Looking to buy a new Pro Hunter in 7 mm. Anyone have an opinion on this make? A friend of mine has a 35 rem. with a 20" bull barrel and shoots like a dream out to 200 yds. That got me excited for a new ultra light weight backcountry rifle. I'm going to have a custom barrel built. Any suggestions? I have a lead on a good barrel place just looking for other options.

Thanks

I have an Encore with a custom shop .243 Win bull barrel that shoots awesome. I have the 209x50 barrel as well that I use in WI hunting whitetails. I just took a Pro Hunter in trade SS with a 209x50 barrel and the flex tech stocks. I don't believe it's ever been shot, might save you some significant coin over buying retail if you are willing. Shoot me a pm.

I've shot single shot rifles for deer for many years (ML), and am a fan of Thompson Center rifles. Never have pulled the trigger on an Encore or the Pro Hunter, but I probably would if WA switched to allow 209 primers.

PM sent

i wouldnt really look at the pro hunter or even the encore if you are looking for a light wieght back country rifle. but budy carries one from time to time and it is not light by any means. his tc contender is about 2lbs lighter. and that is what he carries 90% of the time.

fyi he also has a custom barrels for his contender, 26" 30-6 barrel, 26" 243 barrel, and 28" 7mm barrel.

the contender frame has held up to alot of hot 30-06 and 7mm loads. so i wouldnt hesitate to get a 7mm barrel made for a contender frame. and you would be looking at a rifle under 6lbs. he is 6.4lbs with the 28" 7mm barrel in #2 contour and very slight fluting and scoped ready to hunt.

dont know how much any of that would help. but he was talked into buying a pro hunter, cause it was a "much better" rifle then the contender. but in his opinion and from his vast experience with TC rifles, a contender with custom barrel is the way to go if you are looking for a light wieght mountain rifle.

I have stock Pro Hunters up to 300 Win Mag and custom barrels chambered way bigger. The new T/C frame is a brute.

I have Weatherby Accu-Brakes installed on all of the larger calibers.

These brakes cut recoil by alot.

As far as what I think of Pro Hunters overall.

I only have one word....................AWESOME

how are the pro hunter triggers now compared to the encore and contender? i havent shot enough rounds through my buddies pro hunter to really notice a difference.

i know i really want to pick up a pro hunter with the 20" 500 S&W barrel, what a sweet brsuh gun that would be

The stock triggers are about the same.

My buddy changes out all of the trigger springs and "cleans up" the insides.

After a minimal amount of work (by him) my triggers break very cleanly at 2 to 3 lbs depending on the particular caliber.

i killed a five point bull at salmon river at 35 yards right between the eyes with the 308. nice guns.

Big Daddy- I would really like to get my hands on one of these to get a feel prior to droppping $1000 on one. Would you be willing to let me take a look see/feel at one of yours? I see we both live in Lynnwood.

Thanks Dave

I have a question. Maybe you guys can educate the ignorant. What is it that an Encore chambered in a rifle caliber,7mm mag for example, does to outperform a rem700 bolt action or similar bolt action repeater. The 700 can be built light, I have seen as light as 5.5lbs. It is traditionally quite accurate. And above all it is a repeater. I have only shot a couple Thompsons in pistol calibers, they were fun but I didnt care for the whole single shot thing, I like a quick follow up shot when needed.

A gunsmith showed me a cool comparison between the two. look through the scope and dry fire the Thompson and then do the same with a rem. 700. the amount of jump created by the hammer drop was 2-3 times greater with the Thompson. (he also let me try that with a full on BR rifle that had a titanium firing pin and other such tweaks, no visible movement). I am not slamming the Thompson in any way, just trying to understand the appeal of them. For a while it seemed that every outdoor hunting show was using them.

I've had numerous TC's and have yet to find anything redeeming in any regard. Unless you like recoil to be enhanced,want to tote something heavier,unhandier,slower and less accurate...but such things don't personally make me giddy.

Have had a herd of Number Ones and a passle of High Walls too (B78's namely) and if gunning a single shot rifle it'd be a High Wall(better triggers and superior way to hang the stock). In a singleshot pistol it'd be a midgripped XP-100.

For a killing rifle,the Kimber Montana 7WSM is the stuff of dreams and blows the TC away on all counts.

Hey big daddy- I would still like to take a look at your T/C ? Does tomorrow work for you before say 1pm?

Fishmaster....

I apologize.

I have either been working or chartering every day for the last 2 months.

PM me your phone # and I will give you a call tomorrow.

BD- I tried to PM you but it says you are not excepting PM's???
425 478 3354

Dave

I will call you.

It will probabely be Thursday or Friday evening.

That works for me. after 6pm or so would be better?

Dave

I'm happy with mine in .338 WM.

The TC Contender should not be used with 30-06, 243, or 7mm Unless the 7mm is a 7TCU, 7-30 Waters etc. These frames were not built to handle those round and you will stretch the frames. If you want to fire the larger/high pressure stuff you need to get an encore. I have been shooting contenders for hunting and silhouette competition for over 25 year and would not risk one of my frames to one of those rounds.
Bret

Anyone serious in Unlimited,doesn't gun a TC of any ilk.

BS, Are you refering to Unlimited classification in handgun silhouette? If so, then I agree to an extent. For the unlimited entries I use either a custom Rampro bolt action in 6.5BR or XP-100 in 7BR. TC's are very popular in the Standing and Field Pistol catagories still to this day. The biggest problem with TC's was their sights. With the aftermarket sight rule for production guns made the TC's competitive.
Bret

The biggest problem with TC's,is that they are junk,compared to what can be(Wichita,XP-100,etc.).

Another bane,is getting something into battery,less carrying one in the pipe. Though I've killed some fairly splendid beasties with a mid-gripped single shot XP 7-08(formerly a 7BR which I punched out),the rear grip repeater is a far better killing tool,if only because you can hold 3,4 or 5 down in the belly,depending upon chambering.

They are a vastly superior platform for mounting optics as well and a 1pc stock is never a concession in regards to precision,doubly so when it's a McMillan.

TC can't begin to hang,on any avenue.

I guess I don't understand that. I use the same action on various barrels. The trigger breaks the same on all calibers. What are you doing to the barrels that would cause the trigger to break differently?

BS, you of course are entitled to your opinion and that is exactly what it is. Your opinion. I have shot both XP's, Rampro's, Nesika's, BF's, XL's & TC's and find that they all have their place. I have several TC's that will group well under 1" at 100 yards. Go check out the Specialty Pistols forum http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x
They deal in all kinds of pistols bolts, break, falling block. Each has their following.
Bret