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which thompson center?

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Ian Johnson

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Jun 30, 2011
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Ponchatoula, LA
what are the advantages of getting a contender over an encore? and can old contender barrels fit the new g2 frames and vice versa?

thanks
Ian
 
T/C choices

The Contender and the Encore each have different advantages. Encore is a more robust firearm and can be used for much more powerful cartridges. The primary advantage therein is as a rifle. As a pistol, it can chamber the heaviest cartridges, such as the big .460 and .500 magnums. The Contender cannot do that. The Encore is also a heavier gun. It does not have as fine a trigger, generally, as the Contender. My own favorite Encore setup is a 12 inch barrel in .223 Rem.
So....the Contender.....my favorite of the two. It has been available for quite a bit longer than its big brother. Smaller framed and lighter, it can be had in a bewildering number of chamberings and barrel lengths. Last time that I checked, some years ago, there were barrels available for more than 100 cartridges.
My own favorite is a 10" barrel chambered for the .30-30 Win and firing 125 grain SPs.
Want a powerful rifle?..the Encore is the choice between the two with barrels available up to .416 Rigby.
Want a light, accurate, easy handling carbine? The Contender works...I have a .30-30 barrel, 16 1/4" , that will shoot MOA groups at 100 yards day in and day out.
Pete
 
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Pete just about covered it. I was in the market for a contender and encore, and ended up with the contender for all the reasons stated above. I have a 14" 30-30 barrel on it now and it is way more accurate than me.
 
The Contender G2 uses the same trigger assembly as the Encore. I have owned G1s and G2 contenders and the trigger is much better on the G1 version. The G1's can be slightly more quirky than the G2's, head spacing, hammer block, trigger spring have been refined on the G2. if you find a nice G1 used that is running smoothly it would be superior to the G2. You can use G1 barrels and forends on G2's but not the pistol grip or rifle stock, those are G2 specific. For pistol setups the Contender is lighter and svelter than Encore but limited in cartridges. My Contender is one of my favorite guns, 2-3" groups in .357 magnum at 100 yards 12" barrel and 2-6 scope. It drops hogs easily.
 
Please don't buy the Encore. Biggest piece of junk to ever cross my doorway. Check out bellmtcs.com and you'll understand why.
 
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