I've been considering lately to get a Contender since the prices are starting to go down. I was thinking of just starting with the frame and then building it up, but i'm not sure of what caliber to get. I love big bores. I love muzzle blast and kick, but i dont have a lot of experience with things that could embed themselves into my forehead. I was thinking on a .45/70 and starting off with light reloads then working up, or maybe a barrel from SSK in a JDJ caliber, or even a Whisper caliber. I dont plan on shooting anything past 100yds, maybe 150 if i get enuff practice to that distance. I'll be hunting for deer right now, but i will be using it for wild boar in for sure in the future, and possibly black bear and really big deer in canada.
I'd appreciate any help and guidance.

cyberhick

[This message has been edited by cyberhick (edited 09-23-2001).]

My base caliber is the .41RemMag. Have two scoped 14 inch barrels, one from Fox Ridge and one from BullBerry. I also have a .41 wildcat .41GNR#2 from Gary Reeder Custom Guns. I really like the .41 caliber for handgun hunting. I have a scoped 14 inch Hunter fron T/C in 45-70 it is a hand full with heavy loads but you can load it back to very pleasant levels. If you REALLY like the big stuff go with an Encore. The difference in price isn't much. I saw a barrel in a local gun shop that was in 458Win, now that is big in a handgun.

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Handgun Hunter
LOVE THOSE .41s'

I have and shoot a ssk 45-70 and for 100-150yds max, it is a great boomer. Fun to shoot and looks great even when you miss with all the stuff that flys with a hit.

.458, thats nuts, I dont want something that WILL embed itself into my forehead, just something that will if i aint paying attention .

Cyberhick

The Contender is a good gun to start with I have a 44 mag, 45/70, 357, 221 Fireball, 45/410, 358 JDJ, 7-30 Waters. They all shoot good and the good thing about the Contender is you can get use barrel at a good price. You could go to a Competitor pistol they shoot good to and you can get 312 barrels for it I have a 22 Hornet, 308 Win, and a 375 JRS Barrels this is a 8 MM MAG. case neck up to 375 cal. With the midgrip gun the recoil is less. My 375 JRS kicks less then my 45/70. GOOD HUNTING

I agree with Crawfish. If you want the big stuff you need the Encore. With that said, if you are getting started with single shots, there is a lot to be said with the availability of used barrels for the Contender. You can get those for cheap. The few used Encore barrels I have seen have been very expensive. I would suggest a 7MM-08 barrel to start. They are very easy to come by, shoot well, and kick just enough. Slim

Well, i'd love more than anything to go with an Encore, but a used Contender is more within my price range. What about that Competitor? Who makes them and how much are they? I aint heard of one of them. I do know that i could get one of them Magnum Reserch Lone Eagles for very cheap, but i dont like what i hear about them, accuracy wise and all.
cyberhick

If you are on a budget, you can pretty much forget a barrel from SSK, Bullberry, or Virgin Valley. They are top quality for sure, but they are not cheap. To not break the bank, stick with a standard caliber from TC or Fox Ridge. Your pocket book will thank you. I question the sanity of a 458 in a Contender. The Contender frame is not designed to work at the pressures and back thrust generated by the .458 unless it is way down-loaded. My Contender is a 15" Fox Ridge with brake in 45-70. It is absolutely devastating on deer, but it is going to pack a wallop on both ends. If you stick with the milder factory loads, it will still be plenty of punch for deer to 100 yards, and it won't beat you to death. However, the real fun begins when you handload it up for all it's worth. I shoot a 300 gr. X bullet at 1890 fps and any deer within 175 yards is toast if I don't screw up. It shoots flat to 200 yards, but the X bullet falls below minimum velocity needed for expansion at 175 yards, hence that limitation. If you want something a bit more exotic, then the Encore is the way to go. Any caliber, including the .458, is doable in that frame so long as it fits. My Encore is in 50 Alaskan and there is about as much difference between it and a 45-70 as there is between a 30-30 and a 30-06, at least to my hands.

