Author Topic: How much trouble do you go thru tuning your Pro Hunter rifle ? (Read 1854 times)

oldelkhunter · « **on:** February 09, 2009, 09:46:09 AM »

I went to the famous Mike Bell-M site and looked thru article after article of recommendations for TC single shots. From adjusting your trigger to checking for headspace, inaccurate chamber throats and on and on. How many of you here jump thru those hoops to get your Prohunters shooting well, or do you just go out and buy a replacment barrel mount a scope and call it a day? Thanks

DEACONLLB · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2009, 10:31:09 AM »

All I have ever done is buy a barrel ,ad a scope and mount, bore sight it,then take it out and shoot it to get it on final zero. I am not doing any bench rest shooting just use that to get it in the 10 ring. for me keeping it in the black at 100 yrds is good enought to kill a deer. If you are into bench rest target shooting then I think you would need to do some tune up work but what works for me may not work for you.
Deaconllb

oldelkhunter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2009, 10:38:27 AM »

Quote

All I have ever done is buy a barrel ,ad a scope and mount, bore sight it,then take it out and shoot it to get it on final zero. I am not doing any bench rest shooting just use that to get it in the 10 ring. for me keeping it in the black at 100 yrds is good enought to kill a deer. If you are into bench rest target shooting then I think you would need to do some tune up work but what works for me may not work for you.
Deaconllb

Well I have the same feelings about them, maybe I shouldn't visit that website anymore.

I just want it to shoot consistently to get the right POI so I can use it for WD hunting. It has so many positives that I can't believe I have not purchased one before. BTW the dealer that sold me my pro hunter doesn't do anything to his either other then handload and he can't say enough good things about their accuracy. I have known him for a long time and value his opinion.

hogrdr · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2009, 01:46:08 PM »

I 2nd buy barrel mount scope and enjoy a wonderful accurate AMERICAN MADE product! That's all I've ever done and am completely happy with my Pro Hunter.
Hog

pozoutdoors · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:52:01 PM »

I never had a pro-hunter...but my last encore was a .45 muzzleloader and the hinge pin had a bit of slop, so I put a 1X oversized hinge pin in it and it improve accuracy!!! But not all frames and barrels are the same. I just bought a virgin valley custom guns .50cal. barrel (because i got it really cheep) and i have ordered an oversized hinge pin, a heavier lock-up spring, a heavier hammer sping and steve stratton is doing the trigger job right now!!! Not that any of this is needed!! But I got this stuff just in case!!! My old encore shot ok, but i added the oversized hinge pin and it became excellent!!! I shoot a factory .25-06 barrel and it is incredibly accurate!!!

Good luck and good shooting,
Poe

Keith L · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2009, 07:06:43 PM »

There is an industry that built up around Contenders and Encores that depends on telling folks that what they get from the factory isn't good enough. It always amazes me the number of people who buy a Contender or an Encore and start "Fixing" it before they even shoot it. Hinge pins are the classic example: if it is so loose that an oversize pin would do anything noticeable it should go back to TC. One frame I have the pin will fall out if I turn it on its side with the action open and no forearm, and it shoots nice sub moa groups. It didn't get any better with an oversized pin. The locking pins crack me up as well. If the pin is round what difference will it make if it rotates?

O well. I guess the snake oul salesmen need to make a living as well.

TRM-1 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2009, 12:34:28 AM »

I needed to float the forearm and a trigger job. That was all! I have tried the oversize pin years ago in a earlier encore and I was disappointed in the results (none). Money wasted. But if it (actually) improves your gun more power to you. Its your hard earned money and if you want to spend it on those products and feel they benefit you that's good. But I didn't see improvements in my gun with his products. When I shot my pro hunter with the 25-06 barrel it was stringing floated the forearm and boom it was on. I had already done a trigger job with one of those spring kits by you know who and would like to get it replaced by a good friend who did the trigger on my G2. Which is excellent. The spring kit isn't half as good. I have also used the heavier barrel lockup springs they were included in the spring kit. Honestly don't know if it helped or not. put it in same time as trigger spring. The main thing is you have confidence in your gun and the shot you make with it.

oldelkhunter · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2009, 01:10:39 AM »

Quote

There is an industry that built up around Contenders and Encores that depends on telling folks that what they get from the factory isn't good enough. It always amazes me the number of people who buy a Contender or an Encore and start "Fixing" it before they even shoot it. Hinge pins are the classic example: if it is so loose that an oversize pin would do anything noticeable it should go back to TC. One frame I have the pin will fall out if I turn it on its side with the action open and no forearm, and it shoots nice sub moa groups. It didn't get any better with an oversized pin. The locking pins crack me up as well. If the pin is round what difference will it make if it rotates?

O well. I guess the snake oul salesmen need to make a living as well.

Your absolutely right, they make you feel like you bought some sort of work in progress that needs to be rebuilt in order to fullfill the manufacturers TC's claim about its performance.

troy_mclure · « **Reply #8 on:** February 10, 2009, 01:36:04 AM »

trm1

how did you float the forearm?

