New Muzzleloader?

[deer patch]

Deerpatch, I’ve had the same experience with my knights. I’ve taken deer and antelope >200yds. With a consistently cleaned barrel, I’ve routinely shot groups<11\2”, and have shot a few one hole groups using the 250g Barnes bullets with 3 pellets. I tried other bullet combinations that were easier to load, but groups doubled in size. For those that haven’t experienced it, the Barnes/sabots are very tight fitting and require real effort with a clean dry barrel. A knight shooting these tight bullet/sabots would not be my recommendation for someone without the strength.

Elk...My knight groups well also and I have shot several half moon holes but can’t remember shooting a one hole. I use the knight copper lined lead sabot 260 grain that they don’t make anymore but I was lucky enough to find some on the internet and bought them. Now I have more than I will ever shoot and probably more than my daughter will shoot also but like you stated it’s going to take someone with strength to load them after the first shot.

 

[deer patch]

I also use the bore butter after I clean the barrel and the first bullet is always the easiest to load but not the second load if you need a follow up shot. I always clean my muzzleloader after season closes and use bore butter afterwards, so it’s not like it’s not cleaned. Heck I clean it after the season even if I didn’t shoot. If not shot was made I just pull the breech and push the bullet and powder out and clean away. Like I said before this is for my daughter and not me and I will teach her how to clean it properly, I just want to keep her safe when she reloads it.

 

[deer patch]

Now that's a girl with a fine sense of taste.

So true...I tried to raise her right.

 

[HB_Hunter]

I have the encore pro hunter. It takes multiple barrels, but I only own the 50 cal ML barrel. The breech unscrews easily and it is very easy to clean.

I’ve never taken a shot at a deer over 100 yards even with a center fire rifle. It groups really well at 100 yards and I was happy with the one 200 yard shot I took at the target. I can’t speak to its accuracy at that distance because the shooter isn’t that great and I haven’t put the time in with it. I’m shooting Barnes out of it.

 

[OkieKubota]

My encore is very accurate...I also have 2 Omegas and a Remington 700ML...all of these are tack drivers with 100 grains of Shockeys Gold and a 245 grain Power Belt. I think all Encore rifles can be interchangeable but mine only has the .50 cal ML barrel. It’s a joy to carry...

 

[deer patch]

My encore is very accurate...I also have 2 Omegas and a Remington 700ML...all of these are tack drivers with 100 grains of Shockeys Gold and a 245 grain Power Belt. I think all Encore rifles can be interchangeable but mine only has the .50 cal ML barrel. It’s a joy to carry...

I have the encore pro hunter. It takes multiple barrels, but I only own the 50 cal ML barrel. The breech unscrews easily and it is very easy to clean.

I’ve never taken a shot at a deer over 100 yards even with a center fire rifle. It groups really well at 100 yards and I was happy with the one 200 yard shot I took at the target. I can’t speak to its accuracy at that distance because the shooter isn’t that great and I haven’t put the time in with it. I’m shooting Barnes out of it.

The reason I asked is because they make a Pro Hunter FX which is a non interchangeable barrel but it is on the same encore platform. The only way I can tell the difference from the pictures is that the ramrod on the encore has 2 holders where as the FX has only 1 ramrod holder. It sounds like HB might have the FX model but he will only know that answer.

The good thing is I still have time to figure out what to buy. The bad thing is right now I can’t find anyone locally that has anything in stock and after looking online for hours, no matter what make and model you are looking for, there isn’t much for sale either. I’ll be glad when this country gets back to normal or Americans finally stand up and say enough is enough!!!

 

[HB_Hunter]

I have the standard Pro Hunter. I bought it because I thought I might get barrels for different purposes, but after looking at barrel prices decided to just buy a different gun.

I picked mine up on gun broker in 2011. I paid just over $460.

 

[Hoosierhunting]

My recommendation would be a CVA Accura V2 LR version in .45 Cal. That gun comes with a Bergara barrel that can be factory Cerokoted and nitrided. I’d recommend shooting the powerbelt ELR bullets which are true to bore size and require no started in this gun. I’d shoot blackhorn 209. This is a break action gun, with screw out breechplug that can handle magnum loads. It’s 1:22 twist allows it to shoot the powerbelt elr bullets that we’re designed for the CVA Paramount which is an $1000 gun. You can get the same performance in a $500 gun that is the simplest gun to shoot, reload and maintain.


