Encore,
not to worry, you're doing fine. I'm guessing it took you some time to shoot tiny groups with your rifles, so it's going to take you some time to iron out your bench rest technique with the pistol. Most Contender and Encore centerfire, bottleneck, chamberings will shoot 1 moa or very close to it in the factory barrels. Some challenge you a bit more than others. If you want to maximize your accuracy with the lower powered scope, try some of T/C's specialty targets. They make some targets with inverted orange V's that are very good for shooting tiny groups, they aren't cheap but they are good. If you want to maximize your potential at 100-300yds, you are going to have to go to a higher magnification optic. If you want to use your pistol to hunt with also, get a variable such as the Leupol 2.5-8 or the Burris 3-12. I like both scopes, and I own both, for the same reasons I like these type of scopes on rifles. They offer low magnification for hunting and high magnification for load development. 1.5" groups at 100yds are nothing to sneeze at, you're doing just fine. You will get your pistol to shoot under 1moa at 100yds, you just may have to change your optics. I started with a TC Contender in 7mm TC/U and moved to a XP-100 in 7mm BR, it would shoot under .75 moa with a ton of different loads using a early 2.5-7 Burris. I had the pistol rechambered to .284 Winchester and put a 2.5-8 Leupold on it and it will still shoot into less than .75" when I do my part. I purchased a .35Remington XP-100R a few years ago and have no problem shooting groups under .75 moa with factory ammo. The reloads are where this caliber really shines.
My reccomendations, other than a ton of practice and load development, would be to purchase a variable scope with more magnification, tailor your targets to your optics, and have a trigger job done on your Encore as they are not that good out of the box. The triggers are not bad, but they are far from good. Other than that, shoot the shice out of it and have fun. That's what it's all about. The more you shoot it, the better YOU will be, and YOU are usually the limiting factor, not the weapon. The performance of a firearm is not based soley on the tiny groups, what do .25" groups mean when the pistol is only capable of cleanly taking medium game out to 250yds? Get some bigger glass and practice, you'll be shooting sub moa groups. If you find that your pistol will not do this, get a Bullberry or other custom barrel with the floated forend, and introduce yourself to .5 moa groups.
Contrary to popular opinion about straight walled cases, I shoot a .357Max in a Contender that will shoot moa with cast bullets. I know from shooting with silhouette shooters that this in not uncommon. I've seen .357 or .375 Supermag DW revolvers that will shoot 2" or less at 100yds with a scope.
