Free Floating Encore Forends

[Graybeard]

I've been asked to add my quick and easy method of free floating Encore (and I suppose Contender if you feel the need) forends.

When I bought my first Encore, a blued one with wood grips and forend I found it wouldn't shoot for beans. Two might touch and a third be inches away. Finding three within 2" of each other was a rare occurence. Many other Encore owners have experienced the same and has spawned a good business by custom folks in fixing it.

Well it ain't rocket science folks and if you have a roll of black plastic electrical tape you can do it yourself. I found one side of my forend was binding hard on the barrel while the other wasn't touching at all. I used a bit of sandpaper to remove a bit of the high spot on the offending side. This proved to not be enough by itself however.

So I next took out a handy roll of black plastic electrical tape and cut several short (less than 1" as I remember) pieces and stuck them together in two piles. Best I remember I used about 3-4 layers for each screw. Next I used a nail to make a hole in the middle of each stack of tape sections for the screw to fit thru.

I then placed them on the barrel over the holes and set the forend in place on the barrel putting the screws thru the holes in the tape and snugged it all down. I checked and the forend was now free floated from the barrel with only the tape and screws touching.

Next I took it to my range for testing. Immediately the groups shrunk to mostly an inch or less and the flyer was gone.

Some folks have done the same using rubber washers. I've heard of cork being used in place of the tape. Just use something to free float that forend from the barrel so it doesn't touch and it should improve your groups if you are having probelms like I had.

GB

[LAREDOBOB]

Good idea. Here is what I did, I took a piece of 3/8" rubber hose with a 1/8" hole in the center cut two small slices off it approximtely 3/32 thick. I put these around the forend mounting screws and it worked just fine, the barrell was floated about 1/16" clear of the forend. This will also help keep the screws from falling out when you remove the forend.

[HappyHunter]

I am a plumber by trade...so I found that very small "O" rings do the trick and will cling to screw for easy alignment.  

I said very small but not difficult to find.  Cheap, but not as cheap as electric tape.

Fred