T/C G2 Contender VS. Encore Pistol?
- Thread starter IM_Lugger
- Start date
The Encore action is heavier than the Contender action. Somewhat because of that, the Encore can be chambered for more powerful cartridges.
If you want slimmer, more elegant, and lighter, the Contender is the way to go. (And the old ones could have their triggers tuned up really nice.) If you want a 30/06 or bigger, then go with the Encore!
Gregg
If you want slimmer, more elegant, and lighter, the Contender is the way to go. (And the old ones could have their triggers tuned up really nice.) If you want a 30/06 or bigger, then go with the Encore!
Gregg
mikejonestkd
New member
Concerning the triggers on the G2 vs the Encore:
Current production pistols have almost identical trigger assemblies - so the triggers on new ones are the same.
Old Contenders have a better chance of having a crisp trigger from the fatory.
Either way, a few bucks at your local smith can tune a new G2 or and encore to have a nice trigger suitable for hunting. my current frame has a nice 2# trigger with a fairly crisp letoff and almost no overtravel.
Get the encore, there is a much wider selection of caliber available from the factory and from custom shops.
BTW, don't be tempted to get a pistol in .270win and up unless you are used to that much recoil. They can be a handful to control and most people that own them tend to flinch after a few shots ( although they probably won't ever admit it )
here's a few good sites to visit:
E Arthur brown: http://www.eabco.com/tcref.html
TC encore: http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/encore.php
TC Contender: http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/g2Contender.php
Current production pistols have almost identical trigger assemblies - so the triggers on new ones are the same.
Old Contenders have a better chance of having a crisp trigger from the fatory.
Either way, a few bucks at your local smith can tune a new G2 or and encore to have a nice trigger suitable for hunting. my current frame has a nice 2# trigger with a fairly crisp letoff and almost no overtravel.
Get the encore, there is a much wider selection of caliber available from the factory and from custom shops.
BTW, don't be tempted to get a pistol in .270win and up unless you are used to that much recoil. They can be a handful to control and most people that own them tend to flinch after a few shots ( although they probably won't ever admit it )
here's a few good sites to visit:
E Arthur brown: http://www.eabco.com/tcref.html
TC encore: http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/encore.php
TC Contender: http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/g2Contender.php
A slightly different opinion
While the Encore will handle larger rifle calibers that the Contender/G2 cannot, my opinion is that you would be better served from a handgun perspective by the Contender.
Considering what you can actually get out of the (at most) 14" barrels, I don't think getting an Encore in a large rifle caliber is worth it. You get to spend a bit more money (ammo cost) for very little benefit. You will get a few fps more from the bigger rounds, but at the cost of increased blast, recoil, and cost for a very small performance increase. Now, if that matters to you, then go for it, but other wise, why bother?
Remington brought out the .221 Fireball, specifically because they could not get full performance from the .222 Rem in the 10" barrel of the XP-100 pistol. So they went to a smaller case, so that there wasn't as much "waste".
All the powder you burn outside the barrel get you nothing except blast, so why waste it? Now, if you already have rifles in those calibers, then that is a reason to get an Encore, but otherwise?
I have a Contender (an old one), and about a dozen barrels, most of them 10", with a couple of 14"s. That's plenty for me, because when I want a more powerful round than the Contender handles, I want a rifle to use the long barrel to get the most from it.
If you plan on using your pistol as a rifle also, then the Encore makes good sense (remember, under the law you can put a rifle barrel and stock on a pistol, but you cannot legally put a pistol barrel on a rifle action and use it as a handgun) because your can have both pistol and rifle length barrels in large calibers. The Encore in a full size rifle would make a dandy carbine length package, while keeping the velocity advantage of a rifle length barrel.
While the Encore will handle larger rifle calibers that the Contender/G2 cannot, my opinion is that you would be better served from a handgun perspective by the Contender.
Considering what you can actually get out of the (at most) 14" barrels, I don't think getting an Encore in a large rifle caliber is worth it. You get to spend a bit more money (ammo cost) for very little benefit. You will get a few fps more from the bigger rounds, but at the cost of increased blast, recoil, and cost for a very small performance increase. Now, if that matters to you, then go for it, but other wise, why bother?
Remington brought out the .221 Fireball, specifically because they could not get full performance from the .222 Rem in the 10" barrel of the XP-100 pistol. So they went to a smaller case, so that there wasn't as much "waste".
All the powder you burn outside the barrel get you nothing except blast, so why waste it? Now, if you already have rifles in those calibers, then that is a reason to get an Encore, but otherwise?
I have a Contender (an old one), and about a dozen barrels, most of them 10", with a couple of 14"s. That's plenty for me, because when I want a more powerful round than the Contender handles, I want a rifle to use the long barrel to get the most from it.
If you plan on using your pistol as a rifle also, then the Encore makes good sense (remember, under the law you can put a rifle barrel and stock on a pistol, but you cannot legally put a pistol barrel on a rifle action and use it as a handgun) because your can have both pistol and rifle length barrels in large calibers. The Encore in a full size rifle would make a dandy carbine length package, while keeping the velocity advantage of a rifle length barrel.
Hammerhead
New member
The G2 has the advantage of a rimfire firing pin that the Encore does not. The G2 also has a manual safety.
For .22lr through .357 Mag the G2 is all you need.
I'm not a big fan of the rifle calibers in a pistol. I like my 9" .44 Rem Mag and 9" .357 mag barrels for my Encore a lot. Full power .44 Rem Mag loads are my recoil limit.
With the 9" barrels, the Encore has become my best offhand shooter. With 12" or 15" barrels, the Encore becomes too unwieldy for me to shoot offhand.
For .22lr through .357 Mag the G2 is all you need.
