"Homemade" Encore

Corpe Nimrod · Jan 11, 2020

I've only been burned on one barrel on Ebay and that was an Encore 209x50 that had a big blotch of rust at the end of the barrel (by the QLA which I dislike anyway). That barrel went directly to the smith who cut it down pistol length and re-crowned the barrel turning it into a beautiful muzzleloading pistol with minimal investment. SO, if you're into Encore's and you can get your hands on a "bad" barrel cheap, you're in the black powder pistol gang quick! I'll try to dig up some pics shortly.

DESPERATE LEE · Jan 11, 2020

Please do. Pics are nice.
DL

Rockman · Jan 12, 2020

Thanks for the post, Corpe. Using a full length t/c muzzleloader barrel to do a pistol conversion has given me an idea, or two.

michiganmuzzy · Jan 12, 2020

Rockman said:
Thanks for the post, Corpe. Using a full length t/c muzzleloader barrel to do a pistol conversion has given me an idea, or two.

Me too

4stringdude · Feb 20, 2020

Hi, I've been thinking of doing something like this myself. However, I was not sure it was completely legal. I know that cutting the barrel of a cartridge rifle shorter than 16" is illegal. Since muzzleloading rifles are treated differently, are they not covered under such federal laws?

ENCORE50A · Feb 20, 2020

4stringdude said:
Hi, I've been thinking of doing something like this myself. However, I was not sure it was completely legal. I know that cutting the barrel of a cartridge rifle shorter than 16" is illegal. Since muzzleloading rifles are treated differently, are they not covered under such federal laws?

I don't read much in this forum but, I believe you may be correct on rather its legality. Its something about a rifle requiring a 4473, then being made into a pistol. There may be a time period, or something like that, where it may have to be registered. A really good thing to research before doing.

glockky · Feb 20, 2020

Here’s a pic of David White’s work at D&T custom gunworks.

rgell1017 · Feb 21, 2020

ENCORE50A said:
I don't read much in this forum but, I believe you may be correct on rather its legality. Its something about a rifle requiring a 4473, then being made into a pistol. There may be a time period, or something like that, where it may have to be registered. A really good thing to research before doing.

brownisdown · Feb 21, 2020

looks nice.Cost?

rgell1017 · Feb 21, 2020

ENCORE50A said:
I don't read much in this forum but, I believe you may be correct on rather its legality. Its something about a rifle requiring a 4473, then being made into a pistol. There may be a time period, or something like that, where it may have to be registered. A really good thing to research before doing.

rgell1017 · Feb 21, 2020

I have a 15" factory barrel 209X50 for my Encore I just change out grips to pistol and forearm for what it matters something to think about. I ordered it online years ago

Leigh Clambakes · Feb 22, 2020

Didn't Thompson Center go through this very drill with ATF back in the 80's? I think the final resolution was based on the status of the receiver upon it's first retail sale. If it started life as a pistol, you could upgrade it to a rifle, as long as you did it complete with buttstock and +16" barrel. Later you could go back to handgun configuration, since it started life as a handgun.
Mixing and matching parts, however, would potentially run ya afoul of the NFA.
And shortening a rifle to a handgun without pre-approval was also a big no no. I think back when all this was ironed out the potential penalties were of the 10 year/$10K variety. I know they've changed since.
I think if the core weapon didn't require a 4473 for transfer it would be a different story altogether.
The usual disclaimers apply, this is worth everything you've paid for it, use at your own peril, YMMV, et cetera.

ported45 · Feb 22, 2020

Yes. A barrel is just a barrel when not affixed to a receiver. Cut it down and you have done nothing wrong. Assemble it to a pistol receiver and you are still good. Mate it to a rifle receiver and it becomes an SBR. Those require paperwork.

rgell1017 · Feb 22, 2020

Leigh Clambakes said:
Didn't Thompson Center go through this very drill with ATF back in the 80's? I think the final resolution was based on the status of the receiver upon it's first retail sale. If it started life as a pistol, you could upgrade it to a rifle, as long as you did it complete with buttstock and +16" barrel. Later you could go back to handgun configuration, since it started life as a handgun.
Mixing and matching parts, however, would potentially run ya afoul of the NFA.
And shortening a rifle to a handgun without pre-approval was also a big no no. I think back when all this was ironed out the potential penalties were of the 10 year/$10K variety. I know they've changed since.
I think if the core weapon didn't require a 4473 for transfer it would be a different story altogether.
The usual disclaimers apply, this is worth everything you've paid for it, use at your own peril, YMMV, et cetera.

rgell1017 · Feb 22, 2020

You can buy barrels all day long without any paperwork main thing is if it's a short barrel under used to be 18" I believe it can't have rifle stock has to be set up as handgun/pistol it's the frame that's regulated

Leigh Clambakes · Feb 23, 2020

18" is for shotguns, rifles are 16".
Wasn't there an incident with a shop cutting down Winchester 94-410's, to just over 16" because he thought of them as rifles, when ATF viewed them as shotguns?
Sorry, don't mean to derail this thread.

rgell1017 · Feb 23, 2020

Leigh Clambakes said:
18" is for shotguns, rifles are 16".
Wasn't there an incident with a shop cutting down Winchester 94-410's, to just over 16" because he thought of them as rifles, when ATF viewed them as shotguns?
Sorry, don't mean to derail this thread.

rgell1017 · Feb 23, 2020

Could have been an issue with cutting down barrel I have two frames one bought as 308 pistol the other Pro Hunter muzzleloader rifle but something for someone to consider . I have multiple barrels for both , Interesting question what happened and how was it discovered most people just shoot and hunt with them.

rgell1017 · Feb 24, 2020

rgell1017 said:
Could have been an issue with cutting down barrel I have two frames one bought as 308 pistol the other Pro Hunter muzzleloader rifle but something for someone to consider . I have multiple barrels for both , Interesting question what happened and how was it discovered most people just shoot and hunt with them.

Thanks for posting and pointing out problems about switching barrels and frames around on Encore and Contender frames. I finally found the information that was mentioned. It is illegal to switch from pistol and rifle components to other congratulations. I'm sure lots of people don't know this I certainly didn't and glad to find out

mnoland30 · Feb 25, 2020

I believe that muzzleloaders aren't considered firearms under the law. That's why they can be shipped without FFL license. And since barrels don't have serial numbers, how would anyone know or prove what it was before?

"Homemade" Encore

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