Ready for an Encore, but...

[scandmx5]

I find myself really wanting a Walnut/Blue Encore in 7mm Rem Mag. I am actually going to sell my Win Model 70 338 for this purchase. However, after much reading, is it possible to get a 7mmMag/300Mag from the factory that works and is fairly accurate? I read Bellm's page (since he's the self-proclaimed master of these guns) and the conclusion I came to is that: T/C's are great guns, but only if one spends money on hinge pins, shims, trigger jobs, etc, etc..especially from him, because T/C doesn't know how to make a gun and my local gunsmith is incompetent. Can anyone shed some light on this? I'd like to know a few people out there have perfect working belted mag caliber guns from the factory!

[Ladobe]

TC's factory barrels are just fine for most shooters just as they come from TC.   While a small percentage over their almost four and half decades may have got out that should have been caught in QC, TC's lifetime warranty (whether you are the original owner or not) is the best in the business and covered those.    But then all of the custom TC barrel makers have also let a few out with problems.   When the ranges get long or the targets small, barrels from custom shops generally shoot with more precision by default being made from premium barrel blanks and tighter tolerances, but most shooters don't need the gain for general shooting/hunting.   TC does offer special order barrels, but they are not custom in the sense that those from the custom TC barrel makers are.
 
As for the Prince of Elaborate Sales Pitches to gain the almighty buck, self proclaimed alone should tell you a lot.   In the world of TC's as a whole he is not well received, is not trusted and has been banned from many forums.   
 
IMO
 
 

[JustaShooter]

I can't speak to belted magnums specifically, but every factory TC barrel I've seen, and most I've heard of, are capable of MOA accuracy with a bit of tweaking of the load and minor, inexpensive or even free tweaks to the rifle itself.  There are exceptions of course, but as Ladobe said, TC's warranty is among the best in the business.

As to the self-proclaimed "master" of the Encore, some of what he says makes sense, but much does not.  I wouldn't exclude him from my research on the Encore, but I sure wouldn't stop my research there either.  Some of what he advocates is down right damaging to the rifle, and some is even dangerous (which is part of the reason he's been banned, as I understand it). 

You've come to the right place, in my opinion.

Just a Shooter

[scandmx5]

LOL I'm glad I'm not the only one who got that crock from his page. Thanks much for the replies guys. I'm not looking for a bench gun, as all of my guns shoot better than I do, so I'm sure I'll do fine with the Encore. Minute-of-deer vitals is what I'm looking for!  I do like the flex tech stock deal, but I'm a fan of classic styled riffles blue/walnut. I'm thinking I'll buy a Kickeez, and a .22 barrel with iron sights and have fun!

[Ladobe]

(which is part of the reason he's been banned, as I understand it).

I can't speak for all the places he's been banned, but at some of them where I was a member or moderator at lot of the reason was because of his holier than thou attitude; bashing TC, his competition and forum members; trying to generate sales where it was against policy; and bringing along a crowd of his followers to the forums to do the same.   
 
Misconceptions of what a TC will take and will not safely, especially in the Contender/G2, are commonly spread by ACE's in part because of something they read by folks like The Prince.  He makes some good points, but he is not the last word on TC's.   Most TC barrel makers have chambered some unsafe barrels, or at least borderline safe.   
 
For most big game hunting a factory barrel is more than good enough if chambered for a cartridge that is capable of taking the species humanely, and used within the ranges the hunter is capable of making a good shot with it.   I've owned so many custom barrels mostly because my first love was long range varmint, predator and target shooting with wildcats in TC Contender handguns.   But I've owned far more Contender barrels that were standard issue TC factory barrels than custom, and only one of my Encore barrels was a custom simply because TC didn't offer one in 416 Rigby.
 

[VT30-30]

I checked out his web site. Seems like he has a solution for every T/C problem. You have to have one of his hammer
springs if you put on a hammer extension. I have never changed a spring on any of my Encores and 3 have extensions.
Yes a couple of frames had a trigger pull that was more than I liked but a lot of rifles are that way when you buy new.
I presently have 4 frames and I put a T/C adjustable hinge pin in one action as one barrel had a slight movement when
open but locked up tight when closed. It fixed the non problem.
 
I've used my Encores for about 10 years now and look forward to getting more barrels and actions.
 
I guess he is one of those self appointed experts that knows it all. But I don't need any of his products.

[243dave]

The most useful thing on his entire website if your new with Encores is the FREE trigger job instuctions.  Its full of detailed pics and info, and is just good for a reference for taking down the Encore completely.  Its good even for the mechanically challenged.  Download it and do your own trigger job, you may or may not need lighter trigger springs for a awesome trigger pull, it depends on the gun and how light you want to go. 
Dave

[scandmx5]

The biggest pain is not getting to handle one before I buy.  None of my local stores have them. It will have to be ordered

[Flynmoose]

I ordered my first Encore without handling or seeing one, it was love
at first sight. I was convinced that I did the right thing when I shot it!
Order away and ENJOY!!
FM

[luckydawg13]

I ordered my first Encore without handling or seeing one, it was love
at first sight. I was convinced that I did the right thing when I shot it!
Order away and ENJOY!!
FM

I DID THE SAME THING SIGHT UNSEEN LOVE IT 

[David D.]

The one and only TC barrel of which I've had many that I could not make shoot was a 26" factory heavy 7MM Mag. Didn't matter what I fed it factory or handloads, my groups were never under 6" at 100yds. Then the extractor was constantly hanging on the belts. A little filing on the extractor crued that problem, BUT it didn't make it shoot any better. After a big expense in ammo TC did replace the barrel at my request with a 7MM-08 barrel. I now  have a TC Custom Shop 26" tapered 280Rem. barrel that is a fantastic shooter.

[Gdbyrd]

I ordered my first Encore without handling or seeing one, it was love
at first sight. I was convinced that I did the right thing when I shot it!
Order away and ENJOY!!
FM

I DID THE SAME THING SIGHT UNSEEN LOVE IT 

Me and my dad did the same.  We had been contender people for years though.

[wolfe28]

The biggest pain is not getting to handle one before I buy.  None of my local stores have them. It will have to be ordered

I made the opposite mistake; handling one with out having the money in my pocket to buy one.  I have had a serious jones for an blue/walnut Encore with a 24" 45/70 barrel on it ever since. 

D

[Ladobe]

I knew about the Encore long before it was public info, so was already in line for one as soon as they became availble and got one of the first.   Started with 4 pistol barrels, a 7BR and 454 Casull for IMSHA, a 22-250 for my long range P&V hunting and a custom 416 Rigby just for fun.

[243dave]

A 416 Rigby in a pistol just for fun ??     Sounds like a punishment to me Ladobe.

[Ladobe]

Dave,
I guess it depends on your technique and perception of recoil.   While it was "more", I didn't perceive it as all that much more than any of the other Contender "handcannon" wildcats I had been shooting for many years.   The Encores factory grips, which I didn't care for, was the only fly in the soup.   But the 12" 454 Casull barrel I perceived as more unpleasant to shoot with my hot handloads, and several times it even bit another handcannon buddy of mine (blood a couple of times) when he came to town on business and we'd go out to the range to burn some powder.    The Rigby was fun to shoot IMO, but I just didn't like the Encore platform as well as the Contender's.   They would do anything I actually needed for my uses so I eventually went back to just them.
L.