The single-shot hunting rifle has a fresh place in the conversation. Guns & Ammo’s October 22 report on the Thompson/Center Encore ProHunter follows the familiar break-action platform into the field, while also showing where a future barrel option could take it.
There are two stories here: the production Encore’s return and a prototype barrel tested by the magazine. Keeping those separate gives hunters a much clearer picture of what they can evaluate today.
The Encore Is Back on the Rack
Thompson/Center’s current Encore information describes a single-shot system with centerfire rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader configurations. Its published features include a nitride-coated trigger and sear, a hammer that can be offset to either side, and threaded centerfire barrels. The company lists 26-inch centerfire barrels and says a scope and mount are not included.
Those details describe the factory system. They do not mean that every Encore configuration is identical, or that a rifle shown in a review is the same package a buyer will find locally. Confirm the complete model and included equipment before comparing prices.
The Prototype Behind the New Field Report
Guns & Ammo writer Jack Oller used an Encore ProHunter in .308 Winchester on an Alberta bear hunt. The rifle in that report wore a prototype Avient CHRT barrel, described as combining a stainless core with ceramic-composite material and a carbon-fiber wrap.
The word prototype matters. The report is evidence of development and a published field outing; it does not establish that this barrel is a standard retail Encore option. We have not confirmed a consumer price or on-sale date for that prototype configuration.
For a prospective owner, that distinction keeps an interesting technology story from becoming an assumption about what comes in the box. A manufacturer’s production specification and a writer’s development sample answer different questions.
Why a Single Shot Still Has an Audience
Our take is that the Encore’s appeal starts with preference. Some hunters like a simple, deliberate hunting rifle and the character of a break-open action. Others value the extra capacity of a repeating rifle. Neither preference needs a technology argument to justify it.
A single shot also makes an honest trade: the owner accepts one ready round. That is a meaningful limitation when deciding whether the platform suits a particular hunt. A new barrel material does not change the action’s capacity or remove that decision.
It is equally easy to overvalue a single headline feature. Barrel construction can attract attention, but the complete rifle still has to fit its owner, carry comfortably and justify its total cost. An optic and mount belong in that budget, even when they appear on the rifle in an editorial photograph.
What We Would Want to Know Next
The next useful update would connect the prototype to a defined production offering: its chamberings, final weight, price, warranty and availability. Until then, shoppers have enough information to consider the returning factory Encore on its own merits, while treating Avient’s barrel as a development worth following.
The Encore story is a reminder that an older action can remain relevant without becoming something entirely different. The return of a familiar choice is news enough; the prototype adds a question for the future.
Reporting checked October 27, 2026. GUN Crusade has not independently tested this product. Cover image: AI-generated editorial illustration, not manufacturer product photography.
