I think the most versatile big bore rifle is the Thompson Center Encore Rifle. It's also the most affordable and can be one of the most pleasant big bores to shoot.

You can get an Encore rifle in just about any big bore chambering possible such as .375 Ruger, .375 H&H, 450/400, .416 Ruger, .416 Remington, .416 Rigby, .450 Nitro, .458 Lott, .470 Nitro, .500 Nitro, etc.

You can have 10 guns in one without paying for 10 guns. When the Encore rifle is properly setup, it becomes one of the most pleasant big bore rifles you will ever shoot. Most of my "Big 5" Encore rifles weigh 10.5 lbs with adjustable sights and a 26" bull barrel. I use a thumbhole stock and a muzzle brake to reduce felt recoil. It's a very effective combination.

Here is my .500 S&W Magnum Encore rifle. I shoot 440 grain cast bullets at 2050 fps. The very same ballistics as the 450/400 but only using 40 grains of powder. I have also shot 700 grain cast bullets at 1500 fps. It is fun to shoot.

Ruger #1 in 9,3x74R.

What won't it do?

quote:

Originally posted by LRH270:
Ruger #1 in 9,3x74R.

What won't it do?

You can only shoot one caliber in the Number 1 and I would rather have something larger for Buf and Grizz.

Hey Kev,

ask Phil Shoemaker what he suggests clients bring to Alaska to hunt Moose and Brown/Grizzly Bear with. If you think the 9,3x74R (which kills lots of Cape Buffalo and Elephant in Africa every year) is too small, you are going to hate Phil...

Rich
Buff Killer

PS: the answer is 300 magnum of some sort

Quite a rig there!

And it looks a lot nicer than the thing with wall paneling for a stock.
ST

Well the 9.3 x 74 is a good big game cartridge, slightly less powerful than the .375 H&H. The TC Encore enables you to change barrels for various types of game while the Ruger Number 1 does not. I varmint hunt with a 22-250 barrel, deer hunt with a 300 RCM, dangerous game hunt with .458 Win & .470 Capstick. You can even bird hunt with the 12 ga and 20 ga barrels.

This is what I meant by versatility...not that the 9.3 x 74 can't take any game but it's not ideal for everything.

Ruger #1 in .458 Lott. Can load it down to 45-70 levels, or load it to Garrett "drop any animal, anywhere, anytime, one shot, sure kill, with cheap lead bullet load" , or load it up to have a true stopping rifle.
And on top of that, it is a very nice looking classic styled rifle, Sorry, but as someone who posts on this forum once said, "Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun." (Hope I got that quote right!)

well, yeah, but where's the fun in only owning one rifle, with a plastic stock and a set of barrels, over owning half a dozen nice blued steel and fine walnut rifles?

Rich
Buff Killer

I agree, I would much sooner have five or six nice rifles that I could be proud of rather than one with a shotgun type top brake action and a bunch of so-so barrels, but I guess there ok as farm or barn guns.
ST

Wow..tough crowd at this gun forum!! Try to share some thoughts/passions and the response is negativity!!

Thanks gentlemen!!

Possibly if you did not have what appears to be an advertisement for encore rifles in you signature, people would not bust the ball's so hard.

I see. So people like to bust you if you have what appears to be an ad in your signature. Guilty until proven innocent.

I guess I can be negative too!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Set-Trigger:
a shotgun type top brake action and a bunch of so-so barrels, but I guess there ok as farm or barn guns.
ST

You mean a break open action such as a double rifle has. It's accurate, reliable and handles recoil very well. The barrels are Shilen barrels. The same as some of the top bolt rifles have.

I had a Ruger Number 1 Tropical in .458 Win Mag. I sold it shortly afterwards. The Encore .458 is much easier to shoot.

I don't think it's a tough crowd at all, it's just an opinion thing, you have yours and others have there's, and I don't think it's a negativity thing, I look at it in my mind as a reality thing. I like nice looking guns that shoot well, have real walnut stocks and blued steel.

Sorry I did not jump up and down about looking at your gun, I just cant get excited over something that in my eyes is nothing more than a cheap top break shotgun action with a bunch of rifle barrels, to me they have no class.

Now if that was a Ruger # 1, a Winchester Hi-Wall, a Stevens 44 or a 44 1/2 Schuetzen rifle or any other real Single Shot rifle that had class that could be used for hunting or shooting sports I would probably get real excited over it.

