My new Thompson Center Encore

Yep, I took the plunge....a $689 plunge into the greatest rifle I have ever shot.

I have owned and hunted with countless muzzleloaders...all Thompsons, mind you (Hawkens, Firehawks, Black Diamond.)

I bought this....

Firearm Details - Thompson/Center

I cannot rave enough.....

I shot 1" groups from the kneeling at 100yds, 1" groups from the standing at 60 and 25 yds.

Unbelievable rifle....just like shooting an MOA $2500 bolt action standard rifle. It hits so accurately that I kept laughing and laughing after every shot. I felt like the priest in Caddyshack that kept knocking every ball in the hole during the rain storm. It was near Godly...as if every shot found its way through some supernatural force to the center of the paper plates that I was shooting at.

I may never again shoot a standard rifle. I may muzzleload with this rifle for the rest of my life.

I live 20 minutes from the factory in Rochester, and never knew what magic was occurring there on a daily basis.

If anyone can cough up the bucks to own one...I highly reccomend you do it...take the plunge!

By the way, I was using a Bushnell Trophy 3X9X40mm scope. Costs about $100 brand new.

I was also using a Thompson scope base and standard Weaver rings (Quik Set.)

Also using 2 Triple 7 powder pellets (100 Grains total) and a 250 grain Thompson Shockwave sabot (the yellow ones.)

This is the load and the gun, if anyone is interested.

I am headed out tomorrow morning at 0530 for what I hope to be a good day of Maine deer hunting.