I was comparing a stainless .50 caliber barrel for myThompson Center Encore frame to an Omega inline stainless with black synthetic stock. I wonder which one would be the stronger of the two in terms of pressure and having the ability to shoot a variety of different powder brands/granulations and range ofbullet weights. Accuracy also should be taken into account aswell as price, versatility and cleaning. I can get the barrel and forearm for around 295.00 vs wellover 350.00 for the Omegarifle in its cheapeststainless configuration. Any opinions.

Ya know the Encore and the Omega are pretty close to being the same gun. The Encore was the gun to end the need for all other guns (One shot one kill) but then for some stupid reason a lot of states made hinged action muzzle loaders illeagel. Probibly thought you could load it from the breech end and didn't check it out before they acted. So as not to loose out on the market in these states the Omega was born.
So in answere to your question I woud go with the barrel for your Encore its pretty much the same thing. If you want you can talk to the good folks at Fox Ridge (TC contractor. In there parking lot) at 1-800-243-4570 or web site www.foxridgeoutfitters.com. good luck with it Mike

The Encore frame is much stronger than the Omega, which really does not have a frame per se but rather a recoil lug on the barrel.

That said the ML barrels are designed, machined and rifled and testedfrom identical stock, share the same breech plug and so on. Thus the loading data for the 50cal ML barrels is also identical.

Given that you already have the Encore frame I would lean towards picking up the ML barrel for it.

I have yet to pick up an Encore (but I will) although I have shot and hunted with the Encore many times.

I have two Omega's. For me the Omega in thumbholestock is an exceptionally well handling ML and I prefer it over the Encore. But that's just me.

Good luck!

Tahquamenon

AmericanPioneer

TQ got it right the barrels are the same until you start adding the fringes to put it into a stock of some sort...

I am so da** old fashioned and hooked to the miltary way of thinking I can get myself to even consider an Encore. I want the gun to be functional now and 30 years from now. the less moving parts the better, a single piece stock. Really I worry about the hinge, I see now you can order different sizes of hinge pins as the holes round out.
Then I think also about the trap guns that are sent in every so often to the hinges re-worked. So me being the old fashioned guy that I am - I bought the Omega... And I really liked that gun until here recently. Don't get me wrong I still like it and it is a great weapon, but another has become a favorite.

Really it is a win-win situation, so I do not even have to wish you good luck cause you will have it either way...

A friend of mine as an early Encore and he has easilyshot thousands of centerfire and ml rounds on the frame. He sent his frame in to T/C last year to be "repaired" as the frame/hinge was opening up getting slightly out of tolerance.

In less than 10 days, T/C replaced the frame, trigger assemblyand shipped two sets of replacement pins. Under lifetime warranty.

Encore frames fall under S.A.A.M.I specs being governed per stricter centerfire laws. I would assume the Savage ML as having the strongest ML frame.

I agree.

Gosh that wouldn"t be a White would it????

MLKeith

Welllllll, it is "imo" anawfully good rifle. It is so simple in basic design, it is the easiest of all of my ML's to clean, and it has incredible strength. It certainly has captured my me for right now..

It's hard to say if the Savage would be stronger as the Encore has a big chunk of steel on both sides and in the rear of the breech area. A "doomed" breech plug and all it's shrapnel would be contained in the barrel. I have not checked out a Savage well enough to know if the same thing is true.