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   This week I sold an Encore Stainless frame to a gentleman in Indiana, shipped it all happy and end of story.
  I got a voice mail message from that buyer a few days later and he was frantic. he had picked up his new gem from his local FFL transfer agent and took it home to begin assembly.
   "The frame hammer won't cock" was his message. He was convinced it was either broken or had been tampered with by a novice. You could tell from his tone that he had already played out the scenarios in his mind and maybe with the help of his significant other. He recapped his investment for me in his message and probably was concerned with this guy from Missouri he had made this sizable purchase from.
   I was at work, had limited time to respond but attempted to ease his fears anyway. First of all I let him know I would make it right and then suggested we talk at my lunch break and gave him my phone number.
   Second I gave him 2 things to try before we talked:

1) Make sure that the frame bolt attaching the buttstock to the frame had not only the lock washer but also the thick flat washer. Without both of these the bolt goes in to far and inhibits the hammer from cocking. Actually happened to me, not discovered till at the range!
2) Next and I prefaced this one with a disclaimer that I was not trying to insult his intelligence BUT.... There is a safety mechanism inside the frame that only allows the hammer to be cocked if a barrel is attached. I then described how  and where that trip cam was and how to defeat it to perform the hammer test.

I went back to work and started to play out all the scenarios for my end, return, refund, replacement etc.... To my pleasant surprise he emailed me before lunch apologizing and feeling embarrassed. He didn't know about the barrel safety feature, went through my process and all tested well. Sometimes experience is the best teacher! Marty

My opinion, a resounding yes! My first experience into the TC Encore world was through my son. I told him that it was foolish to spend $900 for a Stainlesss Steel/Camo Pro Hunter Muzzleloader with a Nikon Omega scope. There was NO WAY a muzzleloader could be accurate out to 250 yards! After having hunted with a traditional open sighted sidelock muzzleloader for 15 years and taken several whitetail deer, logical and reasonable thinking dictated that 90 grains pyrodex and a 50 caliber round ball and a deer kill at 95 yards elevated the shooter to Daniel Boone status! BUT, and there is always a but, we are sometimes forced to change our thinking. Yes, Ebbs got the Pro Hunter muzzleloader, proved me wrong (much the same as I proved my dad wrong about 4 cylinder economy cars 25 years earlier) and the Encore adventure began. In a few months I got my Thompson Center Pro Hunter rifle in a 25-06 Remington. I got the dies and brass because my hunting mentor buddy, Dennis could reload anything and got things started. Of course without connection and experience in this area I PAID FULL RETAIL for my first TC. Ebbs and I gradually started collecting barrels in different calibers, dabbled in buying and reselling on Gunbroker and it became very evident that there was a niche market for this type of rifle system.What started as an interest quickly developed into a passionate TC hobby and eventually became my official business, TC4ME. I quickly applied for and received my FFL to become a legal firearms dealer and moved forward. With all of that information serving as a backdrop, I want to go back to the original topic and question at hand Are they worth the price? There are several reasons why the answer is a resounding YES for me. Supreme Quality Thompson Center Arms, now owned by Smith & Wesson, in terms of quality is well known as one of the worlds finest gun makers for people on a budget. Supreme Accuracy- from a muzzleloader. TC revolutionized the muzzleloader world with the Encore platform. The encore system is a forerunner of the Contender series which has a 40+ year following all its own. This new platform turned a 100 yard muzzleloader into a viable 250 yard threat. Interchangeability/Innovation The ability to take this setup and go from muzzleloader to shotgun to centerfire in minutes unparalleled. Advanced Technology FLEX-TECH stock sets reduce felt recoil by 43%. This goes further to open the shooting world to women, younger adults and guys like me with multiple shoulder surgeries in their past. For me, with this past, to enjoy a 375 H&H caliber (coupled with a muzzle brake) is truly revolutionary. Even what it does to tame a 50 caliber Muzzleloader with 150 grains of Triple 7 and a 250 grain bullet is incredible. Sorry macho guys, go ahead and let the hammer drop on your shoulders! As for me and mine, Ill use the tech to my advantage. Unlimited Caliber Selection - With this system you can become a caliber junky especially with resources like GUNBROKER.com where you can literally buy any of your favorite barrels for wholesale (as compared to big box stores selling at retail prices) prices. Use a barrel for a while, resell it, and dont worry about buyers remorse or taking that new car hit from your wallet. Lightweight Tired of packing your heavy semi or bolt gun deep into the mountains or woods on long walks? Refinement Want to customize your TC rifle or pistol to fit your preferred specs? Heavy barrel? Carbine? Camo Stock? Wood Stock? The possible combinations are endless. Not to mention the various proprietary sites that do modification, accurizing and rechambering for your particular TC. Last but not least, only having just 1 shot.The one major lesson I learned from primitive muzzleloading is the value of one shot kills. If you only get one shot, then make it a good one. Ethical hunting demands this attitude and approach. Now, I am in NO WAY knocking bolts, levers or AR style rifles. I own and enjoy them just as much, Im just suggesting using the One Shot Kill approach as an attitude to hunting all around. Learn your weapons, practice often, know where your bullet is downrange, then apply those lessons to the art of hunting. This is my first foray into the electronic media blog world. Thanks to Ebbs here at HausofGuns.com (my son) and Chris Miller at PredatorTalk.com for their help and expertise. Look ahead to launching of a new sitewww.TC4.ME dedicated to the various Thompson Center systems, video demos, and blog style discussions. So what is the answer to the question at hand? IS THE THOMPSON CENTER ENCORE SINGLE SHOT SYSTEM WORTH THE MONEY? ABSOLUTELY! Thanks for your time. Marty