T/C Encore Info

scsims

New member
I posted this tread in another forum, and didn't get many responses so I thought I would try it here.

I don't know if this common knowlege or not, but I was looking into buying an Encore awhile back and assumed that the rifle could be converted into a pistol and vice versa. At a local gun shop I was looking at a T/C Encore pistol in 308 and the guy behind the counter told me that they were not interchangable. I didn't know what to think, so I did a little searching on the internet and couldn't find any info that they were interchageable even on T/C's website it doen't mention it, or it's Encore commercail on the outdoor channel.

Anyway for Christmas I got a Encore muzzleloader. And at this time I thought I could only interchange rifle barrels with it.

Today on Cabelas web site I found the stocks and fore ends and it states in the description, change your Encore pistol into a rifle with the buttstock, forend and barrel.

Now, I'm confused again so I call T/C and they tell me that the frames are indeed interchangable.

OK, that's great and I'm happy now that I know that covert to a pistol if I want to.

My question is, why isn't it advertised this way? I would think it would be a good selling point. I hope I have a the wright info now, that the frames are interchangable, because if they are why isn't it in the decription of the rifle or in it's manual?
 
DISCLAIMER - THE FOLLOWING IS MY OPINION ONLY AND NOT LEGAL ADVICE! TAKE THIS FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

It is physically possible to convert the frame to whatever configuration you please. Legal issues are another matter. From what I've been able to determine, it is officially illegal to convert your rifle to a pistol, especially if you live in a state that requires a full registration of your firearm. However, the chances that the BATF will come a'knockin' is pretty slim. As long as you don't put a barrel that's less than 16" on your frame with a buttstock, I believe you meet the intent of the law, if not the letter. I intentially bought my Encore as a pistol just so I wouldn't have to face this issue. As far as I know, the frames do not leave the factory as pistol or rifle, but are made that way by virtue of what is installed on them for distribution. Search around some of the other T/C sites and you'll find all kinds of information on this topic. Good luck.
 
The way I understand it
1)You cannot legally turn a rifle into a pistol
2)You cannot legally put a rifle stock on a frame while a pistol barrel is on it
3) You cannot legally put a pistol grip on a frame while a rifle barrel is on it .

Check your loacal laws as you milage may vary .
I have a encore rifle and wont take a chance doing a illegal conversion , I have this fear that if I was pulled over by some cop with a attitude the gun would be confiscated and getting back could be impossible or at least very difficult.
 
One modification to that - you can in fact put your pistol grip on a with a rifle barrel. There is nothing illegal about a long-barreled pistol, only a short (
 
I don't quite understand the part about being illegal to convert a rifle to a pistol. As long as it's not considered a short barrel rifle such that the stock is removed during the conversion.

After all, if in the ATFs eyes it would be illegal for someone to own a pistol wouldn't it be illegal for them to own the rifle in the first place? Not talking local laws that may ban handguns here, this all has to do with ATF law as I haven't heard even a rumor of local laws that address converting rifles to handguns.

The other issue is that since people can manufacture their own pistols (as is "commonly" done with 1911s) by milling on an 80% frame, how would this really be any different? Except that when you manufacture your own firearm you can choose the serial number, if any.
 
As long as you use pistol parts (grip, forearm and pistol barrel) as a pistol and the rifle parts as a rilfle with a barrel length of at least 20" os so you will be ok in the eyes of the ATF. The frame is exactly the same it can be interchanged with a pistol barrel/rifle barrel/209x50 or shotgun barrel. just as long as you use the proper acessories.
 
Bronco,

As a former FFL I can't quote the reg, but it is illegal to convert a rifle to a handgun. I learned that trying to make a nice bolt action 22 LR (think XP-100) Once a serial numbered receiver is recorded as a rifle it is a rifle for life.
 
Dan is right. You can not convert a rifle to a pistol, never.

TC did go to court and won the right for you to convert your pistol to a rifle and then back to a pistol. The ATF was saying that once you had converted the pistol to a rifle, it had to remain a rifle. The ATF lost.

Jack
 
Gotta love our laws. It's legal to manufacture a pistol for yourself without even putting a serial number on it, but you can't convert a single shot rifle over to a handgun.

:rolleyes:
 
As a long time T/C shooter I can tell you it's done alot. It's awfully tempting to do load development with a soulder stocked 10". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

If you go to the T/C website they have (or used to) a copy of the pissing contest between them and ATF that T/C won.

I suspect the reason you don't hear about it being done with Encores much is that the Encore hasn't taken off as a handgun due to size. It's just a fuzz large and unwieldy compared to a Contender.
 
I called the ATF and asked one of their field supervisors and he said yes, you can switch them back and forth legally.He said TC went to court on this matter and won.So I change mine around alot.
 
Aahhh! But did he say you could switch a pistol, or a rifle back and forth?

And like most gov't agencies, they are not responsible for bad info put out by their employees. There are a fair amount of people in jail because they thought what a gov't employee told them was legal really was legal.

When you go to court, what some gov't employee said is totally irrelevent.

If they want to get you they will, but complying with the laws makes it harder for them. Not much harder, they just plant more incriminating evidence.

Jack
 
Common sense is the issue. Nothng in the law states you can't take the barrel off of your gun. So the first step in converson is to remove the barrel. The second step is to install the pistol grip or the butt stock whichever the case may be. Next you reinstall a barrel, shorter that 16 1/2 inches for pistol grips and longer than 16 1/2 for a rifle butt stock. Never have a short barrel on a rifle stock. All Encore frames have to be sold as a pistols because of the easy converson so the waiting time for recieveing the gun is the same as for the purhase of a pistol, even toough is may be in the form of a rifle or a muzzleloader, it is still considered a pistol and must be sold initally through a licensed federal firearmes dealer. These guns can, still at this time, be sold to a private individual with no restrictions but seller beware of whom you are selling to.
Some states have laws restricing some of the barrels for these guns. California comes to mind, you cannot have a 45/410 pistol barrel in California and some other states. This barrel is my weapon of choice running rabbits with beagles here in Iowa. All I can say is switch barrels and enjoy all the choices the these guns have to offer, just do it in a manner that will not run counter to the law.
 
Welcome to the board Dave! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

That is the first I had heard that all Encores and Contenders had to be sold as a pistol. If that is the case, it would be legal to change them back and forth.

Jack
 
If you look in catalogs such as Cabela's or Bass Pro you will see that they sell muzzleloaders directly to the person ordering it. Not the case with Contender or Encore they have to be sold through a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer. They can sell the barrels directly to an individual but the action must go through a licensed dealer because it is the action that can be converted. I believe that there are about five states that do not allow Contenders or Encores, Check the laws before you travel. The main thing to remember is do not have a short barrel on a long stock. Common sense, you don't want to have a sawed off rifle or shotgun in your possession at anytime. You can have a pistol with a really long 26 inch barrel and not be against the law, but getting a holster would be a problem.
 
Originally posted by Jack Roberts:
[qb]Welcome to the board Dave! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

That is the first I had heard that all Encores and Contenders had to be sold as a pistol. If that is the case, it would be legal to change them back and forth.

Jack[/qb]
That is not the case. Wal-mart sells them and we register the frame as a long gun. We do not sell pistols or Encore/Contender products for the pistol versions. The muzzleloaders we sell in the Encore and Contender are registered the same way because of the ability to switch the barrels out.

Matt
 


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