Encore 209x50--couple questions

[hunter]

Hi all

 I just buoght the  209x50 barrel. 1st question, cou shoot 150grs(3-50grpelets) of triple 7 in this barrel. i shoot it the other day and after 3 shots it was apparent that i need to adjust the scope to bring my point of aim back to the left. Anyway i was going to take a forth shot with another bullet to to see where it printed. The 1st three shots were with powerbelt bullets. The 4th shots was going to be with a hornady sabot. When i went to load it it was very tight, was able to get in 2 inches when i stopped. I knew that wasn't right, it was just 2 darn tight i would have had to taken a hammer to the ramrod. What looks like happened is the barrel had so much powder fouling it  made it to tight for the plastic sabot. I thought triple 7 burned cleaner than that.Guess 2nd question is what's you all's thoughts on that.

Thank you
Hunter

[Johnny Reb]

When target shooting I always run a couple patches down the barrel between shots.  If I'm hunting I don't, I just go ahead a reload.

[Jay HHI6818]

Hi Hunter,

Good question, Can I shoot 3 50 gr T7 pellets in 209x50.
I went to Hodgdon'sweb site and they make the following statement:

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/muzzleloading/using.php

Triple Seven is a high energy product designed to provide the muzzleloading hunter with higher velocities when used in the same VOLUME as blackpowder. To duplicate a blackpowder load velocity using Triple Seven, you must decrease the powder charge by 15%. *See WARNING below.


I got out my 209X50 Owner's Guide and it lists a three 50 grain Pyrodex pellet load. Since Hodgdon states you must decrease a T7 load by 15%, I would have to say a 3 T7 (150gr) is to hot of a load. I have always wondered about this.
Why don't you post on the muzzleloader fourm here on GB's

Jay.
 

[Redhawk1]

Yes you can shoot 3 50 gr. triple 7 pellets in your Encore 209/50 barrel. Know if you load loose triple 7 powder you can only go up to 120 gr. by volume.  The guns were designed to take the charge. I have shot 3 50 gr. triple 7 pellets for quit some time now.
http://www.tcarms.com/TC_HTML/TC_Muzzle_Encore209x50Magnum.htm

As far as the gun being hard to load, what you have is called a crud ring, try the newer 209 primers such as the Remington Kleen bore or Winchester triple 7 primers made for the triple 7 powder & pellets.

[Jay HHI6818]

Hi Redhawk1,
 I clicked on the link you provided and it states: 3 Pyrodex pellets (150gr)


Magnum Capabilities The Encore 209x50 Magnum, with a 26" barrel of 4140 rifle grade steel is designed to handle Magnum charges of up to 150 grains of black powder or Pyrodex® equivalent (or 3 Pyrodex® Pellets). Using T/C's Mag Express Sabots and a 240 grain XTP™ bullet with 3 Pyrodex Pellets,

I have never found any load data that states 150gr of T7. I shot a few 3 T7 pellets in mine but now shoot 2 T7 pellets.

[Redhawk1]

Jay HHI6818 , You are correct, I called T/C about 3 years ago and talked to the tech and he told me it was OK to use three triple 7 pellets or 120 gr. of loose triple 7. If triple 7 powder is used it has to be reduced by 15%, which is 120 gr. by volume. Triple 7 pellets have been reduced by 15% by the factory already. If they say you can use 2 triple seven pellets in a muzzleloader, they are talking about all muzzleloader's, the Encore is listed as a magnum and there for can use 3 triple 7 pellets. They just don't list for all muzzleloader, it is up to you to check with your muzzleloader manufacture to make sure of the load capability.

Here are some examples I have found. When I shot 2 triple 7 pellets my point of aim was the same as 90 gr. of loose triple 7 powder. Actually 15% of the 100 gr. of triple 7 pellets is 85 gr. but I found 90 gr. to match better. The velocities were very close also. When I went to 3 triple seven pellets, I found 120 gr. of triple 7 powder was giving me the same velocity and point of impact as the 3 triple 7 pellets.

The reason I use both pellets and powder is, when hunting my first shot is loose triple 7 powder and my speed loaders are loaded with pellets. When I am at the range shooting I use the triple 7 powder 95% of the time, I also shoot the pellets to make sure nothing changes on my point of impact.

Your best bet is to call T/C and Hodgdon and get it from them. Like I said before, I have been shooting 3 triple 7 pellets in my Encore for 3 years now and never encountered any problems what so ever. I just listened to what the tech told me.

[zia]

I tried 3 triple 7 pellets in my encore with inconsistant results. I tried two pellets and after a fouling shot it will put 3 shots in the same hole at 100 yards. We shoot a barnes 300 and have taken elk and antelope with that load

[poncaguy]

I use 125 grains FFG AP powder, then backup shot is 3 777 pellets...shoot to same point of aim using 250 grain bonded Shockwaves...........in my Omega and Encore.

[mjshell]

For some reason hornady the 250 gr. sst / sabot combination load extremely tight in my 209 x 50.  even when swabbing between shots, the second shot is really tough to load. I switched to a different bullet/sabot combination and with my barrel it aleviated the problem.

i use 100 grs. loose triple 7. even lapped the barrel with bore paste.

[swampthing]

I use the spit patch method between shots.
   Lick the patch with your toung, run it down the bore with the long brass cleaning jag, take it out and turn the patch around and do it again with the other side of the same patch. Drop in your charge.
   With the really tight loading sabots I will take the sabot and lick the outside petals. This will lube it without affecting accuracy, as the spit evaporates from the heat of friction from the loading process.
   150g of powder? I looked at some ballistic tables for the typical 200-275 B.C. of muzzleloading projectiles. The difference in trajectory between 1400 FPS and 1900 FPS is not much. The only practical difference between the loads is Recoil and Cost.
    .45 cal saboted LBT 335 WFN's with 45g of 777 ffg= 1250fps, I dare an Elk to come inside 100yds... from any angle.
 Happy shooting.