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The Encore is one of the most versatile break-action platforms out there, and this barrel is a big reason why. It's a factory Thompson/Center Encore Prohunter barrel chambered in 20 gauge with a fully rifled bore, built specifically to wring accuracy out of sabot slugs. At 26 inches with a 3-inch chamber and a matte blued, fluted finish, it drops right onto your existing Encore frame and gives you a purpose-built deer setup without buying a whole new gun. Keep in mind it's made for Encore frames only and won't fit Contender or G2 Contender frames.
Rifled slug barrels and sabot slugs are made for each other. The rifling spins the projectile to stabilize it, which is where the real accuracy comes from. Fire the right sabot load through a barrel like this and you can reliably reach out on whitetails well past what a smoothbore bead gun can manage. A premium 20 gauge sabot can leave the muzzle north of 1,800 fps and carry the kind of energy that drops deer cleanly inside 150 yards, and the 20 gauge does it with noticeably less shoulder punch than a 12. Stick with sabot slugs in this barrel and leave the old Foster-style rifled slugs for smoothbores.
This barrel is drilled and tapped so you can bolt on a scope or a set of sights and get dialed in. A 2-7x or 3-9x optic zeroed at 100 yards is a solid starting point. One thing every slug shooter learns quick is that these barrels can be picky about ammo, so it pays to try a few different sabot loads and let the barrel tell you which one it likes. Hornady SST and Federal Barnes Expander are popular picks worth testing.
Swapping barrels on the Encore is quick work. Pull the forend, knock out the hinge pin, drop in the barrel you want, and you're back in business. That's the whole appeal of the system: one frame, one gun to learn, and a barrel for whatever season is in front of you.
No. This is a factory Thompson/Center barrel made for the Encore and Encore Prohunter frames only. It is not compatible with the Contender or G2 Contender platforms. If you're running an Encore frame, it swaps right on.
Because the bore is fully rifled, sabot slugs are the way to go and what the barrel is designed for. The rifling spins and stabilizes the sabot projectile for real downrange accuracy. Save the old Foster-style rifled slugs for smoothbore barrels, since they don't gain anything in a rifled bore.
Yes. The barrel comes drilled and tapped so you can add a scope mount or sights, though those aren't included. A 2-7x or 3-9x optic zeroed at 100 yards is a common setup for slug hunting. Plan on some range time to find the sabot load your barrel groups best with.
With a quality sabot load and a scope, a rifled 20 gauge like this is a capable deer gun out to around 150 yards, and some hunters stretch it further with practice. The 20 gauge delivers solid terminal energy with lighter recoil than a 12, which makes it easier to shoot well. Range time and matching the right ammo to your barrel are what really set your effective distance.
| UPC | 810180304511 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 6041R |
| Shipping Weight | 4.142 |
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