Encore and barrel length

Woodycreek · Dec 7, 2009

I'm looking at longer custom barrels for my .50 cal Encore which has the factory 26" barrel. Would going from 26" up to a 32" barrel give me another 100fps or more? Right now the rifle shoots 250gr Parkers around 2200 fps.

YoteSmoker · Dec 7, 2009

I'm not sure how much velocity you would gain, but 32" would really make it rather long and cumbersome to carry in the woods. What charge/powder are you using with that bullet? With my 26" Encore barrel, I'm shooting a 348 grain powerbelt 40 grains less powder than the Enocre is rated for with great accuracy. If you can bump up your load at all with equal accuracy, that's where I'd start first but be prepared for a bit more recoil as well.

Woodycreek · Dec 7, 2009

This is my tree stand "long range" rifle for Iowa whitetails :lol: . I have really good results with 130 of Blackhorn.

JD338 · Dec 7, 2009

Brian,

I'm really not sure what gain you will get with the longer barrel. Those big bullets drop off pretty quick regardless of the speed.
I recall a fella who made some custom sabots for a 375 cal 260 gr AB. That would most likely flatten out the trajectory. :idea:

JD338

Woodycreek · Dec 7, 2009

Jim,

If you remeber his name let me know. I would like to get this rifle to shoot as flat as i can out to 300 yards. Right now i limit my shots to no more than 200 yards.

TScottW99 · Dec 7, 2009

Woody,

Just a heads up, Virginia has a minium restriction on caliber size of the bullet being shot. Has to be a .45 or larger.

Not sure if you would ever be charged but you never know.

JD338 · Dec 7, 2009

TScottW99

Is that bore diameter or bullet diameter? Are sabots legal in VA?

JD338

TScottW99 · Dec 8, 2009

I went and rechecked the law. Virginia has caught up with the times (finally) and accounted for the sabots. It has to be a .45 rifle or larger and a .38 projectile and larger.

•Muzzleloading firearms must be single shot, capable of firing only a single bullet or saboted bullet (.38 caliber or larger).

My bust :lol:

JD338 · Dec 8, 2009

TScottW99

No worries, I was just curious. Every state is different and has their own idea of muzzle loading.
Thanks for the clarification.

JD338

1Shot · Jan 9, 2010

You don't need any more velocity you just need to get a good target turret scope and learn to dial your yardages. You will need a range finder and some practice but it will work. I have a friend that has one of those Savage 110 muzzle loaders that uses smokeless powder and he has shot deer out to a little over 500 yards. He practices a lot and knows the dope to put on his scope. A 200gr or larger bullet does not have to be going all that fast to punch a hole through a deers lungs. You will have to trail one up but they usually don't go too far.