Author Topic: Encore loads (Read 1280 times)

leadthrower · « **on:** March 21, 2005, 12:56:23 PM »

I recently bought my first ML and it is an Encore in 209x50. Based upon what I have read in the various forums on GB I thought I would try out Black Mag 3 powder, 223 gr Aerotip Powerbelts, 245 gr Aerotip Powerbelts, and 300 Gr Hornday SST Sabots. I made it out to the 100 yard range this weekend and here is how it went.

I started out with 80 grains of powder and the 223 gr Aerotips. They loaded easy and seemed to shoot pretty well. The recoil was minimal and I didn't begin to even notice a crud ring until about the 12th round and it was pretty light. I cleaned the barrel out and proceeded to shoot the 245 gr Aerotips and got even better groups then the 223 gr. After around 10 rounds or so I cleaned the gun again and loaded one of the SST Sabots. Is it normal for sabots to load so hard? After loading the Powerbelts I thought maybe I was doing something wrong. Should I have lubed them before ramming them in? I did get pretty decent groups with them, but seeing how they loaded so hard I think I will stick with the Powerbelts.

What kinds of loads are some of you shooting in your Encore?
Are very many of you using Black Mag 3 and what kinds of grain weights and bullets are you using with this powder.
What velocities are you seeing and what fps range should I shoot for?

I will use my ML primarily for whitetail deer so I will probably increase the bullet weight a little after I get the gun sighted in to where I like it. This is all new to me so I am open to suggestions. Thanks in advance for your input.

LT

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2005, 06:41:12 PM »

I am shooting triple7 and have great success with it. I shoot 100 gr. of powder and 175 gr. Precision Rifle DC sabots. I am getting 1 1/2 in groups at 100 yards with this set up. Also I am using the 25ACP breech plug, not the 209 primers.

You will find power belts easier to load the sabots. It is normal. :-)

NimrodRx · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2005, 07:34:01 PM »

Why increase the bullet weight for whitetails? I took three whitetails last year with a 220 grain Dead Centers. Put it in the pump house and it doesn't matter much what weight you're shooting. SHOT PLACEMENT - ACCURACY REIGNS SUPREME! They're really not "big game" animals.

Actually, the one that covered the greatest distance was taken at 45 yrds. It was a head on shot. The lead entered at the base of her neck, traveled through the sternum, into the lungs, cut a swath through her heart that you could conoe through, and then penetrated her guts. She stayed on her feet for a solid 75 yards and then thrashed for a good minute. Unbelievable :roll: :? I was in a tree stand and actually could see her the whole time. I was just getting ready to put a second one in her when she finally expired. It just killed me. I fealt so bad, thinking that I had made a marginal shot that caused this animal to suffer.... Then I got down and dressed her.... Afther I saw where the shot went, I knew she was dead on her feet the whole time. A second shot would have done nothing. I'm convinced, you hit the heart and that deer is going to go farther than a double lung shot.

I digress....

I've never shot the Encore, but I do know that their bores are really tight. I hear that they really like the Barnes Spitfires or the Buffalo Bullet Special Sabots. Find a round that is accurate in your iron, and shoot it.

For what it's worth, for me, BM3 is AWESOME in terms of cleanliness, but my groups opened up about 1-2 inches with it as opposed to 777.

I'm sold on 100 gr of 777 and any bullet that will give you MOA in front of it. Good hunting

AndyHass · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2005, 11:00:32 AM »

Nimrod is right, you don't need heavier bullets for deer. I have shot deer with the following:
~250gr Buffalo Bullet
240gr Hornaday HTP
250gr .40 QT
195gr .357 Dead Center
200gr Shockwave
There was no real difference between them. The only time they didn't drop in their tracks, or at most within 40 yards, was when the shots were frontal and only got one lung before exiting the chest...a couple of those made it 60 yards.
The most impressive shot was with the lightest bullet (195). Frontal shot picked her up and flipped her over backwards.
All shots I have taken were pass-thrus unless they were frontal.
Additionally, I'd suggest picking your bullet BEFORE zeroing your gun. In my experience MLs can do funny things when you switch bullets...you might have to do all the work twice. I can guarantee changing weight will at least change the trajectory significantly (you knew that though!).

leadthrower · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2005, 01:30:14 PM »

Based upon what your telling me I will stick with the bullet weights that I currently have if I can get them to shoot the groups I want. I know that I won't get as good as groups as some of you due to the fact that I can't use a scope because of the hunting regulations in my state, but so far I am impressed with the groups I can do with open sights on my ML. I will get it out again this weekend and see how it goes. Does any one else have any experience with the Black Mag 3 powder?

LT

NimrodRx · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2005, 08:04:33 PM »

Again, I wish I could shoot BM3. It was amazingly clean. My breach plug has never come out so easily. I run a spit patch between every shot and after a round of BM3 I got only a little grey dust. Only problem, my groups opened up by about two inches. I tried everything form 70 to 100 grains.

