Encore

Fireman179 · October 8, 2012, 01:41 PM

Does anyone have an encore pistol in .357 or .30 carbine? What are they like to shoot? The reason I ask is the look to be a load of fun and my interest is peaked.

feets · October 8, 2012, 02:47 PM

I shoot 22-250, 308, and 460 out of my Encore pistols. Lots of fun once you learn how to hold them.
If you're going to play with the 30 carbine or 357 stick with a Contender. The lighter weight will be nice. Minimal recoil in those two rounds.
Encores are too heavy for such pipsqueak loads.

Hammerhead · October 8, 2012, 03:27 PM

I had a custom 9" MGM .357 barrel for my Encore a few years back. I used it mostly as a test barrel with scope for silhouette loads. Lot's of fun at 100 yards from the bench, a bit too heavy for more than a few shots off hand. I liked the 9" .44 Rem mag better.

The G2 was more realistic with the .357.

SVO · October 9, 2012, 08:36 PM

I have Contender barrels in both calibers. Both are good choices in the Contender. The 30 Carbine is pretty pleasant to shoot recoil wise with factory ammo but has a pretty good muzzle blast that may bother others shooting around you. With the 30 Carbine, if you reload, you are not stuck with using typical RN carbine bullets. The 357 is a versatal round in the Contender, allowing you to load up or down as needed for hunting or target shooting. As far as use in a Encore, I think the real question would be are either caliber available in a factory barrel or would one have to go to a custom barrel.

Fireman179 · October 10, 2012, 12:36 AM

.223 looks very interesting considering ammo cost. Anyone have one in .223?

darkgael · October 10, 2012, 05:52 AM

I have an Encore .223 barrel, 15 inches (and a .308 Win. and a .500 S&W).
The .223 is a sweet shooter. I have a 4x Trijicon ACOG on it. I made a little hand held monopod about six inches long. Sometimes when I am shooting another rifle in the prone position, I will set the Encore down nearby and shoot it between sets. Using the little monopod, with one finger wrapped over the barrel, the gun barely moves when fired and is MOA accurate. Eye relief is not a problem since the gun moves so little. But, y'know, with a 15 inch barrel, it's not terribly different than a carbine. Somewhat more portable.

Pete.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 10, 2012, 06:20 AM

I have all 3 calibers in Contender barrels ( the Contender is the Encores little brother... designed around lower pressure cartridges, which the 3 listed fall into ) & all 3 are fun to shoot ( though I get my kicks out of the bigger cartridges like the 45-70 )

it's very addicting these change barrel single shots... I have more Contender barrels than I can count, so I've been dragging my feet about getting an Encore... but a .308 or one of the other bigger cartridges would be even more fun... see where this is going... next would be 7mm mag, then...

also... beware... you'll find the scopes add up fast as well $$$

darkgael · October 10, 2012, 09:04 PM

Quote:

the 3 listed fall into

low pressure?
The .357 runs at 35000psi
The 30 .Carbine has a SAAMI avg. max pressure of 40,000 CUP
The .223 Rem has a SAAMI avg. max pressure of 55,000psi.
Low compared to what?
Pete

johnwilliamson062 · October 10, 2012, 10:39 PM

460 cassull and the super magnum rifle cartridges.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 11, 2012, 07:49 AM

I've forgotten more than most ever knew, as I have many other things to shoot...

I used "pressure" as an easy to use term... more proper would be breech thrust, or one of another scientific terms... for pressure 4exerted against the mechanism ( it has as more to do with case head diameter, & pressure, in some kind of formula, that just chamber pressure )

since you have the pressures handy, or cared enough to look them up... TC did make Contender barrels for 375 Winchester, but "rumor" has it, that's the max that TC feels the gun can handle safely with repeated use, they do not make barrels in 444 Marlin, but some after market companies do, so that one is just over what TC feels the gun can handle, & the 375 is the maximum ( pressure / breech thrust... whatever ) they do not make barrels in 220 swift, 22-250, .308, 30-06, or any of the magnum cartridges ( that I know of )

that is what the Encore is for ( the Contenders bigger brother ) ... in fact you can get Encore barrels in the likes of 416 Rigby, 300 Win Mag etc...

darkgael · October 11, 2012, 08:51 PM

Breech thrust limitations. That I understand.
Pete

SVO · October 12, 2012, 08:32 PM

Hi pressure breech thrust stretches the Contender frame, which then affects the lock-up of the barrel, A single mis-loaded round can be enough to ruin a frame. Did it once with a 7-30 Waters barrel.

jmohme · October 12, 2012, 09:03 PM

I have .223 in a 14 inch contender. One of my favorite callibers. Cheap ammo and very accurate and consistant.

kcub · October 13, 2012, 04:37 AM

Another happy .223 guy. Rifle accurate, tolerable recoil. I don't know why it wouldn't drop a deer with a neck or lung shot though I've not done it. Long ago my first deer was killed with a .222 Remington and a neck shot. He dropped dead right where he stood.

