looking for a new barrel for the encore

[gman82001]

Hey guys I'm looking for a new barrel to play with. Something in the varmint type right now I have a 300wm and 243 both prohunter barrels I'm wondering if the regular barrels shoot as goods these or should I wait and save for another prohunter. Plus who do you guys get the best deals on barrels from, any good. sorces for used that you wouldn't mind sharing. I would like a 223 because of the ease of reloading components but the little 204 looks fun too which is better

[Bullshop]

I have a fluted stainless 28" sporter with a 9" twist in 223 Rem. I would like to trade it for a 22 cal with a slower twist. A smaller case would be good too. Something like a 218 Bee with a 1/14" or even a 1/16" twist would be nice.
Other small case small calibers would be considered too.

[gman82001]

I wish I had some to trade I'm really just starting to get the collection going. Plus all my forends are for the heavy prohunter and bull barrels. As to the twist rate where can I find info on what bullets are better in what twist.

[Bullshop]

I think this is a pro hunter as I also think that is the only one that comes in 28"
Basic rule,
long bullets = fast twist
short bullets = slow twist
I have a variety of 22 cal barrels ranging in twist rate from 1/6.5" to 1/16"
In the 1/6.5 I shoot up to 90gn VLD bullets. In the 1/16" I shoot up to 50gn bullets.

[gman82001]

Ok thanks for the help when you say sporter for your barrel what do you mean by that I have had my rifle a couple years but am just gettin in to looking for extra barrels and stuff for them so im still pretty wet behind the ears

[gman82001]

guess I should of asked you as well Do you find that the standard barrels shoot as well as the prohunters these 2 that i have shoot better than i can but not sure if its just because of the prohunter setup. how abot the bargerra barrels are they worth the money

[Bullshop]

By sporter I maen it is not a bull barrel. I would call it a heavy sporter which is what I think all the pro hunters are.
As far as accuracy goes any configuration can be accurate.
I have not tried the Bargerra barrels so cant say. I have an MGM and it seems like a good barrel. Its a 50/70 Gov.

[gman82001]

Ok thanks I thought the pro hunters were bull barrels guess you learn somethin everyday

[leadman]

The ProHunter barrels are bull configuration with fluting. The Bergara barrels are hit or miss. I have bought them but will not spend the money for them again.

Go to Speciality Pistols or Greybeard Outdoors for used barrels. Try Ed's Contenders also. I have bought several from him at great prices and he is great to work with.

Many shooters like the 204 as bullet impacts are easier to see when hunting due to the lesser amount of recoil. Ammo components will be similar in price since to get the level of accuracy for varmint hunting you will need the better bullets for the 223 also.

I have a standard 223 bull 23" barrel on my Contender and it will shoot groups down to less than .2" at 100 yards so yes, standard barrels can shoot well.

[Swede44mag]

I have an XR100 in .223 the barrel twist is 1 in 12 to slow for anything but light bullets.
It likes the .45 grain 30 round packs (Winchester bullets) but they are hard to find.
Have considered sending it to Hart to be re-barrel-ed but the wait time is long.

If I buy a barrel for my Encore it will be a faster twist (1 in 8 or so) in .223 to stabilize the bullets.
I have been looking at the Bergara barrels.

[leadman]

I had problems on a Bergara 270 Win with the block on the barrel pulling away from the barrel. The weld did not go to the end of the barrel on the block and was very light. Actually had a gap between the barrel and block, would rattle when the action was closed.
Bergara replaced it, twice. Second one did not make it thru a box of factory ammo.

I do have a 243 that I have had no problems with and it will close to shoot moa consistently.

[leftiye]

Anybody else puked out by the lack of interesting calibers offered in encores? Eagleview arms offers breech stubs (you thread a barrel into the breech stub) for making your own or barrels in any desired caliber.

[leadman]

Got a Sportsman's guide flyer yesterday. They have 15" barrels on sale.

Blued in 22-250, 204 Ruger, 25-06, 270, 30-06, 30TC, 22LR, 17HMR, $199.97, Buyers club $179.97
Stainless, 22-250, 30TC, 22LR, 17HMR. $229.97, Buyer's club $206.97.

Not fantastic buys, but reduced some.

