Contender or Encore

[jaysouth]

I have a couple of single shot rifles that I enjoy casting/reloading/shooting/hunting.

My next single shot is going to be a contender/encore in .30-30.

However, I am need to get up to speed on Encores. I think that I want an Encore but am not sure about how to get the gun and frame I want. Does anyone sell complete rifles?

Some TC people (users and shooters) are fearful that Smith and Wesson is going to abandon the single shot market. Should I look for another gun besides TC?

I have Ruger, H&R, and EABCO single shots. Should I look for another holy grail or is buying a Contender or Encore still a good move?

Thanks

[uscra112]

Having had one Contender, I would say anything else but. Encore is stronger, but still has the same weak lockup design that American shotgun makers abandoned about 1905.

If you like the idea of switching barrels, and the price doesn't put you off, look at a CPA replica of the old Stevens 44 1/2 rifle. Many of these shoot under 1 MOA with cast right from the git-go, and you can still remove the barrel with nothing more than a screwdriver.

[fryboy]

buying a encore or contender is umm a addiction , not a cheap one either ...every new caliber needs new dies,brass,scope,molds ... and once you get one you're going to want another ( ask me how i know ? )
alot also depends upon what you want to shoot , the calibers on the encore arent limited like the contender is but .. i prefer the contenders when possible , oh and i umm like both pistols and rifle barrels ;) an encore doesnt have such a nice trigger as the contender , unless it's been worked on i should add lolz the factory one's arent too bad but not as easily adjusted as the contenders are , look at bellm's as there's alot of info there and edstc

http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/
http://www.edstc.com/

[Doc Highwall]

I have both and the grip is different from one to the other. I have to reach more with the Encore in order to reach the trigger,not so much with the Contender.

[Iowa Fox]

I have both the Contender & Encore and actually prefer the Encore for most use. Here are a couple places to look. I have posted a want to buy add at Specialty Pistols for older TC items and got a positive response within 24 hrs. I still see some deals pop up on older Encores which I prefer but they usually don't last more than a couple hours. Triggers on the G2 & Encore are easy to sweeten up.


http://www.encoreclassifieds.com/?t=index

http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/groupee

[M-Tecs]

As a rifle I prefer the Encore. As a pistol I prefer the Contender.

[Doc Highwall]

In the Contender I have a 22lr and a 375 Winchester pistol barrels, and for the Encore pistol I have 6mm Br,6.5mm Br, and 7mm Br barrels and for rifle barrels I have 6.5mm Br, 7mm Br, and a 12 gauge rifled barrel.

[GBertolet]

I had a Contender with the 30-30 bull rifle barrel. It was a real nice shooter with cast bullets. I found the factory Contender stock was way too short. Felt like shooting a BB gun. Maybe OK for a youngster or woman.

With the original design Contender, if you lower the hammer, you must open the action to reset the striker before you can cock the hammer again. With the second generation Contender, the G2, this issue is resolved. If you go with the Contender, be sure of which generation you are buying.

If I was buying new, I would get the Encore frame. It's a stronger action and more barrels and accessories are available for it if you wish to upgrade in the future.

I have heard good things about the H&R Handi-Rifles. Decent shooters at a reasonable price. A lot cheaper then the T/C's, and you can get extra barrels for them also, cheap.

I heard the only reason S&W purchased T/C, was to get their barrel making facility, so they could use it for barrels for their M&P rifles. This might suggest lack of future commitment to the T/C line of products.

[pkie44]

As a rifle I prefer the Encore. As a pistol I prefer the Contender.
Works for me too

[kolob10]

I own several of each and have owned contenders since the early 70's. I prefer the contender (lighter) for rimfires up through .223 and the Encore for anything bigger. There is some tuning involved in each platform to attain maximum accuracy. There are several custom barrel makers out there that produce fabulous barrels. MGM, Bullberry, and David White to name a few. My most accurate pistol is a wildcat barrel for my contender. Contenders and Encores can be addicting and quite fun. Good shooting.

