Encore barrel or new rifle?
 

I have an older model TC Encore, not the Pro Hunter. With Indianas new rifle law I might get either a .243 or .308. I started shopping around and it looks like the Encore barrel is going to be close to $300.00. At that price I am thinking I can get a nice used rifle or even a new one for not much more. I am curious about the accuracy of the Encore barrels.
I didn't buy the encore specifically looking to expand, I got a good deal on 2 of them so I bought it. It's about 8 years old. Curious about your thoughts.

There for a bit it was a crap shoot as to whether or not you got a good barrel after the S&W takeover. They fixed the issues and are now making good barrels again. I bought a .338fed and 12 gauge rifled barrels for my Pro Hunter frame a few years back and they are exemplary. Sub MOA 5 shot groups at 100 as long as I'm not TOO fast on reloads with both barrels.

E.Author Brown has them for $269 http://www.eabco.net/TC-Encore-Barre...s_p_14078.html

Something can be said for the additional barrel if well made especially if the main frame has good or great glass and is a comfortable gun to shoot. I have a safe full of guns many of which I seldom use. Perhaps a multi use gun with alternate barrels might be another option.

I think you should go with an Encore barrel. The Encore is a pretty good platform.

You can get a lot better barrel for $300 than you can a complete rifle. A new rig is "lock, stock, and barrel," as they say, plus optics. You'll probably only be barrel and optics into the Encore expansion, and it's actually practical to swap, unlike switch barrel bolt guns. A $300 Encore barrel will likely perform better for you than any of the $300 rifles out there - any $300 rifle I buy, I expect to spend $200+ on a new stock and stock work, plus some investment in a new trigger or trigger job, a little action work, so I might find myself $750 into it... Not so on an Encore barrel - what it costs is what I pay.

If you're just talking whitetail hunting in Indiana, the Encore barrel is the way to go. Especially since this is just a trial period!! If it opens up in a few years to other options, you might wanna buy a different cartridge, OR, they might decide one class or the other isn't legal any more, OR, they might scrap the entire thing.

Makes sense, thanks for the info. Now I just need to decide for sure what caliber to get. I initially had the impression after doing some reading that the .243 was not a great option as it was a little to small of a round. It seems after doing some reading on here that it is good for whitetail. Plus I have two kids that might eventually start shooting so they could handle the 243 sooner then a 308.


I have another question. I just jumped on the link above. My set up is stainless steel, not blued. The only SS barrels I saw on there showed for "pro hunter". I am assuming there is a difference between the pro hunter barrels and the standard barrels, however I do want stainless.

The SS "pro hunter" barrels will fit your older Encore frame. They are just longer. 28" vs 24".

And yes a .243 is plenty of cartridge for whitetail deer. Just use the right ammo. If you reload your own then great but if you buy factory ammo get something loaded with minimum 85 grain bullet in the Nosler Partition or Accubond or Barnes TSX bullet. If this wasn't for Indiana's new retarded law I would say get you a 7mm-08 barrel and be done with it. But since that isn't an option and you are wanting to start the youngins shooting soon then the .243 is your best option.

7mm-08 is a good low recoil deer caliber. My hunting buddy got one in a youth model for his daughter. She used it to knock down a 191" plus muley buck in Colorado.

The 7mm-08 is absolutely without a doubt the best whitetail cartridge made CI. But, as is the usual case with political retards, it's not legal in Indiana. Yet the .308 is :nonono2:

The .243winchester, in my experience, is the most efficient whitetail deer killing cartridge available.

I tend to reflect anyone who claims it is too small either has never actually used one, or if they have, they are not much of a shooter.

I've purchased 2 Encore frames since T/C first came out with them,a blue and a stainless steel. I have a few barrels for handgun & rifle hunting,the caliber I use the most is the 7mm-08,killed quite a few deer over the years and a New Mexico Pronghorn and a Black Bear. I could of saved a few dollars if I had that caliber first..:hail:

Sorry for all the questions but growing up a Hoosier I've never had rifles. I have seen a few different twists in the guns/barrels. Does the Encore 243 only have one option for the rifling or are there options, if so what do you recommend? I do not reload but have been told there are several rounds made specifically for whitetail in 243.

