Went out and bought an Encore with a muzzleloader barrel. Bought five center fire rifle barrels with quality scopes for that gun: What an awful decision. Despite an oversized hinge pin and the stronger locker springs, that gun still had side play with all the barrels, some were worse than others.

Sold four of those barrels at a loss and used the scopes to upgrade some of my bolt action guns. The .35 Whelen barrel did not have as much side to side play as the other barrels so i had it re-chambered for .35 Whelen Improved and kept it.

What with all the spiffy CNC machine tools, it is a sad commentary on TC manufacturing methods and their quality control that they are unable to eliminate that side to side play in their guns.

i have a Winchester model 37 "Steelbilt" shotgun that was made in the early 50s. There is absolutely no side to side play in the barrel of that gun. Guess that companies and their employees must have taken some pride in their work back then.