TRM-1 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 14, 2009, 01:08:58 AM »

I kinda did different than most folks I guess I sanded out the forend to give clearance to the barrel. I know some people use washers and some use inserts of metal to distance the barrelfrom the forend. It has worked for me. I just used a small grinding bit on a drill to hog out the semi circle of the forend where they contacted the barrel and made sure the ears of the forend didn't touch the frame. I checked the clearance to make sure the forend was only touching where the screw bosses contacted the barrel.

righttoown · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2009, 03:20:52 AM »

A trigger job is a must for me.

Encore28 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2009, 06:10:26 AM »

I have never had to "fine tune" any of my 3 Encores-------They shoot MOA out of the box.
The only thing I added was a hammer spur from "that guy out West".

Encore28

JON8777 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 20, 2009, 03:57:07 PM »

Measured, shimmed, remeasured, reshimmed, measured again.... 4 hrs later I had removed 0.008" of unwanted headspace.

When my PH forend shows up next week I will be floating it.

For the price of ammo a few hours messing with it is worth every second.

tree rat · « **Reply #13 on:** March 22, 2009, 03:21:49 AM »

If you want to buy a true work in progress, buy a ruger. every one I have seen in 20 years needs something corrected! they should sell them like plastic car models, put all the parts in a box and let me put it together correctly. (RANT OFF) as for TC Contender an Encore the only thing I have ever had to do is stone a locking bolt to get good lock up.

Idaho_Elk_Huntr · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2009, 05:49:30 PM »

300 win mag pro hunter out of the box
200 grain Accubond
Maybe it will do better with an over sized hinge pin, you think?

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #15 on:** March 23, 2009, 08:11:42 AM »

Quote from: Idaho_Elk_Huntr on March 22, 2009, 05:49:30 PM

300 win mag pro hunter out of the box
200 grain Accubond
Maybe it will do better with an over sized hinge pin, you think?

If that's the best you can do with it, you had better sell it to me for $300 so you can get a good shooter like a H&R Handi. I can't believe that that you aren't spending another $500 to "tune" it up so you can get good groups.

teddy12b · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2009, 08:48:47 AM »

Quote from: woodchukhntr on March 23, 2009, 08:11:42 AM

Quote from: Idaho_Elk_Huntr on March 22, 2009, 05:49:30 PM
300 win mag pro hunter out of the box
200 grain Accubond
Maybe it will do better with an over sized hinge pin, you think?

If that's the best you can do with it, you had better sell it to me for $300 so you can get a good shooter like a H&R Handi. I can't believe that that you aren't spending another $500 to "tune" it up so you can get good groups.

What he said! Very nice pictures and they get the point across beautifully. How far was that elk when you shot him?

Idaho_Elk_Huntr · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2009, 09:49:18 AM »

bout 100 yards
The group was 300. I left that out

teddy12b · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2009, 09:51:38 AM »

Quote from: Idaho_Elk_Huntr on March 22, 2009, 05:49:30 PM

This group was at 300 yards?

Davemuzz · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2009, 09:53:15 AM »

To "float" your ProHunter forearm, you want to use a metal shim or spacer as opposed to rubber or synthetic material. Metal will not change (Yeah...well i know...but not like rubber or synthetic) from torque, temperature changes and such. I used a piece of Uncle Mikes sling "tube extension" and cut it and then shaped it to the contour of the barrel. Then I just superglued it to the forearm (actually I think I used a product called Goop that dries to like 99% and never cracks or breaks from (again) temperature changes).

Now, you will also have to get longer forearm screws too make this work. I believe Brownell's should carry these. I did this two years ago so my memory is getting a little fuzzy.

This has worked very well on my .243 Prohunter barrel. Here are some pics:

Idaho_Elk_Huntr · « **Reply #20 on:** March 23, 2009, 09:55:23 AM »

Quote from: JON8777 on March 20, 2009, 03:57:07 PM

Measured, shimmed, remeasured, reshimmed, measured again.... 4 hrs later I had removed 0.008" of unwanted headspace.

When my PH forend shows up next week I will be floating it.

For the price of ammo a few hours messing with it is worth every second.

All I did was shoot the ammo and then neck size. Fire formed to the chamber perfectly. Took care of it. Now it spaces on the belt and shoulder

Idaho_Elk_Huntr · « **Reply #21 on:** March 23, 2009, 10:00:10 AM »

Quote from: teddy12b on March 23, 2009, 09:51:38 AM

Quote from: Idaho_Elk_Huntr on March 22, 2009, 05:49:30 PM

This group was at 300 yards?

Yes with a 45 power scope and a rock solid lead sled. Every group was 1.5 inches or less with this being the smallest. Not bad for a stock encore with no over size hinge pin or floated forearm. I did change the trigger,hammer and lockup springs last week

teddy12b · « **Reply #22 on:** March 23, 2009, 10:31:47 AM »

Now I really want to get out with my encore! That's great shooting!

kudzu · « **Reply #23 on:** March 25, 2009, 09:58:22 AM »

Other than a new trigger spring, I have done nothin but shoot mine. My 22-250 barrel shoots about 2'' groups at 300 yrds with the fac rem 50 gr. AT. Shoot Fed Fusion in both 280 and 25-06. They both have shot under 1 1/2 '' groups at 300 with the 280 doing under an inch on most outings.