Encore shooters most accurate load

[flati]

I was hoping all of you Encore .50 caliber users would post your most accurate load here. I wanna see if Encores tend to favor a certain bullet/sabot/powder combo. Please post average group sizes as well (be honest).

 

[Hulions]

I shoot an Encore Endeavor. I use 110gr./BH209 with a 250gr. Shockwave and Harvester Short black sabot with a Win 209 primer. It really like this load. It'll shoot one inch groups or better if I do my part. I haven't tried any other loads though. I plan on trying some .430/300gr. Hornady XTP's and some Nosler Partition .429/250 gr. I really hope I can get the Nosler to shoot as well as the Shockwave. If so, then I'll be switching bullets.

 

[old/new]

I have not shot an inaccurate load thru my 50 cal PH. I have tried 240gr XTPs, 250gr SWs, 275gr Parker BEs and just ordered some 300gr Barnes & 300gr XTPs to try. Sorry, don't have documented group sizes or pictures. They just shoot good! All were shot with supplied sabots. All very tight fits. I'm going to try Crush Ribs with the Barnes.

Oh, I have used BH209 powder only so far. Probably won't change that.

 

[old/new]

I use CCIm primers. 100 to 110 gr of powder.

 

[g.g.]

100 grains per volume BH209
250 gr SW
short smooth black harvester sabot
winchester 209 primers

1" or less 100 yard groups


change to 100 gr 777 and my groups open to 3" at 100

 

[black powder]

2 tripple 7 pellets

hornady .250gr sst

primer 209 [tried them all and found no difference]

on sand bags 100yds. 1" groups

useless [in my opinion for hunting] they pencil through ,no blood trail ,no internal damage loss of game !!

next year i will test and shoot BARNES SPIT-FIRE TMZ .250GR.

 

[tooldog]

I have found several accurate loads for my Encore, but this is what I used this season:

90 grains by volume of BH209
Federal 209 primer
Barnes Spit-Fire TMZ

~1 inch groups @ 100 yards off of rest.


tooldog

 

[Doohan]

100-110gr BH209
275gr Parker BE
Supplied Sabot
CCI 209

 

[TJJ]

300gr (.452) xtp- black crushed rib sabot
300 sst/shockwave with supplied sabot
2-50gr t7 pellets
The xtp's hands down are the most accurate in my encore, all my shooting is 100 yds and less.

 

[Grouse]

300grn 44cal DeadCenter.

 

[TMAX]

250 grain bonded Shockwave
Harvester Short Black sabot
120 grains BH209
Federal 209A primers

One inch or less in three standard Encores and one Endeavor....great load for great guns !

 

[saxman1]

My best groups to date with mt 50 cal Encore is with

200 grn SW with supplied Blue sabot
90 grn BH 209
W-209 primer.

 

[BPHunter]

I shot this yesterday. 1/4" 3-shot group at 100 yds. Encore Endeavor, 300 gr. Hornady SST-ML Low-drag sabot, 110 gr. BH209, Federal 209 primer. I was having hang-fires with other primers, but the Federal 209's seem to have resolved this issue. I also got a chance to try the Nikon Omega BDC scope. The second target was shot at 200 yds with the recommended "bubble" for 200 yds. (3.5" group) Please note that the wind picked up between the first and second targets and accounts for the horizontal spread. I'm very pleased with the rifle, scope, and load components. These groups were recorded after firing approximately 25 shots without swabbing. Swabbing only makes sabots load HARDER when using BH209 powder. This is a huge thumbs up for T/C, Western Powders BH, Hornady, and Nikon!

 

[revpilot]

Nice shooting BP

im shooting 95g Bh209 and 250g SW with HSB sabot

 

[flati]

Man BPHunter, that is an incredible group. Not to brag but I could probably do that....but at ten yards. :wink:

 

[UtahRob]

300gr (.452) xtp- black crushed rib sabot
300 sst/shockwave with supplied sabot
2-50gr t7 pellets
The xtp's hands down are the most accurate in my encore, all my shooting is 100 yds and less.

Ditto on using the XTP 's . MY encore( 26'' barrel ) likes the 300 grain XTP with 90 grains of BH 209 and winchester primers.

 

[old/new]

Nice shooting BPHunter. My PH can do thet also but me only sometimes.

 

[choc-dog]

Encore #1...95.0 of 777 and a 200 gr shock-wave with a 22 hornet primer.

Pro Hunter #1...100 grains of BH-209 and a 200 gr shock-wave.

Pro Hunter #2...105 gr. of 777 and a 200 gr shock-wave.

Enveavor....not shot yet...hope it likes BH-209 and the 200 gr. shock-wave.

Chocdog

 

[Banerbird]

240gr XTP (.430) w/ 100 or 130gr 777 or Pyrodex pellets

270gr Speer (.429) w/ 130gr 777 pellets - current load

300gr Speer (.451) w/ 130gr Pyrodex pellets

All 4 loads were 1" groups or less @ 100 yds in a std Encore w/ MMP sabots

I've tried BH209 with 1.5" groups using 100 and 110gr. I decided to stay with the 777 only because I wasn't comfortable with the BH pressures I was seeing.

Not to get off on another topic, but my dad also uses the 270gr Speer in a Nosler sabot w/ 130gr 777 in a Lyman Mustang. He got a big doe in TN @ 180 yds (measured w/ a rangefinder). She dropped in her tracks. Bone in and bone out. Exit hole was the size of a half dollar. It had about 10-12" drop at that range.

The 270gr (in my experiences and his - 3 deer for me and 3 for him) do a lot of internal damage, but not a lot of meat damage.