Author Topic: I'm saying good bye to Encores (Read 3010 times)

Mike357mag · « **on:** September 20, 2005, 12:08:32 PM »

I recently decided to get rid of all my encore stuff. Had to many accuracy issues when changing between two frames. One frames hinge pin could be put in and out by hand the other you needed a hammer all the way. The encore was fun but I did not have anywhere near the trouble when I had my old contender setup. I may have some stuff for sale in a week. Most is already promised to be sold here localy. I have already sold 2 frames, a 280 barrel, 50 cal barrel, 12 ga slug barrel and possibly the 450 marlin barrel. I'm giving things aboput a week then whats left will be in the classifieds. I'm thinking of getting the omega z5 as a replacement and have already purchased the new england 20 gauge slug gun.

Thanks for all the support

Mike H

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2005, 06:14:46 PM »

Sorry to hear that. I have 4 Encore's and just love the guns. I got rid of all my Contender stuff.

two slow · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2005, 08:15:52 PM »

I'm bout to do the same. I just haven't had a good chance to try the muzzleloader barrel out yet though.

hunting1 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2005, 09:10:33 PM »

I loved the Encore concept, but for the money it shot like crap, so I sold it. My most accurate barrel was the 209 x 50. The 7-08, 223, and 30-06 were all 3" groupers. I am not an accuracy freek, but come on. From reading it seems they are hit or miss. Good luck!

iiibbb · « **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2005, 02:35:58 AM »

From reading it also seems like people have nothing but problems, or everything shoots great.

That would imply when there is a problem it's a frame thing, rather than a barrel thing (which is what everyone keeps sending back to TC).

I imagine the ratio of problems:no-problems is higher in here than in real life.

5Redman8 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2005, 07:23:34 AM »

I got rid of my Encore package ,mostly VVGC and Bellm equipment, a little less than a year ago. Got a great offer and took it.

Best move I ever made. The frustration of doing all the tricks and not being able to maintain POI from barrel switching got to me.

Had a custom bolt gun built and I LOVE IT.

Zero is constant POI is constant and it shoots tiny little bug holes ALL day at 100yds and 2 inch groups at 500yds.

Those that like the Encore, good for you and to those of you who don't, get rid of it and try something else. Different strokes......

Kyle

Keith L · « **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2005, 03:12:25 PM »

What I don't get is why the problems with the Encores and so little similar problems with Contenders, even the dreaded G2s.

coyote 2 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2005, 11:21:10 AM »

Well - my Encore is a keeper - I got rid of the factory barrel and purchased a 1" x20" Bullberry barrel in the 223. So far it shoots like a dream - and will be a keeper for me - it has out shot all of my bolt rifles.... :lol:

Dave1 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 04, 2005, 07:19:38 AM »

It is obvious that some get good Encores and some don't. It is also very obvious there are some "issues" with too many of these guns. Your chances appear to be about 50/50 as to whether you get a good one or not. For a $500-$600 base gun investment, those are not good odds.

Why is it that some of these guns can be great problem free shooters while others cannot be made to shoot with any amount of modifications?

It disturbs me that TC or any other gun mfg. could or would produce a fairly expensive gun that has such a checkered questionable record of quality control. These problems have been going on for years now and TC has had adequate time to realize the problems address the issues. It appears they have not made any improvements or changes as the same problems keep surfacing.

The Encore is a unique gun. It's too bad TC cannot or will not make the changes in design, engineering, or material to eliminate the problems.

Just my opinion.

Dave

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2005, 07:54:26 AM »

Quote from: Dave1

It is obvious that some get good Encores and some don't. It is also very obvious there are some "issues" with too many of these guns. Your chances appear to be about 50/50 as to whether you get a good one or not. For a $500-$600 base gun investment, those are not good odds.

Why is it that some of these guns can be great problem free shooters while others cannot be made to shoot with any amount of modifications?

It disturbs me that TC or any other gun mfg. could or would produce a fairly expensive gun that has such a checkered questionable record of quality control. These problems have been going on for years now and TC has had adequate time to realize the problems address the issues. It appears they have not made any improvements or changes as the same problems keep surfacing.

The Encore is a unique gun. It's too bad TC cannot or will not make the changes in design, engineering, or material to eliminate the problems.

Just my opinion.

Dave

I don't think it is 50/50. I have had total 7 Encore frames, I sold 2 to a good friend and he loves them. He has both 50/209 M/L barrels. Another buddy has another one I sold him in 22-250, another great shooter, he just put a 50/209 barrel on it and it is a shooter also. I still have 4 Encores, a 50 cal M/L, 45 cal M/L, 22-250 and a 416 Rigby. All are shooters and are extremely accurate. So 7 Encores and 7 shooters. I would say T/C is 100%. JMHO

Bullseye · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2005, 07:58:26 AM »

The shooter would be one variable to the differences.

tcman · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2005, 06:47:36 PM »

My experience has been that if you do some tinkering with the things, you can make a good shooter. Both the 25-06 and 22-250 barrels I bought had a little more headspace than I like. T/C thought the excess H/S on the 22-250 was just ducky and sent it back. (Didn't bother wasting my time or money sending in the 25-06 barrel...already knew what their answer would be) As such, I resolved the issue with adjusting my dies and fire forming my brass....shouldn't have to do that but oh well.

