Author Topic: 209 x 50 encore barrel- TC vs. TC Custom (Fox Ridge) (Read 897 times)

smoky · « **on:** December 11, 2003, 06:47:58 AM »

I am contemplating a 209 x 50 barrel purchase for my encore. It will be used primarily for whitetails and using sabot and/or powerbelts over pyrodex pellets or cleanshot (I am not a traditionalist by any means).

The standard 209x50 barrel is 28 inches long. The custom barrel can be bought as a 22.5 inch barrel (which is what I would prefer all else being equal).

My questions are:

1. Do I need a full 28" to burn both 100 grain and 150 grain loads?
2. Will the custom shop barrel significantly out shoot the factory barrel?
3. What concerns should I have with twist rate given the bullets I will be shooting.

The answers to these questions plus any other comments will be greatly appreciated.

Smoky

str8shooter48 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2003, 12:57:43 PM »

Smoky. I have an Encore 209x50 with a T/C factory stainless barrel. Its a pretty decent shooter. As for your questions:

1: It has a 26" barrel.
2: It has a 1 in 28" twist rifling made for shooting sabots.
3: I can't give you an honest answer as far as accuracy between factory and custom shop. The only good reason I can find for buying a custom shop barrel would be If I wanted a barrel to shoot conical bullets then I'd order a barrel with a 1 in 48" twist.

The only improvement I made on my gun was investing in a laminated stock set. World of difference between them and synthetic stock that came on it. I can't believe with a gun of that quality T/C went so cheesy on the synthetic stocks.

Hope that helps.

Good Luck

5Redman8 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2003, 04:53:18 AM »

Get the factory, send it to a Gunsmith, email me for the name of a very good one, have him cut and crown to your desired length. As far as using 100-150gr, I used 150 one time and learned my lesson. A lot of muzzle blast, recoil, and unburned powder flash. In my 26" barrel, 120gr works wonderfully. If you are set on 22.5" I would recommend 100gr.

Accuracy between the two should be no different. I have seen factory outshoot custom and vice versa. In my opinion, custom guns should shoot more loads accurate whereas a factory may only shoot one or two loads well.

On the Encore barrels, the Quick Load Area can be off center and need a cut and recrown anyway.

Feel free to email me,
Kyle

topboss8@yahoo.com

Underclocked · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2003, 06:40:40 AM »

I had the QLA cut off of my SS 209x45 barrel and the smith did an 11 degree target crown. A good job but that crown makes it dern tough to load boolets or sabots. And I always felt the sharp edges of the crown were being damaged with every load.

The other day I bought a 99 cent grinding/polishing ball from an auto parts store and went to work with my cordless drill. First ran just the ball into the end of the bore while moving the drill from side to side, to and fro to keep from forming a ridge on the ball. Then put a small square of 320 grit emery cloth over the end of the bore and press the ball into that while running. Then the same with a patch of rubbing compound and finally a patch of JB Bore Paste.

I think it turned out well. Rifle loads much easier and shoots just fine. The little fuzzies and bits of color are just lint and artifacts from the camera flash.

444encore · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2003, 05:04:01 PM »

Can't speak for difference in accuracy from a factory to Custom shop 209x.50. but my 209x.50 barrel is among those that I have from the Custom shop, and my experiance show's these barrels to be more accurate than factory barrels in rifle calibers. As far as length goes, my barrel is a 15" pistol barrel. In conjunction with 2 50 gr pyrodex pellets and a 300 gr Barnes Expander MZ clocked in the 1600 fps range, I have had no problem dropping big deer. Go to the range and shoot till you find a load that works for you instead of spending your hard earned dollars altering an already good gun.

Idaho Elk Hunter · « **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2003, 03:24:29 PM »

I have the 209 factory barrel and no way is the custom shop version going to out shoot it. All bullet hole touch if I do my part. Now if they will make a cap conversion I could use it to hunt with.

444encore · « **Reply #6 on:** December 17, 2003, 03:50:23 PM »

Idaho? Cap conversion? explain... no 209 huntin in Idaho?

Idaho Elk Hunter · « **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2003, 02:04:40 PM »

No 209 hunting here during regular ml season and have been told that no conversion is made for the Encore.

444encore · « **Reply #8 on:** December 20, 2003, 02:26:45 PM »

Darn Idaho,
Sorry to hear that. It wouldn't be a whole lot of trouble to modify a 209 breech plug to thread in a cap nipple. But the real challenge would be building something to replace the firing pin. There's not a whole lot of room to work with in front of the hammer. Not to mention, the diameter
of the forward end of your new pin would have to be larger than the back end which would make for tricky measures to retain it

Idaho Elk Hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** December 20, 2003, 03:40:28 PM »

I just bought it about 4 months ago and then moved here not knowing the regulations. Well the worse thing is it shoots as good as any rifle I own at 1oo yards. I havent tried it any farther. I hate to part with it and have tried swapping but no luck so I am getting ready to take some pics and put it on eBay and let it go.
Thanks, Ted