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[Hoosierhunting]

My recommendation would be a CVA Accura V2 LR version in .45 Cal. That gun comes with a Bergara barrel that can be factory Cerokoted and nitrided. I’d recommend shooting the powerbelt ELR bullets which are true to bore size and require no started in this gun. I’d shoot blackhorn 209. This is a break action gun, with screw out breechplug that can handle magnum loads. It’s 1:22 twist allows it to shoot the powerbelt elr bullets that we’re designed for the CVA Paramount which is an $1000 gun. You can get the same performance in a $500 gun that is the simplest gun to shoot, reload and maintain.


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This gun but in .45


Shooting the powerbelt elr bullets with 120 grains by volume of 209 in the .45 cal version will get you close to 2200 FPS. Tack driver doesn’t begin to describe it.



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[DJN]

I have (2) CVA Optima V2’s. Love ‘em. Super accurate and very easy to clean (shooting Blackhorn 209). As far as easy to load - it all depends on your sabot. There are 2 main sabot manufacturers: Harvester and MMP. Listed smallest bore to largest bore , (based on using a .451-.452 bullet for a .50 cal muzzleloader) - which could also be interpreted as easiest to load to hardest to load, but it all depends on your actual bore size and it is possible to be too loose.
Smallest (loosest) sabot
MMP 3 petal EZ
Barnes T - EZ
Harvester black Crush Rib
Harvester smooth black
MMP HPH-24
MMP HPH-12
Harvester red Crush Rib
MMP smooth black
Knight High Pressure Sabot
Largest (tightest fitting) Sabot

Use that info to find the best one for loading in a clean barrel. Optima’s seem to like the black Crush Rib, Harvester smooth black, and MMP HPH-24.
As far as easy to load on a dirty barrel — shoot Blackhorn 209. No swabbing required between shots. I’ve shot 15+ in a session with no swabbing, no loss of accuracy and no increase in effort to load. And easy cleanup with standard center fire rifle cleaners (hoppes #9, etc).

 

[deer patch]

My recommendation would be a CVA Accura V2 LR version in .45 Cal. That gun comes with a Bergara barrel that can be factory Cerokoted and nitrided. I’d recommend shooting the powerbelt ELR bullets which are true to bore size and require no started in this gun. I’d shoot blackhorn 209. This is a break action gun, with screw out breechplug that can handle magnum loads. It’s 1:22 twist allows it to shoot the powerbelt elr bullets that we’re designed for the CVA Paramount which is an $1000 gun. You can get the same performance in a $500 gun that is the simplest gun to shoot, reload and maintain.


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Ill definitely get a break action gun and look into that style bullet.

I have (2) CVA Optima V2’s. Love ‘em. Super accurate and very easy to clean (shooting Blackhorn 209). As far as easy to load - it all depends on your sabot. There are 2 main sabot manufacturers: Harvester and MMP. Listed smallest bore to largest bore , (based on using a .451-.452 bullet for a .50 cal muzzleloader) - which could also be interpreted as easiest to load to hardest to load, but it all depends on your actual bore size and it is possible to be too loose.
Smallest (loosest) sabot
MMP 3 petal EZ
Barnes T - EZ
Harvester black Crush Rib
Harvester smooth black
MMP HPH-24
MMP HPH-12
Harvester red Crush Rib
MMP smooth black
Knight High Pressure Sabot
Largest (tightest fitting) Sabot

Use that info to find the best one for loading in a clean barrel. Optima’s seem to like the black Crush Rib, Harvester smooth black, and MMP HPH-24.
As far as easy to load on a dirty barrel — shoot Blackhorn 209. No swabbing required between shots. I’ve shot 15+ in a session with no swabbing, no loss of accuracy and no increase in effort to load. And easy cleanup with standard center fire rifle cleaners (hoppes #9, etc).

That definitely explains why my Knight sabots are harder to load.

 

[Letmgrow]

I have several Muzzle Loaders but my Traditions Pursuit Pro is my favorite. The break action is easy to load and unload.
I too am a fan of Bore Butter but I also use "Brownell's" Sabot solvent. This will remove traces of the plastic Sabot from the barrel and makes loading easier and your groups more consistent. One 4 oz. bottle will last a long time.
Lynn

 

[deer patch]

I have several Muzzle Loaders but my CVA Pursuit Pro is my favorite. The break action is easy to load and unload.
I too am a fan of Bore Butter but I also use "Brownell's" Sabot solvent. This will remove traces of the plastic Sabot from the barrel and makes loading easier and your groups more consistent. One 4 oz. bottle will last a long time.
Lynn

Thanks for the info. I have read about the traces of plastic build up but I haven’t or can’t see any in my barrel.