Thoughts on The TC Pro Hunter/ Encore
- Thread starter Naber
- Start date
Bill In SC
New member
The Encore and Contender platform are great to hunt with. The only difference between the Encore and the Encore "Pro Hunter" is the swing wing hammer, and Pro Hunter engraved on the frame.
I have taken many South Carolina Whitetails with both of them. My favorite in the Encore is the 6.5 Swede. My 7-30 Waters shoots lights out on the Contender and I just acquired a 30-30AI barrel for the Contender. All of these are on the rifle platform.
They also work great in the Pistol configuration. The Contender with a 14" 7-30 Waters barrel have put a few in the freezer for me.
Give them a shot... They are fun.
Bill
I have taken many South Carolina Whitetails with both of them. My favorite in the Encore is the 6.5 Swede. My 7-30 Waters shoots lights out on the Contender and I just acquired a 30-30AI barrel for the Contender. All of these are on the rifle platform.
They also work great in the Pistol configuration. The Contender with a 14" 7-30 Waters barrel have put a few in the freezer for me.
Give them a shot... They are fun.
Bill
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venatic
Active member
I first started predator hunting with an Encore .223 then bought another barrel in 17Mk IV and they are OK but unless you get lucky on your factory barrel most are not accurate enough to suit me.... so that means custom barrel. My Bullberry barrel shot well enough I guess but when 4 coyotes come in can be frustrating. I kept mine for a truck gun a while after finding out how accurate AR's can be but traded it for a CZ 221FB and have never even considered another.
rainshadow1
Custom Call Maker
Love it for a hiking gun. I won't even bring the AR when I'm hunting the steep and deep. I've found the factory and aftermarket barrel to be similar in accuracy. Not benchrest, but easily 200 to even 300 yard hunting guns. 100% recommend, even though it's not ideal for every situation.
mattm
New member
I bought an Encore a few years ago in .223. Have taken quite a bit of game with it. My best shot to date is a laser confirmed 331 yards on a P Dog.
Have bbls in .243 and .308 from the Co. in Spain whose name escapes me and I am too lazy to go dig on the safe. But they are accurate enough for hunting.
What I like about it is a 24 inch bbl hunting rifle that is very light and handy.
What I don't like is the forearm is held by 2 screws to bbl and POI can wander. A hanger bar helps but can be $ and is needed for each bbl. I relieved the forearm with dremel and files and have obtained decent enough accuracy. They are, IMO, overpriced.
With .308 bbl during deer hunt -
Have bbls in .243 and .308 from the Co. in Spain whose name escapes me and I am too lazy to go dig on the safe. But they are accurate enough for hunting.
What I like about it is a 24 inch bbl hunting rifle that is very light and handy.
What I don't like is the forearm is held by 2 screws to bbl and POI can wander. A hanger bar helps but can be $ and is needed for each bbl. I relieved the forearm with dremel and files and have obtained decent enough accuracy. They are, IMO, overpriced.
With .308 bbl during deer hunt -
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I'm on my third or forth Encore now. I sold all of them before but ran across one of those deals you can't pass up on a 50 cal. I was so "eat up" with the first Encore, I started selling rifles just to buy barrels. I had a bad deal with a 25-06 barrel and T/C really hacked me off, so I sold the first one and four barrels. The best shooting barrel I had was a SS 22-250 heavy barrel. Second best was a seven mag. The next was a G-2 with a 204 barrel that was a lazer. Sold it to a friend. I agree with the rest of the members, if your looking for bench rest accuracy, the Encore will disapoint you. Unless you want to spend some major $$$. If you want a good hunting rifle, it will work just fine. JMO
Personally I like the single shot rifles. And I also like the Encore's. I like the fact that they are shorter, and IMO they handle very well. I shoot mine under hunting conditions very well. And for me how it handles in hunting conditions is far more important than how it handles off sandbags on a bench. To me accuracy is hunting accuracy, and as I said I shoot my Encore's better under hunting conditions than I do other style rifles.
The above comment about the AR is a great comment. And no doubt with multiple targets you have a distinct advantage with an AR. I would agree 100% on that.
However I ran into a real problem with hunting with AR's here in WV. Farmers DO NOT like them. You get a bad second look from the farmers when you show up to go huntnig with an AR on their property. I realize they are wrong in what they are thinking. But it really does not matter if they are right or wrong. It is their property. So in this case they are always right. Farmers flat out don't care for semi-auto weapons on their property(around here). I have seen it far too many times.
If you are concerned about BR accuracy then the Encore is not for you. If you are interested in a good quality firearm that is more than accurate enough for hunting situations, and a rifle that handles very well. Then the Encore is worth a second look. Tom.
The above comment about the AR is a great comment. And no doubt with multiple targets you have a distinct advantage with an AR. I would agree 100% on that.
