Author Topic: Be honest, does your Encore shoot consistantly? (Read 3499 times)

Lead Poison · « **on:** March 18, 2006, 03:24:24 PM »

I have a high dollar Encore that has never shot consistantly. I spent over $1100 on a Shilen barrel, custom laminated stock, trigger job, hanger bar system etc. and it still has never shot to my expectation or satisfaction.

I know its not my shooting technique, I'm a good shot. Believe me, you don't want me shooting at you! I'm very nearly to the point of selling my Encore to get another bolt action.

What is it with these finicky, pain in the rear Encores? I thought I would love the interchangeable barrels etc, but to be honest, I've been very disappointed and wish I had just stuck with the good old bolt actions that I've been so pleased with for many years.

Does anyone get honest, consistant accuracy from their Encores? Or do you simply overlook their inconsistant nature?

Chuck White · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2006, 03:57:02 PM »

I get real good consistancy with my Encore!

At the end of Muzzle Loading Season, I took my ML barrel off and put my 204 Ruger barrel back on and it was right there!
Surprised me, but the scope didn't need any adjusting!
I have a 221 FireBall barrel that's the same way!

My 204 will shoot 3-shot groups at .330 size and my Fire Ball will shoot well under an inch!

The 204 barrel is just a factory barrel, nothing added!
The Fireball barrel is from the TC Custom Shop (Fox Ridge Outfitters), other than that, it's a plain factory barrel!

I know a lot of people will soak hundreds of dollars extra into their Encores, but I know I would gain nothing by doing that with my Encore!

Buford · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2006, 01:44:21 AM »

I own several of them and have never had a problem with "consistancy" - and they all have factory barrels.

Grumulkin · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2006, 01:46:47 AM »

I would be interested in what is meant by consistency. Does that mean, that from one time to another the barrel shoots in different places? Does it mean that the groups are poor in general or part of the time?

Are you using a heavy or tapered barrel? Do you have a scope or a site problem?

Most of my Encore barrels are accurate (1 to 2 MOA) and very consistent any way you look at it. I have a tapered 30/06 barrel I'm thus far not entirely happy with. Once I've shot a few, it settles down to less than 1 MOA but the first 3 or 4 shots are high; I still want to solve that problem if possible since otherwise it's an excellent shooter.

coopershooter · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2006, 04:36:17 AM »

WHAT CARTRIGES ARE YOU SHOOTING? AND ARE THEY SHOT OFF THE BENCH, PRONE OR OFFHAND? WHAT KIND OF GROUPS ARE YOU GETTING? HOW ARE YOUR GUNS STORED? WHAT SCOPES ARE YOU USING? THERE ARE THINGS YOU DO WHEN SHOOTING THESE GUNS OFF THE BENCH, AND WHEN HANDLOADING, THAT ARE DIFERENT TO BOLT GUNS.
IN MY 20 YEARS OF FOOLING AROUND WITH CONTENDERS, I HAVE BEEN LUCKY. MOST SHOT WELL ENOUGH FOR ME AND THOSE THAT DIDN'T, WERE TINKERED WITH, UNTILL THEY SHOT GOOD OR TRADED OFF. I'M PRETTY DEMANDING WITH ACCURACY! I WANY VARMINT CARTRIGES TO SHOOT HALF INCH GROUPS AT 100YDS. DEER CARTRIGES TO SHOOT AT LEAST ONE INCH GROUPS AT 100 YARDS. AND RIMFIRES SHOULD SHOOT HALF INCH OR BETTER AT 50 YARDS.
IT'S A SHAME THAT EVERY THOMPSON CENTER PART, BARREL, FRAME, ECT. CANT BE BUILT TO THE SAME TOLERANCE. BUT I THINK THAT ALL IN ALL, AS A GROUP, THE OWNERS ARE HAPPY.
I'M SORRY YOUR HAVING TROUBLE. GOOD LUCK!

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2006, 10:40:40 AM »

I have shot a lot of different barrels in my Encores and still have 5 different barrels. All of my factory barrels shoot consistently. The accuracy is very good. I have never been disappointed with any of the different barrels I have owned.

Lead Poison · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2006, 05:33:47 PM »

My rifle has a 24" .800 diameter stainless fluted barrel. Shooting has been off of a benchrest at 100 yards.

Most 3 shot groups are over 2" or more. Shot placement seems to shift and bullets often vertically string with many loads. Various handloads were tried using 140gr bullets. chambered in both 7mm-08 and 7mm Rem. Mag.

The Encore just doesn't seem to shoot nearly as well as most of my bolt action rifles.

oliverstacy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2006, 11:29:28 AM »

Just wondering here not accusing you of anything...Did you try different bullet weights other than 140gr, say 154 or 139? Did you try different brass/primer/seating depth combinations. Different powders? Just wondering. As with all barrels some like different things. Maybe the twist rate is not working with the bullet your wanting it to work with. There are so many different variables that could be the problem.

I have two frams and 4 barrels that seem to shoot to the same place now matter where they're placed.