Crawfish, did you mean that the 458 barrel was for the Contender, or Encore? If for the Encore, who made the barrel, what did the guy want for it, and where is he located? Thanks.

Get a contender, and check out Ed's contenders for great prices on used barrels, and dies, and scopes.

If you don't mind trimming brass, look into the 357 Herret. I picked one up from Ed's, $95 for barrel, and ~$20 for dies. From a 10" tube it'll drive a 200 gr cast bullet 1900 fps. The guy I traded it to was able to work up loads that would put 3 of those cast pills under 1" at 100 yds. The herret isn't very popular due to the requirement to form brass from 30/30's, and trim them back to 1.75", but it is a good round.

The 44 mag is notorius for recoil way out of proportion to its power in a contender, but it is a good consideration. You can also have the 44 re-chambered to a 445 supermag, and from a closed breach contender and longer tube compared to a revolver, you'll be running head to head with the 454 casull.

IMHO, the contender is superior to the encore as a hunting handgun, it is lighter, has a better trigger, and if you aren't adverse to wildcats, it'll do anything you'd need in a single shot handgun.

Another idea for a wildcat, and one of the simplest, search high and low for a good deal on a 14" 30/30 barrel, then send it to Mike Bellm to have it re-chambered as a 309 Bellm, which uses .308 dies (cheap), and for all intents and purposes, will match a 309 JDJ, though published data makes the JDJ appear more impressive. Same deal goes for the 358 Bellm, which uses 358 win dies, and is a close match to the 358 JDJ. You should be able to pick up a 14" 35 rem barrel for a decent price.

I've played with a few different contender barrels, and have shot several of my buddies. I've never shot a 45-70 in a contender, nor do I desire to. Personally, I feel that the contender is most versitile when used with 375 and under calibers, and my favorite bores are 22, 6.5mm, 30 and 35, there is a factory tube or wildcat out there that'll fit any need.

I have a 444 marlin in a contender and a 308 in the encore,I have'nt got to shoot anything with the 444 yet but it is alot of fun to shoot.Mine is a 44 mag rechambered and ported
If your wanting to hunt deer in canada,Good luck!! they wont even let you bring a barrel into canada.

Big Bore,
Encore, don't know wasn't that interested as I don't own an Encore. The barrel was part of a boxed set containing a frame and 4 barrels, 45-70, 458, 30-06, and 243. I was looking for a .41RemMag barrel for my Contender when I saw it in the case. Was surprised to see it because it was not to long after they (Encores)started to show up in gun shops and this place was a hock shop. There isn't a very big calling for them or Contenders here. I'm working nights just now, off on Friday morning will swing by that shop if it is still there I'll send you the info.
BTW still looking for a factory issue T/C Hunter in .41RemMag. Saw them listed in an old catalog but have never seen one.

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Handgun Hunter
LOVE THOSE .41s'

As a beginner I would not recommend a 45/70
like all our fellow shooters said : Recoil
is impressive !I`d suggest you start with a
14" T/C bullbarrel in .375 Winchester , it
has more power than you need , there`s no
case forming and you could even shoot factory
ammo , although handloads are the way to go !Besides that the trigger of the Contender is a lot better, it is lighter and easier to
carry , good luck !

Get the ENCORE! It's a lot more versatile. You can set it up as a muzzleloader or a .300 WM rifle as well as just about any handgun round you want. I ordered one in .223 for a customer recently. Originally he wanted a Contender. The Contender frame was cheaper but the barrels were more expenxive. I got him the ENCORE for $20.00 more than the other setup was going to cost him. As for the trigger in the Contender being better, I don't see how, the triggers in all the ENCORE's I've handled have been much better than any other factory triggers I've seen on bolt guns recently.

