Thompson Center G2 or Encore?

[hylander]

Looking for a new single shot.
I have had the older G1 Contenders but not the new stuff.
Would use mostly for pistol calibers like 45 Colt and also 7-30 Waters for Silhouette.
Is the Encore to bulky for mostly Pistol use?

[rking22]

That would be your call, depends a lot on what you like to do. Personally speaking, they are too bulky for anything I want one for. I have 2 contenders, for over 30 years, I had an Encore for 6 months. If you are staying with the calibers you stated then Contender is plenty. Encores are for 270Win type loads, Contenders 30-30 and 44 mag. That said, the G2 probably goes a little farther up the pressure/ case diameter scale. Wrap your hands around one and see what you think. Personal opinion, for what it's worth.

[modified5]

i have not shot the G2 yet. May have to try one.
I have shot both the “G1” and Encore I. Pistol and rifle/carbine configuration and prefer the trigger of the Contender to the Encore.
If I were just looking to shoot pistol type rounds, I would get the G2 for the size. Unless it is going to be just a bench gun, then the extra meat may help you.
Shoot both if you can.

[NSB]

At one time I owned three Contenders which I used for silhouette shooting and hunting. I now own two Encores. I consider both to be bulky guns when used as a handgun. However, they shoot well and can be used to good effect at long distances if rested while shot. I don't think there's enough difference in the two for me to say one is good for handgun and one isn't. I like them both, but both are just plain big for what you'd like to call a handgun. Just my opinion.

[JSH]

I want to puke every time I see G1.
Contender/G2 size frames vs Encore, if I am going to pack around say a 357 to say a 30-30, I don't want nor need the extra weight and bulk. I class them by calibers they will handle. Even some of the cartridges specifically developed for the Contender were brutal, but the weight and design of the Encore tame them down.
Everyone is different, my 14" 30-30 Contender is a favorite, yet my 15" 308 WW Encore bothers me no more recoil wise.

[bdicki]

With the G2 you don't have to open it to recock it if you let the hammer down, more of a hunting thing though not so much at the bench. The G1 barrels and fore ends will fit on a G2 but the grips don't interchange. I sold all of my G1 frames after I got the G2.

[Jackpine]

I want to puke every time I see G1.

What is it that you dislike so much about the GI?

[MT Gianni]

I love my Encores but they are set up as rifles.

TC never made a G1, just a regular frame, and updated regular hammer and trigger and a G2. The semantics of calling something preceding a G2, a G1 offends some people. I find it descriptive even if the manufacturer didn't call it that.

[barnabus]

encores are heavy .Buy the G2

[Brassduck]

get one of each(contender,G2 and Encore) and lots of barrels !!!

[Jackpine]

I just don't understand why some folks get their panties in a twist over the term G1. (I could speculate, but don't want to offend tender egos.) I realize their was never officially a G1, but then there was never a Winchester labeled or marketed as Pre 64 either, but that is certainly another common sense and descriptive term. It just makes it clear to folks which general frame you are referring to.

My personal opinion is that the Contender would be a great choice for the calibers you listed. (unless you personally want the additional weight for recoil dampening) The choice between the Contender (or G1 for those who don't get all excited) and the G2, IMHO, comes down to the point made in a previous post about the hammer and trigger preference. Yes, you do have to open and close the frame of the G1 if you cock and decock the hammer, before you can cock it again. The reason for this is that you have what I will call, for descriptive purposes, and internal hammer, which when it falls, triggers the hammer to fall. This internal hammer is cocked by opening the frame and dropped when you decock the hammer. I have hunted quite a bit with this style and personally never had a problem, but my good friend Murphy is always close at hand, so it could be an issue.

The advantage of the trigger mechanism on all the original Contender modesl (G1s) again IMHO is the ability to practice using only the "internal hammer." If you open and close the frame, but do not cock the hammer, you can pull the trigger and you get same trigger pull and trigger break that you get if you cock the hammer. This allows you to dry fire without snap caps or worry, and you can clearly see and feel your follow through.

The other huge advantage of the Contender can be it's ability to use a rim fire barrel. Everyone reading this probably knows this already, but the all the Contenders have two firing pins, and you select which one will be struck by making a change in the hammer. There were several variations of this mechanism in the original Contenders. The early models had a rotating piece in the hammer, half of which protruced, adn the other half was recessed. By rotating this piece 180 degrees, you set the hammer for either rim or centerfire. The Safety was hammer set at a half cock position. Some of the later versions of this style had a little bar that slid left and right and actuated a pin that would prevent the hammer from falling all the way to the frame and firing pins, and was the saftey. The later versions had a little protrusion that you simply turned with your fingers, to the left or right for center or rim, and turned to the center for SAFE. For hunting, I personally like the original models the best, as there was not the chance of the little finger bar getting turned the wrong way and tempting my old buddy Murphy.

