Some have asked "Why Encores?" It may be answered "Why not Encores?"

Very nicely done Mr. Tomek.

To me they are homely and don't fit all that well either. Still they have a combination of features you would have a hard time duplicating for the price. What other takedown rifle that comes in as many calibers can match the price? I may get one for air travel someday but will have to have a custom buttstock made for it.

My wife selected the T/C platform because it fit her better than any other rifle. This custom rifle was made to fit her by Bullberry and is in 9.3x74R. She loves it and shoots it well.



Here's another one from earlier this month.

That's a good looking stock on that encore...can we get a better picture?
I'm a T/C fan for sure.
I don't think they're ugly, I love being able to swap calibers, I love the option of pistol/rife.
I've never found a Ruger trigger that could be worked as easy as the T/C.
Why spend more on the Ruger when the T/C will do the same job.

I think there is a margin of uniqueness there but it is an acquired taste. Not for me either.

I like the Encore platform for the ability to tinker with different calibers w/o buying a whole gun. This is my 25-35 Encore with a 6x Monarch.

quote:

I think there is a margin of uniqueness there but it is an acquired taste.

Yes, I think so too. I happen to like them but they’re not for everyone. My wife uses hers for antelope and P dogs (243 and 22-250).


I’ve collected 4 antelope with this 25-06.


17 Remington, 22-250, 243, 25-06.

Good stuff, Mick. I agree with your thoughts, 100%

I'm a bigger fan of Contenders than Encores but the thing I like about them is how versatile they are. I have a young family and can't justify throwing large amounts of money at every discipline I want to shoot. Buying barrels instead of complete guns makes a lot more sense for me from an economics standpoint. Maybe they aren't pretty (as if hunting is a fashion show). Maybe the groups aren't as tight as some others. Day in and day out though they get the job done for me and that's why I keep shooting them.

Thompson is one of the greatest marketing successes ever in the firearm business. Most of us who are around firearms, selling them, on a daily basis, do not have favorable things to say about these guns. But to each his own.

I don't get the argument for versatility, except for maybe being able to go from muzzleloader to standard rifle. If you really want to talk about versatility in an extremely accurate and more conventional rifle, for less money than a Thompson, consider the Tikka in .30-06. Guaranteed to shoot 1" groups at 100yards with factory ammo out of the box, good trigger. If you were to decide to use nothing but Federal factory ammo with this gun, you would have choices from 110gr triple shock to 180gr Noslers, not to mention the reduced/managed recoil 170gr SP's for your children. With a good scope, you've got less than $1000 and can shoot anything from varmits to African plains game with only a few clicks for scope adjustments. Now that's a versatile rifle, on the cheap.

Just my thoughts, Mike

quote:

Originally posted by mdstewart:
Thompson is one of the greatest marketing successes ever in the firearm business. Most of us who are around firearms, selling them, on a daily basis, do not have favorable things to say about these guns. But to each his own.

I don't get the argument for versatility, except for maybe being able to go from muzzleloader to standard rifle. If you really want to talk about versatility in an extremely accurate and more conventional rifle, for less money than a Thompson, consider the Tikka in .30-06. Guaranteed to shoot 1" groups at 100yards with factory ammo out of the box, good trigger. If you were to decide to use nothing but Federal factory ammo with this gun, you would have choices from 110gr triple shock to 180gr Noslers, not to mention the reduced/managed recoil 170gr SP's for your children. With a good scope, you've got less than $1000 and can shoot anything from varmits to African plains game with only a few clicks for scope adjustments. Now that's a versatile rifle, on the cheap.

Just my thoughts, Mike

Warning! This post is tongue in cheek!

One rifle that shoots 1MOA out of the box with 30-caliber factory ammo in bullet weights from 110-180 grains? How boring is that? Where’s the challenge in that? The “TC Boys” are down for the struggle! We want a “out of the box gun” that can barely hit a pie-plate 4 out of 5 shots at 100 yards. That’s where the fun starts. Working with the gun until it’s MOA or it becomes a tomato plant stake.

quote:

Originally posted by MickinColo:

quote:

Originally posted by mdstewart:
Thompson is one of the greatest marketing successes ever in the firearm business. Most of us who are around firearms, selling them, on a daily basis, do not have favorable things to say about these guns. But to each his own.

I don't get the argument for versatility, except for maybe being able to go from muzzleloader to standard rifle. If you really want to talk about versatility in an extremely accurate and more conventional rifle, for less money than a Thompson, consider the Tikka in .30-06. Guaranteed to shoot 1" groups at 100yards with factory ammo out of the box, good trigger. If you were to decide to use nothing but Federal factory ammo with this gun, you would have choices from 110gr triple shock to 180gr Noslers, not to mention the reduced/managed recoil 170gr SP's for your children. With a good scope, you've got less than $1000 and can shoot anything from varmits to African plains game with only a few clicks for scope adjustments. Now that's a versatile rifle, on the cheap.

