New Encore Owner???

17 June 2008, 02:44

john391

New Encore Owner???

I am going to order my first Encore. Looking to purchas a SS. 270 or 25-06 with camo synthetic stock. Is it easy to remove the adjustable sights that come with the gun? Any suggestions as to whether to purchase a regular barrel or get the Pro Hunter model.
I would like any helpful suggestions before I order the gun. I know this group has a lot of experience. John

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18 June 2008, 03:17

DesertRam

Removing factory open sights is a straightforward task. I've pulled them off my pistol and muzzleloader barrels with no difficulty. I'd like to find plugs for the open holes, but haven't bumped into any so far.

19 June 2008, 17:28

Grumulkin

1. It's easy to remove the iron sights but at least in a rifle, why do so? You can leave them on, put on a Warne base with quick detach rings and still use the iron sights if you need them. Also, if you don't like iron sights, why not just get a barrel without them?

2. Both regular and Pro Hunter Encore barrels work the same. The only difference is cosmetic so get the type you like the best.

3. New Encore rifle barrels with iron sights have flat screws to fill the 4 holes that have been tapped for scope mounting. You can take them out and use them to fill the holes for the iron sight screws.

22 June 2008, 19:04

nordrseta

My Encore is the blue steel orginal version. It started as a pistol but has served mostly as a rifle. The 4 inch longer barrel on the Prohunter seems to balance better and why not take some free velocity? The moveable hammer spur looks pretty convenient if you plan to run a scope. The thumbhole stocks seem to improve the otherwise iffy ergonomics (the Encore's strong suit is flexibility, not the quality of the man-machine interface). Finally, not to rehash the perennial thread but if you ever hope to run an Encore (or a Contender) as a pistol you should buy it and register it as a pistol frame in the first place.

23 June 2008, 04:42

Fish30114

I'm pretty sure the pro hunter barrels are a touch longer, consider that. The 'flex' stock does a make a difference on felt recoil, at least in .50 Cal muzzleloader too.....

Consider getting a trigger job done, unless you're just lucky, the stock triggers are usually pretty heavy. I did my own trigger job, and got lucky, I really didn't have the skills, smoothing it up was easy, but I had no idea how much I was lightening up the trigger, and getting it back together was a bit of a challenge, in the end, I ended up with 3.3 lbs, which is really good, but I can see where I could have taken it to far real easily too.....

05 July 2008, 01:45

sheephunterab

Many Encore barrels come without sights but on the 24" barrels and few others, it's only a matter of removing a couple screws to take the sights off.

Regular Encore barrels come in 26 or 24 inch length and all Pro Hunter barrels are 28". You do gain a bit of velocity with most calibres. It really depends what you'll be using it for and what calibre.

06 July 2008, 04:05

homebrewer

quote:
Originally posted by homebrewer:
Mine is a .223Rem in the stainless, heavy, 26-inch barrel. Receiver is also stainless. I was lucky enough to hit the web at just the right instant and picked up a Boyd's laminated, left-hand thumbhole buttstock and a long, varminter forestock from E. A. Brown & Company at www.eabco.com. I also have a stock set from www.gunstocks.com in black walnut. It came raw, so I had to sand it, shape it a little and finish it. You can get one in walnut ready to screw on at Cheaper Than Dirt http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/16889-52881-2387.html.

My Encore is very accurate. I do not have the oversized hingepin in it, but it's still a tackdriver. From a solid rest, a squirrel's head is in serious danger out to 200-plus yards. I use a 6-24X scope. The hammer spurs ain't worth the money. They shake loose in about three shots. In the very near future, I will put the Weaver base on, add some half-inch Picatinny risers and put medium rings under the scope. Clearance for the hammer should not be a problem. The Encore cannot handle 75-grain bullets with its 1:12 twist. I shot some at a 50-yard target and they either keyholed or missed the target entirely. Stick to 55 to 62 grain bullets and you'll be fine.

10 July 2008, 07:30

HEAD0001

I also have the LH thumbhole stock. If I were you this is how I would do it. IMO the Encore needs a trigger job from the factory. So if I were you I would contact a gunsmith and have him get the action for you. This way you avoid shipping costs. Or else just buy the action and send the action only to a gunsmith for the trigger work. Bellm and Stratton both do good work. But you may have a local smith who can do the work, or you might order the spring kit from Bellm and do it yourself.

I would then order the stock you want for your rifle.

Then I would order a custom barrel from one of the top guys. I like the MGM barrels. But there are several guys out there.

IMO the Pro Hunter's are overpriced. You can do what I just recommended and have a custom Encore for less than a Pro Hunter. And I am pretty sure it will be a better shooter. Below is my 6.5X284. Tom.