New to this barrel in my encore and was looking to see what loads people have found they like it’s a .50ml

I like blackhorn 209 with precision rifle sabots. Have had good luck with the 300gr hornady sst also but I prefer the terminal performance of the lead pr bullets.

Craig

I just got a new barrel, and the 295 powerbelts have the most promise. I used 70 grain weighed BH. Most touch at 50 yards, at 100 I was well under 2 inches, but I was just truing to get the scope dialed in, so I did not work with it much.
I really rules out B.O.R. Lock MZ in lead and copper. Tried 70 and 80 grains of BH and got shotgun patterrns.
Shockwave were pretty hard to load, and groups not so great.
I probably have 40+ rounds down the tube, so these results are not extensive. I can say the difference in liked bullets and not like bullets was huge.

100 grains (two pellets) triple 7

240 grain XTP branded as Thompson center




Killing load right there if you do your part

Powerbelts pale in comparison

75grs by weight BH209
Harvester Crush Rib sabot
Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 300gr

What are you hunting and can you use sabots?

BH209 100gr by volume
BARNES 300GR Expander

Never had a rifle not shoot that combo well. Given I've only tried in six or seven rifles over the last 15 years, but it's always worked. One of the rifles was an Encore though.

Good timing for this post.


Getting ready to start shooting my Encore. I've switched to a LR primer breech plug because it made a lot of sense and I have a...few primers.

Going to start with 300gr Thor's and BH209. I've read mixed tales on the QLA and full bore bullets. I have Thor's on hand.


I do have some No Excuse on hand as well.


Outside of that, if those don't shoot, I will need something else. I don't need to shoot super far. Black bear and deer.


Muzzleloader bullets either seem too frangible or too solid. I've killed a few deer with the Thor's and haven't been super impressed. But, that's at flintlock black powder velocity. I will get a lot more speed from BH209 that might help. 2 didn't have ideal shots and did the trick but they also didn't seem to exit. Broadside doe through ribs/lungs exited and left a pretty decent hole and blood trail I was happy with.

100-110gr BH (volume) and either 300 shockwave or 250gr hornady flex tip bullets shoot under an inch at 100yds in my prohunter. Federal mag 209 primers

Great load !!!
I have used it with hornady .240 JHP since T/C first came out with the Encore. You do your have the rifle will do it's half .
You have to shoot YOUR rifle to see what it likes . I site in every year , and more the one or 2 shots .
Good luck .
Soup

This is what I've used in my TC Encore Muzzleloader with success.

300 grain thor
100 grain black horn 209
Federal 209A primer

That load has 1" group at 100 yrds in my encore.