Wow!! That really sucks to hear.
A while back, before the S&W takeover, I decided to build my gun collection around the TC Encore & Contender line up. Fortunately, I haven't gotten too far into that (due to the prices). I've got a Contender pistol with scoped .30-30 & .44 mag barrels, and I've got an Encore rifle with scoped .50 cal mzzl. and .30-06 barrels.
I get good accuracy out of all of them, but they are also pretakeover barrels. Is it really that bad that I should stop buying barrels for the collection, or should I just stick with older, used barrels?