Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter

[@texmexshoots]

Beautiful rifle to win at a banquet! Love the heavy fluted barrel. Glad it was just the mount and that you were able to get her working again.

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Tex Mex, it just needs a little fine tuning. I think maybe trying some different types and weight of ammo to see if it like one over the other. I need to get away from using that 50 year old LC 308 ammo to try and sight in with. It makes for a lot of frustrations sometimes. It is more of a plinking ammo.

[@Bob-lq9ys]

Nice rifle, glad it is coming back together

[@cervus-venator]

Yes sir I think it is. I'll continue to work on it with different loads and weights to see if it likes something other than what I've shot through it. But minute of water bottle sure makes me feel good about it.

[@bobg.8954]

Very sexy rifle and for free too!!! Ya can't beat that Cerv, I'm glad the fall didn't hurt it to bad and that you got it straightened out, Great video.

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Bob!! Much appreciated!

[@billdye3530]

Looks like its grouping pretty good with Corelokts now. Just needs to be shot more - that's always my excuse to pull the trigger again lol. Glad you got it fixed. 👍👍🇺🇸🙏

[@cervus-venator]

Yep that's a good excuse. It needs more break in time. LOL

[@billdye3530]

​@@cervus-venatorPeople think I'm crazy when I tell them a 30/06 Corelokt projectile took down the 1st legally harvested Blacktail deer in TN in 1974. They had swapped Eastern turkeys for Oregon Blacktails a yr. before. Neither swap worked well. Four point head is on my wall & they taste just like whitetail after 4hrs in a 250 degree oven 😂. With taters & carrots of course. 👍

[@YellowHammer26]

👍👍unfortunately I dropped a Remington 7400 out of a tree stand about 38 years ago. I broke my scope, scope mount and stock but after replacing everything my rifle still shot good groups. I was very fortunate but I still feel stupid telling the story even after all these years. I still have that rifle but haven’t shot it in many years. Hope yours gets back to shooting good.

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Lance! That's not the only rifle I've had hit the ground. My 270 I was pulling up on a tow rope in a 20 foot stand. Just as I reached for it after getting it up something let go and my rifle fell 20 feet straight down. It hit crown down and buried about 20 inches of the barrel in the dirt. It stuck in the ground like a spear. I got down, was able to clean the dirt out of the barrel and continue my hunt. I have a video of me shooting that gun 300 yards at a 12 inch plate. It works fine.

[@paulfrevert3662]

Nice looking gun. I hope you get it dialed in soon

[@cervus-venator]

I'll keep working at it. I think now it just needs to find an ammo that it likes. Plus I'd like to take it to a range where I'm comfortable shooting it.

[@carbonspyder235]

I just noticed you are over 1000 subscribers good for you keep it up 👍🏻

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks! I'm just sitting here practicing the fiddle and took a break to look at YT.

[@JeRKII]

This kind of reminds me of some 39-06 hunting ammo I used to use after a couple years of carrying extra cartridges in my backpack started having very bad issues. Needless to say no more doing that.... Hope you dial it back in as perfect or better then it was before

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks JeRK II me too. I'll keep working on it with some other ammo and weights to see if I can get some sub MOA 100 yard groups.

[@randlerichardson5826]

What does the crown look like Cervus

[@cervus-venator]

It looks fine. It didn't land on the crown so no issues with it.

[@randlerichardson5826]

Is the barrel tight it’s not moving on it is it???? The barrel I mean when it’s closed?????

[@cervus-venator]

Yes, good solid lock up with no play at all.

[@randlerichardson5826]

Need to load some for it

[@cervus-venator]

I agree, I just haven done it yet.

[@markmarch9706]

The muzzle may be damaged have you had it re crowned ?