Just my thoughts, Mike

Warning! This post is tongue in cheek!

One rifle that shoots 1MOA out of the box with 30-caliber factory ammo in bullet weights from 110-180 grains? How boring is that? Where’s the challenge in that? The “TC Boys” are down for the struggle! We want a “out of the box gun” that can barely hit a pie-plate 4 out of 5 shots at 100 yards. That’s where the fun starts. Working with the gun until it’s MOA or it becomes a tomato plant stake.

Now that's great fun! Now I know what I've been missing. I see more clearly, you get alot more range time and reloading time when using that Thompson. I've got to re-evaluate my strategy.-----Thanks for the fun tongue in cheek. I really like the tomato plant stake idea. I've owned a few that probably should have been used for just that. Mike

The TC is a Tinker's dream. We love them.

quote:

I don't get the argument for versatility

I can see that. I use my Contender to shoot every category of IHMSA except revolver. As a handgun I use it to hunt small game up to deer. As a rifle I use it to shoot NRA smallbore silhouette and to hunt in primitive weapons season. During the the gun season I use it as a rifle. The only things I don't have for it are a shotgun and muzzleloader barrel which I use on an Encore.

The Tikka is a fine gun for sure. Nobody would argue that but the comparison in that case is really only between it and an Encore with a 30-06 barrel because the Tikka can't be anything else other than an -06.

in the end, the only thing that matters is that they work.

Rich

I shot my "ugly" Contender carbine in 6TCU last Sunday...



That's 5 shots at 100 yards. The group went .504" with the flyer. The 4 shots into one hole went .093".

Yeah, it's ugly alright...

quote:

Originally posted by Slowpoke Slim:
I shot my "ugly" Contender carbine in 6TCU last Sunday...



That's 5 shots at 100 yards. The group went .504" with the flyer. The 4 shots into one hole went .093".

Yeah, it's ugly alright...

Congrats, and nice shooting. It is possible to get those kind of groups; nice work. Mike

I would only own one if state law prohibited me from huting with anything else. I have to say the Encore is a couple steps above an NEF. Now there's a real POS!

TC screwed the pooch when they developed their first rifle. It was elegant, offered easily changed out barrels but was not interchangeable between standard and magnum cartridges. They got greedy IMO and I think it cost them business. I was really taken with it but could not see any logic in buying a special magnum lower that can only shoot magnums cartridges. TC would still be producing that gun today if they just used the one platform ILO what they did.

I love My encore, and this week sent it out to have it "sooped" up. New custom barrel too.
Why, cause I think its a dang cool gun.
Love the way it fits me with the wood stock too.
W.

Idaho Sharpshooter

Now you could have gone all day without mentioning that first post. Now I'm going to have to go boil my brain to try to get that image out. LOL.

D99

I do have a Contender Pistol, rifle and an Encore Pistol and Rifle, no they are not pretty but they do look good with some fancy wood on them. I think most of the appeal is in their accuracy and versatility. While living in Hawaii one of my shooting friends happened to be a one star General. He absolutely loved the Encores and I don't think he would qualify as what you called a 'Bubba'. Me on the other hand, have at it, as a Deputy I have been called a lot worse.

Steve E...........

I met a short-statured guy who said he liked them because he could get a long barrel in a short rifle. The lack of a receiver (bolt handle, etc) takes about 4" off the overall length of the rifle. so, if you like short, handy rifles but want a long barrel, a break-open single shot might be an option.

Hunter308

To all the guys who switch them between a handgun and a rifle-

I always thought that would be the use for them, but I was going to change an AR 15 to a pistol and found out about all the things the BATFE does to you when you change a pistol to a rifle and vice versa.

Kinda makes me have absolutely no use for a rifle version of the contender/encore platform.

I have one of both in the pistol format.

I discovered that this guy who has no problem with a 460 or 500 smith cannot stand a .30-06 in a pistol.

I also have to say the way they open and the hammer cocking, at least on my sample of 2 has shown me that I will never hunt with mine.

That is why I have 2 frames. One for rifle, one for pistol. Everybody's happy.

I've hunted with both versions of mine.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
No, it may not be a thing of beauty in the eyes of some, but when put atop a hog that was taken and killed instantly from 280 yards, I think the TC Contender with a 24" 30-30 AI barrel looks pretty good atop the downed quarry.

This one was taken today.

What's that old saying? "There's only so much Encore you can put on a pig."

As ugly as they are IMHO, up here in Canuckistan they make good sense. If I want to try out a new cartridge or a different twist rate, all I need is a new barrel. I can walk into the store, pick it up off the shelf in my own two hands, pay for it, and walk back out the door holding it. Simple.

