Muzzleloader barrel length

[Beretta92FS]

I'm about to purchase a muzzleloader barrel for my Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter. I have zero experience with muzzleloaders, but figure I should try to catch the deer season a little earlier this year.

Barrels available is either 28 inches or 20 inches long. The 20 looks interesting, because it will be easy to carry and maneuver such a short gun.

I realize some velocity will be lost with the 20 inch barrel, but are there any other disadvantages with the 20 incher? It will have either a scope or red dot sight, so sight radius is not relevant.

Any particular powder or sabots that would work better in the 20 inch barrel?

 

[whacko]

I'm about to purchase a muzzleloader barrel for my Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter. I have zero experience with muzzleloaders, but figure I should try to catch the deer season a little earlier this year.

Barrels available is either 28 inches or 20 inches long. The 20 looks interesting, because it will be easy to carry and maneuver such a short gun.

I realize some velocity will be lost with the 20 inch barrel, but are there any other disadvantages with the 20 incher? It will have either a scope or red dot sight, so sight radius is not relevant.

Any particular powder or sabots that would work better in the 20 inch barrel?

Longer barrel.....generally tighter groups.

But........if your in the woods I've found the long shots are 35 yards anyway so it doesn't matter. I'd go 20 inch.

Now......as far as sabot, projo, powder.......you just have to experiment. I have two each of the same model.....one for me and one for my son......his likes 300 grain hornady bullets mine likes 250 grain. They all have a personality. That's the fun of muzzle loading.

For a starter........250 grain projo over 100 grains of powder.........then try different projo weights.

Then adjust powder up and down in 10 grain increments a s see where it takes you.

By the way......Thompson center is the best choice. Every other brand of in line is a knock off cheap copy of the original modern muzzle loader!

 

[Dadstoys]

Longer barrel.....generally tighter groups.

But........if your in the woods I've found the long shots are 35 yards anyway so it doesn't matter. I'd go 20 inch.

Now......as far as sabot, projo, powder.......you just have to experiment. I have two each of the same model.....one for me and one for my son......his likes 300 grain hornady bullets mine likes 250 grain. They all have a personality. That's the fun of muzzle loading.

For a starter........250 grain projo over 100 grains of powder.........then try different projo weights.

Then adjust powder up and down in 10 grain increments a s see where it takes you.

By the way......Thompson center is the best choice. Every other brand of in line is a knock off cheap copy of the original modern muzzle loader!

/ Thread
That pretty much covers it.
My son's first deer with black powder was with a T/C white mountain carbine .
40 yards right through the heart.