Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Encore 50 cal Bergara with 338 Grain Powerbelts

Does anyone have a suggested load for the T/C Encore 50 cal Bergara barrel with 338 Grain Powerbelt Platinums? I have an Elk hunt in Utah this fall and am looking to focus a load for my inline. I am using Cheddite and Winchester blue box 209 primers.
Thanks
Elk

90-100gr Blackhorn209.

If you can use sabots, without a doubt my load would be the 300gr harvester scorpion pt gold with harvester ez load "Smooth black" sabot and 110 grains blackhorn209.

Thanks Bigblock. Much appreciated.
Elk

I've used 80 grains with the 348's and gotten good results so I'd say try 80-85 too.

I haven't had any experience with the Powerbelt Platinums, but I would go for something a bit heavier for elk. My buddy had two 348gr HP Powerbelts fail to penetrate sufficiently with shoulder shots on a bull. Granted he shouldn't have placed the shots there, but I think more mass and no hollow point would have made the follow up a whole lot shorter. For quite awhile I used 90 grains 777 under a 405gr HP Powerbelt for deer and never recovered one, but the damage and exit wounds were massive.

Did your buddy recover the bull? What did the bullets look like?

I would not exceed 100 gr of powder with that bullet, which is pure soft lead. The only real difference in the platinum and the regular powerbelts is it has a smaller hollowpoint. The platinum is simply a skin and does nothing to strengthen the bullet.

The Hornady FPB is a lead alloy so it is tougher than powerbelts and I have put 3 elk down with 95 gr of BH 209 and the 350 gr FPB

When I get picked for Utah for elk, I will probably be shooting a barnes type sabot and try and extend my range to 200 yards. And I have never shot a sabot in my life.

I would go with a Barnes 250 or 300 grain TMZ or TEZ sabot load depending on which one best works in your barrel. The TEZ version loads easier in tight bores but may be too loose in others. These are the first two sabots I would try.



Blackhorn 209 with a magnum 209 primer or two triple seven magnum pellets (120 grains ) with a standard 209 primer. With the 250 grain sabots either powder will get you just over 2000 fps. You would be looking at three inches high at 100 yards and about four inches low at 200 yards.

The Barnes 250 grain TEZ or TMZ is tough enough for elk.

If neither of the Barnes do well in your bore I would try the same power/primer combinations with the TC bonded shockwave 300 grain sabot or the Barnes 300 grain expander MZ.

No good reason to shoot a conical or powerbelt IMO if your gun shoots a quality sabot well.

My CVA Bergara barrel likes the 250 Shockwave in an MMP Black HPH/12 sabot over 120 grains BH209 and CCI 209M primer. I couldn't get a Barnes bullet to shoot out of it because the barrel is .503 inch and it likes the larger diameter bullet and sabot. My gun doesn't quite like that amount of powder but she groups and I don't shoot it all the time, for planking I dial her down.

I would step it up to at least 300 grains unless your a great shot! But that will less your range, which you will most likely need in Utah.

I would stay away from powerbelts.

Thanks for all thet great advice! It is much appreciated.
Elk

Did you try the Harvester RED Crushrib. Its about the largest OD sabot. You could also use a Barnes 458 in a Black Crushrib sabot. Its slightly larger still.