Looking at Encore for pistol hunting. Need advice/help

M

mlk3454

New member
Hello everyone, I am looking to pick up a contender or encore in the next few months to add to my pistol hunting trips. I will probably end up with an encore as it is beefier and I can add some interesting high pressure barrels on it later.

That being said, I was in the LGS and saw a used encore for $352. I was picking up a couple bricks of primers to finish some pistol reloading so I didn't have time to check it out. It had a 7mm barrel and what looked to be a fixed powered 4x scope but I couldn't tell who made it. There was noticeable wear on the grip and some on the action. Is this a fair price? Of course assuming condition is worse than it is would this price be an ok starting point for me to add another hobby (the encore) on top of my already swollen addiction? Thanks for the help!
 
Encore

a used encore for $352..........It had a 7mm barrel and what looked to be a fixed powered 4x scope but I couldn't tell who made it. There was noticeable wear on the grip and some on the action. Is this a fair price?
Click to expand...
The fast answer is that "Yes, $352.00 for and Encore with a barrel and a scope is a fair price....a very good deal."
That's the fast answer.
couldn't tell who made it.
Click to expand...

Made which - the 7mm barrel or the scope?
Which 7mm was it? The Encore can pretty much shoot them all and someone out there makes barrels - if not Thompson, then SSK, Bullberry, Bergara and others.
The biggest concern will be - as in any gun - whether the gun has been abused. If the fit of barrel to receiver is good and lockup is tight (can you have it checked by a competent smith if you are not sure?) then that's a good deal.
 
I was unsure of the make of both the barrel and the scope. Also, since I am not familiar with Encores and at what points I should be looking at for stress/wear spots I was hoping to find some pointers regarding them. As for taking the firearm to a reputable dealer. Since I am in crappy NY the only way I can take it is if I purchase it. That being said this place usually has decent prices and a smith that preps used guns well.
 
I agree with darkgael. If the Encore is in good working order, $352 is a very good deal, with or without a scope. I'm no expert, but if the barrel locks up tight to the frame, and the action functions properly, you should be good to go. Cosmetic damage is exactly that, and any firearm that gets used will eventually begin to show wear.
 
$325 is a good deal for a complete Encore pistol, I paid more than that for my frame. However, be careful what 7mm barrel it has if it is larger than 7mm-08. My first barrel was a .280 GNR which is basicly a 7mm Rem Mag out of a pistol . Too much to handle for a beginer in my case, traded down to the 7mm-08 and could not be happier.

IMO the Contender is a better pistol platform than the Encore. The Contender is just a little smaller and easier to handle, and used barrels are easier to find. The Encore can just handle larger more powerful cartridges.
 
sweet

An Encore in 7mm-08 would be a sweet shooting gun as would a Contender in 7X30 Waters or 7mm TCU.
Please let us know which 7mm the gun in question is.
Pete
 
I dont know which 7mm it is barreled for but I think if it is still available tomorrow I will pick it up. Seems to be a good deal from what others have said.
 
i still occasionaly see encore frames go for $299-$325 on gbo.

there are also more grip options with the encore as well.
 
I get there and it is gone! Man I guess that was a good deal as it wasn't there a week! They also had a contender (used) for 500 or so bucks without anything special with it. Oh well, I have the rest of the winter to try to find another deal...
 
ive seen whole contenders for $275.

its all about availability.

the encores/contenders sell pretty heavy fall winter, and real light spring summer.

if you can wait, hold off till April/may, thats when they seem to be readily available.
 
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