Opinions on TC Encores.....What do you think of them? I know they're not quite a No. 1, or even a Highwall....but they do have versatility. Don't hold back.....tell me what you really think....

I have owned a couple #1's over the years and probably a dozen Encores, and I still have a couple Encores but NO #1's.

I have one Encore with a T/C custom shop 270 Win that shoots one hole "groups" all day with factory Win Supreme 140 gr Accubond ammo, and my other has a MGM barrel in 9.3x74r and is scary accurate. I consistently shoot 500 yard silouettes with it.

I keep thinking about one, but I sure hear some mixed reviews.

have had several and had great luck with them, always under an inch. just get bored and want to try new things.

damn, now ya got me shopping gunbroker...

GOOD, shopping is good for the economy and the gun safe.....

bought a walnut stocked encore just now on GB with muzzleloader barrel, $440. can't beat it.

Great buy!

I've had an Encore for 8 years. I bought it because it gave me the ability to switch barrels and I liked the compactness. The MZ barrel was very particular but once I found the right bullet/powder combo it consistanly delivers 3 shots into an inch. My best group at 150 yards was 1.5 inches. I also have a 270 barrel and it has been 1 inch shooter out of the box with factory ammo and tightens up w/handloads.

I bought two Encores about 8 years ago. I've had a total of 9 different barrels for them. Two happened to be 35 Whelen barrels bought from Midway. In 2008 Mississippi legalized the Encores, .35 cal. and up, for primitive deer season. Since then, the 35 Whelen barrels have not come off. To be honest, I've found that cartridge did all the other calibers did so I sold them.

In a moment of weakness I gave one to my brother. I didn't like not having a spare so I bought another one. I now load for my two, my brother and his in law. I've had no problem getting 1 inch groups with any of them.

I like Encores and break open single shots in general for their compactness, utility, simplicity and performance. Pick one up, you will probably like it.

Having shot TC for years, I have played with the Encore for a while. I have shot everything from a 17 Remington to 375HH and really liked the interchanging barrels, and at the time I was getting barrels for under $200. The 375HH barrel was a boomer and I would not shoot something that large without custom wood and padding. I really loved my compact 243 and 30 cal barrels, as did the younger shooters. At one time I was at 11 barrels and 4 frames. Now, I do not shoot the Encore as I have moved to exclusively Contenders and bolt guns. I have found that for the hunting I do, the Contender has a caliber that works, and if not I have a bolt gun which will work.

My biggest issue with the Encore was the trigger. The factory trigger was not up to my standards, and unlike the Contender, I could not play with it easily at home and adjust to my liking. I had different TC friends do trigger jobs for me and eventually I had a nice trigger.

The price on the barrels has gone up, but there are also more options available now than a few years ago. I am not sure I would get into an Encore again as I would have to dump a few thousand into just a few frames, barrels, and decent grips, and the value is not there like it was. I have had a heck of a time with TC in regards to their warranty, parts, and service since they were taken over by S&W, and I am not sure I want to delve deeper.

As for durability, I was never worried about my Encore failing me in any way. I missed one animal out of many with an Encore, and that was my fault 100%. As a lover of off-path calibers, the Encore was wonderful, as it was so easy to load for and barrels could be found (or made).

Overall, to me, the Encore was worth it when TC still ran the shop. I have seen and heard mixed reviews in dealing with TC lately, but the Encore is a wonderful tool if you want to spend the $$.

If you can get past the ugly, they are pretty good guns. I can't get past the ugly...

I played with them for quite a while. Killed a lot of deer with a ML setup. Had a custom .308 that had the best trigger of any gun I've ever shot...it was also a 1 holer. Never had trouble getting any of the barrels to shoot well. I just prefer bolt guns.....

I do still use the Encore for turkey hunting. The single shot turkey barrel is light and shoots great. Works well for the way I hunt turkeys...recoil sucks though!

I've bought an Encore in 30-06 and a spare barrel in .270. I'll be adding some others. I'm trying them due to the ability to do wildcat or unique calibers at a lower cost than the investment in another full rifle. One of the barrels I'll be buying will be a 22-250 with a 1:8 twist, or a 22x57 in 1:9 twist, or.....well yoa'll understand the sickness. Thanks for all the good feedback.

The ones I have used all shot well. The system of changing barrels is simple and works great. I personaly dont like the way they balance, the weight, or the looks of them.

True, Rugers have more panache...but the Encores appeal to the thrifty (cheap) side of me. One action, many barrels. Kinda like the old double shotguns with extra barrels.....

I have a Pro Hunter Frame (with standard Synthetic Encore Buttstock & Forend) with 2 24" Stainless Steel Barrels, 1 in .223 Remington and 1 in .30-06. I did have to put a shim behind the breech block in my frame to tighten up the headspace a bit and I had my Synthetic Forend Pillar Bedded. The biggest problem for me has been getting the right scope base and ring combo so I can get the scope far enough forward for me. I solved that problem with MGW Picatinny Scope Rails for the Encore. They are a bit longer and solved my problem.

Both of my barrels took a bit of breaking in and didn't really start shooting decent until I had more than 50 rounds through them. Also both of my barrels don't start shooting their best after cleaning until I get 12 - 15 rounds through them. Then they settle in and shoot MOA or better groups.