Josh

Two Bears · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2006, 09:26:17 PM »

Ok here is the deal...

You send me that Encore and I will shoot it for you to show you it will shoot. Ill even send you the target back, But I will have to keep the Encore for further testing. :gulp: :grin:

Two Bears

skb2706 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2006, 04:28:09 AM »

I believe that single shot BA guns are inherently more difficult to shoot consistently.....thus they are dubbed 'less consistent'. Believe what you want...... technique is an evasive skill.

oliverstacy · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2006, 04:33:42 AM »

I went to the range with some factory ammo and reloads for my 26" 220 Swift. The factory 50gr load shot horrible over 2" at 100 yards. With a handload using a 50 gr V-Max and H414 it shot a 4 shot group of .362". The fifth shot was pulled quite badly and I didn't count.

I think any firearm can be made to shot well if it is decent shape, with some time and dedication both at the reloading bench and the rifle range.

Josh

Omega · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2006, 12:27:36 PM »

Quote from: Lead Poison

My rifle has a 24" .800 diameter stainless fluted barrel. Shooting has been off of a benchrest at 100 yards.

Most 3 shot groups are over 2" or more. Shot placement seems to shift and bullets often vertically string with many loads. Various handloads were tried using 140gr bullets. chambered in both 7mm-08 and 7mm Rem. Mag.

The Encore just doesn't seem to shoot nearly as well as most of my bolt action rifles.

Those two calibers gave me fits until I started backing the bullets away from the lands, then it was like magic! 35 to 50 thou is the magic range for me.

Atlatl · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2006, 01:36:08 PM »

A long way from a 7mm Mag or even a 7mm-08 but my Contender with a 21" heavy taper Foxridge barrel in 22 K Hornet will shoot .5 inch groups all day with ease.

For reloading you also want to pay attention to the brass shoulder to base length. When inserting a cartridge you want the base flush with the end of the barrel (provided also there is minimal gap between the frame and barrel when it's locked up). Also might want to try an oversized hinge pin so there is no slop between the frame and barrel assembly. That and good bench tech shoudl result in tiny groups .. especially with good Shilen barrels.

Davemuzz · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2006, 07:20:19 AM »

Lead poison,

Read Josh's post....yeah...what he said.

I bot a T\C 14" armory alloy .223 barrel. It will shoot nickle size groups all day long at 100 yards with a 40 gr. Hornady V-max over 4198 or a 55gr. over WIN748.

I just bot a 23" T\C factory and I am still working on a bullet\powder combo that will do that or better. I'm close, but not there. I am confident I will find it. I have yet to use a Varget load or a BL-C2 load, and if those dont work, there are still other options. Once I find it.... :grin:

Dave.

jason280 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2006, 08:33:20 AM »

I have had very good consistency with Encores and Contenders, whether they were in rifle or pistol form.

jason280 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2006, 08:33:55 AM »

I have had very good consistency with Encores and Contenders, whether they were in rifle or pistol form.

reallybigfoot · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2006, 02:24:49 PM »

A few years ago I had a Contender in 7-30 waters and was very happy with it. Very accurate and repeatable. I traded it on an Encore in 7 MM Mag. Worst thing I ever did. The encore barrel was sent back twice. It was replaced once and repaired once. In order to reload the brass 4 times I had to mark it and rotate it 90 degrees each firing. I worked with it for two years and then traded it for a Winchester 70 LRH. Extremely satisfied with the trade. The hinge and latch on an Encore may be safe at high preasure, but I think their is some give that makes them hard on brass and less accurate than a bolt.

DannoBoone · « **Reply #17 on:** April 09, 2006, 06:24:38 AM »

Lead Poison, if I were one of those who have had good luck with Encores,
it would be easy to say you might be too "picky". There are plenty of us
who have had less than satisfactory results. My factory 209x50 barrel shot
ok, but only one load would group MOA, and that was with a 180gr XTP.....
by no means a long range load.

A factory 25-06 barrel came with the lug too far rearward resulting in a
.003" gap between end of barrel and receiver. Not only that, the chamber
was reamed .005" too deep (T/C would do nothing about it, but that's another
story, and this is going to be long enough). I would defy ANYONE to get
better than a 4" group with the correct size 25-06 cases in this barrel!! The
only way to get MOA with it was to false shoulder .270 brass and fire-form
it to this chamber. By doing so, it will get 3/4" groups, yet they will not
chamber in any other 25-06 barrel.

