I bought a Thompson/ Center Encore muzzleloader from a friend recently and decided to buy a Thompson/ Center .223 barrel for it. The muzzleloader is the Pro- Hunter model with a black composite stock with the grey colored insert finger pads. ( I believe Thompson calls this their Flex Tech stock). Anyway the muzzleloader forearm stock will not work on the .223 sporter weight barrel, so I e-mail Thompson/ Center and the lady e-mails me back telling me the proper forearm, stock is 55317569. I get to looking around on the inter-net trying to locate one and find a guy that sells Thompson products and he tells me that part number 55317569 will not work. That it is for the 26- 28" barrels. The one I need he says is TC7708. Problem is TC7708 is all black, not the Flex Tech model. I send a second e-mail and some pictures to the lady at T/C again explaining the response I got from the dealer. She write back and says she got the pictures and asked her boss about it and he said 5537569 should work. Once again I talk to the dealer and he is adamant that her suggested stock will not work. I will use the all black TC7708 stock if I have no other choice, but would prefer one that matches my butt stock. Any of you guys run into this before. Any Encore experts out there that can once and for all tell me what the heck is going on here? I just want to get it right the first time and none of that " just send it back crap ". Any and all correct information will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance. RRM

Should be able to use the flex on all lengths.

I think that the flex tech stocks came out after they went away from the contoured barrels in favor of bull barrels. You might have trouble getting the look you want.

What specific barrel do you have?

Ok John, It's a Thompson/ Center factory stainless steel barrel. Exactly 24" long with a recessed crown. It's not fluted. Muzzle diameter is three quarters of an inch. It has a ramp front sight with a white bead post and a flip down rear sight. Four holes drilled and tapped near the breech for scope mounting. The two furthest holes are 1 and 15/32nd's of an inch apart. Hope this is enough information so that you may be able to tell me if a flex tech forearm is available that will work. Thank you very much for your interest and help. RRM

I should have been specific in my question, so I applologize. I wondered if this is one of the tapered barrels, or a heavy barrel with no taper?

Yes John. It is a 24" tapered stainless steel Thompson/ Center Arms barrel.
I did find out that the TC7708 forearm is not a Thompson/ Center factory forearm, it's made by a company called Choate, and is not of the Flex Tech design, it's a solid black forearm. Thanks for taking an interest in my situation. RRM

You may be best served by finding a forearm like you want online in such auction sites as eBay or even gunbroker.com

You may also look at buying a complete stock and selling the buttstock separately.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thompson-Center-T-C-Encore-Pro-Hunter-Flextech-Rifle-Stock-Set-/252468759716?hash=item3ac84f8ca4:g:NoIAAOSw0fhXj5jc

Also, check the shooting forums that focus on T/C products, like graybeardoutdoors.com

There will be used forearms available there.

I was afraid of that. The current Flex-Tech forend will fit, but it would have a very free floated look. The hole pattern on the rifle barrels is the same, so it would fit, it just wouldn't fit snugly. The Flex Tech was only built for the heavy barrel versions, and it's been a few years since TC actually built a tapered rifle barrel, which is why your facing this dilemma.

Fixes are to switch away from a Flex Tech completely and buy an old stock set from somone for the tapered barrels, or go with the "floated" look afforded by the current model.

Sorry I couldn't give you a happier answer.

There is a flex tech forearm in the classifieds for sale as a part of a 4 barrel package. You might see if the seller would separate the forearm out for you.

Gentlemen, thanks for all of your advice and suggestions. You have been very helpful. Thanks. RRM

Muzzleloaders use a different fore end. The 20" Katahdin barrels use a different fore end. The 24" tapered, 26" tapered and Pro Hunter barrels use the same fore end. Then you have the shotgun barrels.