Best loose powder for TC Encore Muzzleloader?????

hawkcarterCO

hawkcarterCO

New member
What would you recommend for powder for a TC encore? I am going to be hunting bears in Colorado and I can't use pellets. I have only shot pellets in the past and have never used loose powder. I also can not use sabots so I will be using powerbelts. I have never shot powerbelts before and am curious as to how they shoot.
 
To be honest with you it seems that 777 (Triple Seven) by Hodgdon has pretty much replaced Pyrodex and most other muzzleloader propellants.

I use it exclusively in both my Encores.

It's not corrosive at all and you can clean it up with just plain water or whatever is laying around. I use WD-40 because it's cheap and it keeps my barrels shiny and rust free.

Almost any Wal-Mart in the country has it.

You can get more info and loading data for free from Hodgdon's website at...
http://www.hodgdon.com/tripleseven/t7granular.php

$bob$
 
I sighted in my TC Omega with Triple seven and used the plain powerbelts bullets and shot a one inch group the same size group as my Ruger 223 rifle. I was told that the hollow pt. powerbelts aren't as accurate.
 
I have used Powerbelt bullets out of my Encore and they group great, but I was not that impressed with their on game performance from what I saw last year. Two guys in our group shot fairly average sized white tail deer in MI with typical broad side shots. Neither one had an exit hole and the bullet fragmented into a zillion pieces that were found in the opposite side of the body cavity. Both deer went down in a big hurry, but I have to tell you that I'd be worried about penetration on an animal with bigger bone and muscle structure like a bear, or on anything where you put a bullet on the shoulder. Your mileage may vary, but I'm going with something else this year.
 
Triple7 is the way to go. The top charge with pellets is 150grs. But I believe it is only 120grs by Volume for the loose powder. Check your owners manuel Carefully & Be Safe.

Enjoy your hunt!!
 
Goody...thanks for that info! I will switch now myself as I don't like that news. A bullet is worthless if it don't perform every shot like it should. I was told that the hp's are very inaccurate....I will try another bullet. Again, thanks for the info!!
 
Try the Barnes MZ Expander bullets - they group well out of my Encore and I have a few buddies that have taken deer with them and supposedly had good terminal characteristics. That's what I'm going to use this year.
 
I use 110 (2-30 gr and 1- 50 gr) grains in pellet form of the Triple 7, and shoot the 250 gr. shockwave bullet. It shoots better groups at 100 yards for me than the 110 grains of loose powder did. I have shot this combo in 4 different encores, and all have shot pretty much with the same results. It has done a great job on anchoring deer for me here in North Central Oklahoma. Of course our deer are not as big as in some other places. Plus this is easy to clean ho twater down the barrel and swab wit a few patches and your done. Good luck in finding the best fit for your Encore.
 
HawkcarterCo With 777 a charge of 130 gr of ff or fff is equal to 150 grains of black powder. That is what Hodgden customer service says. I shoot the 295 grain Powerbullets on top of 110 gr of fff, 777. On deer it blows a hole about the size of a golf ball going in and out. On an elk it flattens to about 2" and did not exit at 75 yards but was just under the hide on the off side.
 
If you must use powerbelts make sure you drive them hard so they will expand upon powder ignition and fill the bore.
My Omega would not shoot them with any consistence, I went to the Barnes 285 gr spitfire and an ez load sabot from MMP. over 130 grs. of clean shot..
 
I'm in the opposite direction of most posters here. Fify caliber slug! Who needs expansion? Get something with a fairly flat nose and don't worry too much about velocity. If you get it going 1300 to 1350 fps it's going to pentrate well and probably exit to boot.

I'm in CO too and understand the regs you are working with. I think some of the stuff suggested above in involves sabots, etc., which as you and I know are a no no in CO if you are hunting in the ML season.

BTW, if you are hunting with your encore during a non ml season, you can use the scopes, pellets, sabots, etc. and be legal.

I once tried some 450 grain slugs molded from a LEE .515 mold designed for the .50-70 Govt round. The guy who gave them to me had sized them down to .504. Talk about a hammer on both ends!!!! Once they ran out, I never went that way again because I didn't have the correct sizer. Now though LEE will make you a custom push through sizer of your specified size for about $20 bucks. May be time to revisit those slugs.

As far as powder goes, there is no doubt in my mind that more genuine black powder is sold in this country than all the substitutes combined. The idea that the substitutes are superior is pretty well sold to the in line community, but the fact is that real BP will ignite more easily and contrary to popular notion it cleans up as easily as any of the subs with warm or even cold water!

BTW, since you are in CO and anywhere near the Denver area, I have a few 370 grain Maxi balls you could try if you like.
 
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