SS/Black Composite or Blued/Wood for new Encore?

[ArmyMajor]

I'm planning on purchasing a new 209 x .50 Encore soon, and I'm debating over the SS/Black Composite versus the Blued/Wood models.  (Eventually, I'd like to own a .270 rifle barrel and a 12 gauge slug barrel as well.)  I like the look and feel of the SS/Composite model best, but it feels like it might be a little bit "front heavy."  The Blued/Wood model seems to be a little better balanced (not as "front heavy" as the SS/Comp model).  However, I don't think I can get the 12 gauge slug barrel in SS if I decide to do so in the future.    

In your experience, are there any significant advantages/disadvantages to either model?  Which one do you recommend?  Thanks!

 :grin:

[Mike357mag]

Never seen much advantage to either, I prefer the composite because you never have to worry about different forends matching the stock.  I also preferred blue because the barrels are a little cheaper and their is more to choose from in the blue barrels.  It seams like new calibers always come out in blue first.  For the muzzle loader barrel I would prefer stainless because of the corrosives in the powder. In the future you may have so many barrels you may get an extra stock and frame thats what made me get rid off all my walnut stock/forends.

Mike H

[Redhawk1]

I could never decide, so I got 4 Encore's set up differently. I have a 45 Cal Muzzleloader blue with black composite stock and forearm, a 50 cal muzzleloader in stainless steel and a camo stock and forearm, a 22-250 in stainless steel with a thumbhole laminated and forearm and a 416 Rigby blue with a walnut stock and forearm. I gave up and switching out barrels.  

Not much help was I.  :-D

[southern utah]

I have only Stainless with composite. The stainless for weather resistance and the composite is lighter to pack and seems to absorb more of the recoil

[Redhawk1]

I have only Stainless with composite. The stainless for weather resistance and the composite is lighter to pack and seems to absorb more of the recoil

I notice the wooden stock, because of the extra weight seems to absorb more of the recoil.  

[ArmyMajor]

Thanks for the feedback!  The main reason I'm soliciting opinions on this topic is because I recently read an article by Randy Wakeman at http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2f.gun_test.htm which was somewhat critical of the composite stock on the Encore 209 x .50.  Mr. Wakeman, although very positive about the Encore 209 x .50 as a whole, said the following about the composite stock:  

"On the negative side, the synthetic camo stock originally supplied was poor, a point amplified by the rest of the gun being nearly flawless. This stock does not belong on this rifle. The thin, overly soft recoil pad offered near instant collapse, bottoming out on every shot. The hollow buttstock made the gun muzzle heavy, and the pesky recoil pad was poorly fitted, leaving buttstock plastic jutting out on both sides. It is perhaps the worst stock set I've seen on a rifle in this price range; my Beeman R-9 pellet gun's stock is a stellar achievement by comparison.

To add injury to insult, the scope (despite 4 inches plus of eye relief) popped my shooting glasses every other shot. This appears to be a serious vendor problem with the synthetic stock. This may be corrected by now, I cannot say."

Although I completely respect his opinion as a very experienced shooter, I am always open to other opinions.  If anyone else has any thoughts on this, please join the discussion.
 :grin:

[DaddyPaul]

I have 2 frames and all the types of furniture for them.  I actually prefer the synthetic stocks for my 24" barrels as they balance better to me.  With the wood stocks the gun seems to be more stock heavy.  With my synthetic stocks they balance just right for my liking.  I have Sims pads on all of them and the only one that doesn't fit like a smith installed it is one of the wood stocks?  I like the fact that I can alter the synthetic forearms easier than wood to free float the barrels.

PS  Both frames are blued finish.

[str8shooter48]

Check around for an Encore with a Boyds laminated stock on it. They were all over the place here in NY. the past year or so.

I bought my Encore 209x50 about 4 years ago. S/S with the black synthetic stock set. I really hated that stock so I replaced it with a Boyd laminated set. A major improvement over the synthetic.

I bought my set at E.A. Brown Inc. It looks like they are on sale right now for $109 for the set. That a deal compared to what I paid last year.

 http://www.eabco.com/encorestocks.html

[Big Blue]

For BP rifles I would prefer SS and composite to blue and wood strictly for the ease of clean up and corrosion resistance. To me nothing looks better than a nicely done walnut stock.
Don

[sk330lc]

I have only Stainless with composite. The stainless for weather resistance and the composite is lighter to pack and seems to absorb more of the recoil

I notice the wooden stock, because of the extra weight seems to absorb more of the recoil.  

Redhawk Is Right in my opinion.. The Walnut Seems to Absorb a lot More recoil In the 12GA...    Will not shoot,  My slug Barrel with the composite Stock If possible..

[southern utah]

I had both the blue w/ wood and SS w/composite at the same time and used the blue setup as backup. The SS w/composite seemed to have less recoil. Loads were blue w/wood  - 300 gr sabot & 100 grs pyrodex, SS w /composite  250 gr sabot & 150 grs pyrodex. Scope wasn't an issue because we can only use a 1x scope in Utah so I use the open sites.

[jrkrk]

Get the stainless and synthetic even though the synthetic is lighter than the wood it absorbs recoil much better. I recently shot my 300 win mag  and there is less felt recoil with the synthetic than with the wood.

[ArmyMajor]

Thanks for all your help!!!  I bought my new gun this weekend.  I went with the stainless/synthetic model for $519.99 on sale at a local gun shop.  Thanks again!