Anyone have 1 of these and can provide me some honest feedback?

How is the accuracy and trigger? When a barrel is swapped how close to zero does the rifle maintain?

Got one. Love it.

swapping barrels and maintaining zero depends on the way you do it, if you have one scope for each barrel it is no problem, I have no issues with swapping one in the middle of a hunt and not even firing a check shot, I normally do but it is still just where I left it last time.

Accuracy is good, it shoots better than I do for sure. I don't know if it is better or worse than any other but it is good, and some are awesome, if you get one that is a dog you can always send it in and they will replace it.

The trigger could use some improvement, mine at first had no creep and was smooth but heavy. You can have a trigger job done for around 150 and it will make a great trigger.

The only problem is that now I seem to think that I need every barrel they make!!

Love mine.. I opted for a custom barrel and then had some spiral fluting and coated.

Shoots better then me. S&W bought TC for one reason.. b/c thier barrels are extremly accurate.. Just a thought. Far as trigger had my re-done and heavier hammer spring..

The only differance between it and any other gun is
Minus-lock time is a little slower,
Plus-but the gun is a whole lot shorter with same barrel length.

Thanks for the information, still kicking it around. Just gotta talk myself into taking the plunge.

I also ordered mine (Encore, not Pro Hunter-very little difference) with a custom barrel, just to get the caliber I wanted. And a trigger job (2lbs). I like mine so far. Have yet to draw blood with it, but it certainly ain't the gun's fault. The rifle will shoot very well. Especially given the little bit of load development I've do thus far. It is a little picky about how it's rested at the bench to deliver the best accuracy. Shoots best when rested very near the base of the fore arm. Groups tend to open up a bit when rested farther out, but still a very deadly rifle even then.

I don't see them ever delivering the kind of accuracy that a bolt rifle can, on a consistent basis anyway. The break over design just doesn't lend itself to that kind of consistency. But mine, so far, is more than accurate enough for anything I'd ever plan to do with it.


Jay

I am considering one of these rifles. Psycho said;

"I don't see them ever delivering the kind of accuracy that a bolt rifle can, on a consistent basis anyway. The break over design just doesn't lend itself to that kind of consistency."

Could somebody explain why this would be. I thought the design of this rifle would render at least the same accuracy.

Thanks I'm new here!

Jim

I have an Encore pistol have 223 and 308 both open sights.
I really like it, being a pistol with open sights I can't really attest to "accuracy" with either barrel, I can shoot about a 4 inch group at 100yds.... good enough for me!
I don't worry about triggers, never have, I have about 20 guns and the triggers are all just the way they came from the factory. It's just never been an issue with me.

Well, I base my statement on the fact that the break over single shot design uses the hinge pin and the locking lug on the barrel. This only provides two points of support for the barrel to the frame. The little bit of slop that may or may not be present in the hinge pin and/or the locking lug could provide an area of inconsistency. The less slop the better, the worse slop............ this area of potential inconsistency can have an effect on head space and pressure points, thus accuracy.

Another thing I've noticed about mine is the positioning of the rest when shooting the rifle. Given that the fore arm is actually attached to the bottom of the barrel itself, this is an area that requires close attention when shooting. If I rest my rifle out toward the end of the forearm, accuracy degrades. It shoots best when rested very close to the frame, just in front of the trigger guard. Shoot one round rest forward, and the next round rest back, and the difference is plain to see. Two definitely different points of impact. Not so far apart to make a difference in the rifle's killing ability. But enough to see that something changed.

On a bolt action the barrel is secured to the receiver by threads, in most cases, and the bolt lugs into the receiver with two or more lugs. This is a much sturdier and consistent means of barrel support and head spacing. Then the stock is attach to the receiver only, and with a free floated barrel the positioning of the rest is is not nearly as critical for consistency.

Now I'm not saying that Encores are inherently inaccurate. Most shoot very well. Mine has shot some very nice groups. Almost every group it has fired so far has been under 1". When the stars align just right mine will shoot .5" groups and better. But seeing that out of every group just doesn't happen. I attribute it to the design of the rifle.

My bolt guns...when I get them dialed in I can count on the group sizes only changing a tenth or so from one group to the next. Most of the time less than that. Again, I attribute that to the overall design of the weapon.

There are "fixes" available for the Encore rifles to minimize the effects of the things I speak of. Over-sized hinge pins can be installed, and heavier locking lug springs can be installed, to minimize tolerances in these areas. Hanger bars, which my rifle has, can be used to attach the fore arm, thus minimizing the effect of pressure on it. But these only minimize these effects, not eliminate them.

I will admit, I am fairly early in my Encore experience. But I did a LOT of research on these rifles before buying mine. These were issues I read about very often when researching them, and then I saw them first hand when shooting mine. Anything I've said is not meant to deter anyone from buying an Encore. I do not regret buying mine and don't see myself buying another bolt gun for a long time to come, only more barrel combos for my Encore. But the difference in design from the Encore to a bolt gun does/should come with an understanding that the shooter will see a few things that will be different. If a person is perfectly happy to have a rifle that shoots around 1" or maybe better, then they might not ever see such differences as I speak of. But the fella that thinks he's gonna buy an Encore and stack bullets into one ragged hole group after group is gonna have some tweaking to do, and possibly even some level of mild disappointment.


Jay

BTW, I did finally draw blood with mine this weekend, two deer, both right around 100yds, and both fell to very well placed shots.

psycho thanks for all the information.

Psycho, great info, thank you very much! I am in the research part of this and find this very valuable.

Thanks again
Jim

Psycho said "There are "fixes" available for the Encore rifles to minimize the"

I just bought a pro hunter and here is one of the fixes I ordered.
http://www.eabco.com/cgi-bin/shopper.exe?preadd=action&key=207-7010
Eabaco.com says "it tightens into place and eliminates pin movement"

Note they do not recommend oversize hindges because it VOIDs the Mfgs warranty and 'can' ruin a barrel.

Eabaco.com says "It gives the advantage of an oversized pin without the potential for damage and without giving up your barrel interchangeability."

I also have the locking pin

Just curious here fellas, those of you using the locking pins.

Did y'all notice any slop in the hinge pin BEFORE you installed the locking pin? And I assume it went away after installing the locking pin right? Any difference in accuracy from one method to the next?

Just curious about your experiences before and after this "upgrade".



Jay

i didn't.... it was one of those proactive sounds better idea's. Once tighted it is a little stiffer to open and close, but loosens up after a while as you would think any thing that hindges would b/c of surface to surface contact.

Any difference in accuracy
after installing the lockin pin.

Three shot group out of my Pro Hunter in .308 at 100 yards.



Group measures 5/8ths of an inch and thats straight out of the box with factory ammo and a Vari-x one 3x9x40 on top.Im sold on it!

I have one and absolutely love it. I installed the Bellm tune up kit on it. Shoot factory Federal premiums 150gr nosler partions and this gun hits a postage stamp consistently at 150 yards.