Thinking about a Pro Hunter

SuperKirby · 01-25-2011, 03:39 PM

What do you all think?
I was going to wait and maybe go with a Knight Mountaineer, but I don't know that it's different enough from my Disc that I want to spend $700 on one. Cabelas has a Pro Hunter rifle frame on sale for $350, then I can get either a Pro Hunter, Pro Hunter XT or Pro Hunter Katahdin barrel. I think for the type of hunting I do the Pro Hunter would be a better choice than the Mountaineer, but I can't say for sure.
Can you guys let me know what you think? I'm really not fure which way to go. This has to be my last gun for at least a few years, so I don't want to screw it up.

HEAD0001 · 01-25-2011, 03:52 PM

$350 for a Pro Hunter frame is a great deal. What Cabela's store is doing that?? I have a friend who wants a new Encore and that is great deal. Heck I paid $275 plus shipping plus transfer fees for a couple of use standard Encore frames.

IMO the best way to buy an Encore is to first buy the frame. Send it off or do a trigger job yourself. Then add your barrels and stock. That is the way I did mine. And I am happy I did it.

I very much like the Encore rifle system. However I have not had much luck with the MZ's. I just had problems getting mine to shoot, and had a few friends who also had problems. But to be fair I had other friends whose Encore MZ's shot just great. I guess it is like anything else. You get some good, some bad.

Buy that action. Or let me know where it is at. I will have one transferred to Wheeling, and buy it for my friend.

Then take your time and find the exact stock you want. Below are a couple of pictures of a couple of Encore stocks that I have. Tom.

Gm54-120 · 01-25-2011, 04:02 PM

If you get an Encore and later want a ML barrel, get a SMI or other smokeless grade barrel even if you are not shooting smokeless. They are very accurate and you can choose the length, twist, breach plug style and contour you prefer. SMI pricing is very reasonable too compared to some of the SML conversions such as Pacnor. You can even just convert 45/70 barrels much cheaper.

HEAD0001 · 01-25-2011, 04:12 PM

GM this is the first time I have ever heard of an SMI barrel. I liked what you wrote so I did a search. I found their home page. They make barrels for H&R, but they did not list any barrels for an Encore.

Fill us in with some more information on those barrels. The price loked intriguing to me. If they make an Encore?? Or was I at the wrong web site?? Tom.

ADVWannabee · 01-25-2011, 04:16 PM

I love mine, but have had it less than a year and haven't gotten a deer with it. Technically it is my wife's and she did miss a deer with it. She is new to deer hunting so I blame her and not the gun.

scottycoyote · 01-25-2011, 04:22 PM

love mine, got 50cal ml barrel,7mm o8 barrel for gun season and 22lr for small game, its my goto gun now

Gm54-120 · 01-25-2011, 04:30 PM

HEAD0001

Give them a call or go over to Dougs board and you can read about them. Lately lots of guys have been getting them for T/Cs. They dont have much listed on the website but the guys that have shot them swear by them.

The 45/70 conversions can be a bit more finicky but knurling the bullets seems to solve those issues. Even mild smokeless 45x40 200gr sabot loads are well into the 2400-2500fps range and that is a VERY low pressure load. Not much more psi than BH209 actually and some are about the same as a max BH209 load.

I mainly like the pricing and the extra strength of a true smokeless grade barrel and the faster twist options.

SuperKirby · 01-25-2011, 05:55 PM

Here's the link. It's just on sale. I called the closest Cabelas store and they said they would honor online prices in the store. Here's the link

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Thomp...h-All+Products

That's a really long link. I know there's a way to shrink it but I can't remember how.
I'm thinking I'm either going go with the xt barrel for the quick release breech plug or the Katahding barrel. A 20" barrel would real nice in small tree stand or walking in thick woods. Not sure which would be better though.

Michael396 · 01-25-2011, 06:00 PM

Maybe it is just the one that I got, but I think you can do better for the amount of cash it takes to get a pro hunter. Mine for sure needs a trigger job and the barrel has been a pain in the neck. The JB bore paste should fix it though.

I will say the fit and finish is great. I don't think you can buy a higher quality gun but the Knights that I have seen are equal to the TC.

SJAdventures · 01-25-2011, 06:18 PM

I have a stock Pro Hunter right off the shelf and right now only have the 209 50 mag ML barrel. I was planning on buying a 35 Whelen and a 300 Win mag for it but the ML shoots so good I may have to think about those barrels. Mine will shoot moa @ 100 with 250gr Barnes TMZ's with a Harvester Yellow Crushed Ribbed Sabot sitting on 105 gr's of Blackhorn 209 and Win 209 primers. My buddy's shoots just as good. Everyone has their favorites but I can't imagine buying anything else. The trigger is a little firm (about 6#)but not so bad I can't shoot moa with it. I have bought a Bellm #3 sear spring kit for it and am going to do a bit of a trigger job on it after the deer season is over.