Please don't get upset with these comments, the bottom line is that you like it, my idea of what a fine rifle should be is only my opinion from being around them for the past 50 or so years. In my mind it's not really negativity, it's fact. Like I've said It's only my opinion as to what has eye appeal and class. I'm sure some others will have a different opinion, that's what makes the world go round.
ST

quote:

Originally posted by Big 5 Encores:
I had a Ruger Number 1 Tropical in .458 Win Mag. I sold it shortly afterwards. The Encore .458 is much easier to shoot.

Sorry to hear that you sold such a fine gun, however all is not lost, you can always buy another one.
ST

quote:

Originally posted by Set-Trigger:

quote:

Originally posted by Big 5 Encores:
I had a Ruger Number 1 Tropical in .458 Win Mag. I sold it shortly afterwards. The Encore .458 is much easier to shoot.

Sorry to hear that you sold such a fine gun, however all is not lost, you can always buy another one.
ST

The Ruger Number 1 is not really a "fine" gun. I looked at the inletting and it was mediocre at best and was not accurate. The wood was utility grade with a hard 1/2" recoil pad. Not a fine gun at all. I would never buy another.

The Encore is more accurate and handles recoil much better. I can shoot the .458 Win Mag all day. It kicks like a .375 H&H.

I'm going to order barrels for the 450/400, 450 Nitro and perhaps the .470 Nitro. It sure is nice to be able have a rifle in all of these calibers without breaking the bank.

Versatile, shootable and affordable!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Big 5 Encores:

quote:

Originally posted by Set-Trigger:
a shotgun type top brake action and a bunch of so-so barrels, but I guess there ok as farm or barn guns.
ST

You mean a break open action such as a double rifle has. It's accurate, reliable and handles recoil very well. The barrels are Shilen barrels. The same as some of the top bolt rifles have.

Kevin,
Me and Ed Shilen go way back, do you realy think that those guns have a real Shilen
"Match" barrel, and when did they start useing Greener type actions like the good Double Rifles use.
ST

Actually my barrels are Shilen barrels. They are custom Encore barrels.

Ok then I guess you do have real Shilen barrels,
That's a plus. I use a lot of them and from what I can tell there about the best there is at this time. See I give credit where credit is due.
ST

Gracias!

Sounds like the Encore is a real winner! I've always been partial to the Ruger but you make a good point.

Set-trigger,

one of these days I will have to post some pictures of my Sukalle custom Borchardt for you guys to drool over. It's a 25-35 Imp for now, but I am researching how to swap barrels ala Stevens 44 1/2. At my age esthetics are almost as important as performance in a single shot rifle.



Rich
Buff Killer

Please do post some pictures of it, the more pictures of classic Single Shot Rifles like a Borchardt the better.
ST

quote:

Originally posted by Big 5 Encores:
I had a Ruger Number 1 Tropical in .458 Win Mag. I sold it shortly afterwards. The Encore .458 is much easier to shoot.

I have a SS Encore with 50cal muzzleloader barrel on mine now. I would like to put a 234WSSM barrel on it. I don’t know if it is available but I think it would be useful caliber for my Encore. I have heard a lot about frame stretch with hotter caliber cartridges. Have you had this problem?

My friend bought a blue Encore 50cal muzzleloader with a walnut stock and forend it fell about 4 inches off the seat in his Jeep and cracked the rear stock. For this reason he now has a black rear stock and a walnut forearm. It looks kind of silly to me but he is not concerned. I think the Synthetic Realtree Hardwoods Camo is a cool looking stock.

I have five Encore receivers and 15 barrels between my son and my wife. I have found that if you do a little trigger work and some stock/forend tweaking, the Encore is an accurate and reliable firearm. I don't find it to be ugly at all. In fact I think it is very graceful. I probably have four dozen bolt guns and don't consider the Encore to be a lesser firearm from a utility standpoint. I have barrels from 204 Ruger up to 416 Rem Mag with most cals in between. No flies on the Encore.