End result is the 25-06 shoots a 0.44" group at 100 yards and the 22-250 shoots a 1/2" group at 100 yards. I want those both to shrink a little and they will once I have the time to dedicate to serious load development.

leapin lunker · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2005, 01:45:52 AM »

My Encores shoot just fine, for me. Personally, I think folks get too caught up in group size. These weapons are primarily for hunting, not target shooting. If a person is a bench grinder at the range, then perhaps purchasing a gun specifically for target shooting would be more satisfying. IMHO, if the darn thing will shoot within 6 inches of where I aim when in the field off of whatever stance, brace etc. then it will kill what I shoot.

:grin:

poncaguy · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2005, 03:17:36 AM »

My Encore with pistol barrels is very accurate. With rifle barrels, the 204 Ruger barrel is accurate too. The 7mm-08 and 209x50 BP barrels aren't. I believe thoses barrels just need to be shot a lot more, they both have less than 50 rounds through them. I will keep them all though, and keep trying to improve them.

Omega · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2005, 04:22:36 AM »

Quote from: poncaguy

The 7mm-08 and .

I am just working up a 7/08 and wasn't getting good groups until I went down to the 120 grain bullets. I was shooting 3-4 inch groups with the 139 grain IB and scratching my head, wondering if I'd finally got a bad barrel after more than a dozen shooters. RE 15 and AA4350 are great powders for the round. Right now a near max load of RE 15 behind a 120 BT is getting me under that inch mark. I don't usually push my loads as I find best accuracy comes from slower loads, but this barrel is the odd one that likes it hot.
On the ML barrel just for giggles try 2 - 50 grain pyrodex pellets and a 250 SST, every ML I have shoots that load good.

poncaguy · « **Reply #15 on:** October 10, 2005, 10:11:55 AM »

I'll give the 250 SST's and the Pyrodex pellets a try.......just so darn hard to load, epecially if I need a fast second shot when deer hunting. I know the 777 pellets and 348 grain Powerbelts allowed me to reload and get a deer on 2nd try this year in my Pursuit LT because they load so easy and fast.

New Hampshire · « **Reply #16 on:** October 10, 2005, 12:15:01 PM »

We need to face the reality. There has to be, what, on the order of THOUSANDS of Encores out there. Many people who regularly use the computer and sites like this, who have a problem with their Encore are most likely going to come here. If you got EVERY owner of an Encore and asked them yea or nay, Id bet the odds grossly go to the yeas. Heck, I bet if you simply posted a poll of the same question on this page it would still go in the Encores favor. The thing is, even with the best of modern technology, something that is mass produced is going to have a flaw slip through srom time to time. It happens with ALL the gun manufacturers. Does that mean the product is inferior? Nope just means the combination of tolerances equals up to an oopsie. Kinda sucks when your droping $500, but think about the poor shmuck who just spent $20,000 on a car that wont run right.....
Brian

Omega · « **Reply #17 on:** October 11, 2005, 01:32:38 PM »

My new 25/06 Encore barrel is a keeper for sure! The blue squares are 1/4" and that 3 shot group is about 3/16th of an inch CTC near as I can figure. Shot today @ 109 yards

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 11, 2005, 04:55:50 PM »

Quote from: Omega

My new 25/06 Encore barrel is a keeper for sure! The blue squares are 1/4" and that 3 shot group is about 3/16th of an inch CTC near as I can figure. Shot today @ 109 yards

I would have to say that you have a shooter there.

Nice group...

5Redman8 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 16, 2005, 03:41:58 AM »

My problem with the Encore never was accuracy of the gun. I shot MANY groups under .5" and a few in the .2" range. Accuracy was never my issue.

Maintaining a consistant Point of Impact from switching barrels was the issue. Now, I am much more ANAL than most. POI would often only move an inch. But the distances at which I shoot, that inch makes a big difference.

And being this anal meant resighting with every barrel switch. At the time, I was using GS Custom bullets at over $1 each. This compounded the frustration. Even when not shooting the GS Customs, I hated to got out and sight in every switch. Many times on our deer lease, I wanted to change calibers but did not due to POI.

I tried every trick to help POI, oversized hinge pins, bought a torque wrench to make sure forend pressure was consistent, to no or little avail.

I still reload for several Encores(family) and they all get wonderful accuracy(mostly VVGC, Bullberry, or SSK) but I tell them to resight with every barrel change!!!

Kyle

Encore28 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 16, 2005, 05:57:55 AM »

Redman
I solved that problem of switching barrels.......................I bought more frames----No switching anymore!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol:
Enncore28

dakotashooter2 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 31, 2005, 10:48:40 AM »

I definitly saw some differences between my encore and contender frames. The encore seems to be more fickle though not as much as some guys are seeing. When I had my contender I could grab any barrel and forearm combo and not have a problem. As a matter of fact I could even swap the scope from one barrel to another and only have to make a slight elevation adjustment. You have to wonder if tollerances just have gotten a bit sloppy.

longwinters · « **Reply #22 on:** October 31, 2005, 12:26:52 PM »

My 209x50 is a great shooter, at least out to 100 yds. Never shot it past that distance. I did have some trouble with my 1st 7m-08 barrel but the 2nd was a good shooter. I just did not like the recoil, even with a Boyds laminate stock. But I will keep the muzzleloader. And am maybe thinking about getting back into the pistol thing. I dearly regret trading off my 7-30 waters .

Long