Encore wouldn't shoot

O

Old Stony

New member
I posted about problems with an Encore a month ago that would only shoot 4 inch 50 yd. groups. I sent it to S&W for them to check it out and I got it back today. There was very little communication, they just sent an invoice showing it was serviced by a tech there, and the barrel was replaced. The fit of the hinge pin was very close when I got it back, and I actually had to tap it in. I'm anxious to try it out again and see how it performs, but I seem to have a "fargin' problem".....it's just too fargin' hot out to go shoot.
Hopefull I will be able to get out on an early morning soon before the heat sets in.
 
I remember your old thread . The fact they replaced the barrel would mean it was shot out or had some other major problem . I forget did you buy it new ? I kinda remember you saying it was used but I read a lot of threads so who knows . Was there a charge ?
 
I actually bought the Encore used, but it was in very nice clean shape. The bore looked very nice as well, but it could have had a problem from day one and the previous owner never knew it. A lot of hunters just seem to think if they can hit a dinner plate, they can hit a deer and leave it at that. It appears to me that they replaced the hammer, trigger and pivot pin as well as the barrel.
I have high hopes for it to shoot better now and hopefully I can get out this morning some time and find out. There was no charge for anything from S&W and it was returned postpaid. If they got it to shoot, I am going to be really impressed with their service.
I lived on the west coast for years and was in the gun business there. At that time S&W made us send any warranty work to a company in the Sierra's there in California. To say the least, we were always disappointed. The firearms we sent were seldom fixed to our satisfaction and were always accompanied by a bill for shipping and test fire ammo. I'm hoping they have turned their warranty situation around . They were a grand old company at one time but have had some turbulent times as a result of ownership changes and managementt decisions over the years.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed at this time..........
 
I have tried some .177's, but the wind gusts really messed up those groups.
I shot the Encore this morning with some 140's and 120's that I had loaded up. I managed to pull one group of right at 1", but as the barrel heated up it started stringing vertically pretty bad and opened everything up to almost 2". It is showing a preference for the 120's so far.
I'm not too sure I am ever going to make friends with this rifle although I would really like to. I like the size and low maintenance of the weapon being stainless....and my whole reason of getting it was to carry it in the truck with me daily.
 
The fact they replaced the barrel would mean it was shot out or had some other major problem
Click to expand...

Maybe not. When you are paying a skilled gunsmith what their guys are earning, it is frequently cheaper just to junk the questionable barrel and pull a new one off the assembly line.
 
It's been a while since this project was discussed, but I think I pretty much solved my problem. I gave the 7mm08 barrel to a friend that wanted it, bought a .223 barrel for the Encore and gave the whole rifle with the new barrel to another friend that wanted one in that caliber. Sometimes it just feels good to walk away from a problem and move on.
My friend is shooting the .223 barrel and it shoots really good. I bought a 77 Hawkeye in the 7mm08 and I'm playing with loads for it now.
 
I b that friend, in .223 it is a really nice rifle and shoots 60 gr Sierras well. I will take it out this week and see what it will do with 40 gr vmax and 55gr soft points. Being a carbine kind of guy the 28" fluted barrel will take a little getting used to but hopefully little critters, rocks and dirt clods will learn to fear it.
 
I'm lost...

The OP says he sent an 'Encore' to "S&W"?

Why would he send a Thompson Center product to Smith & Wesson?

:confused:
 
Thanks,

I had no idea...

Sold my Contender and barrels years ago, so have had no dealing with them since...

Somehow this makes me sad and nostalgic...

:(
 
my last Contender barrel came from S&W as well... I honestly don't know what to think of the merger / purchase... an Encore is in my future as well, so ???
 
Iv'e managed just fine with out any T/C's or or post 2000 S&W's don't even entertain the desire for any of their offerings. I just bought a used Rem. 700 30-06 as donor for another 338-06 build for $300.00. It came as a lightly used very nice rifle decided to shoot it before I swapped barrels. It shoots so good I
will need to find another 700 L/A for the project.
 
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