Encore or contender ?

[grendel]

I am brand new to handgun hunting, so sorry if this is a rather stupid question, but wanted to know up to what cal. could I safely shoot from a contender before i had to move up to an encore frame.

[gossman]

I shoot a .35 Rem, it is a great round and rocks from a 14" barrel. They also offer a 30-30 and a .45-70(it's a bruser). I have a brother in law that just took a real nice deer with his Encore in .280, he loves the gun and he also is a big fan of his old Contender frame in 30-30

[Tailgunner]

It's not exactly the caliber that limits what can be fired in the contender framed pistols, but the operating pressure x the internal area of the case head IOW case thrust aganst the breach face (AKA Bolt thrust).
This is why a high pressure/small base round like the 223 can be used V/S a med pressure/med base rounds like the 30-30 & 35Rem V/S a low pressure/large base round like the 47-70.

The Encore frame is stronger & beefer so that it can handle the higher pressure/larger base cartridges (you can get a 15" 416 Rigby barrel for the Encore).

Look at the websites for TC (and the companys that make aftermarket barrels for the Contender) to see if the round your wanting to use is available.

[tri70]

The Encore has more variety than the Contender frame, I have the Contender but it would be good to have more options, I have only 1 barrel 35 Rem, I can't decide what to get next maybe a 44mag or 223. I don't hunt alot with it but it does shoot well.

-tri

[SD Handgunner]

It's not exactly the caliber that limits what can be fired in the contender framed pistols, but the operating pressure x the internal area of the case head IOW case thrust aganst the breach face (AKA Bolt thrust).
This is why a high pressure/small base round like the 223 can be used V/S a med pressure/med base rounds like the 30-30 & 35Rem V/S a low pressure/large base round like the 47-70.

The Encore frame is stronger & beefer so that it can handle the higher pressure/larger base cartridges (you can get a 15" 416 Rigby barrel for the Encore).

Look at the websites for TC (and the companys that make aftermarket barrels for the Contender) to see if the round your wanting to use is available.

Very good explaination !

However there are some people out there that are chambering or rechambering Contender Barrels for cartridges that are NOT SAFE for the Contender Frame. Yes you may be able to fire such cartridges and barrels and not have the gun blow up in your hands, but sustained use of these cartridges and the frame will eventually stretch. If you are shopping for a used barrel and find one chambered for a cartridge that is questionable it is always a good idea to contact T/C for guidance.

Larry