Um, you might be jumping to conclusions a little bit. An awful lot of us have Encores and think they are great guns. I can shoot 2" groups at 150 yards with mine. Maybe you have a bad barrel or maybe you just have not found the right combination of powder and bullets. It's a pretty big stretch to make a blanket condemnation based on 1 particular firearm.

 

I think this is the first time ever that I have read a post about someone being unhappy with a encore.......what scope and pellet set-up you shooting?......I love mine......maybe you got a bad one...have you talked to Thompson?.....Mack.....just trying to help

 

Last I was aware, 3" groups are usually what people get on a bad day.

 

Wow.... I LOVE my Encore, I get great 3 shot groups at 100 yards. By chance are you letting your barrel cool between shots? I usually wait about 5 minutes between shots with my Muzzle Loader. I was taught to shoot it like you would in the field (1 shot, cold barrel).

I went through 3 different bullet types, and 2 different powder charges until I found the setup that worked for me.

 

Doc looks like that was with his old gun......Mack
I will be going to On Target to trade it for a Knight Big Horn. I had a Knight before and on a good day I have shot a 3" group with it! Boy what a mistake it was to get rid of that gun

 

Let me Know How Much You Want For You Encore... I Could Use A Extra One..... PM Me With Your Price.....

Jeff

 

Let me Know How Much You Want For You Encore... I Could Use A Extra One..... PM Me With Your Price.....

Jeff

And pay shipping.

PM with price if the gentleman before me declines.

 

Thanks for the report.

I don't own one, but the 3 I have shot were all just as accurate as any other gun (1" @ 100 easily). They were in 50 cal muzzleloader, 25-06 and 300 win.

I was actually real impressed with the one in BP that I shot.

 

It may be the scope or mounts ,I would not give up yet .Bud

 

:rant:The 3" group was with a Knight at 200 yards.

I just got back from On Target. Talked to the Rep there. He was wearing a Smith & Wesson shirt., And guess what he Shoots, A KNIGHT. I agree the older Encores do shoot well. Thats why I bought mine.

I put my first ML together as a kit at 14, I'm 46 now. I have always been able to get a gun to shoot, BP or center fire. I am not a know it all by any means, I just wanted to inform any new buyers.

I have the steel weaver base with Maxima QD (quick detachable rings) rings. Oh I did have QD rings on my Knight too. I even thought it was the scope and switched scopes, it is a Burris 3x9 ballistic plex.:rant:

 

My Encore shoots 1-1/4" groups at 100 yards.

You need to take the time to pattern your gun to a particular load. I shoot this group with 100 grains 777 powder, 250-grain Barnes Expander MZ, and .25 ACP breech plug conversion.

I would suggest 100 or 110 grains of 777 powder (not pellets), TC Shockwaves in 250-grains, and ML 209 primers. You should be able to create a nice group at 100 yards with this combination. TC themselves promote this combination.

 

Hey Nimrod, you might take a few minutes and read this post. A lot of good information here:

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210610

 

Call TC, they will make it right. Give them a chance. I love my Encore and it will shoot with anything on the market ...anything. I have yet to meet in person a single person that is unhappy with this gun. Now, I do know a couple of people that have purchased barrels that were not up to par, but guess what? TC replaced them, no questions asks. Call TC

 

My encore started shooting flyers about 2 years ago. I took it to Dick Williams just south of Saginaw. He ran some wad cutter thru the barrel right back driving tacks. He said the plastic from them sabots sometimes will foul your rifleing. He used some wad cutter cleaner, He had alittle bit on his finger and it melted a hole right thu his foam coffee cup. Just something to try. I would'nt buy nothing but another Encore if I buy another one. Hope you get it shooting, if not good luck with the Knight.

 

Love mine. One of the best shooting guns I have ever owned.

Dan

 

Any encore owners need a great shooting blue 209x45 barrel? pm me.

 

Hey nimrod...don't feel bad - I'm at wits end with my Pro Hunter and it's going up for sale. I have tried every combo out there and it just wont shoot. My 700ml will shoot circles around it. I guess it's Savage time.

 

My encore started shooting flyers about 2 years ago. I took it to Dick Williams just south of Saginaw. He ran some wad cutter thru the barrel right back driving tacks. He said the plastic from them sabots sometimes will foul your rifleing. He used some wad cutter cleaner, He had alittle bit on his finger and it melted a hole right thu his foam coffee cup. Just something to try. I would'nt buy nothing but another Encore if I buy another one. Hope you get it shooting, if not good luck with the Knight.

