# encore barrel



## plugjerker (Aug 29, 2006)

Looking to buy a new rifle barrel for an encore for this years deer trip,but cant make up my mind on caliber.I already got a rem 700 in 30-06 so id like something different.any suggestions?


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

7mm-08
.300 Win Mag
.358 Win (20" heavy barrel) Make a great woods gun.
.308 Win
.45-70
.338 Federal (would be my first choice with the 7mm-08 a close second)

go to Fox Ridge website...T/C's custom shop and get something different than what you have.


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## plugjerker (Aug 29, 2006)

.338? I thought about that,but its not too big for deer?I would like something i might be able to use for elk if i ever get a chance.


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## mgarrett88 (Jan 17, 2007)

308 nuber one
300 Win Mag a close second


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

plugjerker said:


> .338? I thought about that,but its not too big for deer?I would like something i might be able to use for elk if i ever get a chance.



Not the .338 Win Mag, but rather the new .338 Federal which is just the .308 case necked up to .338. Perfect for deer and plenty of gun for Elk at modest range and mild recoil. Personally, i htink it's teh best new factory round introduced in a long time. It has long been a wildcat generally refered to as the .338-08. I'm sure the T/C custom shop chambers it....and the prices are not that much higher than a standard factory barrel. 

I also know a few people that use the .338 Win Mag for deer, loaded with 200 or 210 grain bullets, but it is certainly far, far more gun than needed for whitetail.


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## weatherby (Mar 26, 2001)

I was thinkin about a 7mm-08 barrel also. How bad with this set up kick?


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

weatherby said:


> I was thinkin about a 7mm-08 barrel also. How bad with this set up kick?


Kick will not be bad at all. The 7mm-08 offers mild recoil yet offers enough horsepower to handle any whitetail. If you have the synthetic stocked Encore and go with the 24" standard Encore barrel your looking at about a 6# gun with out scope and rings so you'll be about 7# with a fully set up rig......won't kick bad at all. Make a handy little gun though! Load it with 160 grain Nosler Partitions for Elk, 150 Partitions for Big Muleys/Black Bears and 140 Nolser Partitions for any whitetail that walks.


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## jmoser (Sep 11, 2002)

Since you already have a .30/06 I would go much lighter or much heavier.

If you really want an elk caliber then go straight to the 26" .338 Win magnum.
Strictly for deer I would jump on the 7mm-08 in 22"-24" [or a 24" .243]
I am dying for a .45/70 on my Encore but it is pretty much a 100 yard round and I already have a Marlin Guide Gun.

Neat thing about the T/Cs is that the longer bbls are manageable since you gain back 4 or so inches from the missing receiver. A 26" Encore is like a 22" bolt gun; a 22" Encore is a carbine length rifle. A 45/70 with 16" or 18" bull bbl would be a dream.

I have a 22" Medium Varmint heavy .308 bbl from Bulberry and love it; 9 lbs scoped and easy to handle short length for tree stand and pop-up blinds.


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## tedshunter (Dec 27, 2004)

I would go for the 7mm-08. The ammo is cheaper than most calibers too.I have a rem model 788 chambered in that caliber and let me tell you it does a fine job on Whitetails.


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## Lazy K (Jul 28, 2004)

I'm looking for an Encore barrel in the same calibers you are. Still haven't decided between the 7mm-08 or the .308. Either would be great. 

My question is, have you surfed around any to find who has the best price on Encore barrels?


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## Munsterlndr (Oct 16, 2004)

Major thumbs up for the 7mm-08. I've had one for my Encore for two years now and it's a light recoil cartridge that hammers deer and is big enough for any Michigan Whitetail. Here is doe taken two years ago with my 7mm08.


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## rzdrmh (Dec 30, 2003)

too big for deer?

there's no such thing as too big. there is such a thing as too much recoil, but the bigger the hole, the better.

you'd be absolutely amazed at how tolerable a 338 win mag is in a factory loading. some might argue that to load it down takes away the advantage of the caliber, but i disagree. you still have the significant increase in frontal area, and that simply cannot be discounted in terminal effectiveness.

the only thing more powder gets you is range. if you only want ranges of less than 200 yards, you have a multitude of options for bigger bores that don't carry the recoil. the 338 federal, the 338-06, even the new 375 ruger.

if you hand load, and want the increased frontal area with the option to load up and load down, you can go with something like a 338 win mag, and be flexible in your loading.

personally, my first choice would be a 338 round, either in the federal, the 06, or the win mag. not sure which way i'd go yet - depends on whether i ever want it to be a 300 yard gun.

if i was going down, i would seriously consider getting an AR chambered for either one of the following:

6.5 grendel
6.8 SPC

those look VERY fun to me, as well as being legitimate deer rounds.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Lazy K said:


> My question is, have you surfed around any to find who has the best price on Encore barrels?


www.natchezss.com is one of the cheapest. BPS and Cabelas are the two most expensive. A couple of the local places are within $10 or so of Natchez so call around. I know Cabelas sells the Encore Pro Hunter barrels for $319-$329 yet I've been quoted $279-$289. Cheaper yet if you don't want the fluted pro hunter barrels. These are stainless prices.


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## Munsterlndr (Oct 16, 2004)

There are usually a ton of Encore barrels on E-bay. Here is a NIB 24" SS 7mm-08 with a "buy it now" for $267 including shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Thompson-Center-Encore-24-SS-Rifle-Barrel-NIB-7mm-08_W0QQitemZ260093090748QQihZ016QQcategoryZ31709QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemhttp://cgi.ebay.com/Thompson-Center...ryZ31709QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem


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## plugjerker (Aug 29, 2006)

Took 4 years to decide.went with .338 federal.Ordered one from tc custom shop..prohunter 28" fluted on sale for $219.00.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Nice choice!! I saw those deals a while back.....that is a smokin' price! I wish they offered the .338 in factory form in a 20" - 24" barrel. I want that caliber in a short carbine gun but I may just get the 28" version and be happy.


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## frostbite (Dec 22, 2004)

25-06


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## road trips (Jan 10, 2008)

frostbite said:


> 25-06


 
I've been impressed with 25-06 for a while now.Itching to get one,but my 7mm seems to fit the bill for everything I hunt so far.Elk,deer and bear.


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## ScrubBuck (Feb 1, 2010)

I have the Pro-Hunter and bought the .308 28" pro hunter barrel and it shoots great. Just like the way them Encores feel when you shoulder them. Next barrel been thinking about will be the .300 win mag or the 7mm mag.


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

You might want to check out Mike's custom barrels... http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=568

Also, Mike is selling what he calls, "second" barrels, mostly on ebay. A "second" to Mike, is a barrel that has some blemish or scratch. He guarantees these barrels. I'm pretty sure that he has an exchange policy on the barrels bought off ebay. If you purchase a barrel off ebay and are not satisfied with it, I believe you can trade up for $100 to one of his "firsts".

While on Mike's site, check out how cheap it is to do your own trigger job, reduce the pull and eliminate creep, and replace that 30# factory hammer spring, with either the 44# or 51# hammer spring. NOTHING.......... makes an Encore or Pro shoot finer.


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## plugjerker (Aug 29, 2006)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## plugjerker (Aug 29, 2006)

Reason for my re post is that I think I finally found a real good deal on an somewhat odd caliber without a custom wait time.thanks again swampmonster.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## plugjerker (Aug 29, 2006)

Spring is next.thanks encore!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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