Now, if I could duplicate the same on a Blaser platform, then that would be a different matter of an exponential order of magnitude. Just a matter of money.

fwiw
I have a Ruger #1 that is in contention for the most accurate firearm I own
I like rifles to much to buy into a one gun do all platform

White Eagle,
Sounds Great, tell us more, what configuration is it, 1-B, 1-S. 1-V, or ?, what caliber is it, and how does it compare to the shooting records held by other Ruger # 1's in that same caliber.
Ruger # 1 Guy

Big 5

As a fan and user of the Blaser R 93, I would agree with you that the Encore is a very versitile Singls shot rifle.

I have never owned an Encore, but I did own a Contender Pistol and several barrels once.

The Thompson Center products are very well made IMHO and a very good buy.

I am a big fan of the Ruger No1's, have owned and shot a few and feel they are also a great hunting gun and a good value.

There is a place for both companies products.

Oh my current favorite single shot is the Blaser K 95.

My next 2 Encore rifle barrels will be the 450/400 and the 450 Nitro 3 1/4". As soon as Hornady dies are available, I'll start on these.

I love the old British Nitro's.

Too many single shot snobs hereabouts, me and my Encores are leaving for where what I go is better than yours isn't an issue.

Caveats: MY OPINION

The Encore is a utilitarian tool to be certain, but it barely makes a grade in the style and appeal department to many.

A friend of mine has a large variety of Encores/contenders in more calibers than I can count on all my appendages, and yet, he cannot seem to settle in and shoot any of them well. He borrows my 9.3 No. 1 regularly and swears he will buy one (he really wants mine, at an encore price, I am certain).

I tend to stay close to my No1 416 Rigby for most everything (chcken marauding housecats included).

Best;

I am absolutely NOT an Encore fan at all! the stock design is a terrible fit for me and I can not get a good site picture. I would much ratherb have a Ruger #1 in 30-06 or even a Handirifle. I also believe the barrels for te Encore are vastly overpriced. For the cost of a barrel--- I could buy a nre Handirifle!

quote:

Originally posted by Big 5 Encores:
Well the 9.3 x 74 is a good big game cartridge, slightly less powerful than the .375 H&H. The TC Encore enables you to change barrels for various types of game while the Ruger Number 1 does not. I varmint hunt with a 22-250 barrel, deer hunt with a 300 RCM, dangerous game hunt with .458 Win & .470 Capstick. You can even bird hunt with the 12 ga and 20 ga barrels.

This is what I meant by versatility...not that the 9.3 x 74 can't take any game but it's not ideal for everything.

I don't shoot Encores because I don't like their looks and lines. JMO.

the B-I-G problem with an encore: once your wife sees it and you explain the concept you can never buy a real rifle again! Deadly!

Rich
Buff Killer

I won't deny the utility of the Encore, because it definitely has that. However, for me they're just too damned ugly. So, I'll stick with my Ruger #1 rifles, several od which are sub-half inch rifles, most at or very close to MOA and even the worst of the bunch is a 1.5" gun and considering it's chambered for a DGR round, that's good enough.
Some like Fords, some like Chevies, some like whatever. It's whatever turns you on. Might as well enjoy them while we still have them and quit pissing and moaning about what ever is the best and do what ever it takes to keep the damn things.
Paul B.

"the B-I-G problem with an encore: once your wife sees it and you explain the concept you can never buy a REAL rifle again! Deadly!
Rich"

WOW,
Glad I didn't say that, I would be much nicer and say something like. Life is way to short to live with an ugly rifle.
Ruger # 1 Guy

How bout that, our messaqges were only minutes apart yet we were on the same page, goes to show you how deep ugly goes.
Ruger # 1 Guy

My wife’s rifles are Encores (2 frames, 4 barrels). The Encore is a good system for her because the bantam butt stocks fit her perfectly. What I like is the fact that I can switch those stocks out with regular stocks so I can work up loads for her (I hate shooting her rifles with those short stocks).

The Encore and Contender are pretty good platforms for a person who wants to shoot a number of different cartridges at less expense than buying individual guns. Although the TC system is less expensive, it’s not cheap. By the time you add up the cost of the barrel, bases, rings, and scope, you can have some big $$$ invested in just a barrel real quick.

If the barrel is a custom big bore with just iron sights and no scope, it’s still not cheap.

Encores and Contenders are like Lego toys, you can build some real nice guns or some really weird “stuff”.

I have no idea what the most versatile big bore single shot rifle is. If I went to Africa to hunt dangerous big game, it sure as hell wouldn’t be with a brake action single shot that couldn’t eject a fired case.