quackslayer
Member
Wife bought me a new T/C encore pro hunter stainless, synthetic stock 50 caliber muzzle loader; what rifle barrel? looking at the 25-06, 30-06, and 270; also what scope would you recommend for a single shot T/C? thanks
T/C Encore for deer hunting
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R.W.Dale
Member
Flip a coin, all three of the calibers you list will do pretty much the same thing.
As to scope listen and listen well. For a break action single shot you primary concern is eye relief. Look at scopes with at least 4" of it.
As to scope listen and listen well. For a break action single shot you primary concern is eye relief. Look at scopes with at least 4" of it.
Ridgerunner665
Member
Reposted just to make sure you got that...I love my Encore, but it will put that scope in your eye. I mostly use it with the 50 caliber muzzle loader barrel and even that will hit you in the head if you're not careful.
I need to get a better scope on it...just haven't done it yet.
Like Krocus said above any of those calibers will work very well. My personal prefrence is the .270 win but that's just my opinion. I have 9 barrels for my Encore and I use Leupold QR rings and base. The suckers hold zero well. My praire dog .22-250 barrel I use two scopes for. One is sighted for 55 grain bullets for coyote and the other is for 40 grain v-maxs for the prarie dogs. I can flop scopes and loads and they are dead on each and every time. Most all of my scopes are some variety of Leupold and a couple of Nikons. It seems that the Leupold rifleman scopes I have 3 have good eye relief.
MCgunner
Member
They'll all work, even that .50 BP barrel. 
If you wanna hunt elk or something big, you might want more than .25 caliber, but other than that....
Dude, my fifty POUNDS me. It's not a TC, but it kicks harder than any other rifle I have. It's almost as bad as my 12 gauge 6.5 lb double gun shooting slugs, but not quite in THAT class. If I loaded it to max, though, it likely would be. I only shoot an 80 grain 777 load in it.
If you wanna hunt elk or something big, you might want more than .25 caliber, but other than that....
Dude, my fifty POUNDS me. It's not a TC, but it kicks harder than any other rifle I have. It's almost as bad as my 12 gauge 6.5 lb double gun shooting slugs, but not quite in THAT class. If I loaded it to max, though, it likely would be. I only shoot an 80 grain 777 load in it.
The 50 cal barrel on my Encore seems to favor 95 grain 777 to a 250 grain T/C shockwave superglide. Or a Hornady FPB 350 grain to 83 grains 777. I shoot loose powder obviously did not have good luck with pellets in either 777 or pyrodex. Your rifle is probably a little diffrent buck these are the best loads i have found so far. Those 150 grain loads are just there to punish you. My son hunts with 70 grains of powder and a 200 grain shockwave bullet. He is 10 almost 11 now but has been shooting this load for a couple years. Inside 75 yards I would let him take a shot at a deer without worry about his skills with the rifle or the loads abilty to take a whitetail deer.
Ridgerunner665
Member
Mine is as accurate as some benchrest rifles with 100 grains of Pyrodex (pellets) and Power Belt bullets...when I sighted it in I thought I was missing the target after the first shot. The first 2 shots went through the same hole...it groups around 1 inch at 100 yards with that load.
Go to 150 grains and it patterns like a shotgun...
Go to 150 grains and it patterns like a shotgun...
alsaqr
Member
My Encore was bought as a .50 muzzleloader with walnut stock and forearm. It is a superb muzzleloading rifle, albeit a little heavy for walking hunts. After going through several el cheapo scopes, I put a Zeiss Conquest 4X32 on the gun. Resolution is really good and I can see the bullet holes in the paper target at 100 yards. That gun has accounted for about 15 deer and a few dozen wild hogs.
Alright! i will give my opinion. For whitetail deer. I think there is not better rifle than the 25-06. I never thought that until last year. I had to hunt over a pastor. I went to buy a rifle. The only options at the local shop where .243 and .25-06. I opted for the .25-06. Many of the elder guys were praising the decision. I tell you. That rifle is a doosie! It shoots the Winchester Supreme 115 grain Ballistic Tip into 1/2 at 200 yards. Flat shooting only 1 1/2 high at 100 for a 200 yards zero.