October 8, 2012, 01:41 PM	#1
Fireman179 Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2012 Location: Tennessee Posts: 106	Encore Does anyone have an encore pistol in .357 or .30 carbine? What are they like to shoot? The reason I ask is the look to be a load of fun and my interest is peaked.

October 10, 2012, 05:52 AM	#6
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	Encore I have an Encore .223 barrel, 15 inches (and a .308 Win. and a .500 S&W). The .223 is a sweet shooter. I have a 4x Trijicon ACOG on it. I made a little hand held monopod about six inches long. Sometimes when I am shooting another rifle in the prone position, I will set the Encore down nearby and shoot it between sets. Using the little monopod, with one finger wrapped over the barrel, the gun barely moves when fired and is MOA accurate. Eye relief is not a problem since the gun moves so little. But, y'know, with a 15 inch barrel, it's not terribly different than a carbine. Somewhat more portable. Pete. __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member Last edited by darkgael; October 10, 2012 at 06:11 AM.

October 10, 2012, 06:20 AM	#7
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	I have all 3 calibers in Contender barrels ( the Contender is the Encores little brother... designed around lower pressure cartridges, which the 3 listed fall into ) & all 3 are fun to shoot ( though I get my kicks out of the bigger cartridges like the 45-70 ) it's very addicting these change barrel single shots... I have more Contender barrels than I can count, so I've been dragging my feet about getting an Encore... but a .308 or one of the other bigger cartridges would be even more fun... see where this is going... next would be 7mm mag, then... also... beware... you'll find the scopes add up fast as well $$$ __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

October 11, 2012, 07:49 AM	#10
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	DARK... I've forgotten more than most ever knew, as I have many other things to shoot... I used "pressure" as an easy to use term... more proper would be breech thrust, or one of another scientific terms... for pressure 4exerted against the mechanism ( it has as more to do with case head diameter, & pressure, in some kind of formula, that just chamber pressure ) since you have the pressures handy, or cared enough to look them up... TC did make Contender barrels for 375 Winchester, but "rumor" has it, that's the max that TC feels the gun can handle safely with repeated use, they do not make barrels in 444 Marlin, but some after market companies do, so that one is just over what TC feels the gun can handle, & the 375 is the maximum ( pressure / breech thrust... whatever ) they do not make barrels in 220 swift, 22-250, .308, 30-06, or any of the magnum cartridges ( that I know of ) that is what the Encore is for ( the Contenders bigger brother ) ... in fact you can get Encore barrels in the likes of 416 Rigby, 300 Win Mag etc... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

October 11, 2012, 08:51 PM	#11
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	ah. Breech thrust limitations. That I understand. Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member

October 8, 2012, 02:47 PM	#2
feets Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2008 Posts: 560	I shoot 22-250, 308, and 460 out of my Encore pistols. Lots of fun once you learn how to hold them. If you're going to play with the 30 carbine or 357 stick with a Contender. The lighter weight will be nice. Minimal recoil in those two rounds. Encores are too heavy for such pipsqueak loads.

October 8, 2012, 03:27 PM	#3
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	I had a custom 9" MGM .357 barrel for my Encore a few years back. I used it mostly as a test barrel with scope for silhouette loads. Lot's of fun at 100 yards from the bench, a bit too heavy for more than a few shots off hand. I liked the 9" .44 Rem mag better. The G2 was more realistic with the .357.

October 9, 2012, 08:36 PM	#4
SVO Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2009 Location: Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 728	I have Contender barrels in both calibers. Both are good choices in the Contender. The 30 Carbine is pretty pleasant to shoot recoil wise with factory ammo but has a pretty good muzzle blast that may bother others shooting around you. With the 30 Carbine, if you reload, you are not stuck with using typical RN carbine bullets. The 357 is a versatal round in the Contender, allowing you to load up or down as needed for hunting or target shooting. As far as use in a Encore, I think the real question would be are either caliber available in a factory barrel or would one have to go to a custom barrel.

October 10, 2012, 12:36 AM	#5
Fireman179 Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2012 Location: Tennessee Posts: 106	.223 looks very interesting considering ammo cost. Anyone have one in .223?

October 10, 2012, 10:39 PM	#9
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	460 cassull and the super magnum rifle cartridges.

October 12, 2012, 08:32 PM	#12
SVO Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2009 Location: Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 728	Hi pressure breech thrust stretches the Contender frame, which then affects the lock-up of the barrel, A single mis-loaded round can be enough to ruin a frame. Did it once with a 7-30 Waters barrel.

October 12, 2012, 09:03 PM	#13
jmohme Member Join Date: January 14, 2012 Location: Bastrop Texas Posts: 77	I have .223 in a 14 inch contender. One of my favorite callibers. Cheap ammo and very accurate and consistant.

October 13, 2012, 04:37 AM	#14
kcub Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 3,318	Another happy .223 guy. Rifle accurate, tolerable recoil. I don't know why it wouldn't drop a deer with a neck or lung shot though I've not done it. Long ago my first deer was killed with a .222 Remington and a neck shot. He dropped dead right where he stood.

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