School me on T/C Contenders and Encores

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xphunter said:
I am going to send you a private message with my phone #, so you can ask any question you want.
I do almost all of my hunting, shooting and competing with handguns, and primarily single-shot specialty pistols.
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I’d trust this guy’s opinion that’s where I’d start
 
Trashyshoots said:
@LeftyRed don't quote me on this, but, iirc the. 44 mag reaches its stride @ a 10-12 inch barrel. Everything past that is just adding unnecessary barrel length. According to ballistics by the inch.
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That’s my thinking too. The CVA Scout had a 14” barrel for pistol calibers but was 10-11” barrels for 243 and 300BO. Seemed backwards to me. Really though more than once of getting the Scout in 44 cut down, but with my luck it would have messed it up.

If I can, I will get either a 45LC or 41mag in 8/9” when I get around to it.

Lefty
 
I have three, one a just preG2 pistol and two carbines, early editions. I'm not thrilled with the 10" 30-30, lots of noise, not nearly as accurate as the 21" carbine but maybe I have not found the right load yet. In pistol cartridges my best performers are 357, 45 Colt, and a 22 bull barrel. 222 is sweet. 45 and 357 are old octagon 10". 45/410 is bull barrel with internal choke. It doesn't like anything over factory specs. Carbines are 22, 223 and ,30-30, all moa when I'm on and had no coffee. The few times I've had one out for deer it has been the 357, 160 grain 358156 over 2400. No deer but one very DRT coyote. Good luck. All my barrels except the 45/410 are scoped.
A buddy has an Encore and I had a G2. Plusses, you don't have to open them to reset the trigger. Minus, IMHO trigger not as crisp
 
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Better grab them while you can as production of them has ceased. The prices are going to increase. I sold a G2 .223 last year. If I could have seen the future I would have waited. I kept my frame with the excellent trigger and have three rifle barrels for it. If and when the panic subsides and reloading supplies become available I'm thinking about a 6.5 barrel.
 
I really like my 12 inch 44 mag. I've had a lot
Of different calibers but the old 44 in a pistol leigh barrel is hard to beat. I would consider 300 Blackout over a 30 wcf with barrel length under 12 inch.
 
This thread got me thinking about a barrel I never use anymore and I decided to list it. I started at Castboolits and before I could get pics resized and uploaded I had an offer that I took. I had planned to post it here as well. I would say that the market is particularly hot at the moment, and I look forward to the 357 Herrett that I took in trade for 357 mag.
 
WestKentucky said:
This thread got me thinking about a barrel I never use anymore and I decided to list it. I started at Castboolits and before I could get pics resized and uploaded I had an offer that I took. I had planned to post it here as well. I would say that the market is particularly hot at the moment, and I look forward to the 357 Herrett that I took in trade for 357 mag.
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Gatdang that 357 herrett sounds like it would be a dandy deer getting cartridge.
 
PO2Hammer said:
The original Contenders had fantastic triggers if that's important. Very light and crisp.
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I agree. I have several G1 frames with adjustable triggers which are much, much better than the trigger on my one and only Encore.

I understand the current generation Contender has the same style trigger as the Encore.

My 221 Rem FB (Bullberry barrel) and 22 Hornet Contender carbines are a couple of my most accurate rifles.

I'd rather have 10" barrel in pistol cartridges or a carbine set up. I have a 7mm International Rimmed Super 14 barrel that worked well when I was shooting IHMSA silhouette but not convenient to shoot otherwise. But, this is kind of personnel choice.

Cartridge choice is also a personnel preference. Just about anything Contender capable will work well in a Contender.

The nice thing about the Contender and Encore is there are lots of options out there.
 
The Contender offers .30-30 Winchester level performance in a very compact package. IMHO the best three cartridges for this platform are the 7mm TCU, 7-30 Waters, and the .44 Magnum. There are more powerful options and certainly lighter cartridges like the .22 Long Rifle or .223 Remington but will not be as useful.

The Encore is a much more capable platform capable of chambering all standard .30-06 class cartridges and limited use of light Magnums such as the 7mm Remington or .300 Winchester Magnum. Extended heavy use in the Magnum class will cause frame stretching at some point.

The Encore does offer one of the very best modern inline muzzleloaders available. The tradeoff for the Encore is a sub-par out of the box trigger but eminently servicable.
 
Barr said:
The Contender offers .30-30 Winchester level performance in a very compact package. IMHO the best three cartridges for this platform are the 7mm TCU, 7-30 Waters, and the .44 Magnum. There are more powerful options and certainly lighter cartridges like the .22 Long Rifle or .223 Remington but will not be as useful.

The Encore is a much more capable platform capable of chambering all standard .30-06 class cartridges and limited use of light Magnums such as the 7mm Remington or .300 Winchester Magnum. Extended heavy use in the Magnum class will cause frame stretching at some point.

The Encore does offer one of the very best modern inline muzzleloaders available. The tradeoff for the Encore is a sub-par out of the box trigger but eminently servicable.
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My son has the encore inline muzzleloader
 
LeftyRed said:
That’s my thinking too. The CVA Scout had a 14” barrel for pistol calibers but was 10-11” barrels for 243 and 300BO. Seemed backwards to me. Really though more than once of getting the Scout in 44 cut down, but with my luck it would have messed it up.

If I can, I will get either a 45LC or 41mag in 8/9” when I get around to it.

Lefty
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243 in cva is 14 inch.
 
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You all know that smith and Wesson has stopped all production of Thompson center.


Steve
 
stolivar said:
253 in cva is 14 inch.
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I was talking about the 243. LOL!
Sorry, the ad I was showed had the 243 and 300BO at the shorter barrel length. I never had the 243, only the 357mag and 44mag and 300 BO and 50calBP. Just seemed weird the rifle calibers were shorter than the pistol caliber offerings. And I wrongly assumed the 243 was a shorter barrel like the 300BO.

Still, every one of them shot great. Son has 357 that was reamed out to 357Max and it’s his Southern Illinois corncruncher taker. Stupid accurate with 2x scope on top. He still has my 44 and 50cal, having taken deer with both.

Too much fun for a $325 pistol.
 
You know, I happen to have a nice 44 Hotshot barrel and forarm for the 1st gen Contender. The best part is that I also have a lot of loaded ammunition and shot capsules for reloading it. I'm getting old and may be talked into parting with it too. I may even have the origional box and stuff for it somewhere here.
 
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