[lathesmith]

leftiye, thanks for the info on the barrel stubs, that's great to know now that the custom shop has shut down.

lathesmith

[DrB]

leftiye, thanks for the info on the barrel stubs, that's great to know now that the custom shop has shut down.

lathesmith

+ leftiye

With the green mountain barrels and the tc stub, looks like you can put together your own for not too much cash....

[C A Plater]

Have you considered getting a custom barrel? Bullberry (http://www.bullberry.com/), MGM (http://www.matchgrademachine.com/) as well as Van Horn (http://mygunroom.com/dvgunshop/) have excellent quality barrels in just about any caliber you can think of.

[leftiye]

$350, 450....... (outrageous)

[leadman]

My 23" 223 T/C barrel shoots the 55gr jacketed to less than .5 regularly, and lots of times in the .2'. It shoots almost as well with the Winchester 64gr soft point. It is what I would call semi-pointed, kinda stubby.
Haven't tried anything heavier but if I can beg a few heavier slugs off my friend I will try it.

Does great with cast also.

[Ed in North Texas]

Got a Sportsman's guide flyer yesterday. They have 15" barrels on sale.

Blued in 22-250, 204 Ruger, 25-06, 270, 30-06, 30TC, 22LR, 17HMR, $199.97, Buyers club $179.97
Stainless, 22-250, 30TC, 22LR, 17HMR. $229.97, Buyer's club $206.97.

Not fantastic buys, but reduced some.

I'm not sure this is an appropriate thread (TC Encore barrel) to be listing info on 15" Contender barrels. I'm sure we all know that a 15" Contender barrel on an Encore frame is a Short Barrel Weapon and is not legal without NFA tax payment and registration (and I'm not sure they will allow that payment and registration). But we also have "guests" viewing the board who may not know that a rifle with a barrel less than 16" is a legal problem waiting to happen.

[leadman]

The barrels listed are for an Encore, not Contender. There is an endless debate on converting Contenders and Encores from pistol configuration to rifle and back, or the other way around.

The frames look identical, because they are. Some say it is what they were originally sold as that matters.

A frame with a pistol grip can have any length barrel, a frame with a buttstock has to have a barrel over 16" unless it is a short barreled rifle. Cost you $200 for the tax stamp to own a SBR legally.

[Ed in North Texas]

The barrels listed are for an Encore, not Contender. There is an endless debate on converting Contenders and Encores from pistol configuration to rifle and back, or the other way around.

The frames look identical, because they are. Some say it is what they were originally sold as that matters.

A frame with a pistol grip can have any length barrel, a frame with a buttstock has to have a barrel over 16" unless it is a short barreled rifle. Cost you $200 for the tax stamp to own a SBR legally.

I'm sorry, I forgot that there are Encore pistols as well as Contender pistols. As you noted - 15" barrels are only legal on an Encore frame if it left the factory as a pistol. Otherwise they are an SBR and only legal after paying the NFA tax. How TC configured the weapon on the serial numbered frame is the determinant of whether you have a long barreled pistol/carbine, or an SBR. I know that TCs position* is that parts may be swapped as long as a buttstock is not on a frame with a less than 16" barrel, but that is not ATF's position. Who are you going to believe, TC or the guys who can bring charges of a Federal Felony? Will ATFE Special Agents be out checking TC configurations? Before this Administration I'd have said absolutely not. Now I'm not so sure.

There is no physical difference between the Encore Rifle and Encore Pistol frames. A pistol frame can be configured as a rifle, but it can then never be returned to pistol configuration - according to a written response from ATF (I just lost the reference for that one, but it is out there on the web). ATF has stated, in writing, that it is the factory configuration as rifle or pistol which counts in determining whether the TC is a rifle or pistol. This is traceable by serial number.

Mike Bellm's website has a scanned copy of the ATF letter about the rifle to pistol conversion if you wish to read it for yourself.

Ed

[Four Fingers of Death]

For the cost of a new Encore or Contender Barrel here, you can pretty much buy a new rifle and get rings thrown in as well. Sad, but true.

I have a 17Ackley Hornet 22" SS Bull Bbl made by Virgin Valley as well as a standard 308W Bbl. It goes well, I'd like to rechamber it to a 17 Remington Fireball using 222Rimmed brass. I think that I would be better off just buying a Remington SPS, cheaper than a standard Bbl????