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Do any of you have experience with TC Encores? What is your impression of these guns? They show up in magazine photos a lot.
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LOVE 'EM! Had one, had to sell it, WANT IT BACK.

Accurate, very reliable, handy and powerful, and most folks who've handled the Encores find that they are more comfortable to hold than a standard bolt due to the pistol grip-style buttstock. Also, the triggers are normally pretty nice from the factory and easily adjusted by just about anyone.

One caveat: with switch barrel T/Cs, you will end up with a wide range of barrels and calibers.

Lastly, T/Cs customer service is par nonpareil, IMHO, at least as far as non-custom makers out there.

If you want one, get it; I doubt you'll be disappointed.

VAnimrod,
I appreciate your opinion on the TC's. Actually, I've owned two Encores at different times. The first was a .308 stainless synthetic. It would put the first two shots from a cold barrel side by side touching. After that the group would open up dramatically...almost exponentially. I also own a stainless synthetic/Mossy Oak pattern in .270. It would not do better than 1-3/4", but most groups were around 2-1/2" to 4", depending on the ammo. Both guns were shot with factory loads. I liked the ergonomics of the Encores. They were very comfortable to hold....until fired. I thought that they had excessive muzzle jump. I attributed this in my mind to light weight barrels and stock design. I thought the triggers on both guns were very decent, if not quite good. I've read about TC's supposed reputation for accuracy several times in articles. In fairness, I did not have the inclination to tinker with the two that I had, nor did I ask TC if they had an explanation for the performance of the two rifles that I had. Now they've come out with a new cool looking thumbhole stock and I'm actually considering making the mistake of buying a third Encore <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
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I have had three of them two ss in 209x50 and 1 wood blue in 209x50 and 2506 I could not get any of them to shoot well enough that I would hunt with them. the second ss 209x50 was just ok and I did kill a deer with it but I would never own another one.

My Encore was a .300WM with the heavy barrel that had a factory Muzzle-Tamer brake installed by Fox Ridge (T/C's semi-custom shop). Leupold 3-9x40mm VX-II on-board.

With the muzzlebrake, it was LOUD, but kicked like a .30-30 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> The first 3 165 gr. Fed. Premiums were touching or close to it - the next two opened the group to about 1.25". Plenty good for me, esp. considering that these were normally "improvised field rest" (i.e. hood, roof, or toolbox of the truck) groups.

I'd get another in a heartbeat, but I'd likely still go with the 26" heavy barrel due to balance, velocity, and overall length.

Several years ago I had a TC in 30 Herritt. It shot so badly (4-6 inch groups at 100) I sent it back to the factory and they sent me a new barrel. It didn't shoot any better. I sold it to a fellow who knew about the gun but he bought it anyway. I don't want another TC unless perhaps it is a muzzle loader.

my encore with the muzzle loader barrel doesn't shoot groups... It shoots patterns. Yes, I've tried lots of different load combinations. I figured it was the barrel and went ahead and ordered a 300 Winchester Magnum barrel from Virgin Valley, along with their style of forend.

I bought match grade brass for the 300 Winchester, and then tinkered in every way I know how to try to find a load that would shoot like I thought a custom barrel should. Best groups around 2 inches for three shots.

I need to box this one up and send it back to Thompson Center. I have some vague recollection of a poster talking about some part of the geometry of the receiver being off sometimes. I hope Thompson Center will make it right. This is my first custom barrel. I had such high hopes.
John

I've got two Encores, one stainless and one that has the french gray finish. All my barrels are the heavy grade, (but still handy to hunt with) The mz barrel will shoot 1 1/2 groups at 147 yds. My .300 mag shoots 1/2 " 3 shot groups at the same distance, my 308 will keep them inside of an inch, my 22-250 shoots 1/4 inch groups at 147 yds and the .223 will shoot one hole groups. My son has one and my best friend has one too and theirs performs as good as mine. These barrels are stock barrels but I had them re crowned with a trigger job. Other than that they are box stock. I've read, in threads like this that some people can't get em to shoot but I personally haven't seen one that wasn't accurate.

I have several of them. One rifle barrel,a .264 Win Mag was a nightmare for a year. TC's customer service insisted that the 18" groups it was spraying with their barrel was my fault. They kept telling me different things to try. Nothing worked. I finally talked them into letting me send it to them for a exam. Got a call about a week later explaining that there was a .125" piece of rifling missing 8" from the muzzle. The y sent me a new barrel. Reduced my groups to 6". Factory ammo showed pressure rings on the cases. I finaly got tired of messing with them. Someone told me to contact Mike Belm. Mike asked a bunch of questions them gave me a list of things to do. Bought one of his hinge pins, a VVG forend and hanger then sized my brass to fit the chamber. You can't neck size for a Encore. Closing the breach on a fired case lods the frame and caused stringing. Mike gave me intructions to size the brass and measure the chamber. Was it worth the hassle? It is now a 1/2" rifle. I have shot a best group of .151" with it. I use it for hunting bean fields. It is now one of my favorite guns. reflex264

Reflex, that is a NICE group, but one ugly gun <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> - did you lose the walnut stock AND the camo foreend, or are they just taking the day off? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Encores can shoot very well, but they are not as easy to deal with as the average bolt-action sporter. If set up correctly, they will shoot very well indeed, but if not then.... The factory folks can be helpful, but are limited.

