Muzzleloader bullets

[Austin from NC]

I have a 50 cal tc encore barrel it is 1 in 28 twist I think what size bullet mold should I get and what size sabot for them. Also what design. Should I use a sabot and bullet or full bore conical. What weight conical would work best in a 1 in 28 bbl. Sorry for so many ?'s.

       Austin

[Lloyd Smale]

What i found is like any other gun each will have a favorite bullet. I bought a new tc inline two years ago and it wouldnt shoot any of my cast bullets any better then 4 inch at a 100 yards and i tried at least a half a dozen. The heavier i go the worse it got and the faster i pushed them the better it got. I about brought the gun back to my buddy who owns the shop i bought it at. Then for grins i tried 250 xtps. It shot them into an inch at a 100 yards. You just never know till you try it.

[Nobade]

Does the rifling go all the way to the muzzle, ending in a real crown? If not it's only going to shoot well with sabots.

Otherwise, if it is not counterbored, I have had great luck with the RCBS 450gr. (IIRC) bullet made for the 500 S&W lubed with Bullshop's NASA lube,  in my Ruger 77/50, and also the Lee 440gr. S&W bullet and a NEI 500gr. bullet both paper patched. All these shoot better than I can see out to 300M, and mostly all touch at 100M off the bench. The Ruger has a 1:28 twist as well.

You do need to load them stout enough. I am using FFg Diamondback powder, and have to use at least 90gr. to get good bump-up. At 100gr, it's a tack driver, but less than 80gr. and I can't hit the berm twice in a row. Never tried FFFg in it, I imagine you could load lighter but I'd be worried about pressures.

[luckydawg13]

240gr XTP shoot the best so far in my encore a semi wadcutter works OK
but at a 100yards i can drive tacks with the XTP

[Austin from NC]

I will get a 44 mold since I have a super black hawk and 50 sabots to try i'll start at 80 grains and work up. What powder would yall recommend for sabots and what for conicals. It does have counterbore but I will cut and crown if I cant get it to shoot.

[Austin from NC]

I have some 44 240 xtp and 45 230 xtp I will also try.

[luckydawg13]

80 gr of Pyrdex and 240gr XTP using harvester sabots and winchester 777 primers
will drive tacks at 100yards in my encore this is the load that my son will use this fall
on his deer hunt the load that i used in my omega 150 gr of pyrdex and a 250gr
shock wave when i hunt out in the open for long shots 150yards 175 tops
good luck

[Walks with Fire]

I have the Green Mountain Long Range Hunter barrel in 1/28 twist and it shoots the XTP's real well too. I was thinking about filing the nose down on them to make a large .320 meplat just to see how that might work on deer. It still has a little dimple of a hollow point when filed down and I don't know how much it weighs now but it might still give that whap I am looking for on deer sized game. I have not tried the cast bullets but I can't see why they wouldn't shoot well. If it didn't work in yours it probably won't work for me. I have a post up to see if Veral will comment.