T/C Contender, Encore, G2: What's the difference?

[DMK]

I'm thinking about buying a Contender or Encore that I'd like to be able to use mostly as a rifle, but occasionally as a pistol. As I understand it, T/C won the case the ATF had against them and as long as I buy a pistol frame (and always put the long barrel on before the stock), I can have my cake and eat it too: pistol and rifle with one gun.

So, what is the difference between the Encore, Contender and Contender G2? Is it just that the Contender has a lighter frame?

Searching through the forums I saw a post that suggested the G2 can take Contender barrels. Is this true?

Which has the most caliber versatility? Which has the most aftermarket barrels available?

 

[gbran]

This is a G2. It cannot shoot high pressure cartridges ('06, 308, 300 winmag, etc.) It can handle rimfires up to 45-70. If you want to shoot high powered rounds, get the heavier Encore. Go to their website and it will tell you what bbls are available for the G2 and the Encores.

 

[Onmilo]

In other words, fairly low pressure cartridges in the G2 and the original Contender and high pressure cartridges in the Encore.

The largest shotgun barrel available for the G2 and original Contender is .410 bore while the smallest guage available for the Encore is 20 guage in factory barrels.

Custom makers can make about anything you want within limits for either frame size.

The G2 differs from the original Contender in internal design and frame geometry.
In the original Contender if you cock the gun and then manually decock the gun, you must then fully open the action in order to reset the cocking mechanism.
The G2 redesign eliminated this annoying quirk of the original design.
The frame is also a bit beefier to better handle higher pressure cartridges.

Original Contender barrels and forends can be mounted to the G2 frame but grip stocks do not interchange.
Nothing interchanges between the Contender size frames and the Encore size frames.

As gbran suggested, it is best to buy a frame that is serial coded as being a pistol frame rather than buying a rifle serial coded frame.
You can convert a pistol into a rifle but you cannot convert a rifle into a pistol and those codes can get you in trouble with the Feds. HTH

 

[DMK]

Custom makers can make about anything you want within limits for either frame size.

Which frame has the largest 3rd party/aftermarket/custom parts support?

As gbran suggested, it is best to buy a frame that is serial coded as being a pistol frame rather than buying a rifle serial coded frame.

Yes, that's exactly what I plan to do. The ability to go from pistol to rifle and back is the main attraction.

 

[Onmilo]

I am going to say the Contender has more outsource barrels and goodies available but don't hold me to that.
The Encore has become fairly popular in the last several years and there may well be more than a couple folks producing custom barrels for the gun.

Check the Thompson Center website if you haven't been there yet.
They may offer more than a couple of links to custom makers.
http://www.tcarms.com

 

[gbell]

Personally, I have an Encore, being able to change between from balck powder to shotgun to rifle and keep the same trigger is great. AS far as aftermarket barrels there are several places to get them. Check out E. Arthur Brown Company at http://www.eabco.com/tcref.html. personally never used them my the person that got me into encores has used them several times.You also have a wider variety of calibers barrel lengths, and T/C even has rimfire barrles for the encore. I have a customized 18" .308 barrel.

 

[jem375]

Take a look at this website:
www.sskindustries.com
this guy makes some pretty strong T/C's.......

 

[DMK]

Thanks for the links guys!

So it looks to me that with aftermarket barrels, the Encore can do anything the Contender can do, except shoot rimfire?

 

[Stevie-Ray]

A hair trigger, superb accuracy, a whole boatload of calibers are still on the market, especially at gun shows. I'd still like to get a .223 barrel for mine. I'd also like to have .308 capability, but for that you need the Encore. Or a bolt action Savage Stryker. Here's my Contender with Competitor grip, .30-30 super 14 barrel and 4X Leupold attached. I also have a super 16 .45-70.