Thompson Contender 25-06 Any Hunting Stories

[Tomcat47]

In another forum we were discussing cartridge choices. Anyway I suggested buying a Contender and you could have both. Does Anyone have any stories of taking Mulies with the 25-06 in the TC. I only have taken whitetail here in the south.

I would have no reservations in sighting a mulie at 300 yards and pulling the trigger with a 24" 25-06 barrell.

Thanks even before we start.

 

[Geno]

Not Contender, but Encore. Contender is for the low-pressure rounds, .30-30 Win, 7x30 Waters, 20 Ga, .22LR, etc.

Encore, the "bull" is for the big boys...high pressure rounds such as the .25-06 up to and including .458 win by some companies after-market barrels.

I personally have taken several animals with Contenders and Encores. My favorite was the .444 Marlin in Encore pistol, 15". I'll try to get some pics up. It had 6.25" tusks!

Edit to add: Awesome thread! Thanks!

Doc2005

 

[R.W.Dale]

A "contender" in 25-06 could be referred to as a BOMB

Now an ENCORE in 25-06 would be another matter entirely. I'm in the process of building my stainless encore in 300H&H


But as for 25-06 I feel you'ed be pushing your luck shooting the larger deer species beyond 200yds with one. Cause at 300yds your getting uncomfortably close to that magic 1000 FT lbs number and 115grns ain't much bullet.
Now don't get me wrong energy figures aren't everything, but low energy coupled with low bullet mass isn't the best of combinations.

If Mule deer at longer ranges is your quarry you would be a lot better served with something throwing more lead.

 

[Geno]

I have to buy an additional barrel for my Pro Hunter...have the ..50X209...time for the .300 Win, .375 H&H, maybe even that sweet, hearting little .22LR in a STS 28"! Hades yeah! But, who could ever overlook the genuine re-birth of the .270 Win, now that it has been given the equivalent of marathon-like lungs in a 28" tube, rather than the illegitimate 20" that comes on so many "rifles". Love, love and love my T/C Arms' collection!

 

[Tomcat47]

Forgive an OLD Contender enthusiast for confusion of the terms....Contender & Encore....same but different. However barrells will interchange with my old stuff.

My old Contender collection included the .223 in 14" .30-.30 10" 7 x 30 waters 10" .45-.410 10" .41 Magnum 10" and a few others incl. rimfires.

My Encore Collection is growing......I call them all my Contenders! maybe I should learn to b more careful

And Have been looking at a new G2 more variants of the same........But still T/C's gotta love em alll.............

The comparison also involved the 7mm 08...so maybe it would do better for the mulies out a ways considring recoil?

Recoil was an issue due to a lady using the firearm. At least with the T/C you have a lot of options. And tradibility of barrells is an awesome advantage.

Do we have a Contender / Encore / G2 Group in here?

Thanks Doc! and the .270 would be good! ...... recoil not to bad. I like .300 mag but rcoil not friendly!

 

[R.W.Dale]

308 or 30-06 encore barrel + a good recoil pad will + a dead mulie and a happy shoulder.

 

[Geno]

Don't overlook the possibility of the .260 Rem, or even the 6.5X.284 Win. The latter would have to be a custom shop barrel, but wow, would that burn up the range or what? Regarding recoil, it's almost a non-issue. The Pro Hunter stock really reduces recoil a tremenous amount! I have a fused neck and an electronic implant in the neck, and recoil with the set up is greatly reduced. If you wanted, you could still go a muzzle break, but I find it unnecessary. JMHO.

Oh, and here is a BIG picture of your .25-06 Encore, Pro Hunter, STS, 28" tube. However, if you are recoil-sensitive, do not purchase the thumbhole stock (pictured):

http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/firearmDetails.php?ID=5681

Here are the Pro Hunter rifle barrel options:

http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/encoreRifleCharts.php

 

[Gus Davus]

Any one shooting a 6.8 Rem SPC

Just put together a slick little Contender carbine in 6.8 Rem SPC for our Sitka Blacktails. This is just a pac-gun for kayaking and hunting the few places where there no Brown bears.

 

[Shawnee]

Just picked up a Super14 30/30 barrel fro my G2 pistol 2 days ago. Only got to shoot a few preliminary shots due to rain but I can tell already it's going to crop some does before the month is out. Already had 10" bull barrels in .22lr and .22 Hornet and they're both great.

Really wanted to like the Encore pistol because I really wanted to use it with a .243 barrel. But the Encore is just a miserable match for my beefy hands and short fingers.


Viva La T/C !

 

[Grumulkin]

I took a deer at what I would estimate to be 225 yards with an Encore chambered in 25/06 Remington shooting Berger 115 gr. VLD bullets. The deer was leaving the area so my shot was at a departing deer. The bullet hit the back of the L thigh and angled forward towards the right chest. It wasn't a bang flop but the deer didn't go far. The bullet didn't exit.

I would postulate that since my less than ideal shot was adequate to kill a deer that an ideal chest or shoulder shot should take a mule deer easily.

 

[MCgunner]

Encore carbines sure are short and handy. I'd like to get one sometime. I'm not sure what caliber I'd go with, the nothing wrong at all with .25-06 in Texas. I could perforate a good sized hog with that, not a problem, and it'd have less recoil in a light gun than a .30 caliber.

Then again, .280 would also work well.