TIS THE SEASON!
   It's that time of year again already. Christmas a week away, hunting season's in full swing or winding down and wives buying barrels on Ebay to try to surprise their husbands. And yes this really happened when an inspired wife bought a Dimension barrel for her husband's Encore Prohunter system. Her husband truly was surprised and yes I gave her a refund. Bless her heart for trying anyway. Here are some simple tips that will help to make the season go a little smoother:
   1) Don't wait till the night before the season starts to see if your breech plug is clean.
   2) Don't wait till the night before the season starts to install that new muzzleloader barrel only to find that your centerfire rifle forend doesn't work on a muzzleloader.
   3) Make sure your Encore hammer cocks before you are at the range. More detail to follow on that one.
   4) And if you are dropping hints about what you would like for your wife to get for you, either give her the exact part number or leave my business card for her to call and ask questions.
   5) I know this doesn't apply to the vast majority of my subscribers but if you are a "novice" Encore guy, don't assume anything. There are so many places to just buy the components it is easy to miss out on some of the "basics of function" for this great system. Call and ask questions, I promise I won't make fun or use you as a sermon illustration next month.

SPEAKING OF BASICS.
   I'm really pumped about getting to go to Troy, NC the first week of June 2014 to take a 5 day class on the basics of the TC Encore system to be taught by none other than Mike Bellm from over at bellmtcs.com. I'm sure Mike and Kurt have info on their site about that class if it's not too late.

TC CUSTOMER SERVICE ALERTS
   Extractors, extractors and extractors. Apparently TC got a bad batch of them and they got mixed in with the good ones. I've had calls on TC Weathershield Prohunter barrels and last week a TC Prohunter pistol barrel. Here are the symptoms:
   1) When inserting a round into the chamber the action doesn't want to close.
   2) When you force it closed it won't reopen.
   3) When you close it and fire it the casing still won't come out. I'll leave the rest to your creativity.
   The bad extractors are too long, forcing the casing against the opposite side of the chamber and forcing it to close really jams it in place. I have talked with TC and the only solution is for you to return it to them for repair. Sorry that is not a fast solution. Their Customer Service number is 1-866-730-1614 and be prepared to wait a while to get a live person.

TIP OF THE MONTH
   My number one emergency call from customers after the sale is "my hammer won't cock". There are really just two solutions for this:
   1) About 90% of the time it is caused by the frame bolt that holds your buttstock in place. If you have Gorilla hands and believe tighter is always best or if over time you have lost either the flat washer or the lock washer or if you simply have too long a frame bolt, meaning the wrong one. If that bolt goes up the shaft even a half turn too far it will stop the hammer from cocking. So back it off a half turn, add a washer or go to Lowes or Home Depot and get a 1/4"-20 x 1 1/2" long (for pistol grip stocks) or 2" long ( for thumbhole stocks) or longer as needed for pistol grips.
   2) Or there is a trip cam inside the frame that is pushed back when the locking lug on the barrel pushes it back telling the frame there is a barrel in place and OK to proceed. Try putting some lube on the split locking lug and pushing in and out many times. It may not be actuating properly.

NEW PRODUCTS ON HausofArms.com
   Rails, rail/ring combos, shotgun barrels and forends, Bergara barrels new calibers added monthly!
Laminate stocksets coming in January!

Have a great Christmas season and as always don't hesitate to call Marty at 636-359-0104. Merry Christmas!!!