Tight Fitting Bullets

[semostickbow]

Not new to muzzleloading, but fairly new to in-line guns. I just bought an Encore and took it to the range Sunday. I tried T/C Shockwaves and Hornady SST (both saboted). The first bullet got stuck in the barrel, had to take the gun down and push it out backwards. Cleaned out the gun and lubed it with bore butter. The bullets were easier to load after that, but still way too difficult in my opinion. Not to mention the damage the ram rod was doing to the bullet tips.

I'm looking for suggestions on easy loading bullets. Some that i don't have to pound on to get down the barrel.

Lastly, what powder (type and grain), primer and bullet combos work for you Encore owners.

Thanks,

Geoff

 

[coh-1]

Geoff,

For what is worth, I have had an Encore for 3 years that I've shot and killed 8 deer with using 300 grain Shockwaves. At first I used 2-50 grain Pyrodex pellets but I switched to 2-50 grain 777 pellets last year. This particular gun didn't shoot Powerbelts at all, and would really group that well with either the 200 or 250 grain Shockwaves. I prefer 777 because I clean the barrel with just boiling hot water (it is Stainless Steel) and I have never had any issues with a crud ring or plastic left in the barrel from sabots. I do swab between shots with a wet patch and then 1 dry patch.

I purchased a new Pro-Hunter Encore late in 2006 and I started using 3-50 777 pellets and Win 777 primers. This gun likes 250 grain Shockwaves and I killed 5 Missouri deer with this combo this year. The SST and Shockwave bullets are made by Hornaday and are the same bullet except for the color of the bullet point and they use a little different sabots. TC doesn't recommend using bore butter on the sabots or for shooting just for barrel storage. For barrel storage I do use Bore Butter but only a lite amount, but you should always remove this prior to shooting with a dry patch or two.

In both of my guns and I think a TC tech might have suggested this, I spent a good deal of a day at a range just shooting cheap bullets, not for a group but just to break the barrel in just a little. I also swabbed between shots during these practice sessions. Some of the TC barrels seem to start off tighter then others as a friend of mine found out in 2 different Omeaga rifles.

I hope my comments have helped.

Curtis

 

[cayuga]

semostickbow

Welcome to the forum.. it's really good to have you here and we have some Encore shooters that can help you out.

As for me and your problem, what I would suggest is to go the MMP HPH-24 sabot or the Easy Glide sabot, or the Harvester Crushed Rib sabot. They will make loading a lot easier for you.

As for the bore butter in the barrel, to each their own, but personally you'd never catch me putting it in my inline rifle. Also you are swabbing the barrel between shots I take it. I use a mix of 91% isopropyl alcohol and car windhshiedl washer fluid mixed 50/50. I use a damp patch working the barrel in short strokes about 4 inches at most at a time working down to the breech. Then flip it and do the other side of the patch. Follow that by two dry patches and then load as normal. It usually makes loading easier.

 

[Nimrodder]

My Encore shoots the 405gr Powerbelt pretty good with 90gr T7ffg. You could try some No Excuses or Bullshop conicals also.

I would recomend a good bore scrubing and deep six that bore butter. That would make loading sabots a bit easier.

 

[Banerbird]

I have a 209x50 Encore been using a 44cal 240gr XTP for years and have tried several different sabots. The Harvestor sabots seem to load the hardest. The MMP's are pretty good, but I just picked up some of Traditions sabots and they seem to load a little easier than the MMPs. All are snug going down the barrell, but after 2-3 shots when in the field, the MMPs still load. I won't go beyond 3 shots without running a patch though.

Before the Encore, I had a TC Black Diamond XR that would shoot same hole groups at 100 yds using 100gr 777 with the above bullet. Even though the Encore shoots really good, it's not as accurate as the Black Diamond was. I almost wish I didn't get rid of it.