I'm partial to the Contender although I like the ability to add more powerfull factory cartridges with the Encore but in all reality the Contender was the starting point and the 375JDJ in the Contender has killed the biggest baddest animals on the planet and done it quickly and cleanly. I would suggest doing like Mike S suggested and hold both. I will almost bet that the Contender will be more comfortable and with the cartridges you listed and the availability of more powerfull custom cartridges available from J.D. Jones and Gary Reeder you can handle anything on the planet. The one thing I should add that to get the most out of a contender you should reload, you don't have to but with cartridges like the 7-30 and 30-30 which have round or flat nosed bullets in factory loads you can reload with spitzers and get much better ballistics out of.