TC single shot varieties

[WestKentucky]

Which is the best? Contender g1, contender g2, Encore. As a PISTOL which one makes the most sense, especially when considering paying through the nose to legally turn a pistol into a SBR with folding stock.

The idea is to have a ultra compact gun that could be carried either folded and in a gigantic custom holster, or tucked into a backpack for longer trips when not actually hunting.

Currently I have a contender g1 frame, 7-30 water barrel and 357 mag hotshot barrel. Both barrels are 10” which I think is about 2 to 4 inches shorter than optimal for what I want to do. I want something deer/black bear capable out to about 200 yards with reasonable hunting accuracy. I like my gun, but I’m not married to the gun, so in pursuit of the packable SBR I would consider turning it loose to aquire whatever I end up with for long term use. Elk capable to 200 yards would also be nice but realistically if I’m chasing an elk I’m paying big money and will build a rifle specifically for the task, and not likely a single shot.

What makes the most sense? Pour more money into my current gun? Sell my gun and buy a g2? Sell my gun and buy an Encore? Wait and snag a used encore later on?

Realistically I see no Reason to swap from g1 to g2 contenders. I may be wrong, but I see no real benefit to the updated frame. It doesn’t open up caliber options or do anything better than my g1 does. Again, I may be wrong as I am sure that there was a reason for the changes to be made. Encore opens up a bunch of options for calibers so it’s a whole new world there, but the gun is built heavier and I’m not so sure that the weight increase would be justifiable if I’m not utilizing the strength of the frame by using something like a 308 on it.

 

[BreechFace]

Thanks for this thread, I have no experience with any of the single shots and have been mulling the idea in my brain and am in no hurry to spend more money, but it's fun to plan. I like you, would consider SBR'ing it.

If I'm going to get into one of these and SBR it I want to make sure I'm heading in the right direction as well. I'm a sucker for backpack type guns.

 

[BreechFace]

What pressures are the G1 and G2 frame good for? 40k and under? Obviously, bolt thrust and the like come into play, but trying to gauge what one is giving up by sticking with the G1 and G2's.

For my uses I think the G1 and G2's would be the ideal, I'm not looking for a high pressure round, and the added weight like you mentioned is a bit of a detractor.

I think if I were to get into high pressure rounds I would be looking into the Rem 700 and Savage bolt action handguns.

 

[PapaG]

I have three gen one contenders, one each of the three minor variations. I had a G2. G1 has better trigger in my opinion. If you don't mind the 14" idea, why not go to 16" and not mess with SBR garbage?
Two of my Contenders are carbines and both are quite compact. Don't know of any folding stocks but since that isn't in my area of interest I have not explored them. Accuracy from every Contender I've owned (probably eight or ten) has been excellent. As a matter of fact I'm taking my pistol in 45 Colt deer hunting this weekend.

 

[WestKentucky]

Don't know of any folding stocks but since that isn't in my area of interest I have not explored them.

There are a few that are straight up folding stocks, a few that allow for AR buffer tube and there are folding adapters for the buffer tubes, and there is a new grip out that has a picatinny interface to take a detachable stock, and many options there, many of which are folders designed for things like AK pistols, and various other machine pistols or small autos of the type. The draw here is that where I’m hunting this year, and will continue to hunt is very tough terrain and steep climbs. I have already slid down a rock face once and managed to keep the gun safely positioned but I want more arm and hand freedom to help steady myself. A folded and packed away rifle for those chunks of the hike would be a huge improvement. The biggest issue with the folding stocks (or collections of parts to achieve that effect) available now is the cost. A decent one is over a hundred bucks, and a really nice one is nearly quadruple that. Add in a barrel or two, optics, reloading dies etc and it suddenly is unobtainable, and the cost of a stamp for SBR is roughly the same as a carbine barrel so I call that a wash. If I do paperwork for SBR it will be fall or winter so that the stamp is back hopefully before the next hunting season.

 

[Fyrstyk]

I have 4 G-1 frames. Three of them are set up with stocks for carbine use with 18-21" barrels. The remaining frame is dedicated for my pistol (10") barrels. Back when I used to hunt in the Adirondacks, we would hike in 5-6 miles to a campsite to hunt out of for a week or so. I carried my T/C carbine in 445 SM. Broken down it fit in my day pack quite easily, and it was good for deer or bear out to 150 yards or so but you don't see game that far away in the Adirondacks. The only thing I would like to have in the G-1 frame is the ability to decock the gun without having to open the frame again. I believe the G-2 frame does not require opening the frame to re-cock the gun.

 

[PapaG]

I have 4 G-1 frames. Three of them are set up with stocks for carbine use with 18-21" barrels. The remaining frame is dedicated for my pistol (10") barrels. Back when I used to hunt in the Adirondacks, we would hike in 5-6 miles to a campsite to hunt out of for a week or so. I carried my T/C carbine in 445 SM. Broken down it fit in my day pack quite easily, and it was good for deer or bear out to 150 yards or so but you don't see game that far away in the Adirondacks. The only thing I would like to have in the G-1 frame is the ability to decock the gun without having to open the frame again. I believe the G-2 frame does not require opening the frame to re-cock the gun.

Correct on the G2.

 

[WestKentucky]

The only thing I would like to have in the G-1 frame is the ability to decock the gun without having to open the frame again. I believe the G-2 frame does not require opening the frame to re-cock the gun.

That is realistically the only advantage I see to the g2. The lack of the panther scene also makes it easier to engrave the frame on a g2 though should I go about the SBR process, but that is a minuscule and irrelevant point for the purpose of this thread. There is plenty room to engrave on the g1 frame, it just will not be as neatly laid out.

 

[HB]

If you don't mind the 14" idea, why not go to 16" and not mess with SBR garbage?

That is my thinking as well.

And if you think the rifle will be stowed away in a pack (aka, 30 seconds from use), I’d look into a Remington model 7 or similar compact rifle. If its not something you need to snap shoot/be in your hands then might as well carry a more capable rifle.

I have a hard time shooting small/light rifles well. If you make the effort to hunt rough terrain you don’t want to miss because you have a suboptimal rifle.

If you want to stick with the TC, shoot Kurt Bellm at Bellm’s TC’s an email.

 

[WestKentucky]

If you don't mind the 14" idea, why not go to 16" and not mess with SBR garbage?

because I want smaller than 16”. A 16” barrel makes for at a minimum about a 20” overall length. That will not fit in some of the areas I would like to store the gun (inside of my backpack). And SBR give me much more room to reconfigure as I so choose. Either way I will be buying barrels and stocks so I figure if I can still use my current barrels then I’m in good shape.

 

[BreechFace]

Agreed, less than 19” overall length is needed for most backpacks.

 

[Creed Bennett]

Totally my personal preference but the G1 is my favorite. I have a blued frame and a a stainless frame. Never did fondle a G2 but picked up and checked out the encore in several configurations and didn’t like it. My originals seem more refined to me. I’m sure I rattled some windows and knocked some stuff off the table at your relatives house up the hill from my shooting range with the 357 Herrett back in the day!