I would say that you have a problem that you have not yet discovered.
A different size hinge pin may help. A friend of mine even used shims
on either side of the hinge pin lug to accurize his Encore. I used over-size
hinge pins on the factory barrels, while a custom Shilen barrel and a
custom Douglas ML barrel have close enough tolerances that the factory
hinge pin is tight in them. The Tac 20 Shilen barrel is more accurate than
I am........its best group (3 shot) was just over 1/8"! They CAN be just
as accurate as a bolt, if one can just work the bugs out of an honery one.

acearch72 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 09, 2006, 06:41:40 AM »

I had a similar problem as you describe, not with a TC but a bolt gun, and lighter weight bullets. This gun had at one time been a .5" shooter with hand loads and consistently under 1" with factory loads. I would string them out and just no group consistency. I sent it to a custom reloader to develop a load for me. He had the same problem and almost gave up until an old bench rest shooter told him to try loading them short. He backed off on length, I don't remember how much, and the problem disappeared and it's shooting just fine again. Same as Omega said earlier. Maybe give that a try.

dano · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2006, 03:42:30 AM »

I bought a 22-250 for my son. bought a box of winchester 45 gr. took it home mounted a sightron 6x24 on it put it on paper was not happy with it shot 2 inch group. started loading several different bullets in it to try and find best combo was never all that happy with it. started doing brass work and fine tuning and this thing drives nails very consistant shoots under
1\2 inch all day.
Dano

teddy12b · « **Reply #20 on:** April 29, 2006, 04:07:25 AM »

I just fired my new encore for the first time yesterday and it's very consistant.

Davemuzz · « **Reply #21 on:** April 29, 2006, 04:25:43 PM »

Here is a 2 shot group at 200 yards from my factory T\C 223 barrel. This was using a Nosler 40gr. balistic tip and BL-C2 powder.

So...consistency?

Yeah...I would say it's a pretty consistent shooting barrel. This one is not for sale or trade. It's just too much fun to shoot.

Dave

hyltoto · « **Reply #22 on:** May 09, 2006, 03:40:12 PM »

Try free floating the fore-end, there are consistant posts on this board, search the archives. You may solve the isssue for less than a buck

coop2564 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 25, 2006, 12:17:02 PM »

Go to any single shot site and you see the same ole post. NEF, H&R,Ruger, TC. There's to many moving parts, vibrations, lockup problems, forarm issue's, hammer time, where you rest on the forend, it just goes on and on. There always the most active sites because there's more that have trouble. Yea some will shoot well ( i hear but have not seen one shoot under 2'' yet) but alot will not at least if you want 1.5'' or less. Count your blessing if you have one that does, I've tried 2 encores and 1 NEF spent over 300$ on factory shells trying to find the magic load. Never did, a lot of loads would do 2'' but none consistantly under that. And I had a lot of fliers for no reason. The single shot and changable barrels are a romantic idea but the romance is short lived for most and ended in divorce for me. :money:

Dippingvat · « **Reply #24 on:** May 25, 2006, 06:13:46 PM »

I have 7mm-08 and .280 rifle barrels. Neither will shoot 139gr SST's, but change to 140gr Accubond, same powder charge, and bingo, one inch or better. (go figure?) Also I had problems until I floated the barrel with small metal washers. :-D

skb2706 · « **Reply #25 on:** May 26, 2006, 10:29:12 AM »

coop - I have two TC carbines that I set up to shoot prairie dogs with. Both are very capable of the kind of accuracy required to make 400 yd. shots. You are welcome to watch.....this degree of accuracy is far tighter than your 2" groups. I don't shoot much paper so a quoted group size is not possible.........

Keith L · « **Reply #26 on:** May 26, 2006, 11:16:52 AM »

I think there are far more that get good results and never feel the need to post. I have a G-2 carbine and three barrels that are not fussy and all meet or exceed your requirements easily. I can't speak for Encores, there seem to be more folks complaining about them.

encore3006 · « **Reply #27 on:** June 27, 2006, 12:46:21 PM »

JudeinPa · « **Reply #28 on:** June 29, 2006, 12:33:41 AM »

I have an Encore with 2 custom barrels. One is a EABCO .243AI 26" barrel that shoots one hole groups and a SSK in .338-06 JDJ 24" barrel. It too shoots very tight and consistant groups.

Here is on 3 shot group from the SSK barrel:

Handloading does help tune the load to the barrel.

Jude

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #29 on:** June 29, 2006, 04:29:21 AM »

Quote from: coop2564

Go to any single shot site and you see the same ole post. NEF, H&R,Ruger, TC. There's to many moving parts, vibrations, lockup problems, forarm issue's, hammer time, where you rest on the forend, it just goes on and on. There always the most active sites because there's more that have trouble. Yea some will shoot well ( i hear but have not seen one shoot under 2'' yet) but alot will not at least if you want 1.5'' or less. Count your blessing if you have one that does, I've tried 2 encores and 1 NEF spent over 300$ on factory shells trying to find the magic load. Never did, a lot of loads would do 2'' but none consistantly under that. And I had a lot of fliers for no reason. The single shot and changable barrels are a romantic idea but the romance is short lived for most and ended in divorce for me. :money:

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I have 5 Encores and all will shot 1 1/2 in groups or less at 100 yards. I have a 22-250, 7mm08, 416 Rigby, two 50 cal's and a 45 cal muzzleloader's. Five of my barrels have there own frames and different forearms. My 22-250 and 7mm08 both shoot sub MOA at 100 yards. So it is not a fluke that there are consistently accurate.