Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter Rifled Slug Barrel Reviews
Thompson/Centre Encore Pro Hunter Review
If you haven't discovered Thompson/Centre'due south great switch-barrel gun, the Encore Pro Hunter, now might exist the time.
Baronial 17, 2018
In an age where we're wowed by exquisitely crafted European switch-barrel rifles costing thousands of bucks, it's easy to forget that here in usa we have enjoyed the switch-barrel concept for half a century. And you don't have to take out a second mortgage to buy 1.
In the 1960s, Warren Eye developed the switch-barrel Contender handgun, later teaming upward with the K.Due west. Thompson Tool visitor in a collaboration that would eventually become Thompson/Center Arms.
Heart's design was a relatively uncomplicated break-open. Removing the fore-end reveals a large swivel pivot. Simply bulldoze out the pin, remove one barrel, install another and reattach the fore-finish. That's pretty much it.
The Contender made its debut in 1967, at a time when writing greats like Skeeter Skelton and particularly Bob Milek were at the forefront of the handgun hunting movement, and the Contender was embraced past hunters and silhouette shooters alike.
Fifteen years later, Thompson/Middle increased the force of both the trigger machinery and the frame, and the Encore was born. Now rifle shooters could enjoy the aforementioned switch-barrel capability, in calibers ranging from .22 rimfire to .416 Rigby. At in one case or another, Thompson/Center chambered a couple dozen centerfire calibers—in addition to well over 100 from the company's at present-defunct custom shop.
As a kid I used to drool over the Contender, but it wasn't until I was in my 40s that I actually started to work with the design. At the fourth dimension I was editing Petersen's Hunting magazine and helping out on the inaugural season of "Petersen's Hunting Adventures" television show. Thompson/Eye was 1 of the sponsors, and I had the opportunity to travel to Wyoming to try to pull off a ii-fer on antelope and mule deer, hunting in the Casper area with SNS Outfitters (HuntWyo.com).
The Encore Pro Hunter had recently come out, and information technology was existence chambered in ane of my favorite cartridges, the .280 Rem. I jumped at the chance to use that butt, and the hunt was a success—my antelope dropping at well-nigh 250 yards and a large mulie falling at last low-cal at virtually 75.
The hunt convinced me how capable the platform is. And with the Pro Hunter, Thompson/Center had actually studied the Encore platform to figure out ways to amend it equally a hunting rifle.
Starting with the butt, the company went with a 28-inch fluted stainless tube. Twenty-eight inches is going to wring out the best velocities you're going to get from a given rifle cartridge, and with the Encore single-shot design a longer barrel doesn't come at the price of added overall length.
The stock was inverse as well, with the improver of a better recoil pad and also shock-absorbing chevrons of synthetic material into the stock itself to make the gun shoot even softer.
One of the most ingenious changes to the platform involved the hammer. By simply loosening a small spiral at the center, the spur rotates 90 degrees to allow scope users to exist able to cock the hammer hands.
These features make this a great hunting burglarize, and with the ability to shoot different calibers based on game and terrain, information technology's the one-gun-man theory personified.
In addition to the .280 Rem. barrel, I also accept a .338 Federal barrel once fabricated by the custom shop. Past keeping a scope on each one—currently a pair of Burris Fullfield IIs in magnifications that match upward well with their corresponding chamberings—I tin can swap out barrels based on what I want to hunt and head to the range knowing I'll be shut to zeroed if not correct on.
Recently, I acquired a .fifty caliber muzzleloader barrel, which comes with fiber-optic open sights and ramrod. When I depict a muzzleloader elk tag hither in Colorado, yous tin can bet I'll be taking the Encore. Note y'all do have to alter fore-ends to go the muzzleloader route—equally y'all exercise with the Encore's 12- and 20-estimate rifled slug barrels.
I also accept a custom-store six.5 Creedmoor pistol barrel, and it's manner cool. But I learned the difficult mode the stock bolts for the long gun and handgun are different lengths. If, say, you install the pistol bolt in the rifle stock, the hammer won't cock. Exist sure to proceed the bolts with their respective stocks.
As you lot can encounter from the chart, the rifle is capable of slap-up accuracy with loads it likes. The trigger is quite practiced, breaking at about two.five pounds on my gun. The only downside is the long lock time, which comes with the territory on a hammer-fired gun. It doesn't matter to me 1 bit in the field, just makes it a little tougher to become itty-bitty groups at the demote.
Right at present I'chiliad satisfied with my complement of barrels, but I acknowledge I'm because a .35 Whelen. I've wanted a gun in this caliber for a long time, and that's the great thing about the Encore: For less than $400 for a barrel, I tin play with a whole new cartridge.
In addition to the stainless fluted barrels listed in the tabular array, in that location are other barrels and barrel lengths available in blued and Weathershield finishes. Today, Thompson/Center is selling complete Encore rifles in .223 Rem., .243 Win., .308 Win. and .thirty-06—practical hunting calibers all. Get one of those, and so build your arsenal equally you lot get. What's not to like?
kirklandoverearrever.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/review-thompsoncenter-encore-pro-hunter/83505
0 Response to "Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter Rifled Slug Barrel Reviews"
Post a Comment