I'm considering an Encore in 45-70 and a barrel in 260 Rem. Anyway, Encore owners what are your impression of the system? Accuracy? Recoil, be caliber specific. General handling, shooting prone, different positions, swapping barrels. I've got AR15s, AR10s, bolt guns, levers, and I want to try single shots. Mounting optics, how good are the iron sights. Synthetic vs. wood. I personally prefer synthetic but that's me. Does the recoil reducing stock work? I also want a barrel in 458 Win Mag so it's an important question for me.
Thanks,
Cwackers

Even with long barrels (24 to 26 in.) they handle like carbines.  THey usually aren't featherweights.  I haven't used the new Pro Hunter stock, but the regular old synthetic (much cheaper) works ok.

In 209x50 black powder the recoil is nothing bad.  I couldn't begin to guess about 458WinMag?
Hunting & shooting prone is like anything else, switching barrels is very simple.

SSK's T'SOB is the most versatile mount, but the DeadNuts base is very simple and works fine, with most scopes.  I've never had them with iron sights, less the b/p and those work great to 100.  

After having the extractor slip over rimless cases - more than one time (on T/C barrels) I am sticking to rimmed rounds.   Good options could be: 30-40 Krag, 7-30, 7x57R, 303 British, 30-30?  A rimfire barrel does sound handy.

It's hard to buy just one or two barrels.

I started with the contender I had lots of barrels 223 14 and 21 inch 375 winchester , 22 hornet rifle barrels and a 35 rem pistol barrel.  Sold them all and switched to encore I had 2 receivers, 450 marlin 280 50 cal muzzle loader and a 12 gauge rifled barrel.  The first receiver you could barely push the pin in had to use a derlin punch and small hammer the second receiver you could push in with a pinky.  The point of impact changed according to what receiver was used.  Encore barrels forends are screwed directly to the barrel a step backwards from the old contender barrels with a threaded post on it.  The pro hunter stock has a reputation of falling apart the recoil cushions start getting loose.  The New england firearms brand is not as pretty but my old H&R 280 out shot my encore my single barrel rifled 20 gauge NEF out shot my 12 gauge encore barrel also.  New england will fit barrels to your receiver as many as you want and a lot cheaper than encore stuff even counting the shipping, But I dont think they make a 458 mag.

I ditched all my encore crap for the cost of an encore barrel you can get a whole new england rifle.

Mike