Accuracy: TC Encore VS. Trad. Bolt Action

[Kind of Blued]

I'm curious is anyone has some first hand grouping experience or links to share with me. I am planning on buying a TC Encore for hunting and, amongst others, am planning on purchasing a .204 Ruger barrel for varminting.

I had a Remington XR 100 Rangemaster in mind much later on down the road, but am curious how the two might compare.

The TC .204 barrel is 28" long, which is neat, because those little bullets at 4,000 fps out of a 24" barrel, as we all know, will just bounce off of a prairie dog.

 

[jl1966]

I had a new Encore in .22-250 and was not at all happy with it. It had a problem with vertical stringing, sent it back to T/C, they said they recrowned the barrel, it did not string anymore, but the group size was still disappointing. I sold it and bought a Ruger bolt gun with the money, much happier, and had some cash left over for ammo. In my opinion Encorwes are the most overhyped guns in history.

 

[R.W.Dale]

No matter how much the cost Break action rifles are a complete crapshoot with regards to accuracy. some are OK, some suck and you'll never know which it'll be till you shoot it.

I've owned both handi's and encores!

 

[HOLY DIVER]

i've owned a handi rifle and a encore lol the handi rifle did group better
still have the encore....why i dono.....

 

[Bitswap]

I just got done developing a ocw load for my encore 308. It wasn't fun. Although I've done this before for bolt actions, the vertical stringing really threw things off.

I realized the errors of my ways when someone said my expectations for it was unreasonable. He was right. The encore is designed to treck to the woods and fire three shots maximum in a single setting. It is not a bench rest rifle and can no way compete with bolt or falling block action.

If you use the encore for what it's designed to do, it's excellent. I have put five rounds through the same hole twice at 100 yards. But, they were match loads and the first string of the day. After the barrel heats up, you can expect it to start vertical stringing up to six inches.... yes, that's six inches....

Keep the barrel cool and you'll get 1-2 moa all day.

From what I've seen there are four inherent problems with the Encore (prohunter) type centerfire rifles as follows:

1) Loose hindge pin. It is not even a close fit as machinists say, you can wiggle it around. Easily fixed with an oversized lug.

2) Weak locking bolt spring. Again cheap to fix.

3) Scope mounted on the barrel instead of the 'reciever'. Same problem with falling blocks.

4) Weaver mounts need six screws. The end of the weaver mount floats.

Some additional steps to make this acceptable would be:

5) Have a trigger job done.

6) Have the crown worked

7) chamber cast to check the throat

8) pillar mount the forend

Take it for what's it's worth. I spent 800 on this 308 and would I buy one again or get more barrels? That's a big NO WAY!!! I'm going with a Hall, 700 or 110 action on my next rifle.

If your dead set on a single shot rifle, go for a Ruger #1 or something from MOA. Drop actions are ok for shotguns, but not centerfires IMO.

I will say something good about this Encore. The Limbsaver is excellent, so is the length of the rifle and so are special (spitzer) loads. If you only need one or two shots, it's an excellent rifle, but after that, pull out you blackhawk 44 mag.

Go here on tips to see more details.

Bit

 

[cmidkiff]

.204 at 4000 bounces off a prairie dog Sure it does

<splat>

 

[Coltdriver]

I have an Encore and once you understand the peculiarities of a break open action you can easily compete with any bolt action rifle for accuracy if that is your thing.

The nature of the break open action is that you do have a few variables to account for in every barrel/action combination.

The variables are what will determine your headspace. Too much and you will not have an accurate rifle. Too little and you will get the vertical stringing that plagues all break open actions and can also affect a Ruger #1 (I have one of those too). If there is no headspace and the head of the case contacts the breech face you will get vertical stringing every time. This is often mistaken for a bedding problem but it is almost always a (lack of) headspace issue.

I have found that the Encores do not have the loose pin issues that most Contenders have. But if yours is loose an interference fit pin will cure that problem and get you consistent head spacing. But consistent is just the beginning. You want about one thousanth between the cartridge head and the breech face. To get that you have to pay attention to your cases and in some instances you have to shim the firing pin boss. The only way to know is to determine the total headspace using a properly configured seated case and a feeler guage. Once you know that you can adjust the headspace.

