| New T/C Encore Muzzleload Question [message #21019] |
Sun, 24 March 2013 11:35  |
everest
Messages: 13
Registered: March 2013
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Forum Newbie |
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Folks,
I have a brand new T/C Encore Pro Hunter with their Muzzleloader barrel. I had it out to the range for the first time yesterday. BOY did I struggle with this gun (my other barrel too, but more no that in my next post!). Specifically the Muzzleloader was all over the paper. The very best groups I could manage were in the 5-6" range at 100 yards off a bench rest w/ sandbags. Here's the specifics:
I was shooting loose Triple 7 power, with charges of 90, 100, and 110 grains. Bullets were CVA Powerbelt 245 and 295 gr hollowpoints. 209 primers were by Remington specifical for muzzleloaders. No combination would produce a group less than 4" at 100 yards, and I suspect I just got lucky on those groups. Bullets were printing all over the place! I run a damp patch w/ T/C black powder bore cleaner followed by a clean dry patch between each shot.
I just spent about $100 on a wide variety of bullets for my next range trip. Specifically I have ordered packages of T/C Shockwave 250gr, T/C Cheap Shot 240gr sabots, Barnes 290gr Spitfire, T/C 250gr Shockwave Spire Points, and Hornady Lock-n-Load 250gr sabots. I'm going to try grouping all 5 starting with 100 grains of Triple7 and see what I get but wondered if anyone has any thoughts or recommendations. Help!! If I can't get results with this new selection I'll be totally stumped. I've shot black powder for a number of years and I've never seen a barrel so finicky.
The second problem was that 9 times out of 10 I couldn't cock the gun upon closing the barrel. Sometimes it required a tremendous slam to get it to cock. I can absolutely see forgetting to do this during hunting season and losing deer because of it. . .e.g. refusing to cock when the nice deer walks into the clearing. I guess I can just remember to check each time before I take it out, but this just doesn't seem reasonable to me for such an expensive firearm.
-Jeff
[Updated on: Sun, 24 March 2013 11:43] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: New T/C Encore Muzzleload Question [message #21022 is a reply to message #21019] |
Sun, 24 March 2013 12:43  |
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cajuntec
Messages: 1251
Registered: November 2009
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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Top Contributor
Forum Admin |
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Jeff,
Welcome to the site. Sorry you are having issues with a new firearm. Hopefully, we can help.
On your first issue, I would normally start off with a tutorial of how to go through the process of picking a bullet / powder / charge for the chosen firearm, but you don't sound like a newbie to blackpowder. I will point out that all of your bullets are 240 grain and above, and that you have only tried one type of powder.
I know the pickings are slim on bullet grain size, but have you considered shooting something like the lighter 200 grain shockwaves? Depending on the barrel twist rate, you might do better with the lighter bullets, and 200 grains still packs a large punch - probably with a flatter trajectory as well. If you are trying sabot bullets, I'd highly recommend swapping to the Harvester Crush Rib Sabots, and just throwing the original sabots away, no matter what bullet you are using.
Try some different powder as well. What worked extremely well in my CVA Optima (100 grains = 2 50 grain pellets of 777), didn't work at all for me in my T/C Triumph. I ended up settling on 90 grains of Pyrodex for that one, with loose 777 powder at 90 grains for the second most accurate load. I had originally tried the loose 777 powder at 100 grains in my CVA, and it didn't give me the same accuracy as the two 50 grain pellets. Odd - 100 grains of loose didn't equal 100 grains of pellets - but it did. I don't know why... but it did. I've also heard a lot of good things about Blackhorn lately, although I've never used it.
Crubear posted a nice tutorial on how to fix your second problem. Some would say that "I shouldn't have to do this to a new weapon". I partially agree, until you consider that T/C's firearms are some of the only ones on the market that you can switch barrels so quickly and effortlessly. Yes, there is also Rossi, and CVA, and I'm sure there are others. Do a search on them and you will quickly find that the T/C platforms are preferred over those majority of the time. So then I'm willing to put forth a little more effort.  Here is Crubears post:
http://www.encoreclassifieds.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&t h=5772&start=0&
I hope this helps.
All the best,
Glenn
If at first you don't succeed... buy newer / better equipment!
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| Re: New T/C Encore Muzzleload Question [message #21024 is a reply to message #21022] |
Sun, 24 March 2013 13:00 |
everest
Messages: 13
Registered: March 2013
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Forum Newbie |
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Glenn,
Thanks so much for the thoughful response. You are correct that I didn't try any other powders, but I do have Pyrodex, BlackMZ, and I will be getting a pound of Blackhorn for my next range trip as well. I've also received a suggestion to increase to 150 grains of Triple7 since I have a magnum barrel, but that will be just about the last thing I try. I'm not so fond of getting knocked off my tree stand by my rifle
I had not considered using a lighter bullet but I will now add that to the list if things do not go well next time I can get the rifle out. I've got $100 in bullets in the mail right now so I'll work through those first, but that's something I hadn't considered so thank you again.
That reference page looks like exactly what I need. Indeed I would tend to think I shouldn't have to gunsmith my new $719 Muzzleloader but I will do it if that's what it takes to make it perform. It must be a tolerance issue because the problem does not manifest with my .223 barrel at all. Of course that barrel has another equally frustrating problem. . .more on that one later though. Grrrrr.
-Jeff
[Updated on: Sun, 24 March 2013 13:00] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: New T/C Encore Muzzleload Question [message #21062 is a reply to message #21060] |
Mon, 25 March 2013 13:21 |
Geo158
Messages: 35
Registered: January 2013
Location: Delaware
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Novice Contributor |
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I have the Encore Pro Hunter. I've had good groups with Black Horn 209. I use CCI magnum primers, BH 90 grs by volume, Hornady .430 260 gr XTP .430 with a Green 504 Harvester sabot. Great thing about Black horn powder is you don't have to swab between shots. However I clean the breech plug with a thumb drill due to the buildup of soot from the primers.( this will effect ignition and group size) Do not use Remington primers with Black Horn Powder. If you scoped the rifle make sure the mount and rings are tight. Good Luck One other thing about closing the action. When I first got mine I was applying pressure inadvertently to the action release lever which caused a problem closing the action.
[Updated on: Mon, 25 March 2013 13:31] Report message to a moderator |
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