I am going to have to disagree with you Paul on the triggers of an Encore & Contender. I really don't find any real big difference in the triggers between my brother's Contender and my Encore. I do agree that a used barrel would be cheaper and better if you can get one of the better quality barrels. The last couple of barrels that I have seen coming out of T/C itself has had chatter marks on the shoulder in the chamber. My next barrel will probably be from SSK. Save your pennies for what you really want. Slim

You haven't tried the trigger on my contender ;-) I would not buy a new barrel from T/C, either a contender or encore. That said, the market for used barrels is much larger for the contender, and their are some great deals out there.

Here are the cut and dried differences, the contender is 1# lighter, the contender needs to be chambered in a wildcat to maximize its performane. The encore with some sort of .308 based factory round is a fine gun, no real need to wildcat it.

If you really want a slick little single shot, get a contender, with a 10" whisper, 357 max, or 445 super mag barrel. If you like the longer ranges, get a contender in 6.5, 309, 358 or 375 JDJ, they'll do anything the encore will, provided you don't need to shoot past 250 yds.

Cyberhick, the best advice would be to handle the different Handguns to see which one appeals to you. The handling qualities of the Contender & Encore are very diffent, as are the grips & forends, and the weight of the two handguns. With the Contender there are several different grip configurations to choose from. Personally I much prefer the Pachmayr Finger Groove Grip & Forend on the Contender. IMHO they are the best feeling of what is offered for either the Contender or the Encore.

Another option is the Savage Striker Bolt Action Handgun. I have one in .243 Winchester, and it is fast becoming my Favorite Handgun. I am loading 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips for Varmints, and 90gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips that I plan on using on White Tail Deer this fall.

Around here a Blued-Synthetic Stocked Striker can be had for about $365.00. They are offered in .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington & .308 Winchester. Other versions are also offered, ie. Stainless-Steel - Synthetic Stocked, and Stainless-Steel - Laminated Wood Stocked. (Note that all of the Stainless-Steel versions are only offered with Savage's Adjustable Muzzle Brake currently).

To me the plus of the Savage Striker Handgun is the Center-Grip design of the Stock. (The grip is actually located at the mid point of the action, and the rear of the action extends out over the hand.) This helps when using High Powered Handgun Scopes in that it lessens the distance from the eye to the scope. Also it makes these handguns balance better for shots that must be taken from less than ideal rests.

Like I stated at the onset, handle as many different models, with as many different grip configurations as you can before you lay down your hard earned cash.

Good luck

Larry

cyberhick
The Competitor is what the Lone Eagles was made after. The Competitor has been around for about 20 years for how well they shoot my Competitor will shoot just over 1/2" for the 375 JRS and 1/4" for the 22 Hornet and 1/2" for the 308 Win. You can get ahold them at Appleton Business Center, 30 Tricnit RD,
Unit 16 P.O. Box 508 New Ipswich HN, 03071
Phone 603-878-3950. Each gun is made to order The Bases gun has a SYN stock. 14" BBL Adjustable trigger 2-7 lbs. Scope base. comes in about 250 Calibers. and all for 460.00 if you know a gun dealer you can get a better deal on one

Got a NIB SS .475 Linebaugh Encore FS or trade?

I have an older Contender w/ a .375win., ported hunter bbl. It's kind-of an inexpensive .375JDJ, not quite the same specs, but a good med. bore thumper. Loaded ammo & brass are readily available & dies are inexpensive. I shoot 235gr Speer SS @ about 1900fps (thumper). Good luck w/ your project!

You can't go wrong with a 45/70 from SSK. I have a super 14" SS w/ssk brake topped with a TSOB 4-ring mount and a Burris 2x7. With hand loads it'll damn near 1-hole @ 50 yards. At 100 I can shoot 20 gauge casings of the back stop w/almost every shot(best is 6 straight) In Ohio it's now legal to hunt deer with it! Every body shoots it @ our club and are really suprised at how easy it is to shoot! I also have a 30-40 Krag 14" from SSK w/brake that is a real joy to shoot! I get pretty good total powder burn out in the barrel of the 45/70 using H322 with federal 210 primers.