If you reload and you are shooting a bottleneck cartridge then you must make sure that the case chambers fully and that it headspaces on the shoulder.

This requires a bit of work if you reload because every time you shoot a bottleneck round it stretches the case enough that you will have to bump back the shoulder a bit and you must full length size the case to do this. This was counter intuitive to me at first because I always thought that the beauty of a single shot rifle was the fact that you could precisely fire form to the chamber. But this stretching issue will run your groups.

Shooting only with factory ammo you can only get as much consistency as the ammo manufacturer offers in cartridge lenght.

Yesterday I was out at the range with my .223 barrel and I got five shots into a dime size group at 100 yards. I have a .204 barrel that I can consistently hit shotgun shells with at 300 yards.

They are a little more hassle than a bolt, but if you like single shot rifles and you hand load you can get some of the most accurate shooting possible with an Encore or a Contender. They are just different and in many ways they don't respond well to what does work with a bolt rifle.

 

[bubhead]

encore

i have had an encore 22-250 bull barrel for years and it is the most accurate rifle i have ever owned
it shoots dime sized groups at 100yds easy and all day long with my handloads or factory ammo
ive found that it shoots 55gr bullets the best. and likes h-4350 powder

best single shot available in my opinion... i just dont have any faith in rugers rifles. rugers are the crap shoot if u ask me... kinda like a box of chocolates
u never know what ur gonna get

if u want a good rifle get an encore

 

[jbech123]

I have a remington 5R $950(bone stock except I lightened the trigger) that will do .6" and a savage lrpv $900(bone stock) that I can shoot in the .4's. I'm certain they both actually shoot better than that, I am the limiting factor.
I got bitten by the encore bug last year. Got one in 204 ruger $900 shot 3" groups at best. Sent to reputed encore gunsmith for trigger/bedding/accuracy work etc...for another $400. Groups shrunk to 1.5". Bought a 223 barrel, same accuracy about 1.5".
As coltdriver says if you want to mess with it and understand the break open action, you can probably get the thing to shoot. But honestly I'd rather just buy a savage or remmy bolt for the same money and have the accuracy out of the box for less money and hassle.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Deleted.

 

[R.W.Dale]

i have had an encore 22-250 bull barrel for years and it is the most accurate rifle i have ever owned
it shoots dime sized groups at 100yds easy and all day long with my handloads or factory ammo
ive found that it shoots 55gr bullets the best. and likes h-4350 powder

best single shot available in my opinion... i just dont have any faith in rugers rifles. rugers are the crap shoot if u ask me... kinda like a box of chocolates
u never know what ur gonna get

if u want a good rifle get an encore

To cover a .22 cal group with a dime (.701") the group could be no larger than .477"

you have a encore that will shoot groups no worse than 1/2 moa with even factory ammo.........why do I find that hard to believe?

 

[tango2echo]

See post #3. Read until understood.

 

[AKElroy]

No matter how much the cost Break action rifles are a complete crapshoot with regards to accuracy. some are OK, some suck and you'll never know which it'll be till you shoot it.

+1. I have a HR in .243 that is stringing vertical. First shot is dead on. I mean DEAD ON. second is 3" high & they continue stringing from there. So it is a TRUE single shot. Exceptionally accurate for the first shot. Follow-up's must be 15 minutes apart, so I have to make it count! Given a good hour, I might be able to shoot a decent group with it.

 

[lopezni]

In a few weeks I will be able to tell you how accurate an Encore can be. I have a custom 6.5x55 barrel, a locking hinge pin, which keeps the pin from moving around shot to shot, with an Encore you want to make sure the forend does not contact the receiver, done some sanding there. When my gunsmith gets time, my trigger will be around 2.5lbs. If I get 1MOA out of the rifle, I'll be satisfied. I bought an Encore for the versatility, the number of calibers available, the accessories offered for it. Plus it is pretty compact with a 26" barrel on it and it looks good.

