# How do you clean your Encore 209



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

I changed my ways this year. in years past at the end of the season i would take out the breech plug soak it in tc breech cleaner, Swab the barrell with a wire bore cleaner and run a few patches down it with bore butter, and then wipe down the gun with bore butter, and reinstall the plug.
2 years ago at the end of the summer i shot several magnum loads (pyrodex pellets)through it, cleaned the gun as described above. I then hunted the early doe with it and then cleaned the gun again. Before gun season i put my 243 barrel in it and sighted it in. I took it to the U.P and had a dandy buck come within 35 yards on the last day. I squeezed the trigger and click,then snort then *$#*.
After shooting several rounds through it when i got back to camp and having several misfires i tore the gun apart to see what was happening. The firing pin was siezed due to fouling and corosion.
T/C sent me 3 new firing pins and everything was good. This year I take the gun out to shoot it before muzzie season and the firing pin was siezed again.
All of that to say i now take the breech out and will soak it all year in tc breech cleaner. I swab the bore with wire bore cleaner and douse the bore and barrel with heavy amounts of bore butter. The firing pin assembly now gets removed and cleaned thoroughly and left in hoppes #9 solvent for the rest of the year.The reciever gets doused with one shot solvent and lube. After every time i fire that gun with black powder i will be sure to remove the firing pin assembly and leave it soaking in solvent. I will put all components back together again only when i need to shoot the gun,and after the shooting is over i will repeat the cleaning and storage procedures.
Make sure you guys that own the Encore take out that firing pin assembly and clean it. This is not mentioned what so ever in the Manual and it is quite important.


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## jlcrss (May 17, 2006)

Im in the my third season with my Encore. I have not had any issues like this at all. I use a nylon brush to brush TC17 cleaner on the firing pin area and block. I take my barrel completely off and remove the extractor and give all of that a thorough cleaning. I also clean out the barrel and use bore butter in it as well. I started using a 1/8 inch drill bit to clean out the flash hole of the breach plug (Credit to Encore and bustayote). It works perfectly to get all of the carbon out.


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## Crowhunter (Aug 27, 2005)

To much oil is the problem most of the time .Bud


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Yes, the firing pin certainly can get fouled and gummed up. Certainly no need to soak the breech plug or firing pin for a whole year however...probably a bad idea to be honest. So is bore butter on an inline...not necessary...especially wiping the whole gun with that stuff. I quit using bore butter in inlines years ago. Switch to a good powder like BH209 and watch your problems disappear. Modern muzzleloading is not this difficult. I do remove my breech plug and coat the threads in gorilla grease for off season storage (and use gorilla grease year around on the breech plug). Never any breech plug issues. The gun gets scrubbed and then very very lightly lubed, and I don't oil the firing pin area. Less is more in this case.


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## ART (Jul 7, 2004)

Ditch the 209 plug and get the .25acp ignition. No fouling at all in the breach area.
And I do mean absolutely zero fouling.


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## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

There are 2 main steps to M-L care. The 1st is cleaning, the 2nd is lube & protect during storage. Bore butter does not cut it. If using Pyrodex,777 or something similar clean with any of the bought or made soapy water solutions. After the gun & all parts are CLEAN, then give it a light oil wipedown inside & out. The next time you go to load it,1 month or 9 months later, just run dry patches through it until clean. You can fir some primers if you want. I don't.

I use B209 & clean with Hoppes #9 & then give it a light oil coat. I also use a welding tip cleaner in the flash hole.


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

First of all ditch the bore butter it is crap.

This is what I do for my TC Triumph. I shoot BH209.

1) I soak the breech plug in a mixture of Odorless Mineral spirts and Breakfree CLP (mix is about 50/50) Let it soak while I clean the rest (same think I do with my AR15 bolt when cleaning).

2) run a mop down the barrel soaked in hoppes #9 and let it sit a few minutes.

3) repeat step 2.

4) run a brush down the bore to loosen everything up.

5) patch with a jag to get all the crud out.

6) mop with butches bore shine (will take out plastic deposits from the sabots) and let sit.

7) brush the bore.

8) patch with a jag till patches come out clean.

9) run a patch on a jag soaked in CLP down the bore a few times.

The Bore is now clean and protected for storeage.

I wipe the exterior down with a lightly moistened patch/rag with CLP.

I then turn my attention to the breech plug. After having soaked in the mixture of Odorless mineral spirts and CLP the carbon and gunk wipes right off. I use compressed air to blow out the primer pocket/flame channel. Then use a 1/8inch drill bit turned by hand to remove the rest of the crud from the primer pocket. I wipe a dap of CLP on the o-ring to keep it from dry rotting.

Breech plug is now done.

I store my gun with a patch in place where the breech plug goes and the plug OUT of the gun.

That seems like it would take awhile but it only takes about 20-30 minutes.

With this regiment I shoot just over 1 inch groups at 100yards.

