I am sure this will open the can of worms again but here goes. I recently purchased a bergara 50 cal barrel for my encore from a member here. The barrel was perfect when I got it and with the extras with it to include a scope, I got a great deal. Well we have a late muzzleloading season coming up in 2 weeks here in northern ny, so I took it out today for the first time to shoot it. I did not get any load data as none was available from the previous owner. I started with 100 grains of pyrodex select and a 250 grain lead round nose 44 cal bullet i mold and a green harvestor crush rib sabot. The barrel was as good of a fit as my custom shop 300 savage barrel. Locked up well and looked great. Anyway I started at 50 yards. I changed the scope that came on the barrel and mounted a nikon buckmaster 3x9x40. I took two shots and they were touching in the lower right corner of the target. I made an adjustment and shot again. I was 2 inches low and dead on center. I moved the target to 75 yards and decided tot shoot again. I swabbed the barrel with windex in between each shot. I am attaching a pic of the target from 75 yards. I must say I have never had any barrel shoot so well and some after a lot of load work up. Am I ready to hunt with it. I would say yes, but I will do some more work first. As stated, this was my first range trip with this barrel. It was 47 degrees with a slight northeast wind and at my range that is in your face. The pic shows four consecutive shots off the bench. I came home with the barrel in tact and all my extremities also.
4 shots the coin is a nickel
my bullet and sbot combo
