Arrowhead Rifle's Encore .45 Caliber Barrel Updgrade

[LWH723]

interesting idea! that's why I love this place. Thanks

@Arrowhead Rifles you try this?

Nice shooting Robby!

Fouling with smokeless isn't a bad idea at all. Out west with the low humidity, I would be comfortable fouling with smokeless or BH209. Either way, I like to dry patch or try brush immediately after my last shot as that knocks the powder residue down before it hardens, but still gives you a fouled bore for your cold bore shot. If you don't do that step, the first shot can load hard on your next range session. Even letting the gun set 15 minutes, you will notice it loads harder, but let it set 24 hours or a week, and it can really get tough.

 

[robby denning]

Nice shooting Robby!

Fouling with smokeless isn't a bad idea at all. Out west with the low humidity, I would be comfortable fouling with smokeless or BH209. Either way, I like to dry patch or try brush immediately after my last shot as that knocks the powder residue down before it hardens, but still gives you a fouled bore for your cold bore shot. If you don't do that step, the first shot can load hard on your next range session. Even letting the gun set 15 minutes, you will notice it loads harder, but let it set 24 hours or a week, and it can really get tough.

Thanks Luke, appreciate the confirmation on that.


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[robby denning]

Looks like pretty typical performance for this type of muzzleloader. These things will outshoot most rifles with a scope at 100yds. Only downside is the bc on the bullets is pretty low and lose quite a bit of energy at extended ranges.

Shooting them with a brake isn't nearly as loud as shooting a braked rifle due to the lower pressures.

I've also noticed that pressure is not an issue with these when using bh209 since they are rated for smokeless so you can shoot heavier bullets at similar velocities.

Luke supplied a brake with this rifle and I did do some of the testing with it. And it worked, and what was nice as it didn’t change the point of impact at 100 yards when I took the it off.

However I’m just not an earplugs kind of guy on the hunt, so I’ll be hunting without the brake. But it is a nice option to have.

However this one’s pretty dang loud. I could feel it lift my earmuffs off my ears a little bit when I shoot and I’d hear ringing for a few minutes. Had to run earplugs and muffs. My muffs are on the cheapy side though. Good ones would’ve been fine.


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[robby denning]

Last step before taking the gun hunting was to clean it, and then fire a few barrel foulers. One would do it but how fun is that?
I also wanted to verify windage as last session I was either stringing with the wind or my rear sight needed some adjustment to move POI left. So I used a different range where the 10mph+ wind would be at my back

Fired two at 100 for a 2.75” group which is the largest all summer, but not unexpected on a barrel fouler group. Windage was perfect

Then moved to 200 and fired a third shot. Hit 4” high with good windage.

That’s 10.5 inches higher than I was shooting a couple of sessions ago where I was wondering about the data as expressed above where 200 fell out of my trajectory curve( 7.5” low at 200 but only 4” low at 250 yards.)

I’ve seen this with peep/open sites before, sometimes it can be hard to tell where you’re holding on the target, especially in different conditions on different days.

So this latest shot is what I’m going to use to average my trajectory because it simply makes more sense when I look at everything from 100-300 yards over several sessions. If I average all three shots at 200, I’m hitting low at 200. How low? Math says about 3”, So here is what I’m putting on my dope card:

100yd = +3”
150yd = 0”
200yd = -3”
250yd = -4”
300yd = -14”

I realize there’s some funky math going on in that 200-250 yard range, but it’s less than the vital size of a mule deer.

I wish I had more time to shoot this discrepancy out of the data, but I leave in 20 hours, so I’m gonna roll with it.

Even considering this, the Arrowhead barrel and and Encore combo is the most accurate and flat shooting muzzle loader (with more downrange energy) I’ve ever owned. I’m very happy with it.

A few downsides I encountered during this review was a shattered ramrod and a stripped ejector screw.

The ramrod was the lightweight fiber rod. I believe the muzzle brake did it in when I didn’t get the rod seated all the way. Luke immediately shipped me his stiffer (and a little heavier) aluminum rod which I’m very happy with.

As far as the ejector screw, Luke said it’s only the 2nd one he’s seen stripped (I’m honored). With only 48 hours before I was leaving, he couldn’t get me one but suggested I make one from a 6x48 scope base screw. I did and I’m good to go.

Thanks for following this project

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[LWH723]

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[robby denning]

Good luck on your hunt!

Thanks Luke. And thanks for all the help with the gun


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[wind gypsy]

Robby, what does your rifle weigh with this barrel setup? I just ordered one today myself.

 

[robby denning]

Robby, what does your rifle weigh with this barrel setup? I just ordered one today myself.

hey man, 7lbs 14oz.

Looking forward to your experiences with this gun. Can't imagine you're not going to be very happy.

 

[wind gypsy]

hey man, 7lbs 14oz.

Looking forward to your experiences with this gun. Can't imagine you're not going to be very happy.

Thanks Robby, is yours the straight 1" taper or the lighter one?

 

[robby denning]

Thanks Robby, is yours the straight 1" taper or the lighter one?

