to get to the range this Saturday and do some more shooting. I want to see where I'm hitting at 25, 50 and 200 yards with the same load. I will let you know what my results are.
You can see from the responses on both of our posts that the Shockwaves are very accurate. I think it is great that people are shooting 1" groups or better at 100 yards. I think my slug gun and slug barrel for the Encore are going to get lonely in the safe this season.
Last week I set my scope to hit 2" high at 100 yards. I took a couple of shots at 50 yards and it looked like it was hitting 1-1/2" high at 50 yards. I am going to try to get to the range this Saturday and do some more shooting. I want to see where I'm hitting at 25, 50 and 200 yards with the same load. I will let you know what my results are.