Larry

love my pro hunter in 25-06 I used a Talley picatinny rail and nightforce rings and scope and it is a drill.

That's pretty much where I am. I've looked at these used again and again, but I have a nice Contender carbine for smaller cartridges and other nice single shots for the larger centerfires, so I just don't need an ugly rifle in my closet.

My sister-in-law has one in .308 and she loves it. Solid big game rifle.

Sherwood

Encores, like any other rifle are not without their issues. I have owned 6 frames and dozens of barrels. Some of my barrels being completely custom were quite expensive.

As a reloader you will not have to deal with o.a.l. problems as you would with box magazines.

I have moved into a phase of appreciating lightweight (under 7.5 pounds) packages and none of my Encore setups come anywhere close to lightweight. They ARE quite functional. One of the benefits is the length of the rifle being considerably shorter than a normal bolt gun.

The Ruger Number 1 looks better and the Encore shoots and groups better .

Buy a New England more accract an less money same foe CVA an H&R

I bought a nice used Encore this weekend. It's a .375H&H with a huge Simmons scope. By the time I unload the barrel and the scope I won't have much in the walnut stock set and frame. It was a cheap way to go.

If you are on a budget and want more than one cal , then the Encore is the way to go much better the CVA and H&R junk

i bought the 50 cal encore used, going to sell the barrel and replace in a varmint/deer cartridge...either .243 or .257 roberts.

going through a period of tight money and have sold off a lot of guns and need one i can do more with...in this case a $200 used barrel goes a long way.

I'm up to a .222; .243; .270 and a 30-06 barrel. I do like the versatility. While it's true it's not a Ruger, the same amount of calibers in a Ruger would be around $2800. In the Encore I'm out only $1150. Not bad for a rifle that's a little average on looks. I'm still a big fan of the Rugers and Mausers though. The H&R and New England guns???? C'mon get real, that's going way to frugal. A man's got to have a little pride in ownership. Ballard, High Wall, Martini just to name a few....

Seriously?!? Someone comes here asking legitimate question about Encores, and this is your contribution.

I don't have anything against NEF rifles and have owned at least a couple over the years, but they aren't even in the same league as an Encore. They shoot fairly well but are seriously lacking in fit and finish.

had a encore in 270 last year,wouldn't shoot tight enough groups for me.just traded for a pro hunter 50cal last week. friend offered a good price for it and i let it go with out ever firing it. i also have a encore in 280rem for sale in the classifieds right now.belongs to a friend,he says it shoots good. check it out if you need one

What kind of groups did you get and at what ranges? What ammo? Did you try more than one brand or bullet weight?

My Encore in 270 Winchester does OK.

Now I'm glad I got my Encore. Thanks for all the input guys, both pos. & neg. One action and four barrels is a good thing. All I need now is the .223 with a 1:7 wtist and the 22-250 with a 1:8 twist and a .........well you know the disease...

Tried 4 different Encores and I will never own another! Some were high-end customs that were supposed to shoot-they didn't! Common issues was moving point of impact between trips using the same ammo.

To say it is either hit or miss in getting a good one is a major understatement.

Give me an accurate bolt any day of the week. I'd MUCH rather have a Savage, Ruger, Remington, Tikka, Winchester, Weatherby, Howa, CZ....get the picture?

I will fall short of calling them junk. My family has owned 3 of them. They are accurate as all get out. VERY impressed with the groups you can attain. There's no question or complaint there. My wife has one in 7mm-08. She had a great deal of trouble openint the gun. The trigger guard was just too stiff. She had to use both hands to open it. She also had difficulty getting her thumb under the low mounted Leupold scope. BUT the big problem was misfires. Time after time it would misfire. MORE than 50% of the time. I had a friend suggest getting the pro-hunter conversion done. If you can believe it, that made matters WORSE, + the folks at Fox Ridge Outfitters treated my wife like an idiot. I called them back and ripped them a new rear end. I took a day off from work and brought the gun back. It took them over two hours before they gave me the gun back. When my wife brought it to them they were done in less than 15 minutes. When they brought ME the gun back, they said they couldn't find any problem. BUT we never had any trouble again. A lighter spring on the extractor fixed the problem with opening. Now my son's in .260 Rem is mis-firing. I took the gun apart and looked at both the firing pin and the round block that retains the firing pin. The hole through the block was not square to the face of the block and the one screw that holds the block to the frame backed out just enouch to let the block cock/tip and was binding up on the firing pin. Since S&W bought T/C their customer service has gon downhill. JMO>

i have owned 2 tc contender rifles and a few encores- lost track- lol

anyway, with the exception of one .223 barrel which was HORRIBLE, all of them shot 1/2 moa on a regular basis.

tc knows how to make barrels apparently.

Im on my first one. Started as a 308. I sold that barrel and put a 358 barrel on it. Mine is as compact as it can legally be almost. 16" barrel and about 30" overall. Entire rifle is the length of the stock of the abolt i traded for it. With my handloads i can shoot right at 1" groups at 100. And being 358 win, it is legal for MS primitive weapon season. I want to build a pistol next...