Break action single shot (encore)

[kyles]

I have been interested in getting/building a new rifle for longer range shooting of coyote’s, prairie dog’s etc. I am leaning towards a .243, and have been reading with interest the myriad of options available out there and it brings up the following question.

How about a barrel on an Encore? I already have the action, so could it be this simple?

I see a lot of information about single shot bolt guns, but haven’t seen much on break action single shots. Are these used in long range shooting (I’m sure they are). What are the pro’s and con’s of using a setup like this?

 

[trentalan34]

Check out the guns of the week section where there's a good article on an Encore. I like the Encore for a hunting gun. It is more compact than a bolt gun because the action isn't nearly as long, so I would think for a predator rifle it might be nice. If you are shooting p-dogs from the bench it could get a bit annoying to have to open it up each shot. With a bolt gun, I feel you can maintain your setup better. I shoot mine with the muzzleloader and also pistol barrels from the factory and custom makers. I have a factory 223 that shoots around 3/4" from the bench (don't ask me how I do with it in the field). Just some thoughts...

 

[jo191145]

FWIW I've never owned a break action rifle

Only downside I'm aware of besides those mentioned by Kyle.
Some break actions flex a good deal.
Brass can stretch during this flex. Leading to shorter brass life and in extreme cases difficulty opening the action.
My bet would be this happens more often in the cheaper H&R Handi Rifles.
Me thinks lock up on the Encore is more precise/robust.
I've seen a custom barreled 6BR Encore agging in a BR match very nicely.

Just what I've heard. No personal expierience.

 

[Kenny474]

I personally love hunting with break action rifles and shotguns, especially H&R's. I have a few H&R receivers and quite a few accessory barrels for them as well. I just find hunting with a single shot to be much more rewarding than with a repeater, though I do have 30-06 and 35 whelen semi-auto's as well as .243 and .308 bolt guns for hunting as well. But I just get a lot more enjoyment from bringing one of my single shots into the woods.

As far as accuracy is concerned, they can do very well if the barrel locks up tight. I don't own an Encore (The H&R is the poor man's Encore ) so I am not really that familiar with it's accuracy capabilities. But I know my .243 H&R will shoot .75" at 100yds, as will several other barrels I have as well.

The least accurate H&R I have that is chambered for a bottleneck round will shoot MOA or just over, so it's not too shabby considering the $250 price tag, and the fact that it's a 30-30 with irons.

Even my 45/70, 500S&W and 20ga slug barrels will shoot under 3" at 100yds with irons, and my Buffalo Classic with 32" 45/70 barre will shoot into an inch with irons.

Break actions are plenty accurate for hunting and I find them to be very enjoyable to use as well.

Kenny

 

[FryeGuy]

I owned an encore back in the day. I hated it. I can't tell you just how much I hated it. it was a 25-06 in the varmint weight barrel. groups were inconsistent. I would shoot a clover leaf and turn around and shoot a 1 1/2" group with same load. used it some g-hog hunting. it was a pain being on bi-pods. quick follow up shots were impossible. you had to break open the gun, pull the shell out, get it back down, re-adjust everything since you had to pick it up to open it. the way the pistol grip was ended up bothering my wrist as well. I thought it was from working on computer all day at first. then I noticed it bothered me most while shooting a bunch at the bench. sold the gun, and pain no more (not just the wrist, but the gun itself). Some folks love them, some hate them. oh yeah, my uncle bought one a couple years ago in 7mag. he only shoots factory ammo in it, and sometimes it doesn't fire. This has happened more than once. I was elk hunting with him and it clicked once, he reloaded and had to wait on the next cow to step out. good thing it wasn't the bull of a lifetime. have I talked you out of it yet?

 

[jonbearman]

I have several encore's and one with the .243 prohunter barrel with benchrest stocks . It shoots real good with 1/2 or better and I have only tried 2 loads. Some hate these guns ,but I started hunting with a Ithaca super single 20 ga.I was called one shot by my hunting buddys.So going to the encore was an easy transition. It's like learning to drive a standard shift(manual 4 spd) and transitioning to a repeater is so easy a cave man can do it.

 

[cheek9075]

i bought one in a 50 cal muzzle loader, heard they where the s&*&. so i had to have one. hated it as a muzzle loader.
then i wanted something bigger, so i got 300 win mag in heavy barrel. it was great. killed at both ends if you know what i mean, but didnt shot it that much, just to hunt with. it was light and compact for a 300 win mag. it shot 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. everything i shot fell where it was at. great rifle.
then came a .223 heavy barrel. would not shoot at all. sent barrel back 2 times and no luck with it. then a .243 barrel. same as .223 barrel.
with all that said, i sold everything i had at a large loss. local shops would not trade on it, shelves setting full of the barrel and they could not sell them. finnally found some one wanting one and sold it. having to change barrels and take rifle apart to shoot different cal , didnt like that to much at all. i bought a muzzle loader, a 7mm and a 243 . best thing i ever done was selling that rifle.

at first i thought it was a great thing, but will never go that route agian. the customer service was great though. all that was said is send it to use and we will fix it or replace it. just could get the .223 or the .243 right.

 

[bozo699]

John,
My only experience with the Encore is I have one in 7mm-08 15" pistol it shoots way better than I can hold it. I bought a 50 cal. barrel for it and forearm and butt stock, but have never shot it, what did you hate about it if I may ask? Its still new maybe I should sell it as new before I use it if there to much of a nightmare.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Wayne.