I'm not a big fan of the rifle calibers in a pistol. I like my 9" .44 Rem Mag and 9" .357 mag barrels for my Encore a lot. Full power .44 Rem Mag loads are my recoil limit.
With the 9" barrels, the Encore has become my best offhand shooter. With 12" or 15" barrels, the Encore becomes too unwieldy for me to shoot offhand.
mikejonestkd
New member
The encore is available now as a rimfire too. I do agree that the larger rifle calibers are at the upper end of what most of us want to shoot, they can be unbearable with the added recoil and muzzle blast, and the added weight of a long ( 15" barrel ) encore vs a more compact 10" contender g2 can be tiring to carry all day.
Most of my deer hunting is from a stand so I have never really minded a 15" encore's added bulk and length. Some others may not like it, thankfully they make many, many calibers and barrel choices so there is bound to be something for everyone - either one is a great choice, accurate, strong, dependable, and well made.
A big ole +1 on TC products!!!! Lets hope that S&W keep up the quality now that they are in charge.
Most of my deer hunting is from a stand so I have never really minded a 15" encore's added bulk and length. Some others may not like it, thankfully they make many, many calibers and barrel choices so there is bound to be something for everyone - either one is a great choice, accurate, strong, dependable, and well made.
A big ole +1 on TC products!!!! Lets hope that S&W keep up the quality now that they are in charge.
Im so glad there are some Contender fans here on the forum.
Wifey has given me the go ahead to purchase another Pistol after Christmass and after thinking long and hard, I decided on the Contender.
Im looking for a long range target shooting pistol with a somewhat flat trajectory bullet I can hand load from my Dillon Square Deal.
The Encore model thew me for a loop at the gun shop, Thanks for clearing it up.
MikeJones has it correct about heavy recoil calibers,I had the chance to shoot a contender about 20 years ago chambered in 44-70 Govt.
The recoil was so bad, it brought back a flinch that I worked for a long time to eliminate.
I shot two shots from that 44-70 and cursed the owner.
Fireing it was like holding your hands together out in front of you,palms forward,and some one hitting your hands with a base ball bat at full swing!
Now, I was used to 44 mag rounds and the 223 in the contenders. Nothing prepared me for that much force.
Wifey has given me the go ahead to purchase another Pistol after Christmass and after thinking long and hard, I decided on the Contender.
Im looking for a long range target shooting pistol with a somewhat flat trajectory bullet I can hand load from my Dillon Square Deal.
The Encore model thew me for a loop at the gun shop, Thanks for clearing it up.
MikeJones has it correct about heavy recoil calibers,I had the chance to shoot a contender about 20 years ago chambered in 44-70 Govt.
The recoil was so bad, it brought back a flinch that I worked for a long time to eliminate.
I shot two shots from that 44-70 and cursed the owner.
Fireing it was like holding your hands together out in front of you,palms forward,and some one hitting your hands with a base ball bat at full swing!
Now, I was used to 44 mag rounds and the 223 in the contenders. Nothing prepared me for that much force.
ActivShootr
New member
Finally, a vs. thread worth debating!
I like the features of the encore. The swing-out hammer works good with a scope and is handy for righties AND lefties. Its also available in rimfire calibers so it could be fun for the whole family.
I like the features of the encore. The swing-out hammer works good with a scope and is handy for righties AND lefties. Its also available in rimfire calibers so it could be fun for the whole family.
IM_Lugger. Good question.
Im my hands, the felt recoil was just about the same. There was a difference in noise. The 223 had much louder report then the 44 mag, probably due to the unspent gasses exiting the barrel.The noise alone would probably cause a pretty bad flinch in a new shooter.
Long range ,target wise,I would choose the 223. Much flatter shooting caliber and less cross wind interference.
Im looking at the Contender in either the 357 or 44 mag,instead of the 223 just because I have a hand gun reloader.
If I didnt, the 223 would be my choice.
Im my hands, the felt recoil was just about the same. There was a difference in noise. The 223 had much louder report then the 44 mag, probably due to the unspent gasses exiting the barrel.The noise alone would probably cause a pretty bad flinch in a new shooter.
Long range ,target wise,I would choose the 223. Much flatter shooting caliber and less cross wind interference.
Im looking at the Contender in either the 357 or 44 mag,instead of the 223 just because I have a hand gun reloader.
If I didnt, the 223 would be my choice.
I agree with 44AMP. Plus, I have no use for modern bottleneck rifle cartridges in rifles, let alone pistols. They bore the hell out of me to boot. The Contender appeals to me more because it is available in chamberings more suited to a pistol as well as many varied and interesting wildcats.
"Im looking at the Contender in either the 357 or 44 mag,instead of the 223 just because I have a hand gun reloader."
You might want to take a close look at the .357 Maximum. It is the .357 Magnum + 3/8" of case length. You can load it with .357 Mag dies and it should work in a "handgun" reloader but you would know better there. Very good performance, with 180's from a 10" barrel you can get 1700 FPS+, out of a 14"er you can do well over 2000. Recoil is very manageable. FWIW, Rod.
You might want to take a close look at the .357 Maximum. It is the .357 Magnum + 3/8" of case length. You can load it with .357 Mag dies and it should work in a "handgun" reloader but you would know better there. Very good performance, with 180's from a 10" barrel you can get 1700 FPS+, out of a 14"er you can do well over 2000. Recoil is very manageable. FWIW, Rod.
Yep, the 357, and the 445, 414, 375 supermags as well. The Maximum moniker came from Remington when they made ammo for it, the Supermags were all Wesson creations. They are all great rounds for the 'Tender platform. There was also a 32 cal version on the drawing board that never came to life. Well, until now, kinda.