DIY Custom Furniture for the TC Encore Turning a Burl into a Poor Man’s Center Grip (maybe...)
I’d been holding onto this salvaged burl I found while cutting firewood on our property for about a year, drying it out and waiting for the right project. I've been wanting to upgrade my encore wood for a while and browsed aftermarket options, but couldn’t pull the trigger. Eventually I figured, why not try to make one? Worst case, I’d waste a few evenings in the garage and toss it into the fire pit. Best case, I’d end up with something unique, built by hand, and perfectly-rough fit to me.
I don't have a fancy wood shop or anything - just used a Handsaw, Coping saw, Dremel with sanding drums, Router, and sandpaper
This was the furthest thing from a precision machining job. I roughed out the shape of the forend following an existing forend I had, routered the barrel channel, and did final fitment by hand sanding and dremel. The grip was more involved and took longer than I thought. I wanted it tight against the receiver, but overcut the inlet slightly. To fix it, I mixed sawdust with wood glue, coated the inside, taped up the receiver, and seated it in place—essentially a homemade bedding job. After partially drying, I pulled the receiver free and let everything cure before final sanding to create a slight clearance. I shaped the grip with a more vertical angle, entirely by feel, checking the fit as I went. Burl can be tricky—full of knots and voids—so I took it slow and sealed the wood with Brownells’ gun stock finish to stabilize it.
The forend ended up a little more target-style, so I figured why not lean into it? I had a cantilever mount laying around, so I threw on a rifle scope. It looks a bit goofy, but the balance is surprisingly solid—kind of a poor man’s center grip with more mass over the hand.
The end result? A fully functional (maybe) custom forend and grip that’s become the most personal part of my Encore. It’s not perfect—but it’s mine and hopefully I can have some success in the field with it. If you’ve got some basic tools, a chunk of hardwood, and a little patience, it’s a project well worth trying.
I haven't shot it yet so who knows what will happen (or break) but it was a fun project. Time will tell if the scope stays on.
Stunning!!!!