Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters T/C ENCORE AND PRO-HUNTER QUESTIONS?

Resently a good friend of mine recieved a pro-hunter 22-250 as a gift from his wife. He took the rifle with him and went to a well known sporting goods store to purchase a scope, base, and rings and use their indoor range to sight-in his rifle. The salesman at the store told him there had been alot of problems with the pro-hunters since smith & wesson took over. He said the head spacing was wrong in alot of the barrels. Some barrels were so bad it was impossible to sight in at all. He also told my friend that smith & wesson was not standing behind thier products and if you get a bad barrel you had to pay shipping and $75 and send your barrel to smith & wesson for repair.My friend mounted the scope and sighted in his rifle and it shot good for factory ammo. But he noticed some disfiguring in the fired cases. About 3/8'' aove the case head there is a ring around the case. My brother has a older t/c encore 25-06 it shoots great with no case problems. Has any one else heard of these problems? Is it only on models after smith took over? If so can you tell me at what serial # smith took over.I have been thinking of buying one myself but I'am having second thoughts now. Any knowledge on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I have a two pro-hunter barrels, one doesn't use a casing, so I guess that one doesn't really count.

I will say that S&W was hated by me for things previous ownership did. I have had no problems getting S&W to take care of lifetime warranty revolvers that are 20 years old, no cost to me. I had a issue with a TC G2 last year, no cost to me. They upgraded an older barrel as well, no cost to me. When I say "no cost" I mean other than me packaging the firearm and putting their call tag on it for free shipping, next day, since we are talking handguns or frames registered as such.

I don't doubt that there can be problems with any product, but I wouldn't worry about getting shafted by S&W or TC, if past performance is ANY indicator.

Thanks for the input kciH. Hopfully the salesman was full of BS.

I've always had great customer service from T/C as well. Once they replaced (at no cost to me) a trigger assembly that had been screwed up by an incompetent gunsmith, which of course voided the warranty. They didn't have to do that.

I wouldnt believe that just because TC is now owned by S&W that quality automatically went to hell. They are fine guns. I have found in talking with gun shop owners that often they have a pet peave against a certain gun or manufacturer and they will bad mouth it all day long, whether there is any truth to what they say or not.

If you gun shoots well, the write off his BS.

I think your right hikerbum. I've always liked T/C guns and s&w also. I have never had any problems with either. I've had hard feelings toward s&w for some time and probably let this lead my judgment. Who knows, the salesman may be the same way. THANKS FOR THE ADVICE !!

That ring is supposed to be there. it's called the pressure ring, and it is a natural consequence of firing a cartridge in a rifle.

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Don't want to start a fuss, but the ring your friend noticed could also indicate headspace problems. I think I would have a gunsmith verify the headspace is OK.

http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=172

mule skinner - Link takes you to a page that will help understand headspace in the TCs. Sound complex, but isn't, just study through and you will get. Look for the measurement you can do with automotive feeler guage. Also notice the mention of .006 gap between barrel and breechs faces. Not dangerous, but not good either.

Can't tell what your friend's ring looks like, but sounds as if normal disfigurement is what you see when first firing of factory round takes place. The case will set back some. Factory chambers are cut for all rifles to SAAMI specs, plus or minus.

I sounds to me like the spin the sales guy give your buddy, was some kind of put off, perhaps not wanting to have to replace or return to factory.

This is word of mouth, don't know for sure. I heard the opposite of what your buddy was told. Smith is going to use TC barrels for their new line of rifles. Also any dealings with TC for service and repair have always been very accomodating and good in the past here. But have had no contact with them since the Smith buy out. If a gunsmith or knowledgable handloader close, have them take a look at the fired cartridge cases, and perhaps run a gauge to check for headspace. The only headspace issues I've ever seen on Encore or Contender have been with custom barrels.

Law enforcement people are some of the most ignorant gun owners I know. Just because they are licensed to carry a gun they think they are the automatic authority on gun related matters.

Likewise, gun store clerks often know very little about the products they sell. Just because they work there they think they are the final word on guns.