ORIGINAL: cayugad

Since your willing to spend the money... ask yourself this question..."Will I use this rifle for anything other then black powder hunting?" If you do not plan to put different barrels on the Encore then why spend the extra for it. The Omega is a great black powder rifle and would make all those kinds of shots you mentioned. It also has the warranty of Thompson Center should you have any problems or complaints... You might want to go shoulder one somewhere and see how it fits..

I would get a stainless steel Omega with a laminate stock.......

Good luck

I agree. I have a stainless Omega. I have the camo synthetic stock which I like. Some think it is too light (weight in stock is possible if so). Hollow synthetic some don't like. Omega is a great rifle but takes a little development time to find the bullet/sabot combination that will work in your rifle. If I was doing it again I would buy the same rifle.Stainless, synthetic,camo .50 cal. I have hunted Wellsville, Olean area and would pick this rifle for that type of hunting. I think from what I have read the rifle is legal in NY and so are most of the bullet/sabot combinations as well as Powerbelts which my rifle shoots just great also. 100 yard groups of less than two inches center to center are possible. three to four inch groups are common with almost any bullet I have tried. My rifle does not like 777 powder and I would not go with that to start because of crud ring it forms. Pyrodex, real black, American Pioneer, or Black Mag3 all are OK. Black Mag3 is all I use now; great powder!!! I have a Simmons shotgun (camo) scope 1.5-5 power. Works great up to 150 yards. I usually limit my shots to 100 yards anyway.