[Doc Highwall]

Check out this muzzle loader and the RCF rifle being made by the former workers from T/C. The rifle is going to have interchangeable barrels in .223, 30-30. 44mag, 444, 45-70 and 20 gauge smoothbore and rifled barrel.

http://www.lhrsportingarms.com/Redemption.html

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i own both too if i had to pick one it would be the encore just cus i have more barrels for it :D

[dragonrider]

I have a 14" barrel w/muzzle brake in 30-30 for my Contender and of 6 or 7 barrels I have it is my favorite. I don't have anything Encore so I can't comment on it. I do have a TCR-87 I really like also however barrels for them are very rare, I have factory 45-70 barrel for it and have made two others in 7,62x39 and 243. I am not disappointed with my Contender or my TCR.

[frankenfab]

I don't like Encore rifles at all. But I love Encore pistols.

I have a 15" 30-06 that will do 1.5" for 3 shots at 100 yds. off a sandbag repeatedly with factory Remington core-lot 180's.

Just me

[rking22]

Had great hopes when I saw the link to past TC folk, :( Why does everything have to look like a Buck Rogers prop!

Any way , I have shot contenders since 1976 , better pistols than rifles. Had an encore for maybe 6 months , just too heavy for what I want. If you want to shoot 308 Win level and up go encore ,If 3030 then contender would probably be more pleasing. A TCR83 or 87 is very nice , mine's a Hornet. I suspect ongoing support for contendres will be thin from Smith, lots of aftermarket support for a long time. Wish there was a reasonable priced 30WCF low wall out there!

[FLHTC]

I own several of both and like both. A previous comment about a weak lock-up is nonsense. Both guns serve the shooter perfectly for the calibers they're designed for. The Encore will handle Rigby, Holland & Holland, Weatherby and any other belted magnum round so if you stay away from anti-aircraft rounds, the Encore will perform fine in either rifle or handgun configuration. The Contender is suited for light rifle and pistol rounds but is still an excellent field gun. A Super Sixteen in the Hornet or 223 is one of my favorite rifles. As mentioned, the custom barrel makers offer excellent products for both guns and MGM(the old Virgin Valley)gets my vote.

[djgoings]

The Contender carbines are between 5-6#'s with a small scope. A comparable Encore will be several pounds heavier. Makes a big difference after a long days hunt.

[seaboltm]

As a rifle I prefer the Encore. As a pistol I prefer the Contender.

Yep. However 30-30 in an Encore rifle seems like overkill as a Contender can handle the 30-30 just fine, even in rifle form. Encore's shine in the 7mm-08, 308, 30-06, and magnum calibers the Contender simply can't touch.

[quilbilly]

buying a encore or contender is umm a addiction , not a cheap one either ...every new caliber needs new dies,brass,scope,molds ... and once you get one you're going to want another ( ask me how i know ? )
alot also depends upon what you want to shoot , the calibers on the encore arent limited like the contender is but .. i prefer the contenders when possible , oh and i umm like both pistols and rifle barrels ;) an encore doesnt have such a nice trigger as the contender , unless it's been worked on i should add lolz the factory one's arent too bad but not as easily adjusted as the contenders are , look at bellm's as there's alot of info there and edstc

http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/
http://www.edstc.com/
I agree. It's a terrible (but happy) addiction. Stop now while you still can. If you are just looking for a rifle, the Encore is stronger but if you want versatility, the original Contender is the way to go from between pistol and rifle. There are so many Contender barrels and so little time in life…. Now if I can just find a lonely Encore frame to bring home to keep my other Encore frame company...

[DHurtig]

I've only owned one Encore and that was a 243. Currently own 2 contender frames. Have owned at least a dozen 10" pistol barrels ( don't like the 14" ones.) Have also owned numerous carbine barrels. My current favorites are a 21" 30-30 and a 16 1/2" stainless 22 Hornet that has been opened up to 22 K Hornet by SSK. I much prefer the size of the contenders.

[M-Tecs]

DHurtig

Did you notice an increase in case life on the Contender when you switched to the K Hornet? I know it makes a big difference on bolt guns but I am not sure if it's the same on Contenders since they tend to be somewhat hard on brass. I have one that I am thinking about changing to a K Hornet.

[TCFAN]

I have both the Contender and Encore. Like others have said I prefer the Contender for handgun and the Encore for rifle.I have a 30-30 24 inch barrel for my Encore that I use for for cast boolit shooting from the bench rest.It is a factory barrel with a 1-10 inch twist but it does shoot very well.The triggers are easy to rework to make them safe and lite. The one thing I do not like about the Encore is the rebounding hammer.
The extra weight of the Encore over the Contender is a plus for me. I much prefer a rifle that weighs more than a Contender carbine...........Terry

[DHurtig]

The barrel was already opened up to the K Hornet when I got it. I haven't got to shoot it near as much as I would like to, so case life has not been an issue so far.