J-


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

jlcrss said:


> Im in the my third season with my Encore. I have not had any issues like this at all. I use a nylon brush to brush TC17 cleaner on the firing pin area and block. I take my barrel completely off and remove the extractor and give all of that a thorough cleaning. I also clean out the barrel and use bore butter in it as well. I started using a 1/8 inch drill bit to clean out the flash hole of the breach plug (Credit to Encore and bustayote). It works perfectly to get all of the carbon out.


 Its behind the block where the corrosion sticks the pin shut. Corrosion and fouling build up on the pin and the pin spring freezing it shut. you can not clean this area without removing the block from the reciever.

Im going to let the pin spring and block sit in the hoppes solvent for the year. When i get ready to reassemble the gun i will then dry off the pin assembly until its free of all lube and then spray some one shot on it.
I will probably do away with the bore butter as well. I have heard mixed opinions concerning it.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

What do you think soaking for a full year will accomplish that soaking for a couple hours won't? Honestly, with all due respect I think you're over thinking it a bit. Not to mention, don't you shoot your guns in the offseason? I can't imagine going almost a year without shooting my Encore.


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

Swamp Monster said:


> What do you think soaking for a full year will accomplish that soaking for a couple hours won't? Honestly, with all due respect I think you're over thinking it a bit. Not to mention, don't you shoot your guns in the offseason? I can't imagine going almost a year without shooting my Encore.


this. Maybe try to figure out the root cause of the corrison/sticking and working on fixing that. Ihave hunted with my triumph in the snow, rain etc and never had a problem like you are descriping.

J-


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Swamp Monster said:


> I can't imagine going almost a year without shooting my Encore.


*THAT,* would be considered a sin around my place  Its starting to hurt just hearing that someone might do that.........

I'll give you guys that are using BH209 a hint again..............READ THIS OVER A COUPLE TIMES...........

For cleaning BH209, purchase *Montana X-Treme Blackhorn 209 Cleaner* and a nylon brush. PROBLEM AND WORK SOLVED !

I've used Rem Oil for so many years, I couldn't begin to remember when I started with it. Its a very light oil and I've never had a problem with any of my Encores or this Pro Hunter or, any other firearm for that matter. What's bore butter? Any good on toast? :lol:


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## Rick Butler (Dec 4, 2005)

Question; How do you remove the firing pin? I've had my Encore a few years now and never had any issues with it, but I've never attempted to remove the firing pin for cleaning.


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## ART (Jul 7, 2004)

The firing pin is housed in the breech face, that is held in by a single socket head screw.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

jjc155 said:


> this. Maybe try to figure out the root cause of the corrison/sticking and working on fixing that. Ihave hunted with my triumph in the snow, rain etc and never had a problem like you are descriping.
> 
> J-


 I shot this gun for a year with pioneer loose powder and never had a problem. I switched up one time to trip 7 pellets 3-50 grain pellets and thats when i started to notice the problem. Once i was done shooting the mag loads i went back to 100 grain loads. I never removed the firing pin assembly and cleaned this area. I cant say for sure if that is where the problem lies. 
I am keeping the removalbe parts out of the gun and well lubed until i take the gun out to shoot again, which wont be until the summer. I am doing whatever it takes to ensure this problem doesnt occur again. Im not taking any more chances.


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Clean the carbon out of the flash channel and you probably will have much less blow back, if any, which will help keep the breech clean. Just because you think you clean it, it most likely still has carbon buildup. Use a 1/8" drill bit BY HAND, using your FINGERS to turn it into the flash channel. Getting the carbon buildup out will help.


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## Enigma (Jan 30, 2006)

ART said:


> Ditch the 209 plug and get the .25acp ignition. No fouling at all in the breach area.
> And I do mean absolutely zero fouling.


 What do you mean by a 25 acp ignition? I'm new to muzzle loading I didn't know they had that for muzzle loaders?


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Enigma said:


> What do you mean by a 25 acp ignition? I'm new to muzzle loading I didn't know they had that for muzzle loaders?


There's all kinds of conversions that have been tried. A number of people do use the 25 ACP system. However, its not necessary.

Keeping the flash channel clean solves most of the problems.


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## ART (Jul 7, 2004)

.25 acp ignition uses a primed pistol case in place of the 209 primer. 
The 209 has way too much priming compound in it, and the high pressure in the breach area causes a lot of residue to coat the under lug, locking bolts, and through the primer hole into the firing pin.
Like I said before, there is zero fouling in these areas with the .25acp plug.


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## ScrubBuck (Feb 1, 2010)

Could clean it the "old" way with good old boiling "hot "water. I have been cleaning my muzzleloaders(T/C Firehawk, Encore, Pro-Hunter) this way for years. Never any problems and the barrels look "sparkly" clean when finished. Never look like they have been even fired...


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

ScrubBuck said:


> Could clean it the "old" way with good old boiling "hot "water. I have been cleaning my muzzleloaders(T/C Firehawk, Encore, Pro-Hunter) this way for years. Never any problems and the barrels look "sparkly" clean when finished. Never look like they have been even fired...


The old way is ok if you're shooting T7, 2f or pyrodex. If you're shooting BH209 you would use either Hoppe's #9 or better yet, Montana X-Treme.


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