Tell me honestly about your T/C Encore experiences

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

We've debated on another board about the relative accuracy of an Encore (or similar break-action single shot) vs. a modern turnbolt.

The consensus seems to be that although the Encore certainly has *potential* to really really shoot, it's much more sensitive than a turnbolt to things like exact headspacing, tight lockup, & forearm pressure/bedding, so that many of the Encores supposedly will 'string' from the factory, until tweaked / spending money on it, unlike a modern turnbolt, almost all of which will do 1 to 1.5 MOA (or better) from the factory with premium ammo or tuned handloads, even the cheapies.

So what's your real experience with YOUR Encore/Prohunter? Or your Contender/G2 for that matter? Did you get good, mediocre, or poor accuracy from the factory? Did you try a Bulberry, S&K, or other aftermarket barrel, and if so, was it better, worse, about the same, or unknown, compared to the original factory barrel? Did you experience any stringing? Did you verify any headspace problems or other problems with the barrel? Did you/do you use an oversized pin for tighter lockup? Have you done anything else to tweak it (trigger job, barrel bedding, etc.), and if so, did it help? To hear some tell it, you'll be LUCKY to get 4 or 5 MOA from an Encore from the factory. Thanks.

I got an Encore but I haven't shot it yet! Can't shoot it Sat b/c I'm going on a youth turkey hunt in the afternoon, so have to spend my range time Sat morning patterning the shotgun for the kid.

 

[2tothechest]

My dad has a Prohunter in .223. It is a sub MOA rifle with factory ammo. Straight out of the box with encore barrel. He shot the nail off that was holding the target on the third try.

 

[Hawkeye60]

I gave up on mine and finally sold it. The smoke gun barrel would not come close to advertised performance and the rifle barrels I tried were not much better.

 

[guns_not_groceries]

I have an Encore with a 30-06 barrel and .223 barrel. The 30-06 is a solid MOA performer with Remington Core-Lock. I think it could do better with handloads, but I doubt the whitetails would care. The .223 barrel is a 1/2-3/4 MOA performer with my handloads. It's not uncommon to get several 1/4" 5 shot groups on range trips.

 

[ldp4570]

Don't have an Encore, but do have an TC Aristocrat in .223 and 30-06. I've yet to shoot the -06 barrel. The .223 works well with 45 to 55gr pills, and will shoot MOA or less with just about any loading of these weights. Once you start to increase bullet weight the spin isn't fast enough to stabilize these and you start getting keyholes on the target.

 

[kdlong]

i have an encore with the 25-06 and 22-250. the 25-06 is a heavy barrel. it will shot a 3 shot group at a hundred yards that i can cover with a nickel using factory remington 100 grain bullets. the 22-250 will actually put them through the same hole using factory win 45 grain bullets.i am starting to reload for both so i am hoping to improve the 25-06.

 

[Roarak]

I have a 10" Contender in 7mm TCU that shoots sub MOA out to 200 meters all day long. These are of course handloads though...

I can knock down rams with boring ease at 200m all day long.

Also have a 14" 223 barrel that will hold at least MOA with good ammo

 

[Garand]

I have a 20" .22-250 Bullberry full Bull barrel on my Encore.. It easily shoots MOA with Factory match ammo.. and a bit out of MOA with the Winchester white box cheapies...

It's easily the most accurate rifle in my collection.

 

[patrickcudd]

I only have three Encore barrels that I have really sat down and dialed in. A 16.5" 6.5x284 Bullberry that I have shot 1" 3 shot 200 yard groups. A 15" 30-06 pistol barrel that I have managed to get 1.5" 3 shot 100 yard groups. And my muzzle loader barrel that gets 1.5" to 2" at 100 yards.

I don't know if I've just been lucky so far, but it is by far my favorite platform!

 

[ttt]

I've got a couple that I shoot regularly - factory barrels, not custom. I guess I have been very lucky. Quality Leupold scopes on both.

7mm-08 24 in: MOA accuracy. No preference on ammo. I like Hornady. Longest whitetail kill 375 yards (by laser range finder).
22-250 24 in: MOA accuracy. Best on Federal Premium.

Flaming is definitely not intended here. However, most people worry about how well a gun will shoot on paper at 100 yards. If your purpose is competitive target shooting at moderate or longer distances, then you should be looking at custom rifles. However, if you want to go hunting, most if not all modern quality major manufacturers produce good products that will allow you to take games at moderate distances out of the box with commercially produced ammunition.

More importantly, you will perform the best when your guns fit you well, allow you to hold & point them effortlessly, and wear the optics that you are most comfortable looking through. I started in my younger years shooting what I could afford, progressed to unnecessarily high end custom products, and have now come full circle after 30 years.