Part of the problem is the weird stock dimensions. The standard LOP is 14.5", and even the "short" version (which I gather is special order) is 13.75". Either is OK for somebody around 6 feet tall or more, but for an average guy like me a little long, especially in cold-weather hunting clothes.

The pitch is also weird. I believe the Encore is the only rifle built in America with zero pitch, which means that the very pointy lower end of the factory recoil pad can dig into your chest when firing. This can cause high fliers with any round that recoil significantly. I shortened the stock of mine to 13.5" with normal pitch, and the .30-06 barrel went from stringing them 10" or more to a 1.5" rifle with most loads, better with others.

The stock is comfortable to hold but, due to the angles, rears up and back some with heavy loads, whether shotgun or rifle. This is also exaggerated by the high scope mounts required to clear the hammer.

If the barrel has sights, then the rear sight is right at the WRONG place for most scopes, as it interferes with the objective bell. Why mount irons at all if you have to take them off anytime a scope's mounted? Two inches further forward and the rear sight would be in perfect position.

Once you get these things ironed out, though, they are very handy and versatile firearms.

MD

Is sort of ugly isn't it? I bought the camo stocks when I bought the barrel. I couldn't stop the stringing with the synthetic forend. VVG said they could stop it with their forend hanger and one of their forends. Already pulling my hair out I had to try it. $77.00 later the gun quit stringing. I have a 30-06 that shoots just fine with the plastic fantastic forend. Go figure. I guess sooner or later I'll stick a nice butt stock on it but right now it is carried as a crop damage sniper and works great as is. reflex264

VAnimarod and reflex264 - not meaning to speak ill of someone else's dog, but to me it is only a case of taking a truly ugly gun and make it a bit more homely. I have always been intrigued by the switch-barrel aspect, but I just can't cope with the appearance. I know that beauty is a beauty does, but ..... (I readily admit that it probably has a great personality and is a great cook as well.)

I had so much trouble getting it to shoot that you could have called it anything including ugly. It was a nightmare but I was determined. I shoot deer on crop damage permits for farmers in this area. These are primarily soy bean fields and the shots are usually long. This rifle is light enough to carry accross one of the big fields and accurate enough to shoot them at very long distances. Ugly it may be but suited to its purpose to a "T". The wide target forend coupled with the grip of the butt stock make it easy to shoot from field positions for me. I know the stock doesn't fit everybody but it fits me perfectly. reflex264

This one is a 22-250 with bbl. by the apparently defunct VVCG. It weighs about 7.5 lbs all up and has shot in the .4's-,.6's but is not consistant there. I am struggling off and on with this rifle as I think it has a slightly oversized chamber. One of my summer projects is to make chicken salad out of this rifle.



JimF

I have one with the 209x50 and 7-08. The 50 cal shoots like a dream. Heven't shot the 7-08 yet. The gun feels good. I also have the bantam butt stock. I'm 6'1" and it fits ok. I'm looking forward to hunting with it this season.

Joseph

The ultimate authority I've found on Encores is on www.bellmtcs.com. Go to the forums and you will find the answer to about anything you want to know. I have recently acquired an Encore with .243 barrel that shoots great- after installing all Mike Bellums springs and oversized hinge pin and pillar bedding the foreend. Working on a 26" heavy .264 magnum right now. Rick

In their factory condition Encores seem to be hit or miss.

After tweaking them with the help of the folks on Bellm's board and his aftermarket improved parts it appears that they can be VERY accurate.

The muzzleloader barrels are especially inconsistant it seems and the culprit usually is the QLA. When this is removed and a good crown is cut nearly all barrels improve a lot.

The Mike Bellm forum has some really great folks who can help ya get a poor shooting T/C to be accurate as they SHOULD be from the factory. web page

Headspace, forearm mounting, and hinge pin slop are 3 easy things to try, check out Mr. Bellm's site and see if you don't get it shootin' bugholes!! Bruce

What is QLA?
John

QLA is "quick load" a-something. It's an oversized, overbored space at the muzzle of some TC barrels that allows for quick seating of conicals and sabots so a short-starter doesn't have to be used.