They are 1:10 twist which is fine for anything up to 100-105 grain bullets. That's the twist on my youngest daughters .243 and she practices out to 600 yards with hers all the time. Bangs the gong with pap at 800 sometimes just to keep me humble :rolleye0011: One of the .243's I have has a 1:9.3 Shilen barrel which is a tack driving machine with the 85gr Hornady Interbonds (stupidly temporarily suspended but I still have a few hundred :) ) but it really doesn't shoot any better than the daughters. That could be operator malfunction :nonono2:

Since you don't reload you will just have to do some experimenting with different factory loads to find what your rifle likes to eat. Same thing we reloaders have to do to find that perfect combination.

1:10" twist 243win for a hunting rifle will be absolutely fine.

I went ahead and ordered the 28 inch stainless steel in .243 Win. E A Brown had 10% off right now so that helped as well. Hopefully I get it this week so I can get a scope on it and get ready for hunting season.


Curious what power scopes you guys use when hunting with .243? I've always used 3-9X40 on my muzzle loaders. I didn't know if that is enough power for the range of the .243 or if I should up the power a little bit to keep up with the guns capabilities?

That will be fine for the ranges you will want to stay at. You aren't used to rifle shooting so anything beyond 200-250 yards with a .243 would be outside of your wheelhouse for a while. And a 3-9 is perfect for that range on whitetail.

I would like to see some of your guys suggestions of factory loads for whitetail.

If it shoots accurately out of your rifle, https://www.midwayusa.com/product/18...tail-box-of-20 the bullet used in those is one of my favorite bullets on game. I haven't bought factory ammo in decades so I don't know the particular load and such but that bullet, the Interlock, has yet to ever let me down. From the info, it's loaded at 2950 fps. Out of your new 28 inch barrel you will probably be approaching 3000+

Look at the Hornady line. They have a pretty nice line. I have not hunted with factory ammo in so many years I forgot what its like, just as many others here as well have. I reload a ton of the ballistic tip projectiles and really like them!!!! Great reliabilty and performance. Top rate ballistics and many different styles to choose from for your need.

^What he said.

I bought a box of Hornady American Whitetail Interlock 100 grains today. Dicks had them on sale for $19.00. Once I get my barrel I will try those to start and see how they work out.

If they are accurate out of your rifle, you can bet you will be happy with their terminal performance on game. One thing I would recommend though, a lot of factory produced barrels nowadays aren't as polished as I would like as well as most other shooters. Get you a jar of JB Bore Paste and run about 30-50 strokes down the barrel to shine it up really well. I do this with every barrel I get. Even my Shilen customs.

I was at a buddies house today shooting my ML and my shotgun. He only has a 100 yard range so I shot two rounds with my Encore .243 at 100 after having the scope mounted and bore sighted. I know it is early but I was impressed with my first two shots ever with this rifle (or an rifle really other then a .22). I have a range nearby that I can go back over 200 yards. So I am going out there this week to start getting some range time in before season starts in 2 weeks.

These are with the Hornady American White tail 100 grain rounds.

I ended up putting a Nikon Pro Staff 4-12 x 40 on it.

I think I would dial it down just an inch or so. Hitting pretty high. You should be approaching 3000fps with that ammunition from that barrel. You don't need to sight it in 3 inches high at 100 to have a zero of 200 yards. At 200, where you have your scope dialed in presently, will still be around an inch high with that particular load. Glad you got your rig all set up and ready to go like you like it. May you have a successful hunt this year and in the years after.

Sight it in about 1.5 inches high at 100 yards and you'll be on at 200.

I plan on bringing it down some. According to their web site there is a 1.6 inch difference between 100 and 200 yards.

IMHO, I would just leave it as it is and not move it one click. If anything, 2 clicks left for a more centered group, but it could have been many things for that slight deviation to the right. I would rather have that little extra distance without having to hold over than not. Good shooting all the same especially with a new barrel!!!
I played with my ballistic chart and with what you have at basically 2-3/4" high already, I would bump it up 1 inch and have it 3.250" high at 100yds with I said a 100grn bullet, ballistic coefficient of .405 and 3000fps. It will give you a point of impact of 300yds. I am a firm believer of leave well enuf alone.