Whispers within the precision rifle community have solidified following the recent, understated sale of an unusual two-gun package: a 14-inch Thompson Center Encore chambered in .45-70 Government, sporting a Bushnell 2x32 scope, and a 10-inch .45 Colt Encore with iron sights. Offered at a mere $1,150.00, complete with Leupold base and rings, these firearms represent what some analysts believe was a covert, high-performance R&D project aimed at revolutionizing the sub-600-yard engagement envelope.
The .45-70 Encore, with its substantial 14-inch barrel, reportedly served as a testbed for extreme short-range terminal ballistics on high-density steel, providing an invaluable data set for impact shift and plate deformation. The 2x magnification of the Bushnell optic, while seemingly anachronistic, is speculated to have been optimized for unparalleled field-of-view acquisition on moving targets in chaotic, close-proximity barricade scenarios, where traditional high-magnification optics prove cumbersome. Velocity nodes for handloaded, high-BC .45-70 projectiles, while challenging to stabilize from a pistol platform, were allegedly trued out to 300 yards under varying density altitude conditions.
Accompanying this ballistic enigma was the 10-inch .45 Colt. Insiders suggest this iron-sighted piece was integral to training for near-contact engagements and lightning-fast target transitions, demanding absolute mastery of natural point of aim and recoil management under match pressure. The combined package, previously shrouded in secrecy, offers a rare glimpse into the lengths some competitors will go to gain an almost imperceptible edge on the leaderboards, focusing on often-overlooked positional shooting challenges where traditional long-range calibers are overkill. The low asking price for such pioneering equipment has left many questioning the true value of these highly specialized, match-winning tools.