Bingo! Lots of people don't realize that they need to clean their guns with a cleaner that works on plastic!!! Same thing for slug guns using sabots! With todays sabots and hot powders, plastic fouling is very real in many guns.

 

I have been shooting muzzleloaders since I was big enough for my dad to help me hold up a gun. My Encore is without a doubt the most accurate muzzleloader I have ever shot. Out of the box I was an 1" low at 100 yds., after adjusting the sight I was able to shoot out the bull at 100 yds. Keeping 2" groups at 100 yds. with this gun is no problem at all. I shot over 20 rounds through mine that first time and only my first shot wasn't in the bull. I wouldn't trade mine for anything!

 

Yep,as soon as I explained to him what started happening he knew what was wrong. I had been trying differant loads also. Some HOT loads with 3 triple 7 pellets. I bought some of the wad cutter stuff from him. He told me just to make sure I run alot of regular bore cleaner thru after using the wad cutter. Get all that out of the barrel to or it will eat it to. Kinda gotta rinse it out with the regular cleaner.

 

Or the pro hunter. My Encore is only 3 years old and 2 other guys just got the pro hunter and none of us are satisfied with the groups we get. :yikes:We have been shooting MLs since we were kids. I have tried pellets, loose powders, all kinds of sabots/bullets. I have burned up 5#s of all different powders:rant:! Point of impact changes but I still have fliers!! I can't stand having a gun I can't shoot. I have cut the QLA off, tried small rifle primers, a hinge pin bolt. Thats it I'm DONE!!!!!!!!

I will be going to On Target to trade it for a Knight Big Horn. I had a Knight before and on a good day I have shot a 3" group with it! Boy what a mistake it was to get rid of that gun.

:rant:I WILL NEVER EVER RECOMMEND ANY T/C PRODUCTS TO ANY ONE!!!!!

Wow! I'm another that has never heard of anyone having this much of problem with an Encore. But, those that I know that have had problems similar to these have almost all had one thing in common. The scope or mounts.
Since you've been shooting a muzz for so long, it can be assumed that you swab the barrel between each shot and let the barrel cool between.
Have you taken the scope off the rifle and checked for groups with just the open sights? This is the one way that the scope can be ruled out. Scopes can and do go bad.
Go back to the basics and try it again, unless you've just had enough.
Before I'd give up on the rifle, I'd take the scope and mounts off, load it with 100 grs of your preference, insert a 250 gr. Shockwave SUPER GLIDE and shoot it. Shorten up your range distance and check your groups.
If you're still having the same problems, contact T/C. Might I suggest that when or if you contact T/C, that you provide them with as much information as possible concerning what your attempts and/or trials have been.
Like Swamp, my Encore is a tack driver. I use 130 grs. of Pyrodex (pellets), 209 primer and the 250gr. Shockwave SUPER GLIDE. A REPAIRED Simmons Atec, 2.8x10 for a scope. The only other modification that the rifle has, is a trigger job by Mike Bellm http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=124
My REPAIRED scope had caused me some problems prior to its repair that might have been similar to yours. It would group then I'd start having flyers and the group would open up. I'd adjust the scope and after adjustment, it would start to group again. Then flyers started right up. Someplace around here I have the repair order from Simmons. Just about all the insides of the scope were replaced.
Confidence in your rifle has everything to do with how well you can shoot it. Take the scope and mounts off and give it a try. If that doesn't work and you've had enough, it appears that there's a number of hunters here that will take it off your hands.
Good luck with your decision.

 

No complaints from me either.
My Encore only gets mad when I don't feed her.

 

Scope mounts were checked and checked again, I even tried another scope as mentioned earlier. The scope is a Burris 3x9 ballistic plex. Even when it was new I wasn't impressed with it's performance.

When it rains it pours, I have talked to people I personally know(5) that have had problems getting groups, tried and tried to no avail. Pm me if any one is board and wants Mine.

 

I bought a pro hunter and had it for around six months and sold it to my cousin. I didn't think the gun was worth a damn! I could have saved hundreds of dollars and just bought the CVA I have now and can drive tacks at 100 yards. Can't wait to get it out in 4 more days. Good luck with whatever gun you decide to go with.

 

Have you cleaned it with plastic (wad) solvent? Worth a try anyway.