jb27
Member
Not sure how many other fans of TC Encores there are out there. I've been shooting them for a few years now and have just recently got into handloading. In my few months i've been following this forum, I haven't seen many threads on these guns and loads for them, so I thought i'd start one. I currently have .223 Encore Pro Hunter 28" Rifle barrel, .223 Encore 16" Pistol barrel and .30-06 Encore Pro Hunter 28" rifle barrel.
I've spent the most time with the .223 rifle. I've found it's favorite load is using Nosler 52 gr Custom Competition, 24.4 gr Varget to an OAL of 2.258. Through my experimentation, I've found the gun to be pretty sensitive to bullet seating depth. Initially, I started by loading to just less than max OAL (2.258 used). I then picked up a Hornady OAL gauge and adjusted to seat 0.010 from lands which resulted in seating the bullet a little bit further out. My grouping spread out considerably. So I went back to what I dumb-lucked into in the first place and it has worked well for me.
I'm still working on a few loads for the .30-06. I would like to have a load using 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip to use for whitetail, and also a load using Barnes Tipped Triple Shock 180gr bullets for black bear. Went to the range this weekend and tried out quite a few different combinations. Not sure that i've found 'the one' yet.
My trials included:
165gr NOS BT with 54.0, 55.0, 56.0 and 57.0 gr H-4350
165gr NOS BT with 47.0, 48.0, 49.0, 50.0 gr IMR-4895
180gr Barnes TTS with 52.0, 53.0, 54.0, 55.0, 56.0 gr H-4350.
I loaded up 3 of each of the above configurations and shot at 100yds from a lead sled. I got a decent group with the 165gr using 54.0gr of H-4350. I also got a decent group with the 180gr using 54.0 gr of H-4350. I'll load up some more to confirm, but the other groups were pretty bad (anywhere from 1" up to 3"). The groups reminded me of what I got when I was messing with the seating depth on my .223. The .223 liked a little more jump before the rifling to shoot tighter groups. Wondering if this may not be the same thing for the .30-06.
Plan on spending some time this summer shooting the pistol setup
I've spent the most time with the .223 rifle. I've found it's favorite load is using Nosler 52 gr Custom Competition, 24.4 gr Varget to an OAL of 2.258. Through my experimentation, I've found the gun to be pretty sensitive to bullet seating depth. Initially, I started by loading to just less than max OAL (2.258 used). I then picked up a Hornady OAL gauge and adjusted to seat 0.010 from lands which resulted in seating the bullet a little bit further out. My grouping spread out considerably. So I went back to what I dumb-lucked into in the first place and it has worked well for me.
I'm still working on a few loads for the .30-06. I would like to have a load using 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip to use for whitetail, and also a load using Barnes Tipped Triple Shock 180gr bullets for black bear. Went to the range this weekend and tried out quite a few different combinations. Not sure that i've found 'the one' yet.
My trials included:
165gr NOS BT with 54.0, 55.0, 56.0 and 57.0 gr H-4350
165gr NOS BT with 47.0, 48.0, 49.0, 50.0 gr IMR-4895
180gr Barnes TTS with 52.0, 53.0, 54.0, 55.0, 56.0 gr H-4350.
I loaded up 3 of each of the above configurations and shot at 100yds from a lead sled. I got a decent group with the 165gr using 54.0gr of H-4350. I also got a decent group with the 180gr using 54.0 gr of H-4350. I'll load up some more to confirm, but the other groups were pretty bad (anywhere from 1" up to 3"). The groups reminded me of what I got when I was messing with the seating depth on my .223. The .223 liked a little more jump before the rifling to shoot tighter groups. Wondering if this may not be the same thing for the .30-06.
Plan on spending some time this summer shooting the pistol setup
