Encore .308 load

[cavscout822]

I have a SS 24".308 barrel on my encore and can't get it to group at all. Tried several different loads with sierra 168 HPBT and 165 Hornady Interlocks. Am I using too big of a bullet? Please help!!

[Qualitymilk]

You need to make sure your headspace is right.  You need the gauge from the censored man, so you can check real headspace with either your resized brass or factory loads, whichever you shoot.  There really is no other way to get these guns to shoot tight groups.  I tried to avoid it, but after much messing around and much money spent on different loads/bullets, I finally got the gauge and can now say that both of my Encore barrels group quite nicely.

[cavscout822]

These are $700 guns. There is something terribly wrong if the headspace has to be checked! This is very poor quality on T/C's part. I believe I will trade it for another gun before I buy a headspace guage for it. It would be completely different if it was a $300 gun. Thank you for the insight.

[JustaShooter]

There are folks that are hung up on headspace as the answer to any grouping issue with Encore/Contenders, but usually you can get good groups with the same techniques you use with bolt guns.

I will, however, say that you can get even better groups if you set your sizing die to just bump the shoulder back to give only .001 or so of clearance between the case head and firing pin bushing.  You don't need a headspace gauge or other fancy tool to do this, just a set of feeler gauges.

Hope this helps.

Just a Shooter

[southernutah]

These are $700 guns. There is something terribly wrong if the headspace has to be checked! This is very poor quality on T/C's part. I believe I will trade it for another gun before I buy a headspace guage for it. It would be completely different if it was a $300 gun. Thank you for the insight.

I've found 3 things I watch for.
1. Lose base or scope.  A good quality scope base and rings set. Warne base and QD rings. or Burris dual dovetail base with signiture rings. (I check each base screw indivually to make sure it tightens down and holds base w/ blue loctite)
2. Scope.  Good scope not a $40 busnell.  I like Leupolds 3.5-10 or lately the Wevaer V10s
3. Make sure you rest the forearm the same place each time or use attached bipod.

[martineta]

What Southernutah said.  I have a herd of encore barrels and all shoot very well.  I have a 24 inch blue 308 that loves the cheap Winchester super x 150 gr commercial loads.  Go figure.

[cavscout822]

I've switched mounts, base, and scopes. I use the old style weaver mounts (very reliable), and right now I have a swift 3-9 that I know holds zero. Thinking about just trading it in for a ruger hawkeye

[kynardsj]

My stainless 23 inch 308 Encore loves the 168 gr BTHP's over 40 grains of IMR 3031. If I can hold the crosshairs steady it will easily do 1 inch or better at 100 yards. Hopefully you can figure yours out.

[Plinker]

 
  Although any of the things listed above could be the problem.
Check the crown before trading it off.
 Sometimes a nick or burr can cause a lot of accuracy problems and  go unnoticed.

[Grumulkin]

These are $700 guns. There is something terribly wrong if the headspace has to be checked! This is very poor quality on T/C's part. I believe I will trade it for another gun before I buy a headspace guage for it. It would be completely different if it was a $300 gun. Thank you for the insight.

The headspace thing is a big bunch of baloney.  I've probably had 30 to 40 Encore and Contender barrels and various frames and friends have had them and there have never been any headspace issues.  The person with the "making them work" song is a bit preoccupied with the alleged headspace issue.

My Encore 308 Winchester load uses IMR 4064 and 165 gr. and 168 gr. bullets.  If you use match bullets from Sierra or Nosler in the load workup, you can eliminate the bullet as a cause of poor accuracy.  If after having worked up what should be an accurate load you're still having problems with accuracy, I would return the barrel to T/C.  The usual advice about making sure there are no problems with the scope or mounts apply.

Other powders to consider using would be Varget or IMR 8208 XBR.

How an Encore handgun shoots with full length sized brass (no, I didn't check for headspace or check the brass with one of those Wilson thingys).

[cavscout822]

I've tried 4064 in it before, same result. I have a ruger hawkeye .308 and it shoots 1 hole 3/4 of the time. I've had 3 other barrels for the encore including another .308 and only one has shot decent, a 22/250.