Buying a whole new gun involves having the gunshop phone/email the government and politely ask for permission, waiting for some call-centre flunky across the country to ask me where I was born and what I had for breakfast, and then waiting while they assign an 11-digit "registration certificate number" and a 7-digit "firearm identification number", both of which are distinct from the serial number. The store then prints up a temporary ownership that I must have on my person when using or transporting the gun, while waiting for my permanent certificate (which also must accompany the gun and cannot be copied or laminated). Then I sign "The Book" where I can see the names and addresses of whichever other individuals purchased the other guns that happened to be listed on that page. And now the punchline: the store clerk can't look at the ownership and see these numbers, because...wait for it...that would be an invasion of my privacy!!!

And that's why I like Encores.

Hmmm...was that a rant?

John

Encores Why?

Because some people think unless they spend big dollars on a firearm they don't have anything.

Custom TC's aren't cheap! But can drive tacts very well, my collection is growing! Has put the fun back into my shooting!

Its easy to get tact driving bolt guns, but a firearm that is multi-caliber, now thats a different cat!

Oncy uon a time I had a Contender istol and 4 barrels. All of them were very accurate, but scoed single shot handguns were just not my thing...
Enter the Encore a stronger Contender.

Being a Blaser R 93 shooter, I can like the changable barrels, and can see the attraction of an extremely affordabale, quality, accurate, rifle.

I do not think they are ugly at all.

I just recently "thought" of a few more reasons I love the Encores and Contenders...

Bravo, my friend, bravo.

A variation on what someone else said previously.
Because, I can.
Best
GWB

They are shooters! No doubt.

They are versatile. No doubt.

They are BUT UGLY. No doubt.

But hey, differences of opinion are what makes the world go round and my dislike of them is just my opinion. If you like them, more power to you!

Cheers.

Nice photos Bobby! Thanks for posting them and the .260 info. I had a Remington .260 bolt, 700 bdl SS. Loved it for deer and antelope. I gave it to my youngest son when he got back from Afganistan this spring. So I scoured the country for another, no luck, so I thought, " I always wanted a single shot I could afford, and why not in a .260"? Even though it has taken me three months to put one together, I am almost ready to give it a try. And I have to agree, they are kinda ugly, then so am I, but I am a nice guy!

quote:

Originally posted by kudu56:
I gave it to my youngest son when he got back from Afganistan this spring.

Tell you son I say thanks for his service.

Will do Todd, thank you!

Everyone who likes to shoot and/or hunt should own at least one Encore. After years of owning a custom barrel in 9.3x74R, which I didn't shoot and didn't like, I finally sold it. In its place I bought a custom barrel from AR classified in 7.62x54R, and I really like it. What's not to like? It's handy, light, crisp, accurate, low recoil, fun to handload for. That one cartridge covers just about everything I want to do with that type of rifle.

Now I'm thinking about getting a turkey 12 gauge barrel for it, and a muzzel loader barrel.

KB

I have several Encores and contenders. I hunt with them because they are light, fast, accurate, and good value. I have a 15" Bullberry 6.5mm Bullberry improved that will put 5 shots into .5 @ 100 yards consistantly. I have a Bullberry 16" 357 maximum barrel that will put 5 into 3/4" @ 100 yards all day long (Indiana legal rifle for deer). I have a 45 cal muzzleloader barrel attached to one of my Encore frames that will shoot an inch for 3 shots @ 100 yards. That's why I shoot Encore's and contenders. Maybe they don't have the snob appeal of others, but they do shoot when treated properly. Good shooting!

quote:

Originally posted:
If it gets to where the number of guns owned by each of us is restricted, like everywhere else in the world, an Encore makes perfect sense.

MAYBE. In some countries it is my understanding that with multiple barrel guns, you are required to apply for and get an additional certificate for every additional barrel. And, if I recall correctly, a few countries limit the number of barrels you can possess.

I have nothing against Encores, they shoot very well. But I'll never own one. For pistols, I like the lighter frame of the Contender in preference to the Encore. (Have 3 frames, 8 barrels.) For a T/C rifle, I have a TCR-83 with 7 different barrels.

But I just can't get past the looks of the Contender and the Encore as a rifle. To me they aren't my cup of tea. So I have a double rifle with several sets of barrels, and some switch barrel bolt guns with MANY barrels, my TCR, and even had a Savage 219 with several barrels.

As I've said here before, that's why they have horse races. Different people bet on different bang-tails. More power to that, and I hope every one is a winner at least part of the time.

Yes. Isn't it wonderful that we can own multiple rifles if we so desire. Some of our friends in other parts of the world are not so richly blessed. I say amen to Alberta Canuck's comments. Variety is the spice of life. Good shooting!