T/C Encore Load Suggestions

[VAhuntr]

A friend of mine and I encountered a problem today shooting his .50 cal Encore. We were shooting 90 and 100 grains of 777 with a 200 grain Shockwave. The petals on the sabots kept breaking off. Suprisingly, the gun grouped well until we moved to 100 yards. Once at 100 yards the groups really opened up.

I'm looking for any suggestions on different load combos you may be using with good results. I also plan to try the same loads in my Omega. Thanks for any help.

[Oldsnow]

My Omega and Encore shoot 1 1/2" groups at 100yds. 4" groups at 200yds. with 130grs. of  Pyrodex pellets, 250gr. SST's and standard CCI primers. I clean between each and every shot, at the range.

[Vapour]

A friend of mine and I encountered a problem today shooting his .50 cal Encore. We were shooting 90 and 100 grains of 777 with a 200 grain Shockwave. The petals on the sabots kept breaking off. Suprisingly, the gun grouped well until we moved to 100 yards. Once at 100 yards the groups really opened up.

I'm looking for any suggestions on different load combos you may be using with good results. I also plan to try the same loads in my Omega. Thanks for any help.

I had initial grouping problems with my 209X50.  While most of the Encore's seem to like FF 777, mines shoots better with FFF 777.  I shoot 90 grains of FFF 777 under a 200 grain Shockwave and can get inch groups all day long.  When I up the powder charge at all, accuracy goes out the window.  Things to try:  1st try backing off even more on the powder charge (I know, it isn't fun to lose velocity) to 80 or 85 grains of powder. 2. Try a different bullet--250 grain SST's/Shockwave will usually shoot out of pretty much anything.  3.  Try a different powder granulation.

You may eventually want to sand to remove some wood from the barrel channel and semi-free float the barrel, but that probably won't solve the problem you currently have.

[VAhuntr]

The gun evidently just did not like the 200 grain shockwaves.  We had no problems getting the 240 grain T/C Mag sabots, 240 grain T/C cheap sabots and 260 grain Dead Centers to shoot.  We got excellent groups using 100 grains of fff, 777.