[@cervus-venator]

When I took it to the gunsmith I asked him to check it over. Luckily it didn't land on the muzzle. I asked him to get the broken screw out of the barrel which he did, but when I picked it up I asked if he could round up a replacement screw. He gave me one, but here is the problem. That one screw was just a few thousands longer than the rest. While it appeared tight, it wasn't as tight as the others because it was bottoming out. That was the issue that I had for a long time. I replaced the scope mounts and that seems to have cured the problem as it now groups where as before I could not get any kind of a group.

[@markmarch9706]

@@cervus-venator I have the stainless steel version of your rifle in the same 308 caliber. Mine will shoot less than an inch at 100 yards all day long with quality ammo.

[@cervus-venator]

@@markmarch9706 I really need to try some good quality ammo to see how it does. I love that SS version.

[@gort4016]

Cool looking stock and barrel on that T/C. Does Smith & Wesson still own T/C?

[@cervus-venator]

Last I heard yes they do and they've said they do not plan on making any more TC guns. What a bummer.

[@doghousedon1]

Evidently, TC was bought from S&W and will be back in business. Barrels are still being made by other sources.

[@randlerichardson5826]

Don’t see many of them guns around anymore Cervus.

[@cervus-venator]

I know and I've heard that Winchester (bought TC) is not planning on making them any more. That's a shame.

[@charlesmorgan1879]

Nice rifle ! I like looks of the stock too. Good it was only a mount/scope ring problem and not a rifle problem ! Off to WTW Land ! Lol

[@cervus-venator]

Yeah I think it was the replacement screw was too long and bottoming out. Tally mount is likely fine, but I need a proper length screw for it.

[@robertvandick453]

great video cervus😅

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Robert Vandick!!

[@davedrake5809]

Before it’s accident how would you rate it’s accuracy compared to a CVA?

[@cervus-venator]

I can't compare it to a CVA as I've never shot a CVA. Accuracy was good though as I was getting 1 inch or less groups at 100 yards with factory ammo. I'd say average group size was in the 1 inch range. I wouldn't call it a target or precision rifle, but it certainly was a hunting rifle that was very dependable. I'll keep working with it to see if different weight or brands of ammo show more consistent groups. If I recall the CVA rifles shoot really well, but I do not know if they would fall closer to a target or precision rifle either as I just don't have that knowledge or information about them.

[@doghousedon1]

It's not the gun. It's the barrel. That's the only working part on it. SSK and MGM make really nice barrels. I'm familiar with Bullberry but have never shot their barrels.

[@marcthomas2482]

Nice rifle!

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Marc!!!

[@KenBlackRifleAmerica]

If she'll bust a water bottle at 100 yards with those Remington Core Lokt bullets, there ain't much out there she won't drop!! PS: LOVE that rifle!!!

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Ken! I love it too. It is just a great little handy rifle to have and hunt with.

[@KenBlackRifleAmerica]

@@cervus-venator Yes, I've been looking for one for awhile. Found a few on Gunbroker, but a little pricey....I'll find one soon!!

[@randlerichardson5826]

It has to be in the mount and scope I think but time will tell

[@cervus-venator]

I found one thing when I took the Tally mount off. The replacement screw was longer than the rest which leads me to believe it was bottomed out and not really as tight at it should have been. That is the only thing I can think of. That replacement was put on at a shop so i wasn't aware if this until I removed the scope and mount. The Leupold mount has all nice short screws.

[@mrpearson8591]

👍👍

[@cervus-venator]

Thanks Mr. Pearson!!

[@carbonspyder235]

Glad it seems to do better with those rings. Man I need to watch less videos and shoot more who knows I might need a new scope or rings heck maybe a new gun 🤔

[@cervus-venator]

Oh I watch a lot of videos, but i also try to get out and shoot a good bit too.

[@randlerichardson5826]

Hey Cervus

[@cervus-venator]

Hi Randle 👋

[@markpitre4257]

Some one must drink lots of orange juice

[@cervus-venator]

About 10 oz every morning. Plus, I love orange juice.

[@dfenders2]

Bad scope inside.

[@cervus-venator]

I agree on that with the scope that was on it when it fell.