Problems w/ Prohunter

[turbodab]

Just to clarify, I am not a total newbie to shooting a muzzle loader, but would not claim to be an expert either. I have been playing with one for the last 6-7 years during deer season here in MN. I have a CVA bolt action that was my first muzzle loader. I purchased the encore several years ago with the pro-hunter barrel to go with it. I have played with trying to shoot it, but have struggled to get it to give me good groupings. I feel like I never know where the next shot is going to go. I have tried random 250 gr sabots, 295 gr shockwaves, and most recently 295 gr powerbelts. I have shot several other muzzle loaders and never had the accuracy problems I am having with the Pro-hunter. In fact, I took a Traditions out of the box and the first three shots were closer than any three shots I had taken with my Encore. I have even gone to the trouble of having the barrel hand lapped at a local gun shop -- based on the recommendation of the tech. Since then I have only tried the powerbelts (bought them last year on clearance). Part of my problem has been time dedicated to finding the right sabot and the other would be the money required to try all those different sabots.

Has anyone else had trouble with their Encore? I love the feel of the gun and am reticent to give up on it. It is frustrating however to have guns that cost less than half as much out-shooting it on a regular basis.

I am using open sights at 50 yards using a shooting bench. I use triple 7 pellets and considering the accuracy I have with other guns using it would prefer to continue. I have tried shooting shockeys gold loose powder, but here in MN when it gets cold, shockeys gold ends up in the trash! I also use the triple 7 primers.

I try to shoot 2-3 shots before swabbing -- just as I would in the woods while hunting. Sometimes getting that 3rd shot down the barrel is a real problem.

I have started trying to use the bore butter to "season" the barrel -- based on the recommendation of my local gun shop. Still in the early stages with that though, so not sure if that is a positive or negative.

I have recently read about the Bergara barrels made for the Encore. Is there really that much difference between the two? I had, perhaps naively, considered TC to be the top of the line (or at least a contender) for muzzle loaders. Am I really to understand that the barrel made by them can easily be outdone by a separate barrel manufacturer? That is kind of disheartening! I still love the feel of my Encore and would love to be able to make it work, but I have to admit my patience is growing thin...

Thanks for any advice you may be able to lend.

[blackhawk45]

My Encore 50x209,just loves 90grs of Pyrodex RS,under a T/C 250gr Shockwave,Try some loose trip7,or Pdex RS,you might be surprised with the accuracy, JMHO,hope this helps.

[FrontierGander]

go to www.bellmtcs.com and email him and explain in detail what youve tried, how you clean the rifle between shots and tell him what its doing when you are shooting for a group.

Those encores have a list of issues straight out of box " not all of them, but a good deal" such as loose hinge pins, weak lock up springs, forearm that needs floating, ect.

[thallub]

i've had an Encore for many years and it is a very accurate gun. Don't have any personal experience with Bergara barrels but refuse to believe that they are any better than TC barrels.


Comments:

Ditch the Triple Seven primers, they have caused me a lot of trouble in the past. 777 pellets are harder to light than Pyrodex pellets which have a black powder igniter on one end. You need a more powerful CCI or Winchester 209 shot gun primer.

Ditch the bore butter.

The guy at the gun shop is dead wrong: It is not a frying pan and it can't be "seasoned".

With 777 you pretty much have to swab after each shot.

Try two 777 pellets, a shotgun primer and the 250 grain SST or Shockwave bullet. These bullets give superb accuracy in my guns.

Good luck.

[DAR]

I had accuracy issues with mine aswell. I shoot 120gr loose777 with 250 shockwaves and get about 1.5 inch groups at 100yds.

[NoSecondBest]

Ditch all the pellets. They are nothing but trouble if you're looking for your best groups. They all have a tendency to crack when loading the bullet and the accuracy suffers as a result. Get some Blackhorn 209 powder which doesn't crud up the barrel as bad as 777 does. TC makes a decent sabot/bullet combo available in almost any sporting goods store as well as most walmarts. If you're really looking for the best accuracy you can get out of the gun get some MMP sabots (visit their website for specific size for your gun) and try some Barnes bullets. Also, get on the web site Dougsmessageboard.com and start reading. This site is dedicated to muzzleloading and there are a lot of knowledgible people on there who's sole interest is muzzleloading accuracy. Good luck.

[Doyle]

Ditch all the pellets.

+1. I can get an almost cloverleaf with 100grn of loose 777, a 777 primer and 250grn Hornady SSTs (the same as a T/C shockwave made by Hornady).

[shortwave]

Another vote for ditching the pellets ,going to loose powder and shooting the 250grn Hornady SST's.

Also, out of four inlines I own, the Knight and Encore will NOT shoot Powerbelts with any consistency. Doesn't matter grn weight of boolit or amount/brand of powder. The Remington and Tradition shoots then great.

My load consist of:

250grn SST boolit
American Pioneer Powder
Remington 209 Premier STS primers.

Initial load:
Bore swabbed with wet patch of T/C #13 bore cleaner.
Run several dry patchs. Dryer the bore, the better.
Pour powder.
Tap on side barrel with palm of hand at breach plug area to settle powder.
Load boolit.
Cap.

After about 4th shot(or so), repeat with T/C #13 then dry patchs.
Reload.

Also,you probably already have but did you check your sight screws to make sure they're tight?

Wow! All that and I just noticed this thread was started back in Nov. 2010...