TC Pro Hunter
08-16-2006, 05:28 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 157
RE: TC Pro Hunter
I haven't heard anything but good things about the new ProHunters. If I didn't have an original Encore I'd probably be buying one (2 kids aren't helping my "play funds" either!)
Anyway I copy/pasted this post from a muzzleloading forum:
Here goes a report of my first TC pro Hunter range visit which totally exceeded all my expectations & then some!
Thoroughly cleaned bbl with solvent then wiped with alcohol patches & dry. Broke action & boresighted through bbl on a 50 yd target. Only had to adjust elevation/windage between 5-8 clicks which was great since after reading of some Leupold's needing shimms to get on the paper. I at least had a very good feeling I was gonna be on the paper!!!
Arrived at my F&G Clubs range & no one was there. I loaded a new Triple Se7en ML 209 & snapped it off. Man, the pop was about 50% as loud as a regular Win 209 & much less sharp of a crack. Ummm, I thought maybe a good thing. Definitely one hell of a difference!!
I loaded 3 T-7 50 grain pellets & stuffed a 250 grain TC SW Bonded. A lil tight starting but once started fairly easy to load. I squeezed #1 off & was about 2" high & 2" to the left. Man, couldnt believe the minimal recoil especially with 150 grains T-7!!! I thought, that Simms Limbsaver recoil pad combined with TC new FlexTech Stock is cheating.
I checked my CHRONY & read was 2,287 fps. A lil faster than expected but considering charts i compared with were with 26" bbl & Pyrodex vs my T-7 & the new Pro Hunters 28" bbl it was within expectation.
I wiped with Windex (w/vinegar) and dry. Couldnt believe the minmal fouling plus not even one hint of that infamous T-7 crud ring!! This was by FAR the cleanest patch I've EVER recovered shooting T-7. Those new Triple Se7en 209 Muzzleloader Primers will be ALL ever buy hereforward. (PATCH PIC BELOW).
After scope adjustment I fired #2 & was about 1.5" high & 1" to left.
Adjusted scope & set-up new 100 YD. target. Fired shot & was perfect on windage but still high. Adjusted scope 4 clicks down & then fired 3 more shots which CUT HOLES!!!! This aint normal for Ole LOGGY!!! My 10X Leupold Vari-X III showed a hole getting bigger (after 2nd shot) so I walked down to check after second shot & thought OH BOY...Loggy you got one hell of a keeper here!!!
The President of our F&G Club arrived during my shooting session & said time for me to go home ...which I did. He had an Encore with a 22-250 bbl he going to shoot but did say that his was a shooter too with its ML bbl but never could get a group like my Pro Hunter. Most likely was beginners luck for me for sure. I'll take it though.
In clean-up there was No Crug Ring, NO Blowback & breechplug was actually cleaner than my 10 ML-II shootin smokeless. TC's new breech plug design is everything they say it is! I must admit after shooting several smokeless MLers, BP Flinters & and whole host of other In-Lines....this TC Pro Hunter is a "notch up" on anything i've ever shot as far as ease of obtaining outstanding groups coupled with unbelievable minimal cleanup and friendly recoil!! Do I sound overally happy....YOU BET!!!
The forum is called Modern Muzzloader: http://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/phpBB/index.php?sid=eb0791f9aeb6a26b1a2765cf16a7ce00
It's a great forum. I have learned a lot from it. You should sign up and join it, it's free.
If I were you I would buy one. I don't think you'll regret it. Keep us posted.
Mike
Anyway I copy/pasted this post from a muzzleloading forum:
Here goes a report of my first TC pro Hunter range visit which totally exceeded all my expectations & then some!
Thoroughly cleaned bbl with solvent then wiped with alcohol patches & dry. Broke action & boresighted through bbl on a 50 yd target. Only had to adjust elevation/windage between 5-8 clicks which was great since after reading of some Leupold's needing shimms to get on the paper. I at least had a very good feeling I was gonna be on the paper!!!
Arrived at my F&G Clubs range & no one was there. I loaded a new Triple Se7en ML 209 & snapped it off. Man, the pop was about 50% as loud as a regular Win 209 & much less sharp of a crack. Ummm, I thought maybe a good thing. Definitely one hell of a difference!!
I loaded 3 T-7 50 grain pellets & stuffed a 250 grain TC SW Bonded. A lil tight starting but once started fairly easy to load. I squeezed #1 off & was about 2" high & 2" to the left. Man, couldnt believe the minimal recoil especially with 150 grains T-7!!! I thought, that Simms Limbsaver recoil pad combined with TC new FlexTech Stock is cheating.
