Encore Pistol Advice

[SeaRun1]

Hello all,

So I have been shooting a Encore Pro Hunter in .204 Ruger, .243 Winchester and 20 gauge for most of 2010.  I have been happy with the gun and am looking to expand on it's versatility.  Heres what I would like some advice on...

I would like to get a 15" barrel for the system.  I have purchased the Pachmyr handgun set to convert it.  The purchase was made as a handgun so I am legal here as well.  I am thinking for the first short barrel I should get a smaller cartridge for walking in desert areas and maybe taking a shot at a coyote.  Any suggestions as far as how the smaller rifle cartridges do in a short barrel?  Am considering .204 Ruger , .223 Rem, and 22-250 at the moment and leaning towards the latter.

Also thoughts on whether it should be scoped or just use open sights.  Shots may be up to 100 yards I guess in the areas I hang out in.  Size/brand of scope you might recommend for this application.  Thanks for you time and advice.

SeaRun1

[Keith L]

Please research this before re-configuring your Encore.  The latest information from BATF says you can't switch back and forth.  There is lots of chatter about this on this site and on the internet in general.

[Grumulkin]

Smaller rifle cartridges do great in a short barrel; in fact the larger ones do as well.  The accuracy I get at 100 yards with a 223 AI barrel would make some rifle shooters jealous.

My scope of choice is Leupolds 2.5-8X handgun scope.  When you first start using a scope on a handgun, you may want to use the lower magnification but with practice, you'll like more.  Encore handguns are accurate enough that a scope is well worth it.

[SeaRun1]

When I purchased the Encore it was registered as a handgun.  I should be ok to go back and forth in configuration but I will look into it.  Thanks Keith.

I was leaning towards scoping the pistol but don't have much experience with scoped handguns.  Thanks Grumulkin.

SeaRun1

[expeditionx]

When I purchased the Encore it was registered as a handgun.  I should be ok to go back and forth in configuration but I will look into it.  Thanks Keith.

Keith is 100 % correct on this. See the link below.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,184325.0.html

[SeaRun1]

Alright I see... That definitely takes care of my questions.  I guess I need to get another Encore receiver and keep it as a pistol.  Made a decision on caliber already so I guess that is that.  Thanks for your time fellas.

SeaRun1

[David D.]

Just a thought!!! If I purchase an Encore pistol, later put a stock and legal rifle barrel on the pistol frame, then later switch back to a pistol as it was registered how is anyone but me going to know??

[expeditionx]

Just a thought!!! If I purchase an Encore pistol, later put a stock and legal rifle barrel on the pistol frame, then later switch back to a pistol as it was registered how is anyone but me going to know??

That is sort of like asking "If I put a home made noise suppressor on my carbine to hunt more quietly on my own land and not spook the other deer once a year who is really going to know or care?"
Either way you might never get caught but if you do you better have good connections with the governor, an amazing lawyer, or serious fighting skills for those prison shower ambushes.   

[David D.]

That is sort of like asking "If I put a home made noise suppressor on my carbine to hunt more quietly on my own land and not spook the other deer once a year who is really going to know or care?"
 

I think there is big difference in carrying something that is obviously illegal and something that could be illegal. Now I,ve been checked numerous times by the DNR and never once have they checked the serial number on my gun. 

[Keith L]

If I were planning on doing something like that I wouldn't talk about it on the internet.

[expeditionx]

I think there is big difference in carrying something that is obviously illegal and something that could be illegal.

There is no mistake that the National Firearms Act since 1934 made it completely illegal to make a pistol from a rifle without a tax stamp. It's not sort of illegal but its completely illegal according to very law signed by FDR. NFA subsection § 5845. Definition 4
 (4) a weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length;
http://www.keepandbeararms.com/laws/nfa34.htm

You might say well it started out as a pistol but that same law has defined that your now assembled rifle cannot just be made into a pistol.
 Declaring on the internet how to break a 75 year old law is not a good idea either.  DNR might not have ever bothered to check but that is still not the point. We are not talking a little ticket or fine it's more like up to ten years in a federal lock up for such an easy thing to avoid. Its not worth it to me. A $200 tax stamp or an extra receiver is much cheaper than attorney fees or worse. For $200 and a form filed, you can pretty much do whatever the heck you want to do with a stamp declared TC rifle and not ever worry about Big Brother.  I find life a whole lot more enjoyable when you don't have to hide anything to keep from getting in trouble.