I have been looking at contenders to purchase and have so many non-handgun hunting opinions that I am totaly confused. First, I'm not honestly looking to hunt with it this season, I plan to hunt with my trusty SBH. Our gun deer season doesn't pen until November 19.

Here is my question. If you didn't own a contender and were going to make the jump, would you buy an old contender, a G2, or an encore? I already have several reloaders and am experianced, but not with wildcat rounds. I have been told by one person the old contender barrels will fit the G2, and toldby another they will not. I know none will fit the encore except encore barrels.

Okay, I've opened the can of worms so I want some experieced opinions on the pros and cons of each

Thanks

I'm partial to the 7-30 Waters Contenders. I have had over 4 of them and still have two. One Super 14 w/break and one hunter model 12" w/break. Both had taken deer, coyote and prairie dogs. I like to shoot 120 and 139 grn bullets with 2x7 scope. Second would be the 30-30 then maybe the 6TCU. The 6 is a good varmint round and can take deer.

Mike

I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them but personally I'm partial to the original Contender. It just seems more elegant to me. If you get a used one just make sure it hasn't been abused.

I prefer the Contender because it is lighter and more comfortable in my hand than an Encore. The second main reason I prefer the Contender is the ability to utilize rimfire barrels for practice without buying a custom barrel and adapter to shoot a rimfire barrel on the Encore.

Contender vs G2 Contender...the first generation Contender barrels WILL fit the G2 frame. I have been told that the forearm will also interchange. I do know that the grips will NOT interchange and Pachmyer grips are not available for the G2 frame.

What caliber?? I love 30-30 based cases...of course this means the factory 30-30 Winny, 7-30 Waters, .30 Herrett, etc. If I were to choose only one I would have to take the 30-30 Winny simply because factory ammo is available at every place you would stop to look for ammo if caught in a pinch. Seond choice...the 7-30 Waters. It is VERY close to the 30-30 in performance per specific bullet weight but the 7mm bullets have a better ballistic coefficient which means they buck the wind better and shoot flatter. The 7mm also has a better selection of varmint bullets if you would want to use the barrel as a dual purpose game getter...deer and critters.

Since you reload...picking a barrel just for the factory ammo offerings is not a concern. Brass for both of the above cartridges is readily available so you won't have to form cases and can taylor a load for whatever you so desire!! For varmints only I'd take either my 15" Bullberry 6T/CU Contender and for deer only I would take my .338JDJ#2...but I really don't know of any one wildcat that would kill a deer or varmint better than the 7-30 Waters.

BTW...got the check today...PO desk was closed for lunch...will try this afternoon.

key phrase...."if i didn't already own a contender".......er 3 er 4 or 5

i'd buy an old model first, but only because they are not made anymore. i'd want one "just to have".
for all other intents n purposes, i prefer the new G2 model. onliest thang it has against it, is the fact that it's not available in stainless "yet".....and only wood grips are available at this time.

my G2 is my workhorse huntin contender and i mainly use it for the 30-30AI and 35rem rimmed for the deer huntin. love these two cartridges so far.......with a 6tcu n .223 toppin the list of target varmint barrels.


....then i'd save up fer an encore as soon as possible ya got those great high pressure calibers that only it will handle because of case diameter. 7-08,.308,.243, 6BR.....etc etc.

Bama, have to agree with all the above. As to which frame to buy, I would suggest that you hold all three of them and see which you like. I swore I wouldn't own an Encore, didn't like the grip and the length of pull on the trigger. Well I tried the ones with the factory rubber grip and had to have it. I think it has a different angle and diameter of the wood grips I had picked up in the past.
The 30-30 and 7-30 comments above are my exact thoughts, The 30-30 recieved a lot of bad press in years past. I think the 7-30 has not recieved enough praise, not here of course, but in the gun mags,etc.
On the G2 subject of barrels inter changing. I have seen more and more of the Contender barrels not wanting to work properly with the G2 frame. Some will lock up and not unlock, others will not lock up at all. The fix for both has been to install new locking lugs that I have seen, easy enough to change also. I attribute these problems to TC not paying close attention to their specs.
Which ever or what ever you end up with, ya better make room in the safe, they multiply like rabbits, you have been warned .

they multiply like rabbits

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thats a fact, I bought my first contender just about a year ago and now I have 2 frames and 6 barrels

Bama, don't let these boys disuade you from an Encore. I own one frame and 6 barrels. Sounds to me an Encore in 243 Win or 260 Rem would make a great dual purpose gun. I have an Encore in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser and if you can put your hands on one of those barrels, you'd be set for anything this side of a charging grizzly.

