G-2 First Impressions

[casper_zip]

:grin:

Been shooting my G2 since June 20th. I got a really low serial number, and the wood is beautiful. The forearm is much prettier than the old Contenders. The trigger pull is hard, hard, hard, hard, and then hard. No creep, slack, just hard. Should be no problem, going to tear it down and do a trigger job on it.

Would I swap any of my old Contenders for one ?? Absolutely not. It's really just a baby Encore, except it has a switch on top of the hammer for center or rimfire, and the Encore doesn't. I have 4 Encores, one with a Bellm trigger, and that baby is fine.

I have a new SSK 250 Savage, 15" mounted on my new G-2. Of course, it shoots, just got to do something with the trigger. Naturally, it opens like a dream, just like the Encores. You can tell this one is much stronger than the old Contenders, but I am not one to try and stretch my frames with loads not designed for these simple break open guns. I have shot the 300 Savage for years with my old Contenders, never hurt it yet.

I guess to make a long story short, if I need some hand hurting power I get out the ole 45/70 in the Contender or the 358 Win. in the Encore. These boys can/will get your undivided attention if you like clouds of dust and like to see the grass and bushes sway when you pull the trigger.

Anyone who has any data on the 30/223 or the 30 Max. please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Bob

[markc]

in your old style contender did you ever shoot much factory ammo in the 300 Savage barrell?  How did it do?  I hear that factory 300 savage ammo can make it had to open, that it is a bit too hot for the Contender.  Could you tell me how yours did please.  THanks
markc

[casper_zip]

Mark:

Yes, the 300  Savage factory rounds were too potent for the Contender. I quickly learned not to shoot them. The action was hard to open. Actually, I only fired 5 rounds total. The primers were "flattened" too. I didn't want to stretch my frame, so I never shot factory stuff again. I once shot a group with this barrel in front of 3 witnesses that I wished I'd have kept. I shot a group at 200 yards with a good scope and at a bench rest, the 3 shots could easily have been hid by a nickel. The barrel I have is extremely accurate, a Shilen 15" by Bullberry.

Please don't shoot factory 300 Savage loads in your Contender. I also have a new 250 Savage in Contender by SSK. I have never had any factory stuff to try in it. Its also very accurate. I am quite sure it will do the same as the 300 Savage, and I intend to find out.

See you later,

Bob

[buckenbass]

heads up there's a g2 on auction arms . com  hope this helps someone
         

[markc]

thanks for the warning Casper_zip.   Would like to find a caliber with factory ammo available, a bit more stout than my 7-30 waters.  
markc

[SD Handgunner]

I too got to shoot a new G-2 Contender today. I went over to my cousin's place today. Her husband Bob is a great friend of mine, and we do a lot of shooting together. Well a while back Bob picked up a used Super 14 .30-30 Ackley Improved Contender Barrel. Since that time Bob has been shooting his barrel on one of my Frames. Well Monday Bob picked up a new G-2 Contender Frame.

It looks like a mini Encore with a selector switch on top of the hammer. However I liked the Wood on this new G-2 Contender much better than any I have handled or seen on an Encore. The forend is a little wider and somewhat flat on the bottom, and it just looks right. At first I thought the grip felt odd in that the bottom was so much smaller than the top, but after handling it and shooting it for a while I really like the feel of the grip. Bob tried putting Pachmayr Grip and Forend on the G-2, and while he thought he could make it work, there would be a lot of carving involved to make the grip fit.

The Trigger is hard and heavy. While it had a lot of travel to it, it seemed fairly smooth. However I am willing to bet that buy the next time I shoot Bob's G-2 Contender the Trigger is much better. Bob is not the type to leave well enough alone and will get it tuned as soon as he gets time.

We shot Bob's Super 14 .30-30 AI Barrel (which is an older 6 Land & Groove, 1 in 14" Twist .30 Herrett that was rechambered to .30-30 AI) on the G-2. No problems with it locking up or unlocking. We were just shooting some fireform loads Bob threw together with 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded with AA#2520. Accuracy could have been better, but then maybe I am spoiled with the way my Super 14 .30-30 AI shot my fireform loads.

All in all I am glad I had the opportunity to shoot the G-2 Contender. Will I buy one, well if I didn't already have 3 Contender Frames, probably. Will the G-2 handle more than the original Contender, time will tell the story I am sure, and I think that that is what it is going to take is time with shooters shooting them.

Larry

[KN]

I finally got to see one at a gun show today. Mini-Encore pretty much sums it up. Looked and felt good though.  KN