New Encore Prohunter Barrel Doesn't Fit

   As my business has progressed over the last 3 plus years I have been asked alot of questions regarding some of the quirks about Encores and Prohunters. Such as:

My frame bolt is too long or short.

My hammer won't cock.

My hammer won't cock without a barrel.

And so on.

   The answers have been posted but I have recited them over the phone so many times I'm sure my wife would be comfortable answering the questions.

   A couple of weeks ago I got an original question meaning it was the first time. "My action won't close". This customer had purchased a TC PH frame from me about 4 months ago and had most recently bought a blue Prohunter MZLDR barrel from me. He said the hinge pin installed well but when he tried to close it it wouldn't go all the way to a locked position.

   We tried some easy fixes like are you sure your breech plug is pushed all the way in far enough to compress the rubber "O" ring, answer yes and still wouldn't close. To add to the dilemna he had been given an Encore 7mm Rem Mag barrel from his brother-in-law in it would not close either.

   Way above my pay grade, I told him 2 choices, contact TC whereby the answer would be to send it all back most likely to find out that it was all OK, OR contact TC Encore guru Mike Bellm, he did the latter.

   A few days a go he contacted me back with the answers. Headspace! Apparently once in a blue moon all the bad stuff aligns and this negative fit occurs. Mike told him the easy fix on the MZLDR barrel was to take a fine file to the breech plug on the primer end and to shave about 15 thousands off, my customer felt comfortable doing that and it matched up perfectly. The fix on the centerfire barrel wasn't so easy so he sent it to Mike to do the work on a lathe. 

   I guess even with todays finite tolerances machine tool wear can rear its ugly head. Lesson learned. Shoot straight and be safe. Marty