Author Topic: more Contender shooters than Encore shooters? (Read 672 times)

jeff223 · « **on:** November 02, 2004, 02:28:41 PM »

is it because the Contender has been around for a long time and the Encore has not.it seems to me there are more new Contenders sold than Encores,im talking hand guns here not long guns.what do you think about this.i checked out the Encore and i like it alot but i bought a Contender.whats up with this?

TCShooter · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2004, 02:37:27 PM »

When I was looking I liked the Contender also but I bought an Encore for the almost limitless caliber choices. Yes you can shoot rimfire with the Contender and not with the Encore but that was not enough to sway me. The other thing I hear is that some people shy away from the Encore due to the heft but that didn't deter me either.

PS...I think they are both great guns but I love my Encore and am very pleased with my discission! :-)

Possum · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2004, 03:22:24 PM »

I have both of them. The Encore has a pistol barrel and a rifle barrel. The three contenders I have tote 6 barrels between them. Weight is a consideration, but I think the fact that there are more used accessories and barrels floating around may make some people go with the Contender. I know I can almost buy two good used Contender barrels for what one new Encore barrels costs. Just a thought.

I bought the Contender first because it was one of the few things I wanted as a youth (and couldn't get) that I still wanted when I became an adult. Then I went to the Encore because of the rifle combinations and the fact that my children eventually could shoot calibers more appropriate for their size. Not to mention that Dad can shoot the 30.06 pistol while waiting for them to grow up. :grin:

Special Ed · « **Reply #3 on:** November 03, 2004, 12:45:27 AM »

I've had my Contender for about 20 years so I'm in pretty deep (2 frames & 5 barrels). I looked at the Encore & figured it really wouldn't do me any good to have one living where I due because of having to use a straight wall case for deer hunting.

If I lived or hunted where the necked case was legal I would have had one (or 2 or 3) along time ago.
It's also nice to have the rimfire option on the Contender, especially with the 17 calibers now being available.

flatlander · « **Reply #4 on:** November 03, 2004, 03:40:34 AM »

I got a Contender years ago before Encores were an option. Now that I have one, I can't really justify going up to an Encore, because my personal maximum range with a pistol is within the Contender's capabilities with my 7-30 waters barrel. For the game I hunt (primarily deer and hogs), the Encore just doesn't have much to offer me except more recoil and more powder burned.

poncaguy · « **Reply #5 on:** November 03, 2004, 05:08:57 AM »

Will buy a new Contender pistol mainly because my barrels will fit the G2........I have 45-70, 45/410, 357 Maxium/ 357 mag and 223. Otherwise, I would get the Encore pistol. I have a Encore rifle with the 50 cal black powder, 7mm-08, and 204 Ruger barrels. I'm glad I found this forum. Plan on hunting with my 45-70 with Red dot scope for deer here in Oklahoma this season.

rickyp · « **Reply #6 on:** November 03, 2004, 06:19:10 AM »

I bought my contender well before they even thought of the encor.
when the encore came out I took a good look at it, I was looking for a second frame at the time. I did not care for the weigh and lines of the encore so I bought a contender in S.S. Now looking back I should have bought an encore handgun because I now have rifles in 308, 7x57 and a contender barrel of the 2 rounds would be great as I wont have to buy seprate brass or dies.

Quote

Yes you can shoot rimfire with the Contender and not with the Encore but that was not enough to sway me

you can get an adaptor to lets you shoot the rimfires out of a encore
http://www.virginvalleyguns.com/accessories.cfm#rc

I know VVGW is no longer making barrels, but if you call there number you will get a message telling you how to get the accessories.

TCShooter · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2004, 11:40:15 AM »

Quote from: rickyp

Quote
Yes you can shoot rimfire with the Contender and not with the Encore but that was not enough to sway me

you can get an adaptor to lets you shoot the rimfires out of a encore
http://www.virginvalleyguns.com/accessories.cfm#rc

I know VVGW is no longer making barrels, but if you call there number you will get a message telling you how to get the accessories.

Yes I learned of the adapter from Graybeard's site, actually forgot all about it, but even now the 22 barrel bug for an Encore hasn't bitten me YET. :wink:

Why is VVGW not making barrels now? Had not heard this till now but I have not been on here in a while either.

palgeno · « **Reply #8 on:** November 03, 2004, 11:55:51 AM »

Geez---how do you count us? what if we shoot all 3 frame types? Obviously many more Contender frames have been produced than G2's and Encores----all that matters is that we love to shoot em and apparently we buy all they produce---enough demand to support custom barrel makers,too!!! pg

armory414 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2004, 02:57:58 PM »

I have a Contender and an Encore. I don't plan on getting a G2. Between the 2 frames, I've got everything covered that I might want to buy in the way of barrels. I think the Encore is pretty much plain-Jane, but solid for the cartridges it's capable of handling. While I like the idea of not having to break open the G2 to re-cock the gun, I just like the looks and feel of the original Contender.

grumps · « **Reply #10 on:** November 04, 2004, 06:26:15 AM »

I like the G2 over the old contender simply from the technology and design of it. The G2 has the hammer working off of a sear attached to the hammer block with a sear to the trigger. The older contender has the hammer held by a sear but it has to be released by another hammer attached to another sear attached to the trigger. Which is why when you cock the old contender and let the hammer down you have to reset the trigger sear by opening the action. Clear as mud , right! I'll take the G2 over the older job everyday. The G2 is a slimmed down and lighter version of the Encore and therefore takes less and generally smaller calibers. For big centerfires I'll do the Encore job though. I'm not real smart so if I'm not right on the sear madness somebody straighten me out.

Gregory · « **Reply #11 on:** November 04, 2004, 01:26:00 PM »

Got into Contenders back in the mid 80's. Tried the Encore but didn't like it. My personal comfort level in recoil, in a handgun, maxes out at the 44 Mag so the Encore doesn't offer me anything extra. I also like the adjustable trigger on the older Contenders best.

TCShooter · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2004, 02:06:39 PM »

Quote from: Gregory

I also like the adjustable trigger on the older Contenders best.

Wish the Encore had the adjustable trigger!

Are your frames the easy open type or not and if so what is the difference between them? Have always heard this but not really sure what it means besides the obvious.

KYODE · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2004, 03:11:28 PM »

do a search on this site, possibly a few pages down, about encore triggers, and you are likely to find out how to take care of em.
the encore is just as easy to manipulate. the old contender trigger did not adjust in poundage either. you could only adjust sear engagement.

all my encore triggers are just as light as my contender triggers......and my G2 is 15ozs.

TCShooter · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2004, 03:27:06 PM »

Quote from: KYODE

do a search on this site, possibly a few pages down, about encore triggers, and you are likely to find out how to take care of em.
the encore is just as easy to manipulate. the old contender trigger did not adjust in poundage either. you could only adjust sear engagement.

all my encore triggers are just as light as my contender triggers......and my G2 is 15ozs.

I have actually done the trigger on mine...changed the spring anyway. Mine was smooth and I saw no need to go any further than the spring. I from what I read I just always thought the contender trigger was easier to do and had more adjustment but then again I don't know an awful lot abut the contenders.