I am considering purchasing an Encore, AGAIN. Please, someone remind me why i do not want one of these things.....

I was reminded why I traded off my Encore two years ago and stuck with Contenders and XP's just this past Sunday.

I worked a gun show with Ed Saturday and he saw me eyeballing a matte 12 3/8" VV heavy bull (1.020 OD from one end to the other) Shilen Encore barrel in 7mm08, with a VV wide flat bottom forend, oversize VV rear grip, and VV six hole Weaver style base.

Being overcome with the Xmas spirit <smile> and knowing I'm a sucker for the 7-08 chambering in a handgun, he stuck a frame, rings, and VV forend on it and told me to take it home and play with it for awhile.

Saturday night I mounted a scope on the barrel and loaded up five loads and headed to the range at dawn Sunday morning.

The barrel / gun was a tack driver and the load it liked put nine rounds (I pulled one) into a 3/4" group off bags at 100yds but like the Encore I traded off it still just felt big, bulky and heavy (it weighs 6lbs and 5ozs. scoped) compared to my Contenders and centergip XP's.

After cleaning up the gun and changing clothes I went back to the gun show and said, "thanks for letting me play Ed but here's your gun back".

Now granted the Encore can be had in higher pressure rifle rounds whereas the Contender can't but the last time I looked at the Fox Ridge catalog the Contender can be had in about 48 factory chamberings that can handle anything from chipmunks to bull moose and that doesn't even take into consideration the additional chamberings available from the custom barrel makers like SSK, VV etc.

The Encore is a excellent handgun but I just like the feel of the Contender better......that's my $.02.

[ 01-13-2003, 15:43: Message edited by: IKE ]

Mike
I got one recently just don't have the barrel yet to try it out. My intention is to go carbine with it later. I did buy a pistol barrel which should be interesting to play with. I'll let you know how good/bad it is.
Rich Jake

well, mssmagnum sorry i can't help you out here. can't understand why anyone wouldn't want one myself. i dearly love the contender but the encore is just as nice in my opinion. i kept hearing people say it didn't fit their hand. so i kinnda started to pay attention to mine. i did notice the trigger reach a little longer. but i still like it. it actually fits like one should in my opinion. the trigger finger just reaches to the pad of your finger instead of wrapping all the way around the thing. the encore is just so versatile caliber wise. a man can get by on a contender, but who wants to just gey by. a serious handgunner needs both. hehe !

Mike I agree with Kyode. True the feel is different than the contender, in my case that is good my hand is a little on the large size so it fits better than the contender. Also I wasn't able to get a contender in the Rem BR case series. I have both and love both along with Rem XP and Savage Striker. All mine are larger and heavy (works best from the bench). So I say give it a try, I am sure that if you don't like it someone will gladly take it off your hands!
Have a good one buddy.

Bobby

I'll tell ya why you shouldn't get an Encore. Because the MOA is a better gun! Sheesh, I need a fix for this jones that I got!!!

Ok guys - as usual, I'm probably a bit stange, but...

In Kalifornia, you can no longer buy a TC (encore/contender) new in handgun config. Long story, but has to do with "drop testing." Anyway, I was able to get an Encore in rifle config after that law went into effect, so my contenders are mostly pistol shooters and my encore will always have a rifle barrel on it.

That said, I like the beef on the encore when using it as a rifle/carbine. Not to say that I don't like the contender as a carbine, it is VERY cool.

Ok - BOTTOM LINE, I believe it is a law that you have one of each (or it should be)!


Steve

Mike, There is no reason not to buy an Encore. In fact go buy one right now. Hurry in fact. If by chance you do not like it, I would help you out by accepting it as a late Christmas gift. I won't even complain that it is late. After all what are friends for? Need help with chosing a caliber too???

mikey

Mike,
I see no reason not to own at least one. As a matter of fact,as soon as I sell or trade my S&W 629 Classic i'll be getting one. I'm going with the carbine though {257imp. or 270imp.} This will never be a replacement for my 8 contenders but I want one just the same. I say get it.

Mike, I have to give the encore a positive vote here as well. The trigger leaves somthing to be desired in my opinion, but it is usable. This is even after using one of Mike B's trigger springs. The only thing I do not like about the trigger is when you drop the hammer, the trigger rebound, forward motion, just bothers me. Once again this is workable, if not even smoother and better than a Contender. That ought to start somthing, huh?

As far as the grip, I did not like the way the grips felt in my hand. Until I picked one up at a show that had the factory rubber grip, which I think may be a tad smaller and the angle may be different as well?

ALSO, how long before that young lad is going to need a "NEW" rifle? Ya know they make a camo stock for the Encore don't cha?

Besides, if you don't like it I am sure you can convince Jim he needs one. LOL
Jeff

Mike... Like maybe 'cause they are garbage?

mike ??? i traded mine off..stuck with the contender,,my hands are small-med..
just didnt feel right to me,,,
but ??? it was a nice pistol...
carbine ??? yes
buckweet

Love my Encore (.30-06) I've taken Bear/Deer/Caribou with it. Hasn't failed me yet!

Buy One! They are HEAVY if you have a Full bull But in some sort of tapered barrel or light varmit(still as large as ANY conntender barrel) it is NOT that much heavier. And All the Bigger chamberings you can get.

Fireball

Mike,
With the specialty pistols I have now I would choose the Contender over the Encore, since I already have a number of high pressure specialty handguns. I have owned the encore and several barrels in the past. They are all gone now with no regrets. The Encore is a good action, but my personal preferences are different.
You may want to pick up a used one and give it a whhirl--you may fall in love with it. Worse case scenario is that you sell it for what you have in it.
xphunter

Give it up Mike. Come over to the dark side.

:-)

Steve

Well Sean I may as well fess up before someone rats me out....and yes, I'd like a little salt with my crow.

Last weekend, at the show, ole Ed still had the above mentioned VV heavy barrel 7-08 Encore all put together and as hard as I fought the urge it followed me home again and this time it looks like it's going to stay.

I mounted a B&l Elite 3000 2x6, in Weaver 4x4 rings, on it Saturday night and went to the range early yesterday morning with a buddy and his Custom Shop XP in 7-08 to play awhile.

Just to try them, I made up some ammo Saturday nite with the load my old 7-08 Encore liked which was 38.5grs of BLC-2 under a Sierra 130gr SSP and like the loads I worked up above, in my original reply, they also grouped under 1" at 100yds.....the ball of flame coming out the muzzle was also quite impressive. :-)

Next I tried some factory 140gr Winch. ammo, that my buddy had brought along.....again under 1".

Next I tried some of his somewhat light XP pet loads that he uses for IHMSA competition, 32.0grs of H322 under a Speer 145 grainer....again under 1".

The way this thing is shooting I may have a hard time finding something that it doesn't like.

The barrel is not ported and has no brake so I guess it's due to the heavy barrel but there is hardly any muzzle jump at all, the recoil is more straight back and is quite comfortable to shoot with the oversize grip.

Yep Sean it sorta looks like I'm back into the Encore business again so go ahead and get yourself one and a six pack of barrels :-)

Like they say, "you only go around once and you can't take it with you", or as I like to say,....." I ain't never seen a Brinks truck in a funeral procession." :-)

[ 01-13-2003, 15:56: Message edited by: IKE ]

well mike you didn't like it the first time so i'm sure you won't like it now.just like my internet provider bigger ain't better, TC just made a modern day club.. the way your contenders shoot why would you even consider this, as your close friend i'm telling you don't do it...
and why ? jeff is wrong.. i won't buy it.