I shot two deer at one sitting @ 300 yards, and both fell dead. No, running. Just confidence in the cartridge and rifle with a precision shot placement. The recoil is nothing less than my 30-30. Muzzle flip is high, but you are blasting 50+ grains powder. It is a hoot to shoot.
You already have a .50 cal Muzzleloader barrel to handle anything of XP3 category. Not that a .25-06 will not drop a bull elk with placement and bullet selection. And with the .25-06 you have a dandy varmint caliber as well.
.25-06 ALL THE WAY. I am a huge supporter, and experience has made a believer out of me. :And for scope? On my ML I have a Bushnell Elite 3200 1.5-4x32 Firefly Reticle, and on the .25-06. I use a Bushnell Elite 4200 3x9x40.
By the way.. .25-06 gets my vote
I shot two deer at one sitting @ 300 yards, and both fell dead. No, running. Just confidence in the cartridge and rifle with a precision shot placement. The recoil is nothing less than my 30-30. Muzzle flip is high, but you are blasting 50+ grains powder. It is a hoot to shoot.
You already have a .50 cal Muzzleloader barrel to handle anything of XP3 category. Not that a .25-06 will not drop a bull elk with placement and bullet selection. And with the .25-06 you have a dandy varmint caliber as well.
.25-06 ALL THE WAY. I am a huge supporter, and experience has made a believer out of me. :And for scope? On my ML I have a Bushnell Elite 3200 1.5-4x32 Firefly Reticle, and on the .25-06. I use a Bushnell Elite 4200 3x9x40.
By the way.. .25-06 gets my vote
I shoot a Remington Genesis, and I am shooting a .452 XTP with black sabot using 120 grains 777 Powder. I don't think the recoil is horrible at all. The Genesis has a huge recoil pad. I plan on trying the .429 270 Speer GDFP this year with Green sabots. Probably start with 90 of 777.
Grumulkin
Member
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I've heard of praying over a hunt, but this is not a pretty picture!
Assume you meant "pasture."
6 shots from my T/C encore in .243 win taken from 100 yards from a benched position. Shots taken using Hornady custom 95 grain SST. Grid lines are 1" all six shots taken in a fairly short order. One minute or less between shots.
My sons first deer taken with the t/c encore. Taken last year during the Kansas youth and disabled season.
scythefwd
Member
As to a scope, I have to third Krochus post. I have a bushnell trophy and a bushy sportsman (free and it works) on a break action rifle. The eye relief was needed, and it appears that the bushnell scopes have enough. Well, their bottom of the line scopes seem to have enough.
MCgunner
Member
Bushnell makes a reliable scope. The low end ones could be a bit better optically, but the Trophy I have is pretty danged nice! It's on a .22 mag, but I've had another one on a 7mm mag that lived for several years in that service until I got a better scope for it. That scope still lives, on a .22, but it's still working.
I do believe in 200 dollar and up scopes, but the Bushnells have never let me down when I wasn't in a position to afford a better scope. Simmons, OTOH.........
Grumulkin
Member
The buttstock is standard T/C thumbhole composite. The reason it looks short is because the grass was a bit high and is covering a good part of it. The barrel length is 24 inches.
flipajig
Member
I have 2 barrels for my Encor and 5 for my Contender (watch out they multply)
mine are in 30-06 and a 50 cal ML. Both shoot verry well when I do my part.
As for a scope on both barrels they are wearing a Nicon Pro staff in 3x9x40
They seem to be working verry well for me.
mine are in 30-06 and a 50 cal ML. Both shoot verry well when I do my part.
As for a scope on both barrels they are wearing a Nicon Pro staff in 3x9x40
They seem to be working verry well for me.
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