[uscra112]

I started my Contender experience with a Hornet barrel and a .357 Max barrel. Hornet case life was abysmal - sometimes only 2-3 firings, and not even with top loads at that. Separations just above the base. Long story short, that barrel had about .004 - .005 headspace on my action, taken from the rim. Could not shim the bushing, or the .357 barrel would have been wrong, so I reamed the Hornet to a K Hornet, so the case could be headspaced on the shoulder. Viola! Cases fired 6-8 times show no signs of stretching at all.

[Rick Hodges]

I have an old style Contender Carbine with 22lr, 22hornet, and 7x30Waters bbls. It is sub MOA with the centerfires and sub head of squirrel with the 22lr. I like it a lot. All up it is about 5.5 lbs. with a Leupold 2x7 scope. It is a pleasure to carry and hunt with.
If it was me I would get the Contender. The Encore always seemed overly large and heavy to me. Not needed for a 30-30.

[Iowa Fox]

DHurtig

Did you notice an increase in case life on the Contender when you switched to the K Hornet? I know it makes a big difference on bolt guns but I am not sure if it's the same on Contenders since they tend to be somewhat hard on brass. I have one that I am thinking about changing to a K Hornet.

I have found its the reloading dies more than anything that are hard on brass. I have three Contender barrels in the Hornet, One Bullberry barrel for the Encore in K Hornet, and a 1885 Win in K Hornet. For the K Hornet I use Redding which gives excellent sizing and case life. For the regular Hornet I think I have every brand of die offered including the Wilson Neck bushing die. My 21" factory SS has the sloppiest chamber of all of them but using the Lee Collet neck sizing die gives excellent accuracy with long case life.

[rkcohen]

FWIW, have both, Contender w/22 Hornet, 35Rem and 375Winchester and Encore in 223Rem, 308Win.
That said, the Contender is no longer made and parts are starting to dry up - Bellm is a good place for info, small parts and such.
If you use Wilson dies for something like a 22Hornet, case life is great - learning to adjust your normal dies in concert with something like an RCBS Precision Mic will help you "dial in" the others...
For someone buying today - go with an Encore, parts will be easier to get in the long run - don't be surprised if S&W doesn't axe the TC single shot line entirely.....

[ohland]

The rifle is going to have interchangeable barrels in .223, 30-30. 44mag, 444, 45-70 and 20 gauge smoothbore and rifled barrel.http://www.lhrsportingarms.com/Redemption.html

http://www.lhrsportingarms.com/RCF.html
223 Rem (Available in June) 13.5" LOP 21" Barrel 5.75 lbs

Breech area looks sorta like the TCR's non-cylindrical breech.

What might be cool is a center fire barrel that fits into a Redemption stub, use a threaded ring to snug up the barrel. Some way to allow barrel swapping for the smaller calibers. Probably would not work with the 473 and larger case heads.

Use the ring at the back to pull up a barrel shank from the front. Have an indexing pin to keep barrels correctly oriented... Or use a matching straight milled edge at the front of the stub to pull the barrel against. This could use a threaded lug like the Rem 700 to index it... For the bigger stuff, the barrel and barrel lug would have to be akin to the Encore construction.

[bigted]

Encore !!!

[hornady308]

I have both. For a 30-30, get a pre-G2 Contender. It is lighter in weight, has a better trigger and there are tons of old barrels around that are very affordable.

[35 shooter]

I've got the Encore in 35 whelen and love it. If get more bbls. i'll probably just go Encore since that's what i have. But a contender, original or g2 in 30/30, has got to be one light sweet package. The Encore has proven to be very accurate with cast boolits for me. I would expect the contender to do the same.

[tek4260]

I have an Encore in 375 H&H and a Contender in 44 mag.

One day soon I need to put together another Contender rifle in 35 Remington with a 16" barrel. Handy and lightweight!

The Encore in 375 is a beast with full out handloads using 300gr Sierras... The scope only cut me 4 out of 6 shots sighting it in :)