I'm convinced that the pressures are greater. I wish I owned a chrono. to verify this, but I could just tell that 100 gr of BM3 was more medicine in my rifle than 100 gr of T7.

For me, it's all about groupings. My rifle LOVES 100 gr of T7 pushing a 250 gr Barnes Expander. I'm continually amazed at how well this round groups. I can't even shoot, and I'm getting sub MOA at 100 yrds with this

.

wild willy · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2005, 01:16:15 PM »

If you want to shoot the sst bullets you have.Try to find some Harvester sabots they should load a little easier

leadthrower · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2005, 12:29:05 PM »

I will see how the sst's group this weekend and then look into the harvestor sabots.

leadthrower · « **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2005, 02:27:24 PM »

I got the ML out again this weekend and finally settled on 245 Gr Powerbelts with 80 grains of Black Mag 3. I was getting groups at 1 1/2 to 2"" at 100 yards which isn't bad in my opinion especially with open sights. I am sure I could get better groups with a scope, but then I can't hunt with one in my state so I might as well get used to the open sights. I also tried the SST's once again, but gave them up due to wider groups and the hard loading. Anyone else have any ideas on bullets to try? How do the encores handle balls?

toytruck · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2005, 02:30:00 PM »

300 grain Harvester Sabertooths and 110 gr. T7FFg, in my .50 Encore three holes touching at 50yds and they make a big hole through both sides of a deer too. :-D

AndyHass · « **Reply #10 on:** April 02, 2005, 08:25:43 AM »

They likely won't shoot balls well unless you are down around 30-50 gr powder (to keep velocity WAY down). The twist is 2X too fast.

poncaguy · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2005, 07:39:10 AM »

I use 777 pellets and 245 Powerbelts in My encore. Powerbelts load so much easier than sabots and pellets make it easy to load. I use 2 0r 3 pellets, 100 to 150 grains, Encore very acurate with these loads.

Keith Lewis · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2005, 06:25:46 AM »

Quote from: leadthrower

I got the ML out again this weekend and finally settled on 245 Gr Powerbelts with 80 grains of Black Mag 3. I was getting groups at 1 1/2 to 2"" at 100 yards which isn't bad in my opinion especially with open sights. I am sure I could get better groups with a scope, but then I can't hunt with one in my state so I might as well get used to the open sights. I also tried the SST's once again, but gave them up due to wider groups and the hard loading. Anyone else have any ideas on bullets to try? How do the encores handle balls?

I have shot a fair amount of Black Mag'3 and over my chronograph 100gr. volume with a Winchester 209 and a 300gr. cast bullet in a Harvester sabot hits just over 2000fps and with my scoped Omega and the first three shots I tried (one from clean barrel and the next two loaded without a swab between) measured 7/8 in center to center at 100 yards. I think your barrel is similar to my Omega and I would expect that you would have good results with 295 to 348gr. Powerbelts or similar bullets in Harvester sabots. I ordered some 300gr. Ranier cast bullets with copper flash and load them in Harvester sabot for just shooting and they hit very close to Hornady 300gr. SST bullets as long as I switch them to the Harverster sabots. I can't load them well in their own sabots. I think some of the accuracy problems may be due to difficulty in loading and getting the same pressure on the powder charge when seating the bullet/sabot. Powerbelt shoot good for me and they are easier to tell how much pressure you are setting them down with. Some are having accuracy problems with Black Mag'3 but so far I have not seen that as a problem as long as you don't swab between shots. I may try as swab between later to see if it affects my accuracy.

leadthrower · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2005, 12:22:13 PM »

I will have to try some of the heavier Powerbelts through mine and see how it does. What kind of velocity are you getting with the heavier Powerbelts? So far with mine I DO NOT swab in between shots and haven't had any problems with accuracy. I did try some 777 in my ml and there is night and day difference in the cleanliness and recoil of 777 versus Black Mag 3. The 777 had a sharper recoil and the crud ring was noticable after just one shot. At this point I think I will stick with Black Mag 3 & Powerbelts, but I may experiment some more if I get the chance.

LT

Keith Lewis · « **Reply #14 on:** April 11, 2005, 05:07:43 PM »

I didn't chronograph the 348gr. powerbelts as I had sort of decided on using the 300gr. Hornady SST in Harvester sabots for the elk hunt this year. I used a 295gr. Powerbelt as a follow-up bullet as I can load it a lot faster than the sabot. I put the SST through the rib cage and missed one of the lungs as the elk was at a little more angle than I figured so I had to make a second shot with the 295 powerbelt and managed to get it in the rib cage as the elk was sprinting to the top of the hill. Without the second fast shot I might have lost the elk. I backed off from the 100gr. load and hunted this year with 90gr. of Black Mag'3 which with the 300gr. bullet gives me about 1850fps. The 300gr. Hornady and the 295gr. Powerbelt hit within about an inch or less of each other at 100yards in my Omega. 100gr. of Black Mag'3 with the 348gr. Powerbelt is close to a max load in my opinion. I would consider limiting the 348gr. to 90gr. BM3 and maybe less if you are not sure about your barrel proof load check.