Thinking about pulling the trigger...

[Arnie]

on a hangun for hunting purchase.

I've migrated from rifle to compound to longbow/recurve and now I'm thinking about hunting with a handgun. I live in South Texas so I will mainly use it for whitetails and hogs. I have been looking at Thompsons website and am confused about the "encore pistol" and the "contender pistol". What is the difference between the two?

Also, what is realistic range of these and other hunting handguns? What are the advantages/disadvantages between a Thompson or say a Ruger Redhawk? I'd like to be able to shoot accurately out to 100 yards if the need occured. Thanks in advance for any advice. I've enjoyed reading the posts on this site and look forward to learning from you folks.
Arnie

[Lone Hunter]

The Contender  is a single shot pistol that shoots low pressure rounds like 22 rimfire,30-30, 7-30 Waters ,35 Remington.  It will also handle revolver rounds such as 44 Mag, 45 Long colt ,357 Mag. It also has the capablity to change barrels and calibers.The Contender is no longer made, but you can find them used. With the Contender you can not pull the hammer back then manualy lower the hammer by hand with out opening the action to recock the action. Also make sure the action is always cocked[NOT HAMMER BUT ACTION] or the hammer will rest derectly on the firing pin and if hit it could go off.
      The encore does not have this problem. The hammer can be cocked and uncocked and recocked with out the action being opened. And the hammer will not rest on the firing pin unless the gun has ben fired. The Encore will handle the higher pressure rounds like 308 Win, 30/06, 300 Win Mag. It  also has the capability to switch calibers  by changing the barrels.
  The G-2 wil  replace the old Contender and will have the newer safty features of the Encore but will handle only the low pressure rounds of the Contender.
   
     Accracy should be about 1" at 100 yards. Some get better some worse. The useful range can be out to sevral hundred yards if the shooter is up to it and has a good rest.There is also a wide range of wildcat cartridges availible for both the Contender and Encore.
    The use of a revolver or a single shot is a personal thing but both offer more challenge than hunting with a rifle. Most of the bigger revolver cartridges are good to about 100 yards on deer. Hope this helps Lone Hunter

[ShootnStr8]

Arnie,

I'm glad you are thinking about handgun hunting.  I've been at it for about 5 years and have thoroughly enjoyed my Contender in a 7-30 Waters which I consider to be a solid 200 yard performer on whitetail assuming I would have a solid rest.  Recoil is mild with the 7-30 out of a 14 inch Contender barrel.  Accuracy is 5 rounds in 2 inches at 200 yards.  Its a sweet rig.  I've not hog hunted so I can't speak on how well a 139 grain bullet moving 2150 fps would do on them.  

The Contender is no longer being made but new frames can still be had but supplies are drying up.  The Contender is able of handling potent rounds such as the 45-70 and 375 JDJ.  There are backthrust and pressure issues that prevent it from safely shooting rounds like the 6.5X55, 7-08, 30-06, etc.

The Encore is a newer single shot pistol from TC and is readily available.  It is beefer and capable of handling most rounds that you would dare to load and then pull the trigger.  I would think an Encore in a 7-08 or 308 would be awesome on hogs and whitetail.  (I would go with a 30-06 simply because of my love of the round.) Obviously, such rounds can reach out and touch at 250 plus yards.  

Rugers chambered for the 44 Mag or 454 Casull are certainly 100 yard performers if the shooter is up to it.  The Casull can tack on another 50.  

The advantages of the TC: Very accurate, interchangable barrels, outstanding effective range out of a pistol.  The disadvantage is that they are fairly large weapons.  

The advantages of the Rugers: a bit easier to handle and shoot off hand, quick follow up shoots.  Disadvantages: more limited range, one chambering only.  

If you move in the TC direction please know that there are a lot of fine, helpful folks in Graybeard's TC forum.

Blessings!

ShootnStr8

[Pie-bald]

Arnie, I know the feeling!!!  Although I've only killed 1 deer with a compound I've shot 35 deer and three bears with my recurves.(a 82# Widow & 83# Assy'). I've always been a gun nut shooting competitivly in high school and been re-loading since I was 12(now 42). Several years ago I ran across a T/C Contender in a 30/40 Krag(what I grew up shootin in Pa,) and I've been hooked ever since. There are now 3 recievers and 10 barrels to my collection. Untill 4 years ago for a span of 18 years I'd never killed any big game critters(other than the ones that fell to my flintlock) with a center fire weapon. I now throughly enjoy the handgun hunting and it puts the thrill back into my hunting! I let my good buddy borrow my 45/70 SSK T/C this year and he's hooked also. As far as guns there's ONLY one choice!!!! A Contender if you can find one or a newer Encore. It's still basically  :grin:  a "One shot challenge". I still love my recurve's  but I also like my deer meat also..

[Arnie]

This sounds like trouble. I have a real hard time keeping myself from buying a "new" longbow or recurve every 6 months. I can't imagine having 10-20 caliber choices. The idea of having the ability to convert the same weapon to different calibers is really appealing. Thanks for the great info. I'm leaning toward an Encore in .25-06. Anyone have any experience with this round out of a TC Encore? Thanks for everyones input so far.

[HappyHunter]

I have this caliber in Encore, 15 inch barrel with a Bushnell 2x6 Elite 3200 scope.  I love this gun!

You will most likly need a trigger job with any Encore, not too tough with internet downloads available.  Put in a new trigger spring and hone the sears.  My first two trigger jobs where both Encores, with excellant results.  Ask about this on the TC Handgun forum.

25-06 can be a fussy caliber, I would not get into it unless you plan to reload as well.  My Encore (factory barrel) will do 1-1/8   5 shot group at 100yds.  I feel that this is good as I can get...the gun may do better.  

What I like about the 25-06 is the drop from 100 to 200 yds.  Only 1-1/2 inches from my Remm. 700 rifle.  

Good luck with your new and expensive hobby,  be sure to ask about the best place to buy frames, barrels, scopes, dies and all else.  There is a huge following for the Encore and Contender and we are all tight with a buck (allows the purchase of additional barrels).

Fred

[HappyHunter]

I am using 115 grain Nosler ballistic tip with IMR 4350, .005 off of the lands. This bullet has taken three deer for me this year, one shot each with flawless performance.  

Fred :grin:

[HappyHunter]

Chris

8 pt  KY buck 160 yds  120 lbs both lungs and heart thru and thru.

KY doe 90 lbs, 45 yds thru and thru heart and lungs broke both sholders.

IN doe 110 lbs,  35 yds thru and thru both lungs.

All exit holes are considerably larger than entrance with considerable internal damage and bleeding.  I feel that this is a relativly fast kill.

Somebody told me that the bc of .257 bulllet drops after 117 grains.  I don't know if this is true or not.  

The Nosler balistic tip has performed well for me in this caliber.  Many do not like this bullet many do.  I can just tell you my experience.   I had been considering trying the Nosler Partition until my experience with these deer and the ballistic tip bullet...see no reason to change.

I will be working up a  300 weatherby load for a rifle for moose maybe I will try the partition then.

Good hunting/shooting.

Fred
 :grin: