Thompson Center questions. Which one?

[sgtb]

I am looking to buy a T/C pistol for hunting. I currently own an Encore muzzleloader. What are the advantages of the G2, Encore and or Pro-hunter as far as pistol use? Obviously the G2 would have been the choice in prior years if you wanted to shoot rimfire but now they can all fire rimfire. Your help/opinions would be appreciated.

 

[jbkebert]

The Encore and the Pro-hunter are interchangable in the way of barrels. The pro-hunter has a better recoil system in the stock. Also the pro-hunter barrels are 28" instead of 24" and are flutted. No real advantage in that but you can use the 24" barrels on either. I own a pro-hunter and love the gun it is very accurate and shoulders like a dream. Even in a heavy caliber recoil is very mild. The G2 barrels are not interchangable with the encore system. In pistols the contenders are a little lighter in weight. I picked up a contender chambered in .35 rem with a 12" barrel. Gun is fun to shoot but recoil is a little stiff. My encore pistol is chambered in .308 but of my boys ages 9 and 10 have shot it without complaint. Both are good guns the contender handles smoother because of less weight and a shorter barrel. The encore is more accurate and has less recoil. Not a fair comparison because of the caliber diff I know.

 

[BCRider]

It sounds like you're keen on the rimfire option. Based on that I'd suggest the Contender option assuming you don't want to go to anything TOO powerful on the other end of things with a second or third barrel.

Or if you do want some of the medium powerful rifle rounds as an option then a pistol grip for your Encore receiver and a new barrel or two would be the way to go just for the reduction in recoil from the extra weight. That's the beauty of a "Meccano set" style of gun system.

Mind you at some point you really don't want to be hand holding some of the stuff. I've got an Encore with one of the short .500S&W barrels. I'm reloading at near max for it and I really do not see myself shooting such a recoil monster as a handgun. She flattens the Mag Pistol primers pretty good too. Something that sure would not be OK in the revolver but is just fine on the Encore.

 

[Sam1911]

Or if you do want some of the medium powerful rifle rounds as an option then a pistol grip for your Encore receiver and a new barrel or two would be the way to go just for the reduction in recoil from the extra weight. That's the beauty of a "Meccano set" style of gun system.

BC, you're in Canada and I know some of the rules are a little different, but here in the US, he's not allowed to swap the pistol-length barrels onto his frame that was part of a rifle. As nice as it is that the gun is capable of being used that way -- and T/C did produce a few "kit" guns that came with both rifle and pistol parts -- the National Firearms Act of 1934 prohibits making a firearm of less than 26" from anything that was, at any point, a rifle.

It's dumb, but it's the law.

-Sam

 

[Matt-J2]

Try and handle each. The Encore has a much longer trigger reach. I have one in .223, and it's just about the limit of what will fit my hand. Though if you have a certain chambering in mind, you may be limited to the Encore due to pressures that the Contender/G2 can't handle. The Encore frame is also heavier than the Contender/G2, so that may be a factor if you plan on carrying it around.

 

[flipajig]

I have both My encor is a pro hunter and when i bought it i didnt do enough resurch and i would have bought a pistol frame. I love the gun and the system and is verry accurate. I got into pistol hunting and started with a SBH in 44mag and its verry exciting so i bought a G2 contender with a 7-30 waters barrel and now i have 4 defferent barrels for it. If it were me i would buy the encor becouse of the pressure isue. The contender cant handle the same pressure as the encor. another thought is shooting a scoped pistol is a chalange your shooting a different platform and you really have to do your part. Pratice and pratice and when you think your good enough pratice some more..

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

I enjoy my Contenders very much.

I started with a .223 "Super 14" then added a .357 Herrett "Super 14" for deer hunting southerntier NYS.

They have served me well. The trigger can be adjusted.

I have also used them with .35 Rem 21" carbine barrel, 30-30 21" carbine barrel,.222 &.223 21" carbine barrel. They are fun to shoot VERY accurate and compact.

As stated above they are limited to Calibre.

I will never purchase a Encore because I will never use it.

I even have the G2 with a .45 and .50 ML barrel.

 

[jem375]

I have a T/C SSK Industries Contender pistol in 375JDJ, G2 rifle in 375JDJ ,Encore rifle in 308, and a Savage Striker pistol in 308, they cover just about any big game that I want to shoot.