I checked my CHRONY & read was 2,287 fps. A lil faster than expected but considering charts i compared with were with 26" bbl & Pyrodex vs my T-7 & the new Pro Hunters 28" bbl it was within expectation. I wiped with Windex (w/vinegar) and dry. Couldnt believe the minmal fouling plus not even one hint of that infamous T-7 crud ring!! This was by FAR the cleanest patch I've EVER recovered shooting T-7. Those new Triple Se7en 209 Muzzleloader Primers will be ALL ever buy hereforward. (PATCH PIC BELOW).
After scope adjustment I fired #2 & was about 1.5" high & 1" to left.
Adjusted scope & set-up new 100 YD. target. Fired shot & was perfect on windage but still high. Adjusted scope 4 clicks down & then fired 3 more shots which CUT HOLES!!!! This aint normal for Ole LOGGY!!!
My 10X Leupold Vari-X III showed a hole getting bigger (after 2nd shot) so I walked down to check after second shot & thought OH BOY...Loggy you got one hell of a keeper here!!! The President of our F&G Club arrived during my shooting session & said time for me to go home ...which I did.
He had an Encore with a 22-250 bbl he going to shoot but did say that his was a shooter too with its ML bbl but never could get a group like my Pro Hunter. Most likely was beginners luck for me for sure. I'll take it though. In clean-up there was No Crug Ring, NO Blowback & breechplug was actually cleaner than my 10 ML-II shootin smokeless. TC's new breech plug design is everything they say it is! I must admit after shooting several smokeless MLers, BP Flinters & and whole host of other In-Lines....this TC Pro Hunter is a "notch up" on anything i've ever shot as far as ease of obtaining outstanding groups coupled with unbelievable minimal cleanup and friendly recoil!! Do I sound overally happy....YOU BET!!!
The forum is called Modern Muzzloader: http://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/phpBB/index.php?sid=eb0791f9aeb6a26b1a2765cf16a7ce00
It's a great forum. I have learned a lot from it. You should sign up and join it, it's free.
If I were you I would buy one. I don't think you'll regret it. Keep us posted.
Mike
09-08-2006, 07:41 PM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 23
RE: TC Pro Hunter
Have had several TC Encore .50 Caliber muzzleloaders, and even the .50 Caliber Encore muzzleloader pistol. All have been extremely accurate at 100 yards. I shoot my rifles with only two 50 grain Triple 7 pellets and do a complete cleaning between shots. I always carry a spare breech plug in the field when hunting so that I can do a faster cleaning. Have found that the muzzleloader shoots extremely accurate that way. Carry the TC muzzloader Encore .50 Cal. pistol for a backup. At thirty yards it is also very accurate with 70 grains of Triple 7 fffg (loose powder). In my muzzloader TC Encores I shoot a 250 grain TC Shockwave and in the pistol I have found that the 250 grain Hevi Shot sabot loads and works fine. Also have had several TC Omega's and I consider it one of the best in-line .50 Caliber muzzloaders. And you can bet your jump boots that I am going to get me one of them TC Pro Hunters in both the muzzloader and probably a .280 barrel.
07-01-2009, 06:25 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Camp Lejeune, NC
Posts: 3,869
RE: TC Pro Hunter
I have a TC Encore Endeavor which is just a Pro Hunter with Speed Breech XT. I like it a lot. It was pretty accurate out of the box but it's very accurate no that I made a few tweaks to it. I added a Bellm lock-up spring and a Bellm 1X oversized hinge pin. It definitely tightened everything up. Being that the hinge pin is so easy to remove, there is some play between the receiver and the barrel. The oversized hinge pin eliminates that play. I also sanded down the ears on the forearm so they don't touch the receiver. One of the complaints about the Encore design is that the forearm can be in different spots each time you remove it and reinstall it. If one of the ears is contacting the receiver, it can create a pressure point which can adversely affect accuracy. It's easily fixed by shaving them down and ensuring they aren't touching the receiver when it's reinstalled on the rifle. Other than those things it's a very accurate rifle, very easy to clean, and very ergonomic and comfortable to shoot. The recoil pad is very soft and absorbs a lot of the recoil. The trigger assembly can be a little tricky if you remove everything for cleaning but Mike Bellm's website has great instructions on how to get everything back together.
