[north country gal]

True that. Same for the 300 Savage. Both Savage rounds are more at home on the Encore platform.

Yeah, I have a heavy backlog of both Contender and Encore rigs to get tested. Bought some nice barrels over the winter and now that spring is here, lots of shooting to do.

Speaking of 300 Savage, here's a new Encore barrel that is a bit out there. It's a Custom Shop 15" heavy bull barrel in 30-06 on an Encore Pro Hunter frame. The 30-06 does take a hit in velocity out od a 15" barrel, but we're still talking 300 Savage out of a rifle performance, here. Yeah, I know, what's a nice girl like me shooting such a monster, but did take it out in the snow for a quick test and recoil is ... uh, stout, but doable. Accuracy is excellent, though, from my initial testing. Will report back when more testing is done. (Scope is a Leupold 2.5-8x. Nothing else will do on such a beast.)

 

[gemihur]

North Country gal,
Your tastes are exquisite.
I got bit by the wildcat bug long ago and now build most of what I shoot, ammo-wise.
You must be a feisty one to hand the beastie Encore, I feel the contender is a handful.
Thanks for sharing,
Jimmy

 

[north country gal]

Thanks, Jimmy.

The Encore is actually not bad at all with factory 125 grain loads and even sweeter with the Reduced Recoil factory loads. Still just doable with factory 150s, but the 150s are where I stop. Factory 165 grain hunting loads are too nasty to shoot for long and no way will I mess with 180s or 220s.

I do like the extra weight of the Encore, too for handling some Contender class chamberings. For instance, my Contender 14" 44 mag barrel really soups up velocity and recoil to 44 mag rifle levels and is not easy to shoot. On the other hand, my Encore with a 12" 44 mag barrel is no worse to shoot than a heavy 44 mag revolver, but with the same huge increase in performance as the Contender. Light enough, too for offhand work, though just barely. By the way, this is a 1996 4 digit serial number Encore frame on this one - first year for the Encore.

 

[gemihur]

I just appreciate the Gothic lines of TC's break-actions.

Indeed you've never shown an ugly gun!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[gemihur]

contender furniture

I shape a bunch of wood
but every now and then
I get something beautiful inside

 

[gemihur]

Still whittlin' wood for contender furniture
Just finished this grip for my 357 maximum

 

[SmittyJ]

Lookin good!

 

[gemihur]

Still making sawdust and have a never-ending thirst for new barrels.
The latest SSK 14" Hard Khrome barrel in 444 Marlin with some new lines

 

[RidgeRunner]

Sweet.

 

[gemihur]

Back again with an odd duck, this one had been turned on a lathe by someone before me and needed some special furniture to hide it's thinness ...

SSK 14" 6x223 Bbl used to look like:

 

[SmittyJ]

A Varmint special!

 

[gemihur]

A target special! a full 5" wide!

 

[Terry_P]

What's the caliber?

 

[gemihur]

That was built for a fellow shooter in Florida. His plans are to use a Super 14 Bbl in 7-30 Waters.
My latest wood-working is for the Encore.

 

[bearcatter]

The lighter wood looks good next to the blue. Is it the lighting, or is the scope brass finish?

 

[gemihur]

It's the glare!
Scope and weaver base are silver
Black walnut forearm shaped by me

 

[gemihur]

A remedy for aesthetics... fully free-floated in shrouded forearm. 6x223 in 14" SSK Bbl

The previous owner, we'll call him Bubba, got handy with a lathe.

 

[bearcatter]

At least it's reversible. The grip's not so bad, but the forearm is a tad too long?

 

[gemihur]

I had to hide it's nakedness
Shoots like a laser
Thanks