Encore advice needed

[winmagman]

Was out last week with a friend shooting my Striker pistol and his new Encore with the 15" barrel, rubber grip and forend, chambered in 7mm-08.

We were shooting at a 40"x40" piece of cardboard with little crosses drawn on it about 6" apart at 100yds.. Shooting was done off a low end bench with a front and rear bag.

The Striker peformed pretty well but the Encore was all over the place. At first I thought he had a bad scope or loose mounts because he'd put two within 3" of each other near the selected cross then blow one out by 8"-12". Next group would have two within 3" but would be 2 crosses left of the point of aim then blow one out 8"-12" to the right.

After watching him do this about 3 times he finally handed it to me and said you try. So I sat on the bench picked a cross in the top row and proceded to put 3 into about a 4" group about 3" right of the POA not great but it would do for deer. Feeling a little cocky I picked a cross on the bottom row and proceded to put 3 into a 8" group about 10" above the POA.

After some more tinkering we found that by shooting at the lower targets we were putting more downward on the forend and the groups suffered and the POI was well above the POA usually around a foot.

So what I'd like to know is is this normal for an encore? Seems like a pretty finicky way to have to shoot. Also the trigger on that thing felt like it was set at 50lbs, any way to replace or tune one of these? He's pretty disappointed.

Right now my friend says "I can't hunt with this &%$*& thing, I'd never know if I was going to hit them in the head or in the ***" I told him hitting em in the head works just fine, but don't call me if you shoot one in the butt.

Anyway thanks for any help.

Chris

 

[oso]

winmagman, the T/C's (any of them) are very sensitve to forend pressure. There are a few things I would check out before your friend sells it to me...

1- When shooting off a rest make sure that the rest is as close to the trigger guard as possible.

2- Are you shooting factory ammo? Reloading is the best way to get the performance out of an Encore or Contender.

3- Whether you reload or not, the frame to barrel fit ( the gap) when closed between the barrel and the frame needs to be accounted for in order to get the correct headspacing.

4- The trigger on any of the frames are not the best by far. I do all my own trigger work and have for years. PM me and I can do the trigger for him for a small fee. JLMK

 

[redbone]

oso

Do you replace any parts on the Encore when you do the trigger job ?

Redbone

 

[Dead Beat]

the triggers on a encore are the worst when you do a trigger to get it lite you need to change the springs in them to get a good trigger!!! my pro hunter is 1 - 1/2 pound and made all the difference world my encore rifle is at 2-1/2 pounds

JIM

 

[yotefever]

Check with Mike Bellm about doing a trigger job and he has springs that work. Mine is around 12-14 oz.
He used to have a free download on the trigger job.
Not very hard to do.
Mike Bellm Custom TCs

Mike

 

[Dead Beat]

another source is stratton custom he has done 2 on my encores $50 each! as far as know belm still has the down load and had a cd you could buy
bellm also use to sell kits with springs stones and the tools to do your own trigger jobs

JIM

 

[oso]

Redbone to answer your question, If I work on the trigger I can get most of them around 2 1/4 - 2 1/2lbs. without replacing anything. Most guys would want a trigger pull around a 1 1/2 - 2lbs. trigger pull and that does take the work above plus a spring. As my guns are all for hunting the lightest trigger is 1 1/4 lbs. any lighter than that for hunting is probably not a good idea. Hope this helped you out.

 

[winmagman]

When shooting off a rest make sure that the rest is as close to the trigger guard as possible

I'll pass that along for him to try next time he/we get out.

He doesn't reload but I have repeatedly told him to buy the dies and he can stop buy anytime he wants and we'll load him up some.

I doubt he's going to part with the funds to ship a pistol somewhere and back plus the use of an FFL and having the work done, he's just not that fond of the thing right now.

I've never done an Encore trigger(obviously) but have replaced four Savage triggers and tuned a few Remmingtons so I have a little exposure with triggers in general.

I'll poke around the link yotefever provided and see if I think I'm up to the task.

Appreciate all the responses, at least I can report back to him that all is not lost, there is hope. On the other hand oso has first dibs.

Chris

 

[Dead Beat]

to send your encore to have work done you don't need to send it to a ffl you send it to the person doing the work when he is done he sends it back to you i use usps 12 bucks prority mail plus insurance

all you need to go is send the frame hope this helps

JIM

 

[winmagman]

to send your encore to have work done you don't need to send it to a ffl you send it to the person doing the work when he is done he sends it back to you i use usps 12 bucks prority mail plus insurance

all you need to go is send the frame hope this helps

I saw that when looking around the site yotefever provided. Good info to have.

I also came to the conclusion that I can handle ordering the spring kit and doing things myself, It'll be a learning opprotunity..... or a chance to really screw things up, which in the end will still be a learning opprotunity just a little more expensive one.

Actuallty after studying an expanded parts diagram it looks like a pretty straight forward job swapping out the springs, don't know if I'll do any stoneing/honeing, guess I'll see how it turns out after the spring job.

Thanks for the help

Chris