15" 209x50 Magnum Encore

[Rog]

For those that might be interested in a muzzle loading pistol, I have a Custom Shop 15" stainless barrel that I purchased last November.  I managed to get it sighted in good enough to go hunting with it during our regular gun deer season last fall.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to shoot a deer with it...

I finally made it to the range yesterday to see if I could get it to shoot.

While I didn't get much shooting done, I did get enough round fired to get me excited about the 15" 209x50 barrel.

My gun is outfitted with a Burris 2x-7x posi-lock scope.  Great scope, buy the way.  Not so fond of the posi-lock feature, but it works. (I've owned one with out the posi-lock also; prefer the one with out).

#1
(The load I hunted with last fall):
2-50 gr. of Pyrodex Pellets (100 gr)
Hornady 250 gr. XTP (45 cal) (purchased in 100rd box as pistol bullets)
Knight High Pressure sabot 45/50 cal - the black one
W209 primer
3 shot accuracy @ 100 meters = 5.900"
Chrono'd @ 1540 fps

#2
110 gr. Pyrodex Pellets (1-50gr; 2-30gr)
T/C 250 gr Shock Wave bullet and sabot
W209 primer
3 shot accuracy at 100 meters = 1.220"
Chrono'd @ 1507 fps

#3
100 gr. Pyrodex Pellets (2-50 gr)
T/C 250 gr Shock Wave bullet and sabot
W209 primer
3 shot accuracey at 100 meters:
1st group = 1.715"  (chrono'd at 1539 fps)
2nd group = 1.980" (chrono'd at 1485 fps)
(average for all shots above = 1512 fps)

#4
100 gr. granular Tripple Seven
T/C 250 gr. Shock Wave bullet and sabot
W209 primer
3 shot accuracy at 100 meters = 2.900"  (2 shot = 1.220" - I may have pulled a shot....)
Chrono'd @ 1638 fps.

My battery went dead after this so I ended my session.  I plan on working some more the the T7.  My Encore ML rifle really likes T7.

As a side note of interest, my Encore ML rifle has been chrono'd at 1856 fps with the T/C PTX 250 grain bullet with the Knight High Pressure sabot.

Regards,

Rog

Chrono'd @ 1638 fps.

[billybob hunter]

Rog,

Thanks for the data. I am looking for a used (read cheap) 15" Encore 209x50 barrel and had no idea you could get this kind of velocities out of one.

This is as powerful as a large 44mag revolver with hot loads! :eek:

Very impressive.

Got pictures of your rig?

mr_appraiser@hotmail.com is my addy.

Thanks,
$billybob$ aka $bob$

[Rog]

I don't have any pic's of my rig unfortunately.  My rig is a blued frame that's been teflon/moly coated, with a stainless Custom Shop barrel and a silver Burris scope with walnunt grip and forend.

Yeah, the 209x50 Magnum 15" is pretty potent.  It's as good, or slightly better, than a hot 44 mag as you mentioned.

The good thing about my 15" 209x50 is that it is more accurate than any 44 Mag revolver I've owned (I've only had two, so that ain't saying much).

Next range session will be with 110 grains of T7 to see if I can get slightly more velocity and still maintain or improve the accuracy with the T/C shockwave 250 grain bullet.  I will also probably switch to the Hornady version since it's the same bullet, and I can get them cheaper.

Regards,

Rog

[raynor]

Thanks for the info Rog,

Be curious to find out how the 200 grain Shock Waves would shoot also.  I have a bunch of guys that shoot the 200's and say that accuracy is much better with them. ~~ raynor

[Rog]

I don't really have any plans to shoot the 200 gr version.  I prefer a bit more bullet weight for the bullet caliber (.451).  If anything, I'd move to the 300 grainers if I couldn't get the 250's to shoot.

Perhaps sometime in the future just for kicks and grins, I may try some of the 200 gr. version.

Regards,

Rog

[Darrell H]

Hi Rog:

It sounds like you're getting some good accuracy out of those 250 grain T/C bullets.  I have a 14 1/2" Bullberry 209X50 and my best accuracy (with the bullets that I tried) was obtained with 250 grain Hornady SST bullets.  These bullets look an awful lot like the T/C's by the way, I wonder if they are one and the same?   :?

Anyway, I have never bothered chronographing my load, which is 100 grains of GOEX 2FG and the Hornady 250 grain SST's.  My best groups were around 1/2" at 50 yards which seems to be about what you would be getting.  I hunted hogs with this combination during January and February of this year.  I wound up killing two hogs with this combination.  I will post pictures below....

This boar hog weighed about 175 - 200 lbs...



This boar or should I say shoat weighed about 100 lbs...



Both hogs fell at the shot, but it honestly took longer for them to expire than I would like.  I recovered the bullet from the larger hog, it lodged under the hide on the opposite side of entry.  It did not expand much at all.  The bullet passed completely through the smaller hog so I did not get to examine it.  

It's hard to argue with two dead animals with two shots, but I would prefer to take a shoulder shot with this load in the future.  Both of these animals were shot in the lungs and while they did not run, they did not die as quickly as I would have liked.  I'm going to try to find a better expanding bullet that will give me acceptable accuracy before hunting season next year.  

Good luck with your barrel.  I love mine and as you can see....it works!!

X

[Rog]

X-caliber,

I believe that the T/C shockwave and the Hornady SST are one and the same.  It is my understanding that Hornday makes the Shockwave and the PTX for T/C.

Sounds like your rig shoots good.

Fine looking gun.  Congrats on the hogs!


Regards,

Rog

[Rog]

Yeah, I thinks it's pretty neat myself.

The reason I acquired the 15" 209x50 barrel is the area where I hunt is restricted to ML's and shotguns with slugs.  While I have hunted that particular area with a ML rifle for the past three years, I prefer to hunt with a handgun.  So, I purchased the pistol barrel.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to harvest a deer with it last year (my own stupid fault....).

I am really looking forward to hunting with it this fall.  This ML handgun has added a bit of a twist which I like.  Even my son has expressed an interest in hunting with it.

Regards,

Rog

[gunoil]

got you mine shot  good with 100gr of select and a 240 gr xtp mag that t.c sellls killed a 4 pointer with this past year :grin:    thanks gate

[gurtie]

I just ordered one taday!
I can't wait to get it out to the range.  These are definately a sweet gun.
Plus, it will be a nice back up should a second shot be necessary on deer stand.

[JC]

I am jones'n for a muzzleloading pistol now. It sounds like they would be a great thumper for my native Tennessee. Just curious though what kinda recoil do they have?

[Rog]

Recoil is not bad at all.  'Course, you've got to remember that the Encore pistol is quite heavy and really absorbs recoil well.

I also have a 30-06 JDJ 15" bbl, a 15" 7Mag bbl, and have owned in the past a 7-30 Waters, 30-30 AI, 30 Herrett and 308 Win barrel.  Of all the barrels I have owned, I would attribute the recoil to be somewhat similar to that of the 7-30 Waters or the 30-30 AI, perhaps a bit more.

[JC]

thanks rog,
 I am not recoil sensative, just curios, and don't want to make myself RS. Has anyone tried the PowerBelts out of it?





 :sniper: