I have a new Encore ML..now what?

[North Nick]

I have a 209 x 50 barrel for my encore.  Went out an bought Pyrodex RS, 250gr shock waves and Triple 7 primers.  I am headed to the range on Tues.

What is the correct way to sight this in?  I know how to adjust the sights, but I am not sure if I need to clean the barrel after every shot, or can I shoot a few and then clean?

I have used pellets before but never loose powder.  Do I need to pack the loose power after dumping it down the barrel or will the sabot do that when I load?

Thanks for the help,

North Nick

[smokepolehall]

That depends on the barrel, some are tight bored and others on the loose side. Large amounts of trip 7 gives what they term crud ring , not good. The sabots will either load tight or easy or in between. I clean after each shot working up a good load and fer accuracy. I use 50/50 mix 91% rubbing alcohol and windshield washer fluid. I use one wet patch to clean with both sides and a dry patch both sides and reload. I use 70-110 grs. Your barrel will let you know if it likes the load by the group sizes. I have always used loose powder. Pour powder charge down bore then palm slap stock close to nipple area then run your sabot/bullet down the bore and seat it firmly. Then put primer on nipple and take your aim. Any ?'s you have ask away, someone should be able to help you.

[teddy12b]

Hey North Nick,
       I recently got a 209x50 barrel for my encore as well.  I'm no expert by any means!  So take what I'm saying worth a grain of salt.  For me the goal was to make muzzleloading simple so that I could hunt a little more each year, sound familiar? Anyway, I'm not a blackpowder expert by any stretch of the imagination, but here's what I found out. 

As far as what powder type, for me it was simple.  They make powder pellets to idiot proof it for guys like me, so that's what I'll use.  They say you can put 150gr of them in the barrel if you really want to (i have), but I only use two 50gr pellets (100gr total).  That should be plenty.

As far as bullet type goes, I've tried several different sabots, and they're all a pain in the butt to seat the same and even force down the barrel.  So I tried the PowerBelt bullets 295gr hollowpoints.  They grouped well at 100 yards and I was done, and happy.

I've used a couple different 209 primers, and don't see any real difference between them.  Use what ever you want there.

At the range I would brush the barrel out between shots, and I'm only talking about a couple brushes down the barrel then a dry bore mop (those giant q-tips that thread onto a cleaning rod).  I'd do a couple of those in between shots, just to keep the gun shooting.  I have never run oiled patches down the barrel because when I get home I clean the heck out the thing.  Maybe I should be but I don't know.

I highly recommend buying an e-zee tip extracor just to make life easier on yourself.  They're cheap and they work.  Pop out the breach plug and I run a 20 gauge bore snake through mine a couple times after already cleaning it the regular way.

I'm sorry this is kind of wordy but I hope this helps!

[North Nick]

Thanks for the help.

I am headed to the range tomorrow with a can of Pyrodex RS and a couple of different bullets, Powerbelts and TC shock waves.  I will also have some of the 50 /50 mixture mentioned above.

I also have some Pyrodex pellets that I will try.

I will let you know how it turns out.

Nick

[Rudy]

Nick, I've found that 777 shoots better and can shoot more before you need to clean the barrel. I've also found using Hornady XTP in 240 grain 44 cal with a green sabot works better than the 45 cal. Good luck.     Mark

[AndyHass]

Pyrodex will give you no crud ring to clean out every 1-2 shots, but is much more of a pain to clean at the end of the day.  Triple Seven you have to swab out the crud ring every shot or two (just spit on a patch really good, carefully work the rod down to the breech plug so you don't get it stuck on the crud ring, then flip the patch to the drier side and run again) but cleans up with 5-6 wet patches, a couple dry ones, and a lightly oiled one at the end of the day.  Take your pick.

You can just pour the powder then seat the sabot.  No need to slap an inline.

It sounds like you have open sights.  Get on the paper on 25 yds, sight in at 50 yds.  Too much error at 100 with open sights to really tell for sure what's going on unless you shoot a lot.

Some T/C barrels are tight and the 250gr Shockwaves will be too tight to shoot, you'll just have to try.  They are great bullets if they shoot, as are the 200gr version.