My factory Encore 284 barrel has a rather chinsy attachment with the factory forend:two screws pass through the forend into holes tapped directly into the barrel. Can't be great for accuracy. I use a Pachmayr forend on several contenders which has a hanger that attaches to the barrel, to which the forend is attached. What are my options for the Encore, preferaby using the factory forends? (I have both composit and wood stocks for that barrel, and more barrels are likely to follow)

What I would do is pillar bed it. Open up the barrel channel to free float the barrel, then make or buy pillars for your screws to go through and maintain height.

Or you can buy or make a hanger bar, and alter your forend to work with it. (more work and extra holes in the wood.)

This is what I did.
To make sure the barrel channel is nice and round at the area that makes contact with the barrel I took a deep well socket of the correct size and wraped it with a piece of 150 grit sandpaper. I ran that back and forth a couple times to even up the channel. I then got some Duct tape..."no not the kind your thinking of" This is the aluminum stuff that looks like chrome and it's all metal with the paper ya peel off the back to expose the sticky side. Anyway I cut a couple small pieces about 1/2"x1/2" and stuck it centered at both screw holes inside the forend channel. One piece was enough on this forend. Then I just bored the holes for the screws in the tape. Mounted it on the barrel and tightened the screws. I'm now able to run a dollar bill freely everywhere except where the screws are.

I went and got two neopreme washers at the local home depot. I just snug the screw up tight. It gives me a good free float and I get excellent accuracy with my 24" 22-250 barrel.

Thanks guys. This gives me something to work with.