My buddy has one and he loves it (although every time we head out he seems to have something else in his hands). I'm thinking it might make a good backup rifle / rifle for my 12 year-old / muzzleloader / slug gun setup. I don't see them mentioned much here. What is the feeling about this system?

Thanks,

Shawn

you'll get more responses in the single shot forum. I'm fond of my encore by the way.

I'd rather have several different guns, personally. Not a big fan of the concept, but to each his own.

I am a big Contender fan, but I find the Encore heavy and clunky. I also do not like the grip angle. Fortunately for me the calibers I want work on a Contender. Too many shooters buy what they see on the cable hunting shows. T/C sponsors a lot of those shows, so guess what those good ole boys shoot?

I've had an Encore muzzleloader for many years and absolutely love it. I had planned to buy extra barrels in various calibers, but then decided the price difference of just buying a new rifle was not wide enough compared to barrel price.
So, love my mz rifle, but the concept and price I considered not worth it.

In my mind, there is no better way to teach a youngster, than how hunt within their capabilities, and to make the first shot count with a single shot rifle. I started that way, and been using single shots ever since. The TC's (Encore) versatility is hard to beat, imo as well.
It's not hard to cover a whole host of different animals or situations, with one gun and couple extra barrels carried in one case.
I shoot Ruger #1's also, but they are getting to point where I can buy 2 more barrels for the price of one gun, and still have cash left over for glass. And I still have some barrels on my want list.

I just hate the fact that 99% of the hunting shows, which for the most part I don't even watch anymore, feature T/C's.

Shove something down my throat and I'll look the opposite way.

If someone paid me to hunt with one, I would. Put one side-by-side with a nice Mauser, a featherweight model 70, etc. and which would you love. Kind of like comparing Rosie Odonell to one of the Victoria's Secret models.

I won't argue looks with you,,,,, that's for certain!!! I do love a pretty peice of wood or a classic rifle just like most. Just when it comes to hunting guns, I'm more a utilitatian. Looks just aren't important, function and versatility is what works for me. That, and I hunt with a handgun platform more than rifle,,,then the options start becoming more limited also.
But there we are again,,each to their own, in what makes life go around.

Well, you asked.

Trigger sucks.
Too light in heavy kickers.
Not accurate enough in "varmit" bullets.

I must qualify that none of the above matters much to some people, and for them...it's a cool, compact rifle that changes barrels (cartridges) easily.

I purchased a stainless encore magnum .50 muzzle loader with walnut stock and forend around 10 years ago. I thought I was going to do the swiss army knife of guns thing with barrels, pistol grip swaps etc. I purchased a .243 barrel and rifle forend that I never used. I've since sold that barrel, the switcharoo thing never floated my boat.

It's just my muzzle loader. I like it fine for that but it's the most rust prone thing I have ever owned (yes I said stainless).

That thing is terrible!! I've never seen anything like it, you really have to keep after it with an oily rag. I'm currently using wax, going to see how that does for my rust prevention this year.

It's accurate for me and unlike Pat's experience above I find my trigger to be outstanding (possibly this rifle's biggest strength).

But It suffers from thompson encore crud ring syndrom. I use kleanbore primers and american pioneer gold FFG in order to battle the crud ring issue. But 3 shots is absolutely the max before I have to clean it. If I try seating a 4th shot prior to cleaning I can not seat the bullet against the charge.

So, insanely rust prone satin finish stainless and the crud ring are my dislikes for mine.

I cannot express how insanely rust prone this thing is, I'd be better with unfinished mild cabon steel because I think I could keep it oiled well enough to outperform what I have now.

Please see signature.... enough said.

Cerakote would fix the rust issue or Rustoleum if on a budget.

No.

I've had three that I've had to sell for $$$ reasons. Wish I still had them.

I agree, the factory trigger on the Encore leaves some to be desired. But that can be remedied for the most part to acceptable hunting trigger. Not only weight, but the stock design also could be better for heavy kickers. But,,,,both those could be said for many production guns out there.

As for the accuracy, there's a lot of wiggle room there. Depends on how you go about it. I'll admit, I spend extra on custom barrels, needed or not. Accuracy on my varmint rigs will stand alongside most any other, and the heavier cals too. 1/4 moa or better isn't unheard of. The rule? no,,, but one can get there. One of the barrels I have set up for PD's, is plain boring to shoot at 600 yds., and a might farther. It also serves me for my mid fence line yote gun. At that range of 800 yds, it's not the accuracy, it's the wind. Calm days no accuracy issues. Add a 15 20 mph wind, the yote just got a 50-50 chance on life,,,,maybe. I only have one barrel that won't shoot sub moa. That is a .454 Casull shooting cast. That don't bother me in the least, as it is my short range hunter, and does what I need.

When MS allowed our muzzle loader season to become the farce of a primitive weapons season that it is now, I removed my MZ barrel and installed a 35 Whelen barrel. I had owned several barrels through the years that never shot well enough to interest me. When I installed the 35 barrel my interest was peaked. Dang thing shoots very well with handloads. A little cerrocoat and it makes a great truck gun.