I don't remember, Luke @Arrowhead Rifles ? can you help?

 

[LWH723]

I don't remember, Luke @Arrowhead Rifles ? can you help?

Robby has the lighter one. It's about a pound lighter than the 1" bull. Accuracy has been great with either one.

 

[robby denning]

Robby has the lighter one. It's about a pound lighter than the 1" bull. Accuracy has been great with either one.

Thanks Luke!


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[Turbodab]

This has been a very interesting thread to read through. Only recently did I discover someone was making smokeless powder barrels for the encore...I've had the TC Endeavor barrel for years and have been completely unimpressed with its accuracy! So much so that I rarely even considered taking it out.

I'm gearing up to make the plunge and have been looking through the options at arrowhead rifles. Curious which barrel you guys ordered?

Luke, can you comment about the difference between the Brux barrel and the Preferred? Is there a reason to go with the more expensive Brux barrel?

Appreciate any insight...

 

[LWH723]

This has been a very interesting thread to read through. Only recently did I discover someone was making smokeless powder barrels for the encore...I've had the TC Endeavor barrel for years and have been completely unimpressed with its accuracy! So much so that I rarely even considered taking it out.

I'm gearing up to make the plunge and have been looking through the options at arrowhead rifles. Curious which barrel you guys ordered?

Luke, can you comment about the difference between the Brux barrel and the Preferred? Is there a reason to go with the more expensive Brux barrel?

Appreciate any insight...

Brux is cut rifled and hand lapped, preferred is button rifled and not lapped. Brux are definitely smoother loading and maybe don't foul quite as fast, but you're still getting 50+ shots on either one without cleaning if you're using smokeless. Currently, biggest advantage with the Brux barrel is my no sizing required bullets are setup to run in them. So that means you can skip the swagging step as well as the cost of the $160 sizing die (and $60 hand press if you don't have a press already).

 

[wind gypsy]

Luke, I’ve seen some old posts in regards to sabots where you didn’t recommend them in the preferred encore barrels because people were loading them too fast and having issues.

Is there any reason they wouldn’t work well if used in a certain manner? I plan on using primarily 275 xld with mine but do have some CEB bullets in sabots and like the idea of copper with some of the short range deer hunts.

 

[LWH723]

Luke, I’ve seen some old posts in regards to sabots where you didn’t recommend them in the preferred encore barrels because people were loading them too fast and having issues.

Is there any reason they wouldn’t work well if used in a certain manner? I plan on using primarily 275 xld with mine but do have some CEB bullets in sabots and like the idea of copper with some of the short range deer hunts.

Sabots suck. As you push pressures, they become more and more sensitive to barrel fit and temperature. It's even worse with solid copper bullets as they don't have as much give as a lead core. Is it possible to get accuracy out of them, yes. But I don't guarantee it, and I don't have time to help someone trouble shoot accuracy with them.

Things I would do.

Make sure you have very tight fitting bullet/sabot combo

Knurl the bearing surface with a rough cut bastard file (especially on solid coppers). Bumps up diameter and helps bullet grab sabot.

If it's over 32F, wait 10-15 minutes between shots or until your barrel is cool to touch. If your first couple shots print good and then you start getting flyers, almost guaranteed that is barrel heat causing sabot softening. This applies for pretty much all muzzleloaders and slug guns shooting sabots, but is definitely more pronounced in the higher pressure high performance stuff.

Hope this helps....

 

[ShortMagFan]

For anyone on the fence for an Arrowhead Encore replacement barrel, you should do it

I shot my lightweight preferred barrel today for the first time. Just wanted to get it on paper after getting scope mounted before a more involved range session. 85 grains by weight of BH209. First 3 shot group off a make shift rest was well under an inch.

already impressed with the consistency and looking forward to stretching its legs over the next couple of weeks

I did not use the muzzle break - the weight of the gun soaked up the recoil nicely and 85grains by weight is a pretty light load to start with

 

[wind gypsy]

Finally shot my arrowhead barreled encore 5 months after receiving it. So far I’m very impressed. Bore sighted and got it on paper @50 and this was the first 4 shots @ 100. 275 XLDs over 60 grains of h4198. I remembered to turn on the chrono after the first shot..

I was going to keep drilling them in there but I’m an idiot and stuffed a bullet down the bore without a powder charge behind it so that ended the day.

 

[buggz]

I really want to do this.
I am thinking of the Brux barrel.

 

[Turbodab]

So it took me 6 months to finally shoot my arrowhead barrel (I got the brux), but I have been very pleased! Unfortunately the longest practice shot I could arrange before hunting was at 70 yards, but I loved the result! I'm not sure I could shoot a better shot from 10 yards (and I didn't want to screw up the notion that I'm an excellent shot by placing more shots in the same frame).

Gave it the live test last night in the early season antlerless season in SE MN. One shot at around 100-120 yards that dropped her in her tracks! I've been investigating the high shoulder shot and was super excited to see it work... She never even twitched after I shot!

If you zoom in on the hunting shot, you can see the white belly of the doe I shot...

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