Muzzleloader care

[Fins-n-feathers]

So I just got a new Encore Pro Hunter FX. What kind of cleaning is required between shots or every couple shots? Just a wet patch and a dry one? Also, anybody have any experience as to what bullets work well with this gun? I have heard a lot about Barnes?

[WaveWacker]

I don't have an Encore but an Omega. For sighting in I wet patch and dry after each shot. In a realistic hunting situation you'd be able to get by with just putting down anohter round. I've never had to do that in a hunting situation but have tested it on the range and the accuracy is more than acceptable.

Bullet wise I am REALLY happy with my TC shockwaves. I shoot 100gr (2-50gr pellets) of triple 7.

[cavalierowner]

I don't have an Encore either; I have a Pedersoli Frontier. For hunting I have been using 295 grain HP Powerbelts with 80 grains of Triple 7 FFG. But that will probably change this year. Last summer I was experimenting with patched round balls and was pleasantly surprised at the nice groups I was getting. At that time I was shooting half powder loads (40 gr) so I could practice trigger control, breathing, etc. This summer I will be shooting full powder loads starting with 80 grains and see what happens at 50 and 100 yards.

As for cleaning, I swab every 4 or 5 shots, depending on how it feels, when I'm at the range. For hunting, I shoot 1 fouling shot before I head into the woods because all my sighing in is done with a "dirty" barrel.

In the end, you just have to spend a lot of time shooting and find out what your gun likes.

[PFUNK]

I shoot an encore from before the "pro hunter" days and it is real picky about having a clean bore. It gets tough after a shot or two to seat the next bullet, so while sighting in I'll run a wet patch with bore cleaner through it and then a dry patch. It does shoot the TC shockwaves well. I also shoot 100 grains of triple 7 pellets. Definitely like the groups it'll shoot, but it doesn't like a dirty barrel, that's for sure.

[DooWap]

I found you shoot just as good if not better groups once your barrel gets dirty. In fact, much like one other poster mentioned, I'll pop a cap just to foul the barrel a bit before going out hunting. The problem with the dirty barrel is that after a couple shots it can be a b@$#@^ to get another round down the barrel.