 

[jbkebert]

I have two encores and just picked up my 9th barrel. I have no complaints about the gun at all. The only great benifit I can think of a bolt gun over a break action single shot is lock time. With a bolt rifle the firing pin is set very close to the primer and has a short stroke to come forward and strike. With the break action style the falling hammer drives the firing pin into the primer. So lock time is probably 3-4 times longer. This can invite aiming errors if you are not steady. I have owned and still do own several remmington 700's and a couple of Rugers Km-77's. My encore will shoot just as well if not better than my bolt guns. Guess I haven't noticed how overhyped the T/C guns are since I don't get the hunting channel. As posted above a Encore IS NOT A BENCH GUN. Yet it is more than accurate enough for hunting purposes and target shooting.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I have a HR in .243 that is stringing vertical. First shot is dead on. I mean DEAD ON. second is 3" high & they continue stringing from there. So it is a TRUE single shot.

If that made me laugh, I *know* it made krochus laugh. Here's hoping my first/new Encore bucks the trend when the weather breaks and I'm able to get to the range with it!

 

[Offfhand]

I've had a couple of Encores that were fairly accurate but not great. About what you'd expect considering overall quality and design. I've heard from several shooters, on this site and elsewhere, telling about how wonderfully accurate their Encores are but I've yet to see anyone shooting one in serious rifle competition or even local club shoots. Bolt rifles rule.

 

[lopezni]

Well, minus the scope. I will have invested $739.98 in my Encore. I'm pretty confident that with my choice of calibers, 6.5x55, a custom barrel, handloads, will give me better results than a bolt rifle costing as much.

 

[Olympus]

As posted above a Encore IS NOT A BENCH GUN.

Not in a factory configuration, but not many guns are. But there is definitely a following for Encores as a bench gun. Check this out: http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek055.html

Go to Google and do a search for "Encore bench rifle" and see what you find.

Was the Encore originally designed for bench shooting? No. The same can be said for other rifles that have been used as a bench rifles too though. Ask Mike Bellm and see what he says about it. I don't think there's anyone out there that knows as much about Encores as he does.

Will a factory setup Encore compete with a factory setup Remington 700 SPS, VLS, VTR, etc? I doubt it. Will a Dodge 3/4 ton Cummins outrun a Corvette? No. But as I saw on some show on Speed Channel, dump enough money into the Dodge and leave the Corvette stock and it will.

 

[jbkebert]

I had to do some paperwork at the range yesterday. Threw the Encore in the truck because I have not shot it in a couple months. Took the .300 win mag barrel off and replaced it with a .243 win. I fired 5 quick shots to confirm zero had not shifted. Planning on going for coyottes tommorrow evening. Anyway 5 shots in I would say 3 minutes time. Group size was in between 1 1/2 and 1 5/8" at 100 yards off of shooting stix. Would a win any competition with this. No way in heck but would that group kill any coyotte or deer within a reasonable distance. You bet

 

[farscott]

No doubt that the T/C Contenders and Encores are capable of great accuracy and precision. However, the factory offerings often need some tweaking.

One of the easiest, least expensive, and most rewarding things to do is to attach the forend with a hanger bar. This keeps the forend from contacting the barrel. I believe Bullberry popularized the use of the hanger bar and the forends inlet for it.

Larger hinge pins, especially on the Contender, are often required to get repeatable lockup.

Aftermarket barrels also offer tighter chambers, shorter throats, better bores, different barrel profiles, different twist rates, different barrel lugs, more cartridge choices, and, in some cases, guaranteed accuracy. I have been very pleased with my Bullberry barrels as they seem to avoid the issue that plagues some of the factory offerings, chambers not concentric with the bore. Other barrel makers with good reputations are MGM, SSK, and OTT.

Reloading is pretty much required to wring the most out of the T/C single-shot platforms for the reasons mentioned in the posts above. I also practice a lot with my .22 LR barrel.