However I ran into a real problem with hunting with AR's here in WV. Farmers DO NOT like them. You get a bad second look from the farmers when you show up to go huntnig with an AR on their property. I realize they are wrong in what they are thinking. But it really does not matter if they are right or wrong. It is their property. So in this case they are always right. Farmers flat out don't care for semi-auto weapons on their property(around here). I have seen it far too many times.
If you are concerned about BR accuracy then the Encore is not for you. If you are interested in a good quality firearm that is more than accurate enough for hunting situations, and a rifle that handles very well. Then the Encore is worth a second look. Tom.
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yotehunter243
New member
i love my Pro Hunter. I have a 223,300 win. mag. and muzzleloader barrel all in 28" i also have a 20" 500 S&W that I never use. My 300 barrel shoots good at 400 yards
Ok, so it looks like they might not be the most accurate but what are you guys grouping like on the bench? Aren't they guaranteed to be sub moa as well. If so MOA should work fine, most of the time It's all I'm capable of anyway. Mabey I should stop trying to talk myself into this, they hold so sweet though.
rainshadow1
Custom Call Maker
If you're satisfied with 1" to 1.25" bone stock, no additives or preservatives, shooting over the hood of the truck, or an improvised bench or whatever, then you're fine. I've got that from all the Contender and later Encore gear I've owned.
Right now I have the Encore with a TC 243, a Bergara 222, and a Bergera 30-06. All of mine shoot a 100yd inch with a good solid rest. I've never had any TC shoot wild, but I don't go for ragged holes either.
Right now I have the Encore with a TC 243, a Bergara 222, and a Bergera 30-06. All of mine shoot a 100yd inch with a good solid rest. I've never had any TC shoot wild, but I don't go for ragged holes either.
crowpopper
New member
i have an encore with a .223 bbl in pistol form its a 14 incher and open sights
off hand at 75 yards it will hit pop cans regularly off a rest out to 150 with open sights never shot it past that but that is plenty accurate for hunting anyways
off hand at 75 yards it will hit pop cans regularly off a rest out to 150 with open sights never shot it past that but that is plenty accurate for hunting anyways
tnshootist
New member
I just picked one up in .204 and am liking it fine so far.It is doing 1/2 at 100 for me(off good rest)with hornady 40 grainers.My dies just came today.I look forward to reloading for it.I like my ar's a lot and don't plan to sell any of them but I can play with the contender and not burn up ammo so fast.I have a bad back and so on and it is much easier to carry also.It is just handy but shoots much better than some of the handy little rifles I'v had.I think there is a lot of things to like about one.It depends on what you are looking for.If I could have only one of my rifles I guess I would pick my .308 bolt gun. John
Being a left-handed shooter (southpaw) the Encore is ideal for me especially since I love working with wildcats. I can do a wildcat chambering for a fraction of the cost of bolt gun. (Yes I have bolt guns too). I have two custom SSK rifle barrels chambered in 244 AI & 257 AI. Both are solely for predator hunting. I also have SSK custom pistol barrels in both Contender and Encore for deer hunting.
I can’t comment on factory barrels as all of mine are from SSK. I have had a trigger job done on my receiver; I use the Bellm 1x hinge pin, my forearm has been filed for a better fit.
Here is one of my targets from the 244 AI barrel off the bench at 100 yards. 47.0 Grains of N-140, CCI-200, Nosler 70 Grain BT. This runs 3800 fps.. It is my pet load.
Here is a target from my 257 AI barrel off the bench at 200 yards with Sierra 87 grain SPT. However my pet load for this barrel is with Hornady 75 grain Vmax.
Good luck with your decision.
B...
I can’t comment on factory barrels as all of mine are from SSK. I have had a trigger job done on my receiver; I use the Bellm 1x hinge pin, my forearm has been filed for a better fit.
Here is one of my targets from the 244 AI barrel off the bench at 100 yards. 47.0 Grains of N-140, CCI-200, Nosler 70 Grain BT. This runs 3800 fps.. It is my pet load.
Here is a target from my 257 AI barrel off the bench at 200 yards with Sierra 87 grain SPT. However my pet load for this barrel is with Hornady 75 grain Vmax.
Good luck with your decision.
B...
I have a few tc's encores and g2 contenders. I used bellim springs and have very good triggers. I have pistols in encore and g2 with 223,6x45,243,7mm-08,22mag. I liked the encores in cold weather around zero, I could unload it without taking off my gloves. IT mite not seem like much but when far from from heat of the truck it means a lot to me. with a wrist band I have been able to get off multible shots when needed. as for accuracy in the field I never felt that was lacking. I admit there are times when a bolt or auto would be more to one's liking. spike
hunterintheshadows
New member
i love the encore platform!!! i have 3 frames and abt 30 barrels! everything from 204 to 416. it is my go to powder burner. among my favorites are my 26 in 264 wm. 22-250, and 375h&h. i have made some spectacular shots with my 243 custom shop and most of the others as well, including a 619yd shot on a woodchuck with the 204. my newest barrel is a 338wm 28in fluted with a 16x mildot