Encore accuracy?

[jaybird]

Hello,

Since getting into reloading, I have been toying with the idea of picking up an encore. I like the idea of being able to pick up new calibers without having to buy a new rifle. I was wondering what kind of accuracy these guns are capable of. Are they comparable to bolt action rifles? I love developing new loads, but I think I would be frustrated if I bought a gun that was not capable of 1" or better groups at 100 yds.

Thanks,
Jim

[hogrdr]

Picture says it all I think you will like them!

Hog

[Grumulkin]

All of my Encore rifle barrels have done no worse than 1 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards with the exception of a 375 H&H Mag. barrel that I only got to do about 1.5 inch 100 yard groups.  My scoped T/C Encore and Contender handgun barrels will do 1.5 inches or better as well.  Some of my barrels do much better (i.e., 222 Rem., 204 Ruger, 25/06, 22-250, 223 Rem. AI, 223 Rem, etc.).

Technically speaking, a good bolt action rifle should be able to get better accuracy than a break action Encore or Contender but most of them don't in most shooters hands.

[Greenmtnboy66]

Why yall only posting pic with three shots,
The norm is a five shot groups.
Out of my 308,375 win,375JDJ I get inch to inch and a half FIVE shot groups.
The main thing you need to pay attention to is your AOL, and reloading consistancy.
Also being a owner of contenders and encores for over twenty years the one thing that kills accuracy is pin slop.
I always put in a 2x over size hinge pin.

[onesonek]

Why yall only posting pic with three shots,
The norm is a five shot groups.
Out of my 308,375 win,375JDJ I get inch to inch and a half FIVE shot groups.
The main thing you need to pay attention to is your AOL, and reloading consistancy.
Also being a owner of contenders and encores for over twenty years the one thing that kills accuracy is pin slop.
I always put in a 2x over size hinge pin.

Mostly because 5 shot groups aren't neccessary unless you are shooting groups in competition. Yes you get a broader deviation to work from, but in the hunting field how often do you need 5 shots? 3 shot groups give a fair enough representation of the load, and if you miss 3 times chances are 4 and 5 won't do much good either.



Dave

[NoBull60]

Just reinforcing 3 shot groups. Most hunting rifles are sporters and tend to warm up more. If the first shot didn't make it's mark, it's either wounded or in the next section of land still gaining speed. My 223 is dead on and I hope to get a 243 next year as good as my 223.

NoBull60

[JustaShooter]

Right after breaking in the barrel my Pro Hunter in .243 win was shooting 5-shot groups right at an inch at 100 yards with factory Federal "blue box" 80 grain soft points.  I'm getting better than that with reloads, my best load is producing half inch 5-shot groups.

[Greenmtnboy66]

Just reinforcing 3 shot groups. Most hunting rifles are sporters and tend to warm up more. If the first shot didn't make it's mark, it's either wounded or in the next section of land still gaining speed. My 223 is dead on and I hope to get a 243 next year as good as my 223.

NoBull60

As a competive shooter a five shot string is the norm.
If you are worried about a barrel heating up after the third shot slow down, bring more than one rifle to shoot and clean between shots.
A three shot string may look good on paper but dosen't show what the best load is.
Three shot strings became the norm with writers selling their supporters guns in gun mags.
ALL the main writers Mike Vrintino etc.... Stress five shot groups.
Sorry if you can't get MOA at 100 yrds with five shots but that is what seperates good accuracy to competive accuracy.

[Grumulkin]

You can use various numbers of shots to verify accuracy.  You could also say that 10 shots is better than 5 shots.  You could say that the average of five 10 shot groups is more meaningful than a single 10 shot group.  I use 3 shot groups because with an accurate firearm 3 shots gives a very good idea of accuracy and I don't see the point in wasteing ammo to prove something that doesn't need to be proven.  Also, though I posted a single 3 shot target, I've shot multiple 3 shot groups with this rifle so know it's a representative grouping.  My best 3 shot 100 yard group with this rifle, by the way, about 0.14 inches center to center but most of the time it doesn't do quite that well.

For you who like 5 shot groups, here's 0.785 inch 100 yard group I shot with my Contender wearing it's 204 Ruger barrel.

[BAP]

i am more of a hunter with my encore in 300 win.mag than a comp. shooter .
and i was getting an 1.5 inch group with 185gr facktory loads at 100yds. letting the barrel cool all the way down after each shot(because in hunting its the first and only shot that i hope to take)
i tried 150gr remington corelockt this year and got an inch group at 100 yds. with most holes touching. and the best part is that both deer i shot with this load were dead before they hit the ground..the doe i shot was 50yds. the buck was at 257yds ...
i think you will enjoy an encore....bap

[Grumulkin]

This 1.5 inch 3 shot group was shot with a T/C Encore handgun chambered for 460 S&W Magnum from 200 yards.

That's me in my avatar with the handgun and a Klipspringer I took with it from a range of about 180 yards using the same load.

[Ahab]

Just reinforcing 3 shot groups. Most hunting rifles are sporters and tend to warm up more. If the first shot didn't make it's mark, it's either wounded or in the next section of land still gaining speed. My 223 is dead on and I hope to get a 243 next year as good as my 223.

NoBull60

I agree, Also I've stopped shooting 5 shot groups because it's getting too danged expensive.

[Greenmtnboy66]

You can use various numbers of shots to verify accuracy.  You could also say that 10 shots is better than 5 shots.  You could say that the average of five 10 shot groups is more meaningful than a single 10 shot group.  I use 3 shot groups because with an accurate firearm 3 shots gives a very good idea of accuracy and I don't see the point in wasteing ammo to prove something that doesn't need to be proven.  Also, though I posted a single 3 shot target, I've shot multiple 3 shot groups with this rifle so know it's a representative grouping.  My best 3 shot 100 yard group with this rifle, by the way, about 0.14 inches center to center but most of the time it doesn't do quite that well.

For you who like 5 shot groups, here's 0.785 inch 100 yard group I shot with my Contender wearing it's 204 Ruger barrel.

Are you measuring that center to center outside spred?

[Grumulkin]

I'm measuring center to center of those 2 holes that are farthest apart.  When it's a one hole group, I measure to the outside edges of the hole and subtract the bullet diameter.

[nomosendero]

This 1.5 inch 3 shot group was shot with a T/C Encore handgun chambered for 460 S&W Magnum from 200 yards.

That's me in my avatar with the handgun and a Klipspringer I took with it from a range of about 180 yards using the same load.

Good shooting

[BillinOregon]

Grumulkin: I agree with Nomosendero on that .460 group: Very fine shooting. What sort of velocity are you getting? Where did you hunt in Africa?

[Grumulkin]

I've never measured the velocity of that load directly.  I tried to measure it one day but with the chronograph in the usual place (a few feet from the muzzle), the blast was so severe I couldn't get accurate readings.  I didn't have time that day to mess with putting the chronograph 10 or 15 fee down range that day.  Some day I'll try again.  I had the same problem in getting accurate velocity readings with my 458 Lott.

Knowing the ballistic coeficient of the bullet and knowing the bullet drop from 100 to 200 yards, I have estimated the velocity to be about 2,350 fps.

I took the Klipspringer as well as a Zebra, Red Hartebeest and a bunch of other animals with that gun and load in South Africa this past April.