cayuga said:
Hummmm.... not all Encore platform rifles need a hinge pin replaced. The customizing, if that's what its called, costs $35.00+ shipping. Hardly breaking the bank. If you just want a hunting rifle, then either will do. If you want a rifle you can do something with, well, you can't do much to a CVA.
I am not sure if we are talking the same thing. I have no experience with the Encore. But I was reading posts of people complaining of accuracy issues and "loose" hinge pins. That was normally what the "knowing people" used as a reason for the poor accuracy and suggested sending it someone ... I think his name was Mike. And he'd put a new pin in the hinge (is that correct) and that would fix the accuracy issue. I always felt it strange that a $600+ rifle (my area costs) needed anything other then powder and projectile.
As for you can't do much to a CVA ... well that's true. When I got my Optima I was shocked at its simplicity and accuracy. And there was really nothing else to do with it other then a good scope. But you're probably right. If I wanted extreme accuracy the Encore might be the better choice. But what's your opinion on the Accura? Just curious.
There may be some differences in opinions on accuracy and that's totally understandable. Some are happy with hitting a pie plate, while others aren't happy unless they put bullet on top of bullet. Accuracy to some means shots taken at 100yds, where others are striving for the tightest possible groups at 200yds and/or beyond. I think everyone can agree, some expectations differ....
I've owned many Encores and Pro Hunters, I'm pretty used to them by now. Just not shooting them any more.
There was no "sending" of a rifle to Mike Bellm. Mike makes and carries all the precision and custom parts that can be used on the platform. What shooters did, was to order the larger pins (1x or 2x) from Mike. Mike knows more about the Encore rifle platform than any other person in North America, even those at T/C who created it. Mike tried since the day the Encore was first produced, to get T/C to tighten up that hinge and it fell on deaf ears, but........
Regardless what people may think, even the slightest engineering change costs a ton of money to a business. It causes excess and costly paperwork and engineering part number changes. Now all that may seem a little trivial, but to a business its far from trivial. Just a part change, where a part costs $6.00, and you're building 15,000 rifles that the change is a $90,000 part change. The engineering costs, part number changes, packaging etc. doesn't even count in that figure. Then on top that,
"What do with do with 50,000 under sized hinge pins?"
ALL........ break open rifles, unless locked up tight at the hinge can have accuracy problems and its extremely noticeable at long range. Regardless of make. If you remember, I brought this forward a few years back, when shooting 200yd groups with elevations everyone else dismissed. I was actually the first person using muzzleloaders to bring up the issues related to break open rifles and long range (>100yd) consistent accuracy. I went so far as to having a math professor involved in calculations. I was the first to bring it to Mike's attention with muzzleloaders. CF shooters have recognized it since break open rifles hit the market. A .001" of movement at the hinge, will throw a bullet off...... take a guess at 200yds??
Now granted, most muzzleloader shooters who buy a shrink wrapped rifle, are not looking for extreme accuracy, even at 100yds. Heck, most are happy to hit an 8" pie plate at that range. Even most Encore platform shooters. However, there are some that want the absolute best that can be obtained from their rifles. These are the shooters who started fitting their hinge pins. Others read and/or heard about what some were doing, so now all of a sudden they had to do the same to their rifles. And to be honest, a high percentage of those who followed with the changes, might not have been a top shot in the first place. (I mean no offense to anyone). Even if a shooter was to make the most changes to his/her frame, the cost is about the same as a package of propellant. It all depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you want hunting accuracy and MOA of deer at 100yds or less, then nothing is needed for
any rifle, short of load/bullet development. If you want to make a rifle feel like a different rifle and are looking to achieve extreme accuracy, then for about $35.00 you can do that easily with an Encore platform rifle. The FX is a different animal.
What's my opinion of the Accura? If its the Accura and not the V2, then I'll give you my honest opinion. I had a guy stop by one day, hand me two boxes, one a rifle and the other a scope and asked me to set it up for him. He owns an excavation business and was busy as heck. So I set up his Accura. The second I took it out of the box, it felt like a tinker toy and a cheap piece of plastic. I honestly couldn't believe he'd purchased the rifle. I cleaned it all up, mounted his scope, and then shot the rifle using BH after the flash hole was drilled. Enough to burn up a package of bullets. Now it shot decent at 100yds. I was able to get it to group well, not to my expectations, but very well. Regardless, there was a distinct difference in feel between it an either of the Encore rifles I had. I may be calling someone's baby ugly but, it felt cheap.
To that specific rifle's credit, the owner has killed everything he's shot at with it to date. Now granted, because of his work, he doesn't get to hunt often but, he's taken a couple whitetail with the rifle at ranges to 100yds.
Yes, things have changed. We all know S&W bought T/C. Are things the same when S&W didn't own T/C? Nope. But I've had a lot of Encore platform rifles and all of them gave me the extreme accuracy at distance that I personally expected. I would have no problem what so ever going back to the Encore platform rifles. I would not want, nor do I care for the cheap feel of CVA rifles, regardless of their 100yd abilities. IMO the only real rifle that they make is the
Apex. But that's not a shrink wrapped rifle from CVA either.
Opinions expressed are my own. Others may have a completely different opinion. Let's respect each others opinions, right or wrong
