barrel for G2

[odie-wan]

Hi all.  Long time lurker, infrequent poster.  It has been a long time since I did the Contender thing back in the service.  I've had Rugers since then but I'm picking up a synthetic G2 frame with the thought of putting together a deer and plinker gun.  Most of my reloading stuff is in 44mag so I want my first barrel to be a 44mag and scope it.  I want a 22 later. 

My questions are:
1) What barrels will fit a G2?  I was told that all contenders and encores would.   True?

and

2) What should I look for in a used barrel? Inexpensive scope and ring recommendations?

Thanks in advance,
Seanl

[Keith L]

All Contender barrels work.  None of the Encore barrels.  You may have to polish the locking bolts to get them to lock up well.

There are many good mount/ring combos available.  I use Leupold, but Burris is good also, and the Burris rings with inserts are the best rings I have ever used.  My best advise on both mounts and scopes is don't go cheap.  The last thing you want is failure when you are hunting.

Good luck and have fun.

[Grumulkin]

My best advise on both mounts and scopes is don't go cheap.

Good advice indeed.

The scopes I've had that have stood up to heavy handgun recoil are T/C and Leupold.  I've never tried a Burris scope but they have a good reputation.

I've used the T/C Duorings to mount scopes.  They look good and work well for cartridges with low recoil.  The one I have on my 460 S&W barrel has held up well; not so the one I used to have on a 500 S&W barrel.  I pretty much now only use steel Weaver bases with 3 Burris Signature ZEE rings to mount scopes to be used with cartridges with heavy recoil.

[odie-wan]

It didn't occur to me that G2 meant Generation 2 Contender.  (Duh)   I picked up a used 22LR barrel and shot some cans in the back yard with the wife tonight.  I missed having a 22 around.  That was a lot of fun.  I have a 44 barrel on the way from a fellow GBO member and will keep your scope advise in mind while shopping for some glass. Thanks!

Sean

[skb2706]

"I'm picking up a synthetic G2 "


I don't understand.....as opposed to being made of what ?
 

Weaver style scope mounts work just fine...I like dual dovetail but others work too.

[odie-wan]

I don't understand.....as opposed to being made of what ?

Synthetic grips as opposed to wood.......  I assumed that the G2 also could have wood grips like the Encore and Contenders.

[HAMMERHEAD]

One thing to watch out for is the locking lugs on the barrel. Make sure any used barrel has split lugs (two pieces, split lengthwise). All modern barrels have split lugs, but there are some old ones around with solid lugs that will not function with a G2.
With a .44 Rem Mag barrel, you want a good scope, like Leupold or Burris.
I have an Encore in .44 that is a lot of fun to shoot with my light handloads. I just bought a used Contender (stainless/synthetic) with a .44 barrel and a Weaver 4X scope and a three ring mount. I haven't shot it yet.
I also have a G2 with a .22 WMRF barrel that is my best shooter (after a trigger job).