Another difference in the later versions of the original generation was the frame opening lever. The originals pivoted in the front, while the later Easy Open frames, pivoted more towards the center, which provided better leverage on pushing the locking lugs forward. Some shooters really like that part, while others see little or no advantage.

The last point I will make or raise, is that of legality of putting a pistol barrel on an Encore sold as a rifle. There was a legal battle and a Letter Ruling issued by BATF years ago, that clarified that it was legal to put a rifle barrel on a Contender (all Contenders back then had been sold originally as pistols) and then "convert" it back to pistol. I don't think that has changed. Unless there has been a BATF ruling or a court case, I think you would be in violation if you have an Encore that was sold originally as a rifle or a muzzle loader, and then you put a pistol barrel and grips on it. (I think the same could apply to a Contender if it was originally sold as a rifle, but I have personally never seen this, but there may have been some sold that way.) All my Contenders were all purchased originally as pistols and rifle stocks and barrels purchased after, and I have never put a pistol grip or or pistol barrel on on of my Encores, so have never had reason to pursue the issue, but am curious.

Jackpine

[rking22]

Does the G2 have a firing pin selector, never held one? Funny story on the early style rim/center selector, you gotta remember to put it back to center fire for a 357herrett before dropping the hammer on a good buck! I was half way back to the house when I remembered about playing with the 22 barrel the day before. Bought another frame when I saw one for a good price. One for playing around, one stays a357Herrett! All happened many years ago, now the CRS would surely get me, Me Murphy, indeed!

[Jackpine]

Does the G2 have a firing pin selector, never held one?

Yes, they do.

It has a little bar on the top of the hammer, that your rotate left or right for rim or center fire, and in line with bore for SAFE, like the later production models original Contenders.

[JSH]

A Mouser rifle is about as descriptive as a G1.
In all of the TC crowd I have run with, and still do, I never ever heard of a g1 until the G2 came upon the scene. Just a pet peeve of mine. One of the things the Internet has done for us, abbreviate s many things any more.

[redneck1]

I have big hands , big enough that I almost never find gloves at a store that fit .
The encore is at the very outside of my comfortable level with a tc grip.
If I wanted it for what you want it for I'd go contender unless I found a deal

[500Linebaughbuck]

personally, i like the encore with "rifle" barrels, the 444 marlin and 500L come to mind. for anything under 16" barrel (30-30/35 rem/357 max/7-30 waters...) then i go to contender.


if a contender/encore is sold as a rifle, then 16"+ barrel goes on it. if a contender/encore is sold as a pistol, then the sky is limit. if you want an encore in 30-30 with 2" barrel and a 458 lott with 30" barrel, you'll buy the encore as a pistol. you can do the contender the same way as a encore.

[hylander]

Thanks for the input.
I'm thinking the G2 should fit the bill for me.
Just did not know what the difference was between the first genaration Contender and G2.
By the way they may not have called the first Contenders a G1 but it still was the first Gen.

[Ramjet-SS]

I like them both but for what you describing the G2 is a great choice. One of my favorite guns right now is my little G2 witha 18" 10mm carbine barrle on it just real treat to carry and shoot.

[lostindesert]

I have T/C in the original G, the G2, and the Encore. Lots of barrels. Most are scoped.

Several months ago I got the G2 in 45 colt from the Bellm's, Mike and Kurt. I put an 8X Leupold on it.

It shoots .25 inch groups at 25 yards off a bench rest. It's the finest shooting piece out of hundreds I've had my hands on.

If that doesn't get your lust moving upward, you need serious medications.


Lost
Bellm's are the absolute kings of the T/C. My highest recommendation for buying and having them set it up for you. They are across the street from MGM barrels. Pick your caliber.

[McFred]

The later versions had a little protrusion that you simply turned with your fingers, to the left or right for center or rim, and turned to the center for SAFE. For hunting, I personally like the original models the best, as there was not the chance of the little finger bar getting turned the wrong way and tempting my old buddy Murphy.

I've carried late-model "Easy Open" Contenders and the G2 in the field and at the range for at least 16 years and fired ~7000 rounds collectively through them and never once had the 90˚ rimfire selector move off the intended setting. I know 'ol Murphy's a real bastard but he's got more productive methods of wrecking your day than that selector switch IME.

I prefer the trigger of the Original Contender but prefer the aesthetics of the G2 without the cougar "engraving." Theoretically, the G2's safer with a round in the chamber. The older models will have the firing pin resting on a live primer if you gently let the hammer down after having cocked it. Breaking the action to reset the trigger will lift the hammer back up off the primer but it's an extra step.

I'd happily sell/trade-off the Original Contenders that have the PITA-opening frame. It's too bad there is no longer a service available to convert them to Easy Open flavors.

Of course the older Contender frames are no longer supported by S&W if factory support is a purchase consideration.

The Encores I've held seemed fine as rifles. They're pretty short for a given barrel length vs a bolt-action. As a pistol they're pretty heavy and are not intended to be used as rimfires.

2¢