Interesting piece. I don't see many heavily customized Encores or Contenders, at least not customized in the this one's sense of fineer woodwork and metalwork finish. Plenty of 23rd Century-styled monstrosities out there with muzzle brakes, barbed wire "fluting," threaded muzzles, pastel finishes, "synthetic everything".... I guess that more traditional gunsmiths generally shy away from the hybrid handgun/longun layout of these otherwise interesting and useful arms.
I think this one needs to be marketed to a serious "T/C nut". Try adding up the "real world new" cost of the frame and stock, add the same valuation of the barrels, throw on an estimate of the value of the custom work (a very hard estimate to make, I grant), and look at the result. Then figure out what a possible reserve price might be for an auction and put it on an auction that is both reputable and national.
Point out the this rifle COULD be used for any hunting in North America for game that is furred, even the fanged varieties.
At the same time do your homework on T/C collectors and ask their opinions on the set, letting them know that you are looking for a good home for it. You might just tickle the fancy of a T/C nut with some financial backing.
KINDA O/T: Has anyone ever seen a Contender or Encore made up with a traditional "straight" stock (no pistol grip)? I'd like to see if/how that could be done. It seems to me that gun control legislation has removed the original T/C appeal of one-frame serving as both a handgun and a rifle/carbine/shotgun in many states, so perhaps T/C might experiment with a "long gun only" frame that could be made into something like a Maynard rifle....getting rid of some of the inherent ugliness of the design. (Full disclosure: I often do "hunt with an ugly gun" and am a "T/C nut."