Love mine, but I have a Bergara MZ barrel. I use Blackhorn powder and I can shoot 50 times without cleaning because of the previously mentioned crud ring. I am going to Ultra bore coat it and recheck with 777 and pellets. Super accurate, 3 shots touch at 100.

I'd be happy with 10 shots.

I have yet to try blackhorn 209 but I've done everything available leading up to American pioneer gold. It's the best I've tried so far and I'm hopeful that blackhorn will be even better.

I like the Contender platform way better than the Encore.

X2

Gunner

I don't have a problem owning The Encore rifles. Never had a bad barrel as some members have spoke about the accuracy of their barrels. I own 4 Blue frames and 1 stainless frame. Picture of my 405 Win.



Picture of my :
Top 26" rifled 20ga.
Middle 24" 358 Win
Bottom 405 Win again



I don't have pictures of my stainless. I have the 45/70 stainless fluted Katadin Barrel and also a Pro-Hunter stainless fluted 22" 44 mag. I also have 3 other barrels to switch out when I want another caliber. I don't have a picture of my Blue 50 cal.

Ken

My 14 year old uses his T/C Pro hunter .50 for our Ml season and a T/C prohunter 20 gauge slug gun for general shotgun season....all the bases are covered. A 25-06 pro hunter barrel
rests in the T/C extra barrel gun case.

Doc

No... However you gotta love the folks in marketing who figured out a way to get $600+ out of a polkstock by showing a bunch of people on tv carrying one...LoL

I still have 3 contender frames, 6 barrels & 4 stock sets. I had 2 Encore frames, 5 barrels & 3 stock sets. I had new trigger speings put in, that solved the trigger problem but nothing could solve the inconsistancy problem.. 1 day they were 1" rifles next day 3" rifles &the POI was always moving, solved that problem by selling them at a loss.

Try it you'll like it! No Enchore, but it performs fantastic in my kp1.

BH209 is the shizzle in my Encore 209x50, 73.5grs weighed on scales + 300gr bullet = good shooting.




A friend has a .405 Win barrel for his Encore and it was real shooter, as was his .35 Whelen, as was his .350 Remington Mag.

I like mine just fine. Makes for a short and quick handling rifle in a tree stand or blind. My 28" Pro Hunter in 25-06 is several inches shorter than my 24" 700 in 270.

I too have had that inconsistency, but it has cures.
Switching barrels sometimes but not always, may need a round or two to settle in. Not a problem, as I always shoot a few fouling rounds regardless of the gun make before getting serious. Number 2,,, tightening up the forend unevenly will do it too. I use a torque driver on mine. Then too, be sure the forend (ears)rear, are not contacting the frame. And most importantly, no lube of any kind on the locking bolt and it's frame recess contact areas. If those don't fix it, then it's possible, an iffy frame got out the door. Or it is stretched or stretching by overloading. Like anything else, it does have limitations.
Now some go to hangerbars on the forend, and oversized hinge pins also. I personally haven't found either to be necessary. However, the firearm ain't without fault's, but it's still a very versatile system for the money.

On another note,,,,, most of the the detractors I hear from, have little experience if any, with the TC's. I don't know if it's jealously thing going on, or what? I do know when I go to the range, I have left more than a few sitting there wondering how I can out shoot them.
And yes they are marketed like no other. But marketing dollars don't mean success. The TC's got their market share for reasons beyond advertising dollars.
Like anything else, there will always be those whom swear at something, and those that swear by something. And as I mentioned, I do go custom barrels, that's just a personal choice. For the normal hunting ranges I shoot on biggame, I don't need those either. I would do that on some bolt guns as well. And today, 600 bucks dont get alot anymore, but I would have twice tied up what I do, if all bolt guns.

Dave,

You have to try a can of blackhorn 209, no swabbing in-between shots and 2/3 less smoke.

Doc

Love mine. 24" 7-08 shoots itty bitty groups. ML shoots awesome too.

ML is SS, and like Daves, will rust in a blink

I never see any deer to shoot at anyways so I'm safe for the time being with 3 repeats between cleaning

but it will be my next can of powder.

I have two Encore frames and have had the following barrels ordered through the custom shop; 25-06, 6.5x55, .270, 300 H&H plus two 35 Whelen barrels that are not custom shop barrels.

Personally, I like the guns. I like the compactness and simple load/unload procedures of single shots in general. I like using them with inexperienced shooters. It's nice to be able to hand one broke open to a young hunter to carry to the stand and then load that one round. Then at the end of the hunt the gun is broke open, unloaded and again the young hunter can carry the gun out.

Back to the Encores. I was infatuated with the multi barrel concept. In reality what I found was that I mainly used my Encores for Ms. primitive weapons season with the 35 Whelen barrels. Even using them in other states and Canada I left the Whelen barrels on. I reached a point where I decided that there was nothing the other barrels did for me that I wouldn't use the Whelens for. I sold all those other barrels and haven't looked back. In general they've all been accurate and the only barrel that caused me problems was the 300 H&H. I had that barrel replaced twice and then said to heck with and changed caliber. In closing I like my Encores and will not be getting rid of them but will probably not buy extra barrels again.