Differences in Encore and Pro Hunter

[Silvertp]

Ive been reading up on these two for quite some time now and Im still not sure I know the differences.

Near as I can tell the only difference in the actions is that the pro-hunter has a hammer extension.  Is there anything else???

Also, can the Encore accept the longer pro-hunter barrels?

Im wanting to purchase / trade for an action and want to make sure I know how the 2 models stack up.

Thanks!
Silvertp

[DEACONLLB]

Hi
The difference in Encore and pro hunter is only about three things. First the pro hunter has a hammer ear that can be placed in any direction right, center, or left or any where in between, that is to make it easier to cock with out a hammer extension. I found this feature not to my liking so placed it in center and installed a hammer extension. Next the pro hunter has a little engraving on right side of frame that says pro hunter and last most come with a 28 inch fluted barrel which I did not care for, made the gun too heavy. Encore hammer is fixed at center, has no engraving but you can get it with 28 inch fluted barrel if you wish. As far as I know all encore and pro hunter barrels interchange. I use the 24 and 26 inch tapered barrels on mine. In my opinion the pro hunter price difference from encore is not worth the money unless you just want to say I have a pro hunter

Deaconllb

[Hopalong7]

Bells and whisles only.....nothing significant.  Walt 
No, I didn't say that I don't want one.
Truefully, I think the best part of the Pro Hunter is the flex-tech stock and since I've gotten old and wimpy, I love it.  Yea, I'm the same guy who said if it wasn't "walnut and blue" I wouldn't have it.

[Smokepole cowboy]

I put a flex tech stock on my standard Encore.  Really made a difference.

[martineta]

I did buy the Pro Hunter 50 Cal muzzle loader as I wanted the hand release breech plug for ease of cleaning.  I put the flex tec stock on all three of my encores.  I do love the new stocks.  They really do minimize recoil for us older Wimpy Wombly shooters. All barrels for encore and pro hunter rifles are interchangable.

[Silvertp]

Well folks, I gotta thank you all.  You teamed up on my question and answered all those nagging things I was trying to figure out. 
-Barrels are interchangeable. 
-Sounds like the flex tech stock can swap back and forth as well.  To be honest, I was kinda thinking those stocks would be a nice addition to shooting comfort.
-Engraving is a non-issue for me as Im looking at function first, though I do admit to enjoying a little fleur now and again.
-The hammer ear switch-ability on the pro sounds interesting but I think an extension would serve me well if needed for scope clearance.
Much appreciated.

Silvertp

[Keith L]

"-The hammer ear switch-ability on the pro sounds interesting but I think an extension would serve me well if needed for scope clearance."

You were doing fine until you came to this one.  More often than not when folks are having troubles with guns that fail to fire, or are shooting erotically, the cause is one of the hammer extensions.  They are trouble for many (work fine for some).   While the switch hammer seems cool, it doesn't seem to me to get out of the way enough.  The answer seems to be high enough rings to get access to the hammer.

[Silvertp]

Keith ... thanks for the heads-up.  I didn't realize that there were incidents of fail to fire associated with hammer extensions.  Thats good to know. 

Im not a fan of high rings but sounds like that might be the lesser of the evils.  I sure don't want to give up reliability.

Cheers
Silvertp

[Keith L]

And you can get away with less that monster rings if you have a normal sized objective lens.  Good luck and have fun with it.

[Swampman]

If you want it later on, the T/C Custom shop can do it.  I think I'd want it myself.

ENCORE SWING HAMMER CONVERSION
We will install a new pivoting hammer to help you achieve easy access when a scope is in the way. Please send your frame only minus the stock and barrel. We will install all new components and your old ones will NOT be returned to you. If you have had any custom work done i.e. a trigger job, your firearm will be sent back to you at factory specification.
 
Encore Swing Hammer™ Conversion No. 7511

$69.95

[Idaho_Elk_Huntr]

I say ad some more cash and get a new barrel and leave the swing hammer alone

[hogwire]

IMO about 100 to 150 well spent dollars, specially in the M/L. I bought the Thumbhole camo standard and the first thing I did was change the recoil pad and the extractor. If I knew a what I knew now I would have gotten the Pro Hunter version and got these allready. That standard pad was harrrrrrrrd! Got a PH forend for rifle barrel I have coming and it was only 8 buck higher than the standard camo synthetic. Didn't need the swing hammer but if you do the math I think the PH is worth the extra cost, at least at my dealer it is.  lp

[saltydog]

Hammer extensions are nice on a snowy, blowy cold winter day when you do not want to take your gloves off.

[Keith L]

Hammer extensions are nice on a snowy, blowy cold winter day when you do not want to take your gloves off.

And a great way to have your gun go click when you want it to go bang.

[Silvertp]

Thanks folks for all your advice.

Just picked up a used stainless pro-hunter action w/flex tech stock.  No more trying to figure out what to buy.  Think my first bbl will be a 12 ga turkey bbl for this spring, or maybe a 20 ga slug bbl in preparation for a "short range" whitetail hunt this coming fall.

Can't wait to finish putting this outfit together and see how it shoots.

Silvertp

[Varmint Hunter]

I find the swing hammer useless. It still takes two fingers to reliably cock the stiff  hammer with my Leupold 1x5 scope in place. Raising the scope doesn't help with proper eye/scope alignment.

I may try an extension once I get the rifle shooting well.