 

[cruft]

I have an encore with a 22" heavy barrel (ss) in 6.5x55. for coyotes from very near to 300 yards (don't go after them at longer ranges and find up close is way more important). just bought a vortex viper 2-7x on sale $170 just because. this combo is light and compact. have had none of the problems mentioned and hope don't get cursed by saying so. love the gun and the discipline of the single shot but see that the Encore is going to be taken out of production. this always happens when a small speciality producer is brought by a conglomerent as to production is too low to justify. sigh!

 

[Treerat-sniper]

I have taken several deer with an Encore pistol in .44 mag (Iowa's straight-wall case restriction). I have fired several 100 yard groups that hover around 1.5". Encores & Contenders are a flexible, efficient platform.

 

[250AI]

Been shooting an encore for 5-6 years. They are different from bolt guns but I enjoy mine. I don't feel that being a single shot is a disadvantage. Shoot Coopers and never needed a second shot with them, but I like single shots. If you already have the frame I would look at a custom barrel. Mine is a MGM-great barrel and they stand behind what they make. There are certainly other good barrel makers out there. My only real issue has been resizing brass. Chamber tolerences are so tight that resizing has to be exact or the action doesn't lockup. My rifle is a 250AI, 26 in.barrel that is compact and nice to carry. Puts a 80 gr. TTSX at 3500fps in .5 on a regular basis. It is kind of a pain to shoot off the bench. Not for everyone but I like mine.

 

[hoss6br]

imo, if i were going to rebarrel i would look real close at the 6br over 243, i have both, but when it comes to putting that yotie down at 6ooyds the br is the choice for me. have no problem hiting a dog in the head at that range or deer for that matter. good luck!

 

[Josh11]

I have a buddy that had one in 22 250 and it shot bug holes at 100 yards. I witnessed him shoot a bird that landed on our target at 300yards, and poof.

 

[bozo699]

John,
If you ever watch the outdoor channel 6 out of ten guy's are shooting Encores, that's better than 50% I might add! Most of these guys aren't like you and I they can afford any rifle they want and for some reason its a Encore ??? For what its worth the way I see it the PRO'S are they are accurate and you have a multi functional platform for different applications. The CON'S are follow up shots, a gun w/a magazine you don't have to take your eyes off a animal for a follow up shot and you may w/a single shot.
Wayne.

 

[Kenny474]

Wayne, As you know from shooting a muzzle loader, when you only have one shot, you tend to make it count a lot more! I know when I have a single shot with me I am very picky about any shots I take, and will pass on an animal if I am not nearly positive that I can make a clean one shot kill. Not that I take questionable shots anyway, but I know I think a bit more when I have just one in the tube.

Kenny

 

[Dimwit Flathead]

Encore is fine as long as you avoid T/C barrels like poison! Every T/C barrel I've had has had to be rechambered to something else before it would shoot. My Pro Hunter SS 22-250 is definitely a POS, as a friend of mine's. Look at EABCO barrels or Bullberry barrels when you decide on something.

 

[snoog37]

The reason that 6 of 10 on the Outdoor Channel are using Encores is because they are SPONSORED by TC. Doubt it has much to do with "pro" preference. Mine is ok with an aftermarket barrel and bellm trigger job.

 

[cheek9075]

the one i had was one of the first i guess, i didnt like the fact that the trigger couldnot be adjusted. to clean the muzzle loader i had to take the rifle completely apart, forend off, barrel off, the primer ejector off, and then the breach plug. i cound never find the load that it liked.
i guess maybe i had some bad barrels, but the 300 win mag was a good shooting rifle, for the most part i like it ok, just not the recoil.
there are alot of barrels in the gun shops around here, that will not sell, i think that says alot, if they are so good everyone would have one. to each his own i guess.
the new ones look nice, havent shot one or know anyone who owns one, they might have come along way with they in the past. like i said before, customer service was great. they treated me with respect and did what they said they would. to me that says alot about the company as a whole. just my 2 cents on it.

 

[bozo699]

Snoog37,
I guess you have a point with the sponsorship thing. I hope I don't have trouble with my muzzle loader barrel,I haven't shot it yet. I really only wanted a long range pistols, then bought the muzzle loader barrel.
Waynes.

 

[BBTC48]

Ok, I'm gonna toss in my 2 cents worth. I've been a fan of and user of a T/C Contender since '89 and always enjoyed them and often beat my pals with their rifles. In .223, 7x30Waters, 35Rem, and 445SuperMag. Loads of fun and I embraced the single shot mentality. Put venison in the freezer, etc. This led me to believe that one day I should have an Encore to enjoy the higher level of calibers and give a try at single shot rifles. I bought a S/S, 24" (standard) .243Win have been fairly un-derwhelmed by it's inconsistancy. This isn't my first day in town so believe me when I tell you I'm using top notch components, equipment, and practices but one day it'll shoot 1/2" @ 100, the next group 1 1/2". Very frustrating. With a 10" twist it should shoot deer hunting stuff but this barrel hates anything over 75grain pills. I'm going to try a EABCO hinge pin to see if tightening up the lock-up will improve it. I have bad experience with Bellm stuff so won't use his stuff again. The longer, so- called pro-hunter stuff may be better but I agree about standard factory barrels, iffy at best. I would like to try a EABCO accuracy barrel or the other guys too, like Bullberry or MGM of even JDJ. Mine has a great trigger job and is a joy to shoot. You will want the factory trigger dealt with. My appraisal is a decent rifle, sturdy as all git out with sloppy factory chambers that don't lend themselves to good consistant accuracy. I'll keep mine but am looking at an EABCO accuracy in 6.5Swede...100gr for groundhogs and 130gr TSXs for deer etc. Good luck.
Bill