209X50 ...bore a little oversized ??

[SmithAC]

New to the forum but it is great. Have spent a lot of time looking through many of the TC posts. I acquired two 209X50 encore rifles several years ago, one new SS and one used in blue. Quite a big transaction for me, included several guns in on trade and money. Anyway to the point... when both barrels are squeaky clean and I load them the SS requires a lot more effort to load a sabot and shoots really tight groups (2 of 3 shots at 50 yds will overlap and the third very close. The blued barrel is much easier to push the sabot down to the powder and doesn't group as well (3 shots at 50yds group 3 to 4 inches). The blued barrel was an early one of the first produced as it had the plastic fiber optics which they replaced no charge. Were some of the early barrels oversized ?

thanks,

Craig

[Bullseye]

Since there is not an industy standard for the bores of muzzleloaders they can vary quit a bit.  That is why every gun seems to like a different bullet and sabot combo.  Mine loves 44 cal with the green sabot.  Have a friend whos Encore will shoot those good also and another friend whose Encore will keyhole with them.

It is a pain trying the different bullets, but the payoff is worth it.

[TnEncore]

I have a early muzzleloader barrel that had the plastic sights. It has never been easy to load after the first couple of shots. Mine will put three shots under a inch at a 100 yards using 250gr  T/C shockwave bullets and two 50gr pyrodex pellets.