Any Contender frame, and a 7x30 Waters, and a similar length 22lr Match, and you are set for lots of practice and for Deer and Varmints, and may add other barrels at your leisure

Yes, all Contender barrels will fit all Contender frames, but as has been stated, the locking bolts might have to be switched to a set [purchase from TC for $8-$10 last time I looked] that locks and unlocks properly on your frame. Not hard to do by any means.

i think the encore is the way to go!you can shoot to 22hornet to 50 alasakan,if it is huntable you can do it with a encore

I've got two Contender frames (eight barrels) and two Encores (six barrels), I've held several G2's and I just don't like the grip angle compared to the original Contender.

I'm with Chris and Deadeye,if I were just getting into TC's I'd go with a Encore simply because you can get every caliber for it that you can for a Contender or G2 plus many more higher pressure rounds. Caliber selection wise the Encore is more versatile and if rimfire is a concern I understand adapters are available for the Encore.

Admittedly I'm a big fan of the 7mm08 in speciality handguns so for your first Encore barrel I'd go with a 15" 7mm08.

Ike

OK I'll throw in here. I looked long and hard at the TC systems. Not sure I even wanted one. Bought an XP a couple years before I took the TC plunge. The XP is awesome but quick caliber swap is not an option and they are expensive to collect compared to TC barrels. When I did buy I got the encore. I liked the idea of no pressure restrictions as compared to the contender. Rimfire in the encore is an option also. They make an off set fireing pin kit for the encore. Also On Target Technoliges makes off set barrels for rimfire so no modifications to the frame are necessary. Just install the barrel and shoot.


PS; I now have 2 frames and 6 barrels in the encore.

It all comes down to personal preference. If I had to choose I would pick the Old Contender over either the G-2 or the Encore, just cause it handles better than either of them. Plus with the wildcat cartridges out there I can shoot anything from mice to bigger. Next time I would look for is something in a 6.5 caliber, much better than any 7mm out there.

I would buy a new season for the tide.

tigers good
bama bad

16-13....sorry bama, could not resist.

Thanks for all the input. I have held both the G2 and Encore. I plan to shoot a friends contender next week. He is getting week and may sell it to me too.

MsMudcat you are correct the tigers are good this year in fact if we had a kicker we would have beet the kitty cats in Baton Rouge I didn't realize there were so Many Auburn Tiger fans in LA.Only problem is all their orange and blue hats and shirts have faded to "Merlot" and yellow. I know and "If" bull frogs had wings they wouldn't bump their butts when they hopped.

LOL Auburn is "THE UNIVIVERSITY of ALABAMA" WAR EAGLE

OBTW, I consider St Bernard Parish my outdoor home, I spend too much time there hunting and fishing. I hope you and your family made it through the storms okay.

My solution was to get both. The Contender in blue and the Encore in stainless. And unlike women there are no complaints for having two.

I like your idea smorgan, I've been thinking about adding a 270 encore to my collection, I never thought I would like single shot pistols but the contender got me hooked.

Your question may be easier to answer if you had told us about intended use. For example, if deer only, then a 10" 30/30 Contender is tough to match for versatility, portability and ease of reloading. Get a 223 or 204 barrel and you'll be set for varmints. And you can add rimfire barrels too. But if elk is on your agenda for the future, then Encore it 30/06 or more is the way to go. And you can't use rimfire barrels without costly aftermarket mod.
Contender barrels fit a G-2 and vice versa, except that the G-2 muzzlelaoder barrels only fits G-2. The latest version of Contender tend to have better triggers. My four are crisp and break at 2, 2, 2.5 and 3 (the last one is recent and hasn't been shot much). Some earier generation frames, when mated with later version barrels can create headspace problems. Some older barrels, esp with the one piece bolt, can cause consistant ignition issues. Fix by replacing bolt (not big deal) which TC will provide sometimes for free.
G-2 don't need to be recocked if you let the hammer down without firing, Contenders do...but it's no big deal, just trip the trigger spur, no need to open the barrel as some would have you gelieve.The G-2 has a different handle angle so the frame grip won't fit Contender and vice sersa.Barrel forends are the same for both. Contender is being replaced by G-2, it's primarrily a marketing decision. Can't sell guns unless somethinging is changed.(e.g. wsm and wssm fever). I shoot Contenders and Encore, so far have seen no need (or want) for G-2.