Encore Accuracy Locker Hinge Pin... and Other Hinge Pins too!

Oversized Hinge Pins Void All Warranties... Here's Why:

The center line position and alignment of the TC Encore and Contender barrel hinge is critical to the headspace of the chamber and lockup of the barrel to the frame. When we machine the underlugs for our barrels, they are clamped squarely on an extremely precise CNC Millig Machine. The hinge pin centerline is located to within 10ths of a 1/1000th of an inch. The hole is "peck" drilled at a computer programmed and consistent rate to insure that it does not wander and goes in straight and true. The hole is then CNC machine reamed to final dimension with the centerline at the same location while the part is still clamped squarely on the CNC machine. Each hinge pin hole is checked for tightness and alignment with pin gauges. We are sure that the Thompson Center Arms factory uses a similar if not equally precise system for locating the centerline of this hole, though they produce these in much higher mass quantities than we do. In order to get our barrels to headspace and lock up properly, we had to get our barrel lugs AT LEAST as precise as the TC factory and frankly, we were amazed at how close the TC Factory holds these dimensions. Our lug making system is certainly better than the mass production TC factory, but the factory is certainly better than any hand reamer.

The bottom line is this: Anybody who thinks they can improve on this level of precision by HAND REAMING the hinge pin holes to fit oversized hinge pins is making a serious and potentially dangerous error. At the least, such modifications may ruin your gun and take away the barrel interchange ability that is part of the reason you bought your TC Encore or Contender in the first place. At the worst, it could affect the barrel to frame lock-up and headspace to a degree that will make your gun dangerous to shoot. Don't be talked into messing around with oversized hinge pins.

We have instruments that can measure and detect whether the hinge pin hole has been modified to fit oversized hinge pins. There is no doubt about this. If you perform any modification to a barrel or frame it will void all warrantees but this one is especially bad because it is not repairable... barrels and/or frames that have been modified to fit oversized hinge pins may still work okay, but they are not improved over original condition. And if they don't work okay, they are very expensive garbage... not repairable and not replaceable because the warranty is void.

A Proper and SAFE hinge pin upgrade is now available...

The original TC Encore barrel hinge pin rotates and drifts from side to side freely every time you open and close the action. This creates a potential for the lock-up to be slightly different with each shot. And, anything that is different from one shot to the next can change the point of impact. Our new Encore Accuracy Locker Hinge Pin locks the position of the hinge pin so that mechanical lock-up of the Encore action is exactly the same from one shot to the next!

The Accuracy Locker Hinge Pin replaces your factory hinge pin with no modifications to your frame or barrel. It simply tightens into place so there is no rotation nor drifting from side to side. The new pin fits all standard and Pro Hunter Encore barrels. You may need to sand some clearance at the inside wings/ears of your forend. (1/32" per side - See Forend Accuracy Tips Below).

T/C Encore and Pro Hunter Barrel Pivot Hinge Pins

This is the original factory hinge pin that pivots the barrel downward when you open and close your Encore or Pro Hunter action. Made from precision ground "drill rod" to fit closely for accuracy while allowing removal to swap barrels. These original pins often get lost or dinged up and need to be replaced. 

ADJUSTABLE Hinge Pin for TC Encore and Pro Hunter

This ADJUSTABLE DIAMETER Hinge Pin can improve the lock-up of your TC Encore, Pro Hunter, or Endeavor. It gives the tightening effect of a larger pin without the potential for damage and without giving up your barrel interchangeability. This new Adjustable Encore Hinge Pin requires no modification to your gun or your forend. Just slip it into the hinge pin hole as you assemble your Encore frame and barrel. Then, use the two Allen wrenches (included) to tighten the pin and lock it into place.

A Little Hinge Pin History...
Tweaking accuracy at the barrel hinge pin goes back a few years. The first attempt I saw was a collet styled hinge pin to fit the original TC Contender. The pin was actually a collet that expanded to tighten in the hinge pin hole. As it tightened it became less cylindrical and gave a less consistent contact surface area.
More recently people have experimented with some success using oversized hinge pins. These can help but they will still rotate and drift side to side. Where people will get into trouble with this is when they hand ream the hinge pin holes on their barrel and frame to make oversized pins work. A better approach has been needed. Cecil Epp of Pre-cision Rifle is the designer and manufacturer of the Locker-Pin you see pictured and described above... It is an idea whose time has come and it appears to be the best answer to tweaking accuracy at the barrel hinge pin of the Encore.

Forend Accuracy Tips...
You've heard the term "Free-Floated" with respect to the way a barrel contacts a rifle stock. Well, with two-piece stocked rifles like the Encore (and our Model 97D) it works differently. The forend is separate from the buttstock and attaches directly to the barrel. It is the receiver or frame of the Encore that is free floated so as not to induce pressure into the barrel through the forend. The area to observe is the wings or ears of the forend that cover up the barrel hinge pin. If you have rubbing or contact there, use sand paper to relieve any contact. This forend modification will usually be necessary when using our new Accuracy Locker Hinge Pin (1/32" per side).

Another area of consideration with the forend is detecting and removing high spots in the barrel channel. Imagine tightening the forend when there is a high spot in the barrel channel... such a condition will induce tension into the